home › Miscellaneous › Full description of Great Britain. Geographical characteristics of Great Britain

Full description of Great Britain. Geographical characteristics of Great Britain

Great Britain is an island state (the largest island is Great Britain, the country also includes the Channel Islands, the Isle of Wight and the northeastern part of the island of Ireland), located in the British Isles, in northwestern Europe.

This country is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, the North and Irish Seas, as well as the straits of La Mashne, Pas-le-Calais, North and St. George. In the north and south, the coastline is dissected by bays that form the peninsulas of Cornwall and Wales. On the territory of Great Britain are England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland (not to be confused with the state of Ireland - approx.) Many years ago, the British Isles were part of Europe, but after the flooding of the lowlands (now it is the bottom of the North Sea and the English Channel) they are forever cut off from mainland. Northern Ireland is located on the island of Ireland, and is the western extension of the Scottish mountains, which are separated by a narrow North Channel.

Great Britain geography: features

The area of Great Britain is about 240,842 sq. km. Mostly it is land, and the rest is rivers and lakes. The area of England is 129634 sq. km., Wales - 20637 sq. km., Scotland - 77179 sq. km. and Northern Ireland - 13438 sq. km., that is, England is larger than all the others, and also has a larger population than other regions. These factors play an important role in the history of English dominance in the British Isles.

Geographic features of Great Britain directly influenced and influence settlements, migrations of people, their aggressive policy and alliances. Today they determine the operation of transport systems, Agriculture, communications, the fishing industry, energy resources and forests. Mountain ranges and hills are located in the north and west of the country. Most of the lowlands, apart from the Scottish lowlands and the central territories of Northern Ireland, lie in the south and east. The north and west are made up of strong rocks created by the movements earth's crust. These areas, unfortunately, are unsuitable for agriculture. Softer rocks are present in the south and east (which is the process of mountain weathering). They have fertile land. Much of the lowland land is used for agriculture. Pastures predominate in the mountainous regions. The flat areas of England with a favorable climate for agriculture have always been used for settlement and agricultural development.

Later, mountainous areas began to be developed, where rich pastures and mineral resources served as the main incentive. Almost all known minerals have been found in Great Britain, with the exception of diamonds. Coal deposits are rich in the Pennines, on the Mid-Scottish Lowland, in the foothills of South Wales (its industrial reserves amount to 4 billion tons). The East Midlands has the largest iron ore deposit (60% of the country's total reserves). There are rock and potash salts in Cheshire and Durham. Lead-zinc and hematite ores were found in the Cambedlen massif, lead-zinc and tin ores were found on the Cornwall peninsula. In the North Sea - oil and gas fields (2.6 billion tons and 1400 billion cubic meters).

Water resources

Seas, bays, rivers and lakes have a huge impact on the country. On the coast there are bays, bays, deltas and peninsulas, for this reason most of the UK is located at a distance of 100 km from the sea. High tides on the coastline and flooding of the rivers cause frequent flooding in many regions of the country. The government is building dams and water protection structures (a protective barrier was built in London in 1984). The depth of the sea off the coast is 90 meters, since most of the British Isles lie on the continental shelf (raised seabed that connects to the mainland).

The warm current of the Gulf Stream heats the sea and air on the coast of Great Britain. Therefore, the climate on the islands is very mild. The current has an important influence on the fishing industry (good catch of fish and fishing on boats that are arranged for foreigners). A dense network of full-flowing rivers (Thames, Severn, etc.), many of which are connected by canals, are important transport arteries connecting many cities in Great Britain. And Scotland and Ireland are known throughout the world as the land of beautiful lakes (Loch Ness, Loch Lomond and others in Scotland; Loch Neagh in Northern Ireland).

Climate

Great Britain belongs to the temperate continental climate of the maritime type with warm winters and cool summers. Throughout the UK, temperatures very rarely rise to +30 and fall below -10. The average temperature is between +10 and +20. Due to the peculiarities of the country's relief, in mountainous and hilly areas (Scotland, some parts of Wales and England) it is cooler in summer and colder in winter compared to the rest of the UK.

Great Britain is called Foggy Albion, although with the onset of the industrial revolution (which entailed the replacement of fireplaces with other heating devices), the country ceased to be foggy. Although rain and fog are not uncommon, they occur mainly in mountainous and hilly areas. More precipitation falls in the western part of the country than in the eastern part. In fact, the weather in the country can be characterized by instability of precipitation: leaving the house in the morning in sunny weather, you can return after an hour in the pouring rain.

Political system

The political system of Great Britain is as follows - it is a unitary state (parliamentary monarchy). There is no single constitution, there are laws that are based on centuries-old constitutional customs, the most important statuses and decisions of the highest judicial bodies (precedents). Officially, the supreme power in the country belongs to the royal house of Winzdorov. The current reigning monarch of the United Kingdom is Queen Elizabeth. But she reigns, not governs. Parliament is the supreme legislative body, which consists of the House of Commons (a representative national assembly elected once every five years) and the House of Lords (it includes hereditary peers, princes of royal blood, the highest spiritual and judicial dignitaries). Executive power is in the hands of the prime minister. According to tradition, he is appointed by the reigning monarch from the party that won the most seats in the House of Commons.

The administrative divisions of Great Britain are as follows: it consists of four administrative and political parts (historical provinces): England (39 counties, 6 metropolitan counties and London), Wales (9 counties, 3 cities, 10 city-counties), Scotland (32 regions) and Ireland (26 regions) . Great Britain was once a country on which the sun never set, because it owned colonies all over the world. After the Second World War, it finally lost all territories, but nevertheless today it has sovereignty over the following territories: Bermuda, Montserrat Island, Gibraltar, Anguilla, Saint Helena, Cayman Islands, British Antarctic Territory, Falkland Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, British Virgin Islands, Pitcairns Island, British Indian Ocean Territory, South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands. The official language is English. Although 4 more languages are spoken in the country: Welsh, Irish, Gaelic and Cornish. Ethnic composition The population is quite motley. From the early periods of British history, there was a process of formation of three different ethnic communities - the English, the Scots and the Welsh.

