Over the Map of the UK

The British Isles The British Isles total area is nearly 315,000 square kilometres The British Isles The British Isles surrended by the North Sea, Atlantic Ocean, the English Channel and the Irish Sea lie off the north- west coast of the continental Europe consist of two large islands – Great Britain, Ireland and more than 5,000 smaller island

What Is Its Name? Britain England one part of the UK used to mean the United Kingdom, for example in official government yearbooks between 1975 and 2001, now the United Kingdom is used. Great Britain an island = England, Scotland and Wales The British Isles The United Kingdom of Great Britain The Kingdom of Great Britain geografical term Simple term for The union of the kingdoms of England and Scotland in 1707 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island

Why so many names? English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish are all British citizens Scottish Northern Irish The UK Is Made Up Of: English Numerous smaller islands including the Isle of Wight, Anglesey, and the Scilly, Orkney, Shetland, and Hebridean archipelagos Welsh

What is the official title? The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland does not include the Isle of Man (which lies between Great Britain and the island of Ireland) and the Channel Islands (which lie off the North coast of France). These are direct dependencies of the British Crown, maintaining their own legislative, monetary and taxation systems. Each have their own parliaments and a Governor, appointed by the Crown.

The British Isles Ireland Great Britain Republic of Ireland Northern Ireland England Scotland Wales The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Nothern Island

Great Britain Capital cities England: London Scotland: Edinburgh Wales: Cardiff

the highest mountains = The Grampian Mountains Mountain ranges the most important range of the hills = the Pennines the highest mountains = the Mourne Mountains the highest mountains = the Cumbrian Mountains

Land Lowland Britain – the south-east Highland Britain – the north-west No place in England is more than 75 miles (120 km) from the sea.

Highlands Lowlands

Lakes Scotland - Loch Lomond and Loch Ness Northern Ireland - the UK's largest lake, Lough Neagh (396 sq km) England - the Lake District - Windermere

Rivers the Thames (England), which flows through Oxford and London The Severn, the longest river, is just 338 km in length, beginning in Wales and entering the Atlantic Ocean near Bristol in England.

Cardiff - the capital of Wales Atlantic Ocean - the body of water in which the British Isles are located English Channel - the body of water off southern England which separates it from France Dublin - the capital of Ireland Belfast - the capital of Northern Ireland Orkney Islands - islands off the northeast coast of Scotland London - the capital of England (and the capital of the United Kingdom) Celtic Sea - the sea south of Ireland Shetland Islands - islands far off the northeast coast of Scotland Wales - a part of the United Kingdom bordering England on the southwest Isle of Man - an island in the Irish Sea Northern Ireland - a part of the United Kingdom bordering the Republic of Ireland on the northeast Cardiff - the capital of Wales North Sea - the body of water northeast of the British Isles separating it from northwestern Europe England - the largest area in the United Kingdom; it is attached to Scotland and Wales Scotland - a part of the United Kingdom bordering England on the north Isle of Wight - an island off the southern coast of England Edinburgh - the capital of Scotland Ireland - (the Republic of Ireland) - a country west of England across the Irish Sea (not part of the United Kingdom) Hebrides - islands off the northwest coast of Scotland Northern Ireland - a part of the United Kingdom bordering the Republic of Ireland on the northeast Irish Sea - the body of water that separates England and Ireland

Climate Mild with few extremes

Facts Nine out of ten people live in towns and cities. Newcastle Three quarters of the land in Britain is used for farming More than two-thirds of people own their own homes.

The largest country in Great Britain and the UK Cross of St George The largest country in Great Britain and the UK The capital city is London Famous for many things - David Beckham, Fish and Chips, Big Ben, Red Buses, black cabs, Oasis, Blur, the Beatles, London and tea

Country Facts Main religions Currency Pound Sterling (£) Church of England, Catholic, Methodist, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh and Hindu Motto Dieu et mon droit (God and my right) . Largest Lake Highest point Windermere (14.7 sq km) Scafell Pike 978 m (3210 ft) Official Animal Longest river Lion Thames (346 km) National Day Canada Square, Canary Wharf (London), 245 metres (800 feet) high 23 April Tallest Building

The Symbols of England St. George A brave Roman soldier who protested against the Romans' torture of Christians and died for his beliefs The rose The flower has been adopted as England’s emblem since the time of the Wars of the Roses - civil wars (1455-1485) between the royal house of Lancaster (whose emblem was a red rose) and the royal house of York (whose emblem was a white rose).

