Great Britain (its geographical position, climate, relief)

To begin with I’d like to say that Great Britain, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the UK- for short), England, and the British Isles – different names used to denote the same thing. There is one more name: Albion. But they are sometimes used wrongly. Let’s start with some definitions, for which a map would be useful.  

On the North West coast of Europe lie two substantial islands. The larger one, a straggling irregular triangle about 1,200 kilometers in length is called Great Britain. The other, to the west which is roughly rectangular is Ireland. Since 1922 most of Ireland has been an independent republic which took the name Eire in 1937. The north-east corner of Ireland, sometimes known as Northern Ireland, sometimes as Ulster, is a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island. Officially it is not a country but a province or «constituent region». The capital of Northern Island is Belfast.

Great Britain, an island country in northwestern Europe, is divided into three countries: England, Scotland, and Wales with capitals London, Edinburgh, and Cardiff respectively. It is separated from mainland Europe by the North Sea on the east and by the English Channel on the South. It is a well-known fact that there is no place to be far from the sea in Britain.   

The British Isles consist of the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of Ireland and a great number of small islands. Such as: Orkney Islands, the Hebrides, the Isle of Wight and many others. 

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland consists of four parts: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.  The territory of the United Kingdom is about 244000 (two hundred and forty four thousand) square kilometers, that is the 75-th place among all other countries in the world.

 Great Britain has a very good geographical position. The sea connects Britain with most European countries such as: Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Russia and some other countries. The surface of the British Isles varies very much. It is manly low-lying meadow and forests, but there are mountains in Scotland and Wales, so we can say that the northern and the western parts of the country are mountainous. All the rest is a vast plain. The mountains are not very high. The rivers are not very long. The biggest of them is Thames while the longest one is the Severn. It rises in the mountains of Wales and follows a circulation route for over 200 miles before reaching the Bristol Channel and the sea. There are many beautiful lakes in the mountainous part of the country in Scotland.

The climate of Great Britain is mild due to the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf Stream’ warm waters, and the mountains. The country weather often changes. The summers are not cool. The winters are cold, with plenty of snow.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland isn’t rich in mineral resources but it is known as one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of electronics and machinery, chemicals, and various aircraft and navigation equipment.

Topical vocabulary

to denote oбозначать, указывать, значить
substantial основной, главный, большой,
straggling состоящий из разрозненных частей, разбросанный
irregular triangle  неправильнй треугольник
Eire Эйре (официальное название Ирландской республики с 1937 по 1949)
Ulster Ольстер (историческая область на севере Ирландии; большая её часть после раскола страны в 1921 была включена в качестве автономной провинции в состав Соединённого Королевства).
Orkney Isles Оркнейские острова (бывшее графство Шотландии)
Hebrides Гебриды, Гебридские острова (архипелаг в Атлантическом океане, к западу от Шотландии; территория Великобритании)
Isle of Wight (остров) Уайт (в проливе Ла-Манш, принадлежит Великобритании)
to be used wrongly ошибочно использоваться
to be separated from быть отделенным от чего-либо
a great number большое количество
geographical position of a country географическое положение страны
the surface поверхность
low-lying низкорасположенный, низменный
mountainous part гористая часть
circulation движение
a county графство (административно-территориальная единица в Великобритании)
a rumor cлух, молва

Exercise1.

Match the highlighted words or word combinations in the text with their definitions.

1. a statement of the exact meaning of a word;

2. something which is famous or familiar;

3. brings together or into contact;

4. a piece of grassland, especially one used for hay;

5. a literary term for Britain or England, often used when referring to ancient or historical times;

6. the weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period;

7. a large or sufficient amount or quantity; more than enough;

8. free from outside control; not subject to another's authority;

9. a piece of land surrounded by water;

10. it is shaped like a rectangle.

Exercise2.

Are the following statements true or false? Find some mistakes. Check yourself.

1. The UK is washed by the North and Irish seas and by the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans.

2. Administratively the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is divided into 55 counties.

3. A county is a region of Britain and Ireland, which has its own local government.

4. North and West of the UK are highlands, South and East – lowlands.

5. The highest mountain of Great Britain Ben Nevis is in Wales.

6. The Clyde, the Avon, the Trent and the Cam are among the UK longest rivers.

7. Bristol is a city in southwestern England, located on the Avon River about 6 miles from the Bristol Channel.

8. The Coat of Arms of the UK shows a shield, a crown, a lion, a unicorn and the motto “Dieu et mon driot”.

9. English people call the national flag the Union Jack, the Saint George’s Cross, the Saint Andrew’s cross.

10. There are many large cities in Great Britain: Chicago, San-Francisco, and Detroit.

11. The national emblem of England is a rose; in Wales it is a daffodil and leek; in Scotland – a thistle, in Northern Ireland – a shamrock.

12. The Arctic Ocean separates Great Britain from the continent.

Exercise3.


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