Unit 4. The United Kingdom (the UK)

The official name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It was formed by the union of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801, but Southern Ireland broke away in 1921. The official name of the country is often abbreviated to the United Kingdom, Great Britain, Britain, England or the UK.

Its area is 244, 046 square kilometers (94, 201 square miles). The capital of the UK is London. The country is located in the north west of Europe. It is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the English Channel and the North Sea. The main rivers of the UK are the Thames, the Tees, the Tweed, the Trent. The geographical position has made the United Kingdom a commercial and maritime power,

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and it is made up of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Wales became an English principality in 1284, Scotland and England were officially joined as Great Britain in 1707. Each of the four parts of the UK consists of counties.

1. Answer the following questions:

1. What is the official name of the country?

2. What other names are used for the name of the country?

3. How large is the UK?

4. What is the capital of the UK? What can you say about this city?

5. What are the main rivers in the country?

6. What can you say about its administrative and political system?

LONDON

London is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. Modern London is not one city that has steadily become larger through the centuries; it is a number of cities, towns, and villages that have, during the past centuries, grown together to make one vast urban area.

London is situated upon both banks of the River Thames. It is the largest city in Britain and one of the largest in the world. Its population is about 7 million people and one more million travel in each day to work. People who work in London and live in Suburbs are called commuters. They commute by train or bus from the suburbs because it is very expensive to buy a house or a flat neat the centre. In fact more and more people and firms move away from the capital.

London is a cosmopolitan, multicultural city. Every seventh londoner was born outside Britain. London dominates the life of Britain. It is a big port and most important commercial, manufacturing and cultural centre. There is little heavy industry in London, but there is a wide range of light industry in Greater London.

The City extends over an area of about 2.6 square kilometers in the heart of London. About half a million people work in the City but only less than 6, 000 live here. It is the financial centre of the UK with many banks, offices and the Stock Exchange. But the City is also a market for goods of almost every kind, from all parts of the world.

The West End can be called the centre of London. Here are the historical places as well as the famous parks, Hyde Park with its Speaker's Corner is also here. Among other parks are Kensington Gardens, St Jame's Park. In the West End is the Buckingham Palace which is the Queen's residence, and the Palace of Westminster which is the seat of Parliament. The best-known streets here are Whitehall, Downing Street, Fleet Street, Harley Street. The name “West End” came to be associated with wealth, luxury, and goods of high quality. It is the area of the largest department stores, cinemas and hotels. There are over 40 theatres, several concert halls, many museums including the British Museum, and the best art galleries.

It is in the West End that the University of London is centered with Bloomsbury as London's student quarter.

References:

1. the City – 1) Сити (исторический центр Лондона; один из крупнейших финансовых и коммерческих центров мира) 2) перен. Английский финансовый капитал, финансовая олигархия

2. Greater London – Большой Лондон (административно-территориальная единица, включает сам город и пригороды)

3. Stock Exchange – Лондонская фондовая биржа

4. Speaker's Corner – «Уголок оратора» (место в Гайд-Парке, где по воскресеньям и по субботам с импровизированной трибуны выступают ораторы на различные темы; в настоящее время превратился в одну из туристических достопримечательностей Лондона)

5. Kensington Gardens – Кенсингтон-Гарденз (большой парк в Лондоне, примыкает к Гайд Парку)

6. St. James Park – Сейн-Джеймс -Парк (расположен в центральной части Лондона)

7. Buckingham Palace – Букингемский дворец (главная королевская резиденция в Лондоне с 1837г.)

8. Whitehall – 1) Уайтхолл (улица в центральной части Лондона, на которой находятся важнейшие министерства и др. правительственные учреждения); 2) перен. английское правительство

9. Downing Street – Даунинг-Стрит (небольшая улица в центральной части Лондона, на которой в доме № 10 находится лондонская резиденция премьер-министра); 2) Даунинг-Стрит, английское правительство

10. Fleet Street – 1) Флит-Стрит (улица в Лондоне, на которой до 1980 г. находились редакции большинства крупнейших газет. В настоящее время большинство из них переехало в другие районы города) 2) перен. пресса и мир журналистики

11. Harley Street – 1) Харли-Стрит (улица в Лондоне, находятся приемные ведущих частных врачей-консультантов); 2) перен. Медики, медицинский мир

12. the British Museum – Британский музей (один из крупнейших музеев мира)

13. Bloomsbery – Блумзбери (район в центральной части Лондона, где находится Британский музей и Лондонской университет)