The country has a hierarchy of cities. London, as the capital of Great Britain, occupies a leading position as the main political, cultural, industrial, economic center of the country, as well as one of its largest seaports. In addition to London, it is worth highlighting such cities as Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast (the capitals of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland); Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds and Bradford, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool are conurbation core cities and regional centres. Few places in the world have seaside cities as important as the United Kingdom, which has 44 port cities. London arose as a seaport for trade with continental states; through Gul (Hull) trade was conducted with countries Baltic Sea; Bristol and Liverpool are transport arteries that connected the UK with the USA. Seaside resort towns (Brighton, Margate, Blackpool and Scarborough) are very popular among both the British and tourists.

Industry

Great Britain has established itself as a highly developed industrial country, which acts as a supplier of industrial products in the world. The largest industrial monopolies are Imperial Chemical Industries, or IKI, Unilever, British Leyland and the General Electric Company. The industrial belt of Great Britain starts from London, further to Lancashire, and also from West Yorkshire to Gloucestershire, you can also mention south Wales, central Scotland and north-eastern England. The country's industrial facilities are located in this region. The remaining areas have become lagging (i.e. Northern Ireland, almost all of Wales, most of Scotland, the northeast and part of the southwest of England).

The government is taking steps to prevent further concentration of people and industrial facilities in one area. Agriculture in the UK employs only about 3% of the working population of the country, who produce more than half of the agricultural products consumed by its inhabitants. However, natural conditions are more favorable for the development of animal husbandry than agriculture. Therefore, the UK imports products such as bacon, sugar, wheat, etc.

Need help with your studies?

Previous topic: Geographic pattern of settlement and economy of Russia: economic zones
Next topic: France: geographical location and environmental conditions

The country is located in the British Isles in northwestern Europe. Consider the EGP of Great Britain - first its geographical aspect. Great Britain consists of four large provinces: England, Wales, and Scotland. The EGP of Great Britain is largely determined by its insular position. The British Isles are the largest archipelago in Europe. It consists of two large islands (Ireland and Great Britain) and more than five thousand small ones. The southern part of the island of Great Britain is located at the fiftieth, and the northern part of the archipelago (Scottish Islands) is at the sixtieth degree of northern latitude. Distance from the northern point the island of Great Britain to its southernmost point is 966 kilometers, and its greatest width is 508 kilometers. The geographical position of Great Britain is such that it is washed by the waters of the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, and the southern part of its coast is located only thirty-five kilometers from the northern coast of France. They are separated by the English Channel. equal to 243,810 square kilometers.

The parts of England that are on the plains have great importance for agriculture. A little later, the plains began to develop and mountainous terrain. Pastures, and then mineral resources, served as an important stimulus for this. Historically, in the course of geological evolution, various minerals began to form in the bowels of the British Isles. On the territory of the country there are almost all known minerals, only diamonds are missing.

In the central part and in the north of England are the Pennines, which consist of carboniferous rocks. In their northern part, karst deposits are common. The foothills of these mountains are rich in coal deposits. On the basis of these deposits, large mining and industrial centers of the Yorkshire, Lankshire and other coal basins were formed, the calculated reserves of which amount to more than four billion tons.

In most of England, flat plains and rolling cuesta ranges alternate. The cuestas are most often composed of limestone or writing chalk, and the plains are represented by looser rocks: sand, clay, marl. All these sedimentary rocks accumulated in ancient marine basins.

Small uplands in the Midland plains are associated with deposits of iron ore and coal. Here is one of the largest deposits of iron ore - 60% of all its reserves are concentrated in the East Midlands.

Let us now consider the economic side of the UK EGP .

The country's agriculture is characterized by a very high intensity. It is well equipped and produces 60% of the food the UK needs with just 2% of its manpower. The leading industries are chemical and petrochemical, and oil, oil refining, mechanical engineering, and ferrous metallurgy.

Per capita is 36,600 dollars a year. The UK ranks 13th in the world in terms of living standards. The country's economy is one of the most developed in the world. The country has a developed mechanical engineering, which is mainly focused on the production of non-standard equipment, as well as different types and types of machines.

The country has a well-developed electronic and electrical production, large-scale automotive industry, aircraft rocket building, shipbuilding, and machine tool building. The chemical and petrochemical industries, the production of handling equipment and industrial equipment, as well as the oil refining and pharmaceutical industries, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy are widely represented. Great Britain is one of the first places in the world in the export and production of dyes and plastics, detergents, chemical and mineral fertilizers.

Thus, we have presented in the article information reflecting the EGP of Great Britain.

Geographical position .

The country is located on the British Isles off the northwestern coast of continental Europe, traditionally called Great Britain, and by the name of the historical part - England. Officially, it is called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The country consists of 4 historical regions: England (occupies the central and eastern part of the island of Great Britain); Wales (in the west of the same island); Northern Ireland (island of Ireland) and Scotland. The area of the United Kingdom - 244100 sq.m.

Natural features of Great Britain are in many respects similar to neighboring countries of Western Europe. This is not surprising, since the British Isles, located within the shelf, separated from the mainland only in recent geological time. The island position of Great Britain, the proximity of the warm North Atlantic Current, the strong dissection of the coastline, nevertheless, left a certain imprint on the nature of this country. This is reflected in the predominance of moderate temperatures, increased moisture, an extraordinary abundance surface water, distribution of deciduous forests and moorlands.

