1. GEOGRAPHY & POLITICAL SYSTEM of the UK

2. GEOGRAPHY - area British isles
- islands of Great Britain, Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles
location: the north-east of Europe
La Manche
the UK: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
the closest part to Europe - England
area: cca km2
population: cca 64,100,000 inhabitants

3. GEOGRAPHY - cities London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast = capitals
among the biggest cities: Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff
unis – Oxford, Cambridge, Glasgow, St.Andrews

4. GEOGRAPHY - physical climate: ocean climate; plentiful rainfalls
lowlands, hills, north more mountanious
the highest mountain: Ben Nevis (1344 m; Scotland)
the longest river: the River Severn (350 km; Wales/England)

5. mountains & hills
Scotland – Scottish Highlands, Northwest Highlands, …
Wales – Snowdonia, Cumbrian Mountains,..
England – Dartmoor, Lake District, Peak District,..
Northern Ireland – Mourne Mountains
Nat. Parks: Snowdonia (W), Peak District (Eng), Dartmoor (Eng), Brecon Beacon (W), Loch Lomond (Sc)

6. rivers & lakes England: Thames, Severn, Avon Scotland: Nith, Tweed
Wales: Severn, Dee
NI: Foyle
the biggest lake: Lough Neagh (NI)
the most famous lake: Loch Ness (Scotland)
other lakes: Windermere (Eng), Loch Lomond (the biggest one in Sc.)

7. POLITICAL SYSTEM
constitutional monarchy – the monarch =the head of the state
- the prime minister = the head of government
queen Elizabeth II.
David Cameron
legislative power, executive power, judicial p.
Scotland, NI – own parliament

8. PARLIAMENT legislative power bicameral:
1) House of Lords (793 seats; members no longer inherit their seats )
- upper chamber
2) House of Commons (651 seats; members voted by people)
- lower house
meetings in the Palace of Westminster

9. GOVERNMENT executive power (plus the Queen)
HM current Government: Conservative Party + Liberal Democrats
- Prime Minister + Cabinet
HM current Opposition: Labour Party
elections:
every 5 years
not compulsory, from the age of 18

10. The End