Great Britain

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on the British Isles. The British Isles consist of two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland, and about five thousand small islands. Their total area is over 244, 000 square kilometres.

The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast respectively. Great Britain consists of England, Scotland and Wales and does not include Northern Ireland. But in everyday speech 'Great Britain' is used to mean the United Kingdom. The capital of the UK is London.

The British Isles are separated from the European continent by the North Sea and the English Channel. The western coast of Great Britain is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea.

The surface of the British Isles varies very much. The north of Scotland is mountain­ous and is called the Highlands, while the south, which has beautiful valleys and plains, is called the Lowlands. The north and west of England are mountainous, but all the rest — east, centre and south-east is — a vast plain. Mountains are not very high. Ben Nevis in Scotland is the highest mountain (1343m).,

There are a lot of rivers in Great Britain, but they are not very long. The Severn is the longest river, while the Thames is the deepest and the most important one.

The mountains, the Atlantic Ocean and the warm waters of Gulf Streem influence the climate of the British Isles. It is mild the whole year round.

The UK is one of the world's smaller countries. Its population is over 57 million. About 80% of the population is urban.

The UK is a highly developed industrial country. It is known as one of the world's largest producers and exporters of machinery, electronics, textile, aircraft and navigation equipment. One of the chief industries of the country is shipbuilding.

The UK is a constitutional monarchy. In law, the Head of State is the Queen. In practice, the Queen reigns, but does not rule. The country is ruled by the elected government with the Prime Minister at the head. The British Parliament consists of two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

There are three main political parties in Great Britain: the Labour, the conservative and the Liberal parties. The Conservative party is the ruling party nowadays.

LONDON

London is the capital of Great Britain, its political, economic and commercial centre. It is one of the largest cities in the world and the largest city in Europe. Its popula­tion is about 8 million.

London is one of the oldest and most interesting cities in the world.

Traditionally it is divided into several parts: the City, Westminster, the West End and the East End. They are very different from each other and seem to belong to different towns and epochs.

The heart of London is the City, its financial and business centre. Numerous banks, offices and firms are situated there, including the Bank of England, the Stock Exchange and the Old Bailey. Few people live here, but over a million people come to the City to work. There are some famous ancient buildings within the City. Perhaps the most striking of them is St. Paul's Cathedral, the greatest of English churches. It was built in the 17th century by Sir Christopher Wren. The Tower of London was founded by Julius Caesar and in 1066 rebuilt by William the Conqueror. It was used as a fortress, a royal palace and a prison. Now it is a museum.

Westminster is the historic, the governmental part of London. Westminster Abbey has more historic associations than any other building in Britain. Nearly all English kings and queens have been crowned here. Many outstanding states­men, scientists, writers, poets and painters are buried here: Newton, Darwin, Chaucer, Dickens, Tennyson, Kipling, etc.

Across the road from Westminster Abbey is Westminster Palace, or the Houses of Parliament, the seat of the British Parliament. The Clock Tower of the Houses of Parlia­ment is famous for its big hour bell, known as " Big Ben". Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the Queen.

The West End is the richest and most beautiful part of London. It is the symbol of wealth and luxury. The best hotels, shops, restaurants, clubs, and theatres are situated there. There are splendid houses and lovely gardens belonging to wealthy people.

Trafalgar Square is the geographical centre of London. It was named in memory of Admiral Nelson's victory in the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The tall Nelson's Column stands in the middle of the square.

On the north side of Trafalgar Square is the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. Not far away is the British Museum – the biggest museum in London. It contains a priceless collection of ancient manuscripts, coins, sculptures, etc, and is famous for its library.

LONDON

London is the capital of Great Britain. London has a population of about 6, 770, 000. It lies on the River Thames, where the Romans landed nearly 2, 000 years ago. From about 1800 until World War II, London was the biggest city in the world, but now there are many cities, which are much bigger.

London is famous for many things. Ten million people visit London every year to see its places of interest. They come from all over the world to visit its historic buildings, such as St. Paul's Cathedral, which has a huge dome, and the Houses of Parliament, where you can see and hear the famous clock Big Ben. Across the road from the Houses of Parliament is Westminster Abbey. It is one of the most beautiful buildings in London. The Tower of London is one of the most interesting places. It was a fortress, a royal residence, a prison, now it is a museum.

Tourists also come to visit its theatres, its museums, and its many shops, such as Harrods, where you can buy anything.

Like many big cities, London has problems with traffic and pollution. Over 1, 000, 000 people a day use the London Underground, but there are still too many cars on the streets. The air isn't clean, but it is cleaner than it was 100 years ago. Until the Clean Air Act in 1956, London was famous for its fog or " smog", which is a mixture of smoke and fog.

The best thing about London is the parks. The most beautiful ones are all in the centre.