Political structure:

Great Britain is a parliamentary monarchy. There is no constitution here, its legislation is based on centuries-old constitutional customs and precedents, that is, parliamentarians are watching how a similar case was once resolved. Formally, the country is ruled by a monarch, but in fact the highest legislative body is the Parliament, which includes the Queen, the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Minerals:

In the course of the complex geological history of the islands, a variety of minerals were formed in their bowels. Almost all known minerals are found there, except for diamonds. In the north of England stretch the Pennines, composed of Carboniferous sedimentary rocks. Karst is widespread in their northern part. At the foot of the mountains, rich productive strata of coal lie shallow. On the basis of these deposits, large mining and industrial centers of the Lankshire, Yorkshire and other basins arose, the reserves of which amount to more than 4 billion tons. For most of England, the alternation of flat plains with rolling cuesta ridges is typical. The cuestas are usually composed of limestone or writing chalk, and the plains are composed of looser rocks: sands, marls, clays. The largest iron ore deposit is in the East Midlands, where 60% of all reserves are concentrated. Significant reserves of rock and potash salts have been found in Cheshire and Durham. Lead-zinc and hematite ores were found in the Cambedlen massif, and lead-zinc and tin ores were found in Cornwall. Many hopes are pinned on the oil and gas of the North Sea, the total reserves of which amount to 2.6 billion tons.

Water resources:

The UK is rich in water resources. Almost throughout the country, except for some southeastern regions, the amount of precipitation exceeds evaporation, and therefore a dense network of full-flowing rivers is developed. The largest of them are Severn (354 km.) and Thames (338 km.). Highest value for the UK economy has the Thames. 1/5 of the total population of the country lives in its basin. The metropolitan conurbation - Greater London - is also located here. The short but deep and fast rivers of northwestern Scotland and Wales are used to generate electricity. More than 60 hydroelectric power plants have been built here. The estuaries of the largest rivers in Great Britain - the Thames, the Severn, the Humber, the Mersey, the Clyde and the Forth - are wide, artificially deepened and straightened bays. They are the largest seaports and industrial hubs.

Main macroeconomic indicators.

The leading sector of the British economy is the service sector (61% of GDP), the growth rate of which in 2004 was (3.3%) exceeded the dynamics of GDP growth as a whole. The leading position in it is occupied by the financial component, which determines the country's specialization in the system of international economic relations. The share of the financial services sector in the country's GDP is 5%. In terms of size, it ranks third in the world after the US and Japan.

The second most important branch of the British economy is industry (22% of GDP), followed by transport (10%) and construction (5%). Agriculture, which meets about two-thirds of domestic food needs, accounts for only 1% of GDP.

The value of the UK's gross gold and foreign exchange reserves at the end of November 2004 amounted to 49 billion dollars, the volume of obligations of the British government 30 billion dollars.

According to the forecasts of the majority of British economists, the socio-economic policy pursued by the British government will lead to the preservation of moderate growth dynamics of the British economy in the medium term (2005-08). It is expected that during this period the dynamics of the main macroeconomic indicators of the UK will be as follows: the average annual increase in GDP will be 2.6%, domestic demand - 2.4%, inflation - 2%, the rate of the Bank of England - 4.8%. Making these assessments, the experts proceed from the fact that the growth rates of the world economy in 2005 will be equal to 4.1%, in 2006 - 4.2% (in the USA - 3.3% and 2.8%; in the EU - 2.3% and 2.5%; in the euro area - 2.3% and 2 ,4%.).

Place in the system of international division of labor. Main export and import items. Main trading partners .

Place in the system of international division of labor.

The international division of labor is closely connected with both integration processes and the formation of free economic zones. Since the UK is actively involved in both processes, it is involved in the division of labor, is a country that produces industrial products.

Competitiveness will help to characterize the position of Great Britain in the international division of labor. This indicator is formed on the basis of their technological, industrial capabilities of the country, as a result of comparing prices for strategic raw materials, as well as for consumer goods. In terms of competitiveness, the UK occupies a worthy place among the countries of the European Union.

Main export and import items.

The movement of goods in the modern world often involves the placement of national enterprises outside the trade of a given state, which also characterizes the scale of the movement of finished products.

According to the international shopping center on the world market, the UK was a major supplier of aviation equipment (share in world exports) -27%), turbojet engines (27%), navigation equipment (26%), as well as art objects (37%), alcoholic beverages (36%), books (17%), diamonds (14%).

At the same time, significant volumes of such goods as aircraft engines (13%), aircraft (12%), cars (8/%), television cameras (7%), information processing devices (7%) are imported into the country. In addition, the UK is an importer of wines (21% of total imports), organic heterocyclic compounds (32%), diamonds (12%), jewelry(11%), art objects.

The involvement in the international turnover of British electronic computers is very high, about 90% of the products of this industry are exported abroad. More than 70% of the products of the export industry, more than half of the instrument-making products are exported.

Shifts in the export structure of foreign trade were accompanied by changes in its geographical direction, there is a "Europeanization" of the UK's foreign trade relations. Those. Western Europe's share of British exports reached 63% in 2005 compared to 48% in 1999, including the EU's share of almost 59%. The UK has been the fifth largest merchandise exporter and third largest importer over the past five years, with continued growth in international trade.

The degree of involvement of the UK in the process of international production is much higher than in world trade: the share of British TNCs in foreign direct investment is about 2.5 times higher than the country's share in world trade.

Of the top 15 multinational corporations, 4 are British.

The data on world production volumes characterizes the UK as one of the leaders that can compete with the US. It should be noted that international production is a more perfect form of international economic relations, but even more modern form is trade in services.

Major trading partners.

In 2005 The largest partners for the UK were the countries of the European Union (54.7% of trade) and the USA (11.14%).

