United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Geographical facts - location north-west part of Europe half size of France neighbours: the Republic of Ireland, (France, Belgium, the Netherlands) separated from the continent by the English Channel

Geographical facts - location between the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea two large islands (Britain and Ireland) small islands (the Isle of Man,...) archipelagos (the Orkneys, the Shetlands, the Hebrides,...)

Geographical facts - mountains varied landscape (mountains, highlands, lowlands) the highest mountains: Ben Nevis (1.343m) in the Scottish Highlands Snowdon (1.085m) in Wales mountain ranges: the Highlands (Scotland) the Cumbrian Mountains (Lake District) the Cambrians (Wales) the Pennines (northern England)

Ben Nevis in Scotland

Snowdon in Snowdonia NP

Rivers the Thames – the largest the Severn – the longest the Avon, the Trent, …

Lakes Lake District in the north of England the largest lake: Windermere Lakes in Scotland called “lochs” very attractive for tourists Loch Ness, Loch Lomond (the largest in Scotland), …

Lake District

Lakes in Scotland Loch Ness Monster Loch Ness Loch Lomond

Division of the UK England - capital London - 40 counties (Derbyshire, Devon, East Sussex, Cornwall,….) Wales - capital Cardiff - 8 counties (Clwyd, Gwynedd, Gwent,..) Scotland - capital Edinburgh - 12 regions and 53 districts (Highland, Grampian, Lothian, .…) Northern Ireland (Ulster) - capital Belfast - 6 counties

What is UK politically? the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland constitutional monarchy – the head of state the queen (Elizabeth II, since 1952, the Windsor family) prime minister - the head of government (Theresa May, since July 13th, 2016, Conservative Party)

Symbols of the UK Union Jack (the flag - officially adopted in 1801) 3 crosses: - St. George’s Cross (the patron saint of England) - St. Andrew’s Cross (the patron saint of Scotland) - St. Patrick’s cross (the patron saint of Ireland) the flag of Wales – dragon on red and green field (saint patron of Wales – St. David)

Symbols of the UK anthem – God save the Queen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qq_UhePJZ0 currency – pounds, pence units of measurement - pound = 0,45kg - mile = 1,6km - yard = 0,91m - inch = 2,54cm - gallon = 4,5l

People, language about 60,4 million people (2003) origin - first people came from Europe (3500-3000 BC) later tribes: the Celts, the Romans, the Anglo-Saxons, …. ethnic groups - British, Irish, immigrants from British colonies, Europeans (Greeks, Russians, Poles, Serbs,…) languages – English, Welsh, Scottish (about 75 000 speak Gaelic)

Agriculture, industry cattle, sheep breeding wool, potatoes, barley, sugar beat gas and oil industry textile industry, electronic goods, food processing, beverages