England

Of the four parts which make up Great Britain England is the largest, the industrial and most densely populated part of the United Kingdom. Over 48, 8 million people of the population of the UK live in England.

The greatest concentrations of population are in London, Birmingham and northwest industrial cities. The coasts of England are washed by the North Sea, the Irish Sea, the English Channel and the Strait of Dover. No part of England is more than 120 kilometers from the sea. The opening of the Channel Tunnel means Britain's railway network is now linked directly to Europe. Eurostar trains run several times a day from the centre of London to Paris and Brussels.

It is interesting to note that the sea has been important in the history of England. It was a good protection against the attacks of outside peoples. Fishing has always been an important industry, especially in the east. The sea also has a great effect on England's climate.

There are many rivers in England. The longest and the most important is the Thames. The rivers are of great importance for communication and especially for carrying goods.

England is mostly a lowland country. There are upland regions in the north and the southwest, but the rest of England is almost flat.

Northern England, Midlands and Southern England – each part of England is different. The lake district in Northern England with its lakes, mountains and valleys is a favourite holiday area. On either side of the Pennines the plains of Yorkshire and Lancashire stretch to the sea. In Yorkshire swift rivers flow down from the hills into valleys called “dales”.

The wool industry is centered in Leeds and Bradford, the cotton industry in Manchester, iron ore goes to the steel, heavy machinery and shipbuilding industries of Newcastle and other cities. The industries of the Midlands, with Birmingham as its chief city, produce metal goods, from motor cars and railway engines to pins and buttons. The Midland plain makes good farm land.

In Southern England are found some of the oldest British settlements and traces of ancient monuments such as Stonehenge.

References:

1. Yorkshire – Йоркшир (графство в Англии)

2. Lancashire – Ланкашир (графство в Англии)

3. Bradford – г. Брадфорд (крупный промышленный город)

4. Stonehenge – Стоунхендж (один из самых больших и известных в мире кромлехов; сооружен в 1900 — 1600 гг. до н.э.; состоит из огромных отдельно стоящих каменных глыб в виде круглых или квадратных оград; использовался для астрономических наблюдений и определений времен года)

5. dale – горная речка