Among European countries Britain's main trading partners were Germany (14.2% of British trade), France (8.2%) and the Netherlands (6.5%). The country also actively carried out foreign trade in goods with a number of countries in the Asia-Pacific region - China (3.3%), Japan (2.6%), Hong Kong (2.1%), Singapore (1.2%). In the list of 20 leading foreign trade partners of Great Britain in 2005. Russia also entered, taking 16th place (according to the results of 2004 - 19th place) with a share in the British trade turnover of 1.5% (in 2004 - 1.1%).

Of the UK's trading partners, the most dynamic development in 2005 was received bilateral trade with Russia, the growth of trade with which amounted to 40.8%, with Switzerland (40%), Norway (36.1%), China (23.1%). Denmark (21.3%).

In the import of goods, Russia also stood out as the most dynamic among the main trading partners, the growth in supplies reached 46.2% (in British currency). Positive dynamics was noted in imports from Norway (41.2%), Denmark (25.7%), China (24.1%), South Africa (19.8%), Hong Kong (14%), Germany, the Netherlands, Japan . A slight reduction in the supply of goods to the British market occurred in Ireland (by 1.3%) and Canada (0.8%).

The United States remained among the most capacious export markets for the UK (14.7% of British exports). In addition to the United States, the markets of such EU countries (56.3% of British exports) as Germany (10.1%), France (9.3%), Ireland (7.7%), the Netherlands (5. 9%), Belgium (5.3%), Spain (5%).

Japan is the leader among the countries of the Asia-Pacific region (1.8%). Hong Kong (1.5%) and China (1.4%)

In 2005 there was an increase in British exports (in British currency) to Switzerland (by 74%), Russia (by 27.7%), Singapore (by 21.7%), China (by 18.7%), Hong Kong (by 17, 5%), and in the market of all states - the main trading partners of Great Britain. The only exception was Canada, where shipments of British goods fell by 1.5%.

Ministry of General and Vocational Education

Sverdlovsk region

State educational institution

initial vocational education

Vocational school for the training of trade workers

Economic-geographical

country profile

Great Britain

Essay

Executor:

Telitsyna M.M.

student of group No. 21

Supervisor:

geography teacher

Khorzova T.V.

Ekaterinburg

Introduction……………………………………………………………….…3

1. Territory, borders, position of the country…………………………....4

2. Natural conditions and resources………………………………………......5

3.Population………………………………………………………………….7

4.Economy and industry………………………………………...8

5.Agriculture…………………………………………………….11

6.Transport………………………………………………………………….12

7. Science and finance………………………………………………………….13

8. Recreation and tourism …………………………………………………….......15

9. Security environment and environmental problems…………....18

Conclusion ……………………………………………………………….19

Annex 1…………………………………………………………….20

Annex 2…………………………………………………………….21

Annex 3…………………………………………………………….22

Annex 4…………………………………………………………….23

Appendix 5…………………………………………………………….24

References…………………………………………………………25

Introduction

I chose the topic "Economic and geographical position of the UK" because it is the UK that is closer to me than all other countries, of course, not counting Russia. I would like to visit this country, its cultural places and learn more about it than my superficial knowledge.

To write an essay on this topic, you need to study four sources that accurately describe the position of Great Britain. And based on these sources, it is necessary, on the basis of the questions raised, to show the current state of the country and draw a conclusion about its state.

1. Territory, borders, position of the country

Great Britain (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) is an irregularly shaped archipelago with a very diverse landscape and nature. The area of the UK is about 240,842 sq. km. Most of it is land, and the rest is rivers and lakes. The area of England is 129,634 sq. km., Wales - 20,637 sq. km., Scotland - 77,179 sq. km. and Northern Ireland - 13,438 sq. km. The southern tip of the island of Great Britain, the Cornwall peninsula, is located at 50 ° N, and the northernmost part of the Shetland Islands archipelago is at 60 ° N. The length of the island of Great Britain from north to south is 966 km, and its greatest width is half that. Great Britain has a complex administrative-territorial division. It consists of 4 historical and geographical regions: England (45 counties and a special administrative unit - Greater London). Wales (8 counties); Northern Ireland (26 districts); Scotland (12 regions); independent administrative units are the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. From the west, Great Britain is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and from the east - by the waters of the North Sea. From the south, Great Britain borders on France - the closest and most developed neighbor, which has common water borders with it. The shortest distance to the northern coast of France is the Strait of Dover, but the main communication between the states is through the English Channel, called the English Channel by the British, along the bottom of which a high-speed rail tunnel was built at the end of the twentieth century. Prior to this, communication between the two countries was carried out by water or air. Also, the closest neighbors of Great Britain are Belgium and the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Norway are located much further. Thus, the EGP of Great Britain is both neighboring and coastal, which is extremely beneficial for the economic development of the country, although it has some disadvantages in strategic and military terms.

2. Natural conditions and resources The climate of Great Britain is temperate, oceanic, very humid with mild winters and cool summers. The British Isles are characterized by frequent fogs and strong winds. The temperate oceanic climate and the influence of the warm North Atlantic current create favorable conditions for the development of agriculture. The average temperature of the coldest month - January - does not fall below +3.5 degrees even in the extreme north-east of Great Britain, and in the south-west it reaches +5.5 degrees. Snow in winter falls throughout the country, but very unevenly. In the mountainous regions of Scotland, the snow cover lasts for at least 1-1.5 months. In the south of England, and especially in its southwest, snow falls very rarely and lasts no more than a week. Here the grass is green all year round. High soil cultivation is an important factor increasing crop yields. Rivers in the conditions of the British climate are full of water. The largest are the Thames, Severn, Trent, Mersey. Rivers as a source of energy are used only in the highlands of Scotland. The UK does not have a wide variety of minerals. The importance of hard coal is especially great, the total reserves of which amount to 190 billion tons. Three basins stand out as the largest reserves and production: Yorkshire and South Wales. In addition to these three largest coal basins, an important role is played by the basins of Scotland, stretching in a chain from the western to the eastern edge of the Mid-Scottish Lowlands, as well as the Lancashire and West Midlands, consisting of a number of small deposits. There are small outcrops of coal seams on the coast of the Kimberland Peninsula and in the extreme southeast of England - the Kent Basin. In the 1960s, oil and gas fields were discovered in the North Sea shelf. Large deposits are located off the coast of southeast England and northeast Scotland. The UK is the sixth largest oil producer in the world. Oil reserves in the UK reach 770 million tons. In addition to large energy resources, Great Britain has significant reserves of iron ore. But their deposits are distinguished by a low content of metal in the ore (22-33%). The largest field is East Midland. Until recently, Great Britain provided half of its needs in this type of raw material with its own iron ore, the rest was bought through imports. Currently, the extraction of low-quality ore turned out to be unprofitable, so mining was curtailed and switched to importing high-quality ores from Sweden, Canada, Brazil and a number of African countries. In the past, small deposits of copper and lead-zinc ores, as well as tin, were mined in the UK. Their deposits are severely depleted and now production is very small. Mining some tungsten. Uranium ore found in Scotland. Of the non-metallic industrial raw materials, the extraction of kaolin or white clay is of significant importance, as well as rock salt in Cheshire and Durham, and potash salt in Yorkshire. The soil cover of the country is dominated by a variety of podzolic soils and brown soils. The most fertile meadow soils are near the Wash Bay. In general, the soils in the UK are highly cultivated and produce high yields. The UK has a cultural landscape. Only in the mountainous regions of the country, natural vegetation has been preserved. The forests are dominated by broad-leaved species (oak, hornbeam, elm, beech) and only in Scotland - pine. Now only 9% of the territory of Great Britain is occupied by forests. However, the country appears to be very wooded, thanks to the hedgerows that surround the fields and meadows, as well as small areas of forest and numerous parks. Only the western coast, exposed to westerly winds carrying salty sea spray, is almost devoid of vegetation. Thus, due to the temperate oceanic climate in the UK, the grass is green all year round, i.e. soil productivity is high. The UK does not have a wide variety of minerals, however, some have played a huge role in shaping its industrial areas and the UK is now more of an importer than an exporter. 3. Population

The total population (according to 2008) is 61,113,205 people. Age structure: up to 14 years - 16.7%, 15-64 - 67.1%, from 65 and older - 16.2%. Average age men - 39 years, women - 41 years. The average composition of a family is 2 children and parents. The rural population is 11%, the density of the rural population is 242 people. per 1 km sq. The total number of economically active population is 29 million people. In cities with a population of St. 100 thousand people almost half of the country's population lives. The largest cities in terms of the number of inhabitants: London (6,803,000 people), Birmingham (935,000 people), Glasgow (654,000 people), Sheffield (500,000 people), Liverpool (450,000 people), Edinburgh (421 000 people), Manchester (398,000 people), Belfast (280,000 people). In the UK, the birth rate exceeds the death rate, the rapid birth rate can be seen in the table (Appendix 1) from 1976 to 2009. Indigenous people make up 92% of the population (2001, census), of which:

British - 83.6%,

Scots (mainly in Scotland) - 8.5%,

Welsh (mainly in Wales) - 4.9%,

Irish (mainly in Northern Ireland, Ulsters) - 2.9%.

Immigrants and their children reside mainly in the Greater London, West Midlands and Merseyside conurbations. They make up about 8% of the country's population, including:

immigrants from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh - 3.6%,
China - 0.4%,
African countries - 0.8%,
black people from the islands caribbean - 1 %

The current monarch is Elizabeth II, who began her reign on February 6, 1952. Her eldest son, Prince Charles, is her heir. The Prince of Wales performs various ceremonial functions, as does the Queen's husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. In addition, there are several more members of the august family: children, grandchildren and cousins. Thus, the population is growing due to labor immigrants from countries that have recently joined the European Union, who, after the enlargement of the EU in May 2004, were allowed free entry to work in the UK. Nevertheless, the birth rate in the country still exceeds the death rate, although natural increase is no longer the dominant factor in the increase in the British population.

