18.

The United Kingdom -

The form of government :is a parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy.
The official name is: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Its name is too long so Great Britain is
usually used instead (further on GB). Its area is almost 250,000 square kilometres and its population reaches 68,000,000. The
country lies on the British Isles consisting of two big islands Great Britain and Ireland and other smaller islands and archipelagos like
Hebrides, Shetlands, Channel Islands, Isles of Scilly ...
UK has four parts: England with the capital city London, Wales with the capital city Cardiff, Scotland with the capital city
Edinburgh and Northern Ireland with the capital city Belfast.
The British Isles are washed by the North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and the Celtic Sea. We can find there lowlands as well
as mountains. The highest hills in England are the Pennines, sometimes called the backbone of England as they stretch from north
to south and almost in the middle of England; other hilly parts are the Cornish Heights, the Cheviot Hills and the Cumbrian Mountains
(also known as the Lake District). In Wales there are the Cambrians with the highest peak Snowdon. In Scotland there are the
highest mountains called the Highlands of Scotland with the highest peak Ben Nevis.
The longest rivers are the Severn and the Thames. Most of the rivers are navigable and joined by numerous canals,
nowadays used for recreational purposes. In the past, before cars and trains, they were used to transport goods from the middle part
of England – centre of industrial revolution - to ports and other parts of England.
The climate of GB is mild as the isles are washed by the Gulf Stream. Summers are not very hot and winters have
temperature close to freezing except in the colder Scottish Highlands. The rainiest part is the northwest.
UK is rich in oil and gas taken from the North Sea and its economy is based on chemical and pharmaceutical industry as
well as on financial operations and electronic goods.
Tourists go to UK to see castles and cathedrals. The most famous is Canterbury cathedral built 1,000 years ago and
connected with Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Another piece of interest is the Royal pavilion in Brighton built in oriental style in the 19th
century. Those who are interested in very far history can’t omit Stonehenge – a circle of huge stones erected more than 3,500 years
ago and people still speculate about its real purpose. Plymouth is a historic seaport – the departure point of Drake’s voyage around
the world as well as the departure point of the Mayflower ship of Pilgrim Fathers who escaped from Protestant England to the “New
World” in 1620. Bath commemorating Roman times still shows warm springs and spa and beautiful architecture from the 18 th
century. A lot of people want to see Shakespeare’s birthplace – Stratford upon Avon. They can even watch his plays there. Those
who want to see the oldest universities aim to Oxford and Cambridge. In the northern part of England people visit Liverpool and the
Home of Beatles and the Maritime Museum. Some people are interested in Hadrian’s Wall which was built in the 2nd century to keep
wild Scots in the North. Definitely there are many other places to see ...
The majority of people speak English, but many people speak Welsh (in Wales), Scottish (in Scotland) and Irish (in Ireland).
The head of state is the King Charles III., so UK is a constitutional monarchy. The present prime minister is Rishi Sunak. The
government consists of two houses, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The first one is more powerful as all the
members are elected in national elections held every four years. The second one has just limited power, however, they can make
obstacles to pass the laws they don’t agree with. To be a member of the House of Lords you have to be a child of a noble family, in
other words it is hereditary. If only you did something very important for the country, you can get the life peerage and the right to sit
in the House of Lords.
UK is a member of UNO and NATO.