Technically, Wales is a principality Technically, Wales is a principality. This means that it is ruled by a prince. Traditionally the Prince of Wales is the eldest son of the English monarch. Wales The National Assembly of Wales has limited domestic powers and cannot make law. Wales does not issue its own currency and is not in control of any armed forces. These are the powers of the national government of the UK.

Country Facts Currency Official Language Main religions Pound Sterling (£) English and Welsh Anglicanism, Methodism Highest point Largest Lake Longest river Bala Snowdon Towy (Tywi) National Day Nationality 1 March Welsh and British

Interesting facts actors rugby Richard Burton, and today Sir Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta Jones the national game three Presidents of the United States Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Richard Nixon the famous traveler and explorer Writers, poets and musicians Sir George Everest - the highest peak in the world is named after him. Dylan Thomas, Jackie Collins, Tom Jones

The symbols St. David - was a Celtic monk, abbot and bishop, who lived in the sixth century. He spread the word of Christianity across Wales. The national flower of Wales is the daffodil, which is traditionally worn on St. David’s Day. The vegetable called leek is also considered to be a traditional emblem of Wales.

Scotland Scotland has some 790 islands - 130 inhabited Its capital city is Edinburgh - the first city in the world which had its own fire-brigade. Like Rome, it was built on seven hills. Until 1603, Scotland had its own King. In July 1, 1999, the Scottish Parliament was opened by HM the Queen, the first Scottish Parliament for 300 years. Scottish parliament responsibilities include social work services, health, local government and education

Country Facts Official Language Currency English (Scottish Gaelic is spoken by 1.4 percent of the population) Pound Sterling (£) Main religions Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) Scottish Episcopal Church, Roman Catholicism Highest point Largest Lake Longest river Loch Lomond Ben Nevis Tay National Day Nationality 30 November Scottish and British

Interesting facts There are over 600 square miles of fresh water lochs (lakes). One of the most famous is Loch Ness where a mysterious monster is said to lurk in the depths of the water. medieval castles poetry and songs of Robert Burns clans, kilts Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle, David Hume and the actor Sean Connery Annie Lennox, Wet Wet Wet, Travis and Simple Minds Edinburgh for its famous theatres festival

The symbols St. Andrew - was one of the Twelve Apostles (disciples of Jesus) and brother of Simon Peter (Saint Peter). The national flower of Scotland is the thistle, a prickly-leaved purple flower which was first used in the 15th century as a symbol of defence. The Scottish Bluebell is also seen as the flower of Scotland

Northern Ireland The capital is Belfast is composed of 26 districts. Together they are commonly called Ulster. The land is slightly mountainous and has few natural resources. The New Northern Ireland Assembly has limited devolved powers from the British Parliament, and often has been suspended since its establishment in 1999. The majority of the population is Protestant, and nearly 40% is Catholic.

Country Facts Official Language Currency English, Irish and Ulster Scots Pound Sterling (£) Main religions Protestant and Catholic Highest point Largest Lake Longest river Loch Lomond Slieve Donard River Bann National Day Nationality 17 March British and Irish

Interesting facts C S Lewis 1898-1963 Writer Kenneth Branagh 1960- Actor and film director James Nesbitt 1965- Actor William Burke 1792-1829 Grave robber and murderer George Best 1946-2005 Footballer James Galway 1939- Musician The Giant's Causeway, situated on the North East coast of Northern Ireland, is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. HMS Titanic ship was built in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland.

The symbols St. Patrick's Cross When he was about 16, he was captured from Wales by Irish raiders and taken as a slave to Ireland, where he lived for six years before escaping and returning to his family. After entering the Church, he returned to Ireland as an ordained bishop in the north and west of the island, but little is known about the places where he worked. By the seventh century, he had come to be revered as the patron saint of Ireland. The national flower of Northern Ireland is the shamrock, a three-leaved plant similar to clover. An Irish tale tells of how Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity.

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