4. Economy and industry

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks sixth among the leading countries in terms of overall economic activity and in terms of gross domestic product (GDP). The country's economy is highly monopolized: the 100 largest TNCs control over 50% of industrial output and foreign trade. The UK industry provides 1/3 of the gross national product, it accounts for 1/3 of all employees. It uses mainly imported raw materials, and is increasingly oriented to the foreign market. On the one hand, the UK is characterized by the rapid growth of modern industries using progressive production technology and labor organization, the latest equipment and sophisticated management methods, on the other hand, the old traditional industries lag behind. The country's largest industrial monopolies are Imperial Chemical Industries, or ICI, Unilever, British Leyland, and General Electric Company, which each employ 200,000 people. The main part of the industrial enterprises of Great Britain is concentrated in a densely populated industrial belt, including the counties from London to Lancashire and from West Yorkshire to Gloucestershire. The largest industrial areas outside this belt are South Wales, the northeast of England and the central part of Scotland. In areas where old industries and traditional industries developed, they became lagging behind or depressed. This is most of Scotland, Northern Ireland, almost all of Wales, the extreme northeast and part of the southwest of England. The main branch of the mining industry in Great Britain is coal mining. It has been going on for three centuries. In terms of coal reserves, Great Britain ranks third in Europe. As for the British oil refining industry, it is still dependent on imports of crude oil and petroleum products. There are 9 refineries in the country with a total capacity of about 90 million tons per year (in 1999, the Shell refinery in Shell Haven with a capacity of 4.3 million tons per year was closed). They are located at the mouth of the Thames, at Foley near Southampton, in south Wales, at the Manchester Canal, in Teesside, Humberside and in Scotland (Grangemouth). More than 80 gas fields with proven reserves of 2 trillion cubic meters have been discovered in the British North Sea zone. m 3 and recoverable - 0.8 trillion. m 3. Gas production at them began in the mid-60s, now 37 fields are being exploited, 1/2 of the production is produced by 7, among them are Lehman Bank, Brent, Morkham. Production volume for 1990–2003 increased from I to 103 billion m 3 . International trade gas is negligible; in 2003, its exports amounted to 15, and imports - 8 billion m 3 . The gas pipeline, laid on the bottom of the North Sea, reaches the east coast of the island of Great Britain in the area of Easington and Yorkshire. A major achievement of the British economy is that the entire manufacturing and consumer sectors are fully supplied with electricity. 86% of electricity is produced by thermal power plants, 12% by nuclear and 2% by hydroelectric power plants. The vast majority of thermal power plants run on coal, but in recent years some of them have switched to oil. Most large thermal power plants(with a capacity of more than 1 million kW) are located on the River Trent and near London. Hydro stations are usually small, located mainly in the Scottish Highlands. Iron ore is mined in a relatively narrow belt that starts at Scunthorpe in Yorkshire in the north and runs through the East Midlands to Banbury in the south. The ore here is of low quality, siliceous and contains only 33% of the metal. The need for iron ore is covered by imports from Canada, Liberia and Mauritania. Ferrous metallurgy has been greatly developed.
Today, the UK ranks eighth in the world in iron and steel smelting. The state corporation British Steel produces almost all the steel for the country. 4 metallurgical districts have survived, of which only one is located in the center of the country: Sheffield-Rotherham, with its specialization in high-quality steel and electric steel, the rest - on the coast in ports (in South Wales - Port Talbot, Llanvern, in Humbersay - de - Scunthorpe , in Teesside - Redcar). Engineering, the largest branch of British industry, employs 1/4 of all those employed in the manufacturing industry. The industry accounts for 40% of conditionally pure products of the manufacturing industry. Transport engineering dominates. About 1/3 of the capital spent on the production of means of transport belongs to American companies that have established themselves in the British Isles after the Second World War. There are enterprises in this industry in almost all areas and in most cities in the UK. Electrical engineering is one of the growing and developing industries, it ranks second among the manufacturing industries in terms of the number of employees. Several very large companies dominate electrical engineering: General Electric, English Electric, and Associated Electric Industries. The position of the UK in the production of turbines and electric motors is still quite strong. But now electronics is dominating. The production of computer technology is developing most dynamically, but the main positions here are occupied by American capital, and in the production of consumer electronics - by Japanese capital. British firms are traditionally strong in the production of electronic equipment (radar, radio transmitters) and communications. Aircraft manufacturing is one of the fastest growing engineering industries in the UK. This industry is dominated by the state's largest firm, British Airspace. It specializes in the production of a wide range of various aircraft, helicopters, spacecraft, rockets. Helicopters are manufactured by another large firm, Westland Aircraft. Almost all the production of aircraft engines in the country is concentrated in the hands of the nationalized company Rolls-Royce, which has factories in Derby, Bristol, Coventry, and also in Scotland. Cooperation with Western European and American companies in the production of civil and military equipment is widely developed. Latest productions chemical industry are also among the fastest growing industries. About 1/3 of the products of basic chemistry are inorganic chemicals - sulfuric acid, oxides of metals and non-metals. Among the many chemical industries, the production of synthetic fibers began to stand out on a large scale. various kinds plastics, new dyes, pharmaceuticals and detergents. British chemistry is based on oil and gas raw materials and specializes in a fairly limited number of chemicals. The industries traditional for the British economy, such as the textile industry, are also developing. Of the light industries, it plays a special role in the industrial development of the country, in the spread of the machine method of production throughout the world. Woolen fabrics are produced mainly in West Yorkshire, rayon production prevails in the Yorkshire city of Silesden, and cotton fabrics in Lancashire, in small textile towns north-east of Manchester. The production of woolen fabrics, products, yarn is the oldest in the British Isles. The woolen products of British textile workers are still highly valued in foreign markets today. In the structure of the manufacturing industry, the paper and printing industries (13.9%), food and tobacco (13.8%) have the largest share. The food and flavor industry over the past half century has become one of the main areas of concentration of British capital: of the 40 corporations in the country that are members of the "Club 500" of the largest firms in the world, this industry is represented by a dozen, led by Unilever, Diageo and Cadbury Schweppes. Food concentrates, confectionery, drinks (including tea, Scotch whiskey and London gin), and tobacco products are highly competitive on the world market. Accommodation largest enterprises focused on markets, including external ones. Thus, the UK ranks sixth among countries in terms of the overall scale of economic activity, in terms of GDP and industrial production.

