The British Isles form a group of islands lying on the Northwest coast of Europe. The largest islands are Great Britain consisting of 3 parts: England, Wales and Scotland and Ireland consisting of Northern Ireland and the Irish republic. There are also the Orkneys, the Shetlands and the Hebrides. The Isle of Man lies in the Irish Sea and the English Channel Islands.
The area of Great Britain can be divided into two main regions - Lowland Britain to the southeast and Highland Britain to the northwest of the line running from Newcastle to Exeter.
The highest mountain is Ben Nevis (1342 m) in the Scottish Highlands.
The largest rivers are the Thames, the Tyne and the Trent in England and the Clyde and the Tweed in Scotland.
There are beautiful lakes in the the Lake District and in the Highlands of Scotland (called „lochs“ - Loch Ness).
The climate is temperate, winters are never very cold and summers are mild.
Natural recources:
Britain is very rich in high qaulity coal. The main coal-bearing areas are the Scottich field in cetral Lowlands, near Newcatstle, near Leeds, the South Wales.
There are petroleum and gas fields in the North Sea, too.
Other recources: sand, sandstone, chalk, salt.
The main industries developed during the Industrial revolution: cool, textile, wool, iron and steel, shipbuilding and engeneering. New industries developed in the 20th century: chemical and aircraft industries, electrical industries.
The main areas of industrial concentration are Yorkshire, Manchester, London, south Wales
Agricultural production constists manly of livestock production, included dairy farms, sheep farms, and poultry farms. There is a production of cereals, potatoes, sugar beet, fruit and vegetables. Only 2% of population are employed in agriculture.
Key facts:
Capital city: London
Major cities - holiday centres: Belfast, Brighton, Canterbury, Cambridge, Dover, Edinburgh, Hastings, London, Oxford, Plymouth, Stonehenge, Stratford upon Avon
Longest river: Severn
Currency: Pound Sterling divided into 100 pences
Main languages: English (with special local accents and dialects), Welsh, Scotish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic
Anthem: God save the queen
Sports: cricket, football, rugby, golf
