Otázka: The United Kingdom
Jazyk: Angličtina
Přidal(a): pajushka
An Islands country is located to the north west of Europe. The UK is formed by two large islands – Great Britain and Ireland. The UK consists of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Its total area is about 245 km2. There are lots of smaller islands for example the Isle of Man, the Shetlands, the Orkneys, the Isle of Wight,…The physical geography is varied. The highest mountains is Ben Nevis in Highlands Scotland. The eastern and southern parts are lower. The main mountain ranges are e.g. The Highlands or The Pennines. The longest river is The Severn [Sevrn], it rises in Wales. The Thames (it flows through London) is the second longest. The UK is surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. France is only 35 km to the southeast across the English Channel. England is the largest of the countries, it is a seat of political power. Scotland used to be independent until 1707. The capital of England is London. The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh [Edinbr]. Cardiff is the capital of Wales. Northern Ireland remained a part of the UK when Ireland gained independence. The capital is Belfast.
Winters are mild and summers are warm but cloudy.
The British flag known as the Union Jack. The flag is made up of three crosses on a blue background. The upright red cross is the St. George´s cross, the patron saint of England. The diagonal white cross is the cross of St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland. The diagonal red cross is the cross of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.
The population of the UK is more than 60 million. There are some groups – English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh. British society is multiracial and multicultural. Nationalities – English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, Indian, Pakistan and others.
Official languages is English. There are minority languages – Welsh, Scottish (Scottish English, Scottish Gaelic) and Irish Gaelic.
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy with a monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II., and a parliament with 2 houses. The major political parties are the Conservative Party (right wing) and the Labour Party (left wing).
Places of interest
Cambridge university – it is one of the oldest educational institutions in Europe and one of the most prestigious universities in the world.
Cardiff – it is an important seaport and industrial centre. One of its most famous building is the 12th century Cardiff Castle.
Bealfast – is the largest city of Northern Ireland. It is an important manufacturing centre, famous fot its shipbuilding and textil industries.
Stonehenge is prehistoric monuments. It is circles of huge stones. It´s very old (3500 years).
Lake District – is a region with beautiful scenery, mountains and lakes. Lake Windermere is the largest lake in Britain.
Nottingham and the nearby Sherwood Forest are well known as the home of the legendary Robin Hood, and you can see an exhibition on the legends at Nottingham Castle.
Brighton is a famous seasideresort south of London. Don’t miss the popular Brighton Beach and the exotic-looking Royal Pavilion, a royal palace built in the early 19th century in Indian style, with Chinese decorations inside
Windsor – is a town in South East England, best known as the site of Windsor castle, the official residence of the Queen and the largest and oldest continually occupied castle in the world. In the borough, you can also find Eton College, Ascot Racecourse and Legoland.