5.Agriculture

IN recent decades in the development of agriculture, the scientific and technical level and productivity of the agro-industrial complex, which became part of the national economy, increased significantly. The provision of the country at the expense of local resources is steadily growing, and in the post-war period it has risen from 1/3 to 4/5, full self-sufficiency has been achieved in such products as milk, the provision is high in eggs, poultry meat, wheat, oats, barley, potatoes; fruits, butter, sugar, cheeses are imported. Under the conditions prevailing in the EU, you have to pay more for imported products in comparison with the possibilities of importing food from former colonies, which gives rise to constant contradictions between the UK and other EU members. Agriculture in the UK is currently one of the most productive and mechanized in the world. The share of employment in the industry is 2% of the total employment in the country. The total area of agricultural land is 58.3 million hectares (76% of all land in the country). The structure of agricultural production is dominated by animal husbandry. Dairy and meat and dairy cattle breeding, pig breeding (bacon fattening), meat sheep breeding and poultry farming are also developed. England is one of the world's largest suppliers of sheep's wool. Traditionally, animal husbandry is concentrated in river basins. However, animal husbandry suffered great damage in 2001 due to livestock diseases - first spongiform encephalopathy (“mad cow disease”), and then foot and mouth disease. In crop production, almost 60% of arable land is occupied by perennial grasses, more than 28% - by grain crops (including 15% - wheat, 11% - barley); 12% - under technical (rapeseed, sugar beet, flax) and fodder crops (including potatoes), as well as vegetable gardens and berry fields. The main agricultural areas East England and Southeast. There are many orchards in the country. Agriculture enjoys great state support and receives subsidies from the EU budget. For such products as: wheat, barley, oats and pork, production volumes exceed consumption; for such as: potatoes, beef, lamb, wool, sugar and eggs - the volume of production is lower than the volume of consumption. Thus, many essential UK products have to be imported from other countries. They import 4/5 butter, 2/3 of sugar, half of wheat and bacon, 1/4 of beef and veal consumed in the country.

6.Transport

Great Britain is an island state, therefore all its external transportation and trade are connected with sea and air transport. About 9/10 of the total cargo turnover falls on maritime transport, including 1/4 - on cabotage. All areas of Great Britain, except for the West Midlands, are in one way or another directly connected with seaports, which serve as the main transport hubs. The largest of them are London, Southampton, Liverpool, Hull and Harwich, with the London and Liverpool seaports handling about half of all cargo (by value). Great Britain is connected with the continent by a tunnel under the English Channel, two railway ferries (Dover - Dunkirk and Harwich - Ostend), and numerous sea car and passenger ferries - with Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Holland and France. Road transport plays the most important role in domestic freight transport. The dominant role in domestic transportation is occupied by road transport - 85% of passenger traffic and 81% of freight traffic. The territory of Great Britain is covered with a dense network of highways. The length of paved roads is 406.4 thousand km. Unlike other developed countries in the UK, with a high density of roads, only 4% are modern motorways, which attract 36% of traffic flows. The most intensive traffic is on the axial motorway London - Birmingham - Manchester - Glasgow. Both London and Glasgow have subways. To increase competitiveness, electrification of railways was carried out (1/3 of the lines), express trains for passengers and cargo were launched on the main directions. The government is implementing various organizational measures to modernize this mode of transport. The importance of river transport is declining. The length of waterways is 3.2 thousand km. Inland waterways (rivers and a network of canals) are now mainly used for recreational purposes only. Cargo transportation is carried out mainly within the deep-sea estuaries of the Mersey, Thames, Severn, and Humber. Air transport is developing rapidly. Since the 1980s air transportation of passengers and cargo has more than tripled. British Airways is a leading international airline. There are about 450 civilian airports in the country - the largest of them is Heathrow. The pipeline transport network is rapidly expanding; it is connected to gas pipelines coming from the fields of the North Sea; the total length of pipelines is 3.9 thousand km. - up to 75% of oil is delivered to land through oil pipelines.

Thus, transport in the UK plays an important role in domestic freight and passenger transport. So the tunnel under the English Channel with two rail ferries transports 60-80% of the total population per day.

7. Science and finance

Great is the contribution of Great Britain to the treasury of world science, primarily to the development of natural and technical sciences. Among the outstanding scientists - physicists, chemists, biologists: I. Newton, R. Boyle, R. Hooke, J. Joule, M. Faraday, J. Maxwell, C. Darwin, Cavendish, E. Rutherford. World famous works of British philosophers, sociologists, historians, economists: R. Bacon, T. More, Fr. Bacon, T. Hobbes, I. Bentham, W. Petty, A. Smith, D. Riccardo, J. Mill, R. Owen, T. R. Malthus, A. Marshall, J. M. Keynes, B. Russell. Over 70 British scientists have been awarded Nobel Prizes. The UK accounts for approximately 4.5% of the world's spending on science, 8% of all scientific publications. The importance of science in the UK can be seen from the changes that have taken place in education. Technical schools and colleges, as well as continuing education programs at other institutions, seek to increase the number of professional scientific workers. Schools work closely with industry. The Manchester Research Council brings together university scientists and members of the Chamber of Commerce. The University of Sheffield conducts industrial research in the field of glass technology, and in Cheshire in the use of radio telescopes. There are more than 200 scientific institutions and organizations in the UK, producing more than 400 scientific periodicals. As for the libraries, let's name the main ones. The British Museum Library in London (over 10 million volumes), the Cambridge University Library (over 3.5 million volumes), the Bodleian Library in Oxford (over 4.5 million volumes), and the Scottish National Library in Edinburgh (over 4 million volumes), National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth (more than 2 million volumes). Copies of all published books go, in accordance with the law, to the British Museum for copyright, as well as to other libraries, if they receive requests for these publications. The largest libraries are located at the universities of London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, St. Andrews, Royal (in Belfast), John Ryland (in Manchester), at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Museum of Natural History. Important collections of special editions are held at the Patent Office, India House, State Archive, at the Royal Geographical Society, Royal Academy theatrical art, Royal College of Music, Royal Academy of Music, Arts Council, National Book League, National Archives, Royal Botanic Gardens, Institute modern history (Wiener Library) and the National Library for the Blind. There are about 500 public library boards with over 40,000 branches and lending out over 400 million books a year. The delivery of books on specially equipped vehicles is becoming increasingly popular for remote areas. Book collections are supplemented by a large number of video and audio materials. British companies have cut their R&D (Research and Development) spending. According to this indicator, the UK ranks fifth among the seven leading industrialized countries. In the field of high technology, British firms are ahead of Japanese and German companies, but behind the US and France. This situation is caused not only by a decrease in the level of development funding from the companies themselves, but also by a reduction in support from the state. The Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Finance are developing a joint policy to increase investment in R&D and to optimize the process of introducing research results into all sectors of the country's economy. The fact that the Ministry of Finance is involved underscores the attention that the government is paying to solving this problem. The two ministries lead the working groups involved in the restructuring of the process of organizing and financing British R&D. The Chief Treasurer of the Treasury sponsors a group led by the director of British Biotech. The group is looking into R&D funding in high-tech companies, and in particular upstream funding. The Ministry of Trade and Industry sponsors the Tech-Stars group to overcome barriers to the development of small and medium-sized firms in the field of high technology. The Minister of Science leads a working group on inventive activity and the implementation of inventions in industry. The Investment Working Group, chaired by Lord Hollick, is busy looking at the constraints to investment in R&D. All groups include representatives of banking circles, joint capital and firms in the fields of production and services. Thus, scientific and technical programs aimed at solving urgent problems of industry and society have been developed and are being implemented, which include: the creation of a promising vehicle of the future; reducing the level of pollution in large cities of the country; creation of promising materials for industry; genetic and ecological balance of human health; an integrated approach to the problems of aging. And the role of science in the UK is very significant.

8. Recreation and tourism

For most visits to the UK, a multi-entry visitor visa is issued for a period of 6 months. In some cases, a visitor visa may be issued for a single visit. Russian citizens, thanks to a concession under the UK Immigration Rules, may not receive a transit visa and exit the airport transit area if they stay in the UK for no more than 24 hours. In cooking, the British are as committed to tradition as in many other things. An English day for centuries begins with a traditional breakfast: scrambled eggs with fried bacon, fried tomatoes, mushrooms, sausages and black pudding. Currently served more often oatmeal and corn flakes. After breakfast, tea and toasted toast with orange jam are sure to be waiting for you. Lunch, or second breakfast, is served at half past two, followed by tea or a light lunch at 5 o'clock and dinner at 7. Snacks and sandwiches are very popular - triangular sandwiches have already become one of the many English traditions. Puree soups and broths are common among the first courses, but they are rarely served, they are not an integral part of the daily meal. Spices and herbs are used very rarely. The British eat a lot of meat: beef, veal, lamb, pork. It is baked whole with blood or cut into steaks and fried in a pan. Meat is served with gravy, roasted vegetables (usually potatoes) and pickles. Of the intoxicating drinks, beer is especially popular - black ale and porter, and draft beer is especially appreciated, as well as whiskey, gin, brandy, rum, port wine. Accommodations in the UK are divided into three types:

Hotel - a hotel where a full service for accommodation is provided;
B&B and Inn - guest accommodation providing the necessary service for overnight stays and breakfasts;
Motel - budget or roadside hotels, informal accommodation options with a very limited range of services. run by private entrepreneurs and have limited opportunities for businessmen.

In addition to star rating, hotels (Hotel) can be assigned specific names. MetroHotel (metro hotel). Does not offer hot meals to guests, but should be within walking distance of eating places. CountryHouseHotel (country home hotel). The hotel should have a small park or garden - secluded and quiet. SmallHotel (mini-hotel). The maximum number of rooms is 20. Usually these hotels are run by private entrepreneurs and have limited opportunities for businessmen. The main sights of England and the whole of Great Britain are, of course, located in London, where, for example, in the City area, tradition and modernity are combined. And also in the capital of Scotland - Edinburgh. Big Ben ( appendix 1) - This is a huge clock that stands on the tower of St. Stephen. This clock, located on the tower of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, is recognizable by sound and heard all over the world, because their beat is broadcast on BBC radio every hour. Tourists are not allowed to enter Big Ben. To get to the very top of the ninety-six-meter tower, you can use a very narrow spiral staircase. After passing all three hundred and thirty-four steps, you can get to a small open area, this is where the legendary bell is located. Big Ben is one bell. It is over two meters high and three meters in diameter. British museum(Appendix 2) - The British Library, the reading room of the British Museum, which is a huge cylindrical room. All the walls of this room are lined with books. Buckingham Palace(Appendix 3) - Buckingham Palace is located opposite the marble gilded monument to Queen Victoria opposite Pall Mall. If the Queen is in the palace, then the royal flag flies on the roof of the palace. At the request of the Queen's ancestor, King George IV, the palace was built to an architectural design by John Nash. The cost of building reached seven hundred pounds due to the mass of excesses of this kind, such as, for example, five hundred marble blocks with veins from Carrara Edinburgh castle(Appendix 4) Edinburgh Castle is located in the heart of the city, so it is visible from everywhere. None of the passing tourists can pass by. Because the castle has a huge height. But in addition to entertainment, it attracts with its age and historical significance. Stonehenge. The giant structure in the center of Europe - Stonehenge - is a stone mystery. In general, Stonehenge is a giant structure that includes 82 five-ton megaliths, 30 stone blocks of 25 tons and 5 huge triliths weighing 50 tons. Stone blocks are stacked in the form of arches pointing to the cardinal directions. Until recently, scientists believed that this structure was erected in 3100 BC by the tribes of the British Isles in order to observe the Sun and Moon. But recently this idea has been revisited. London parks- this is a special attraction, which is a green spot in the very center of the city, with an area of more than three hundred hectares. The huge size of the parks, their length creates the illusion of an untouched landscape of nature, creating an environment that contrasts with the super-urban landscape of the city. The significance of parks in restoring the atmosphere of central London is enormous, which is why they are called the "lungs of London". Museum of Z. Freud. Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, lived in this house since 1938 with his family after fleeing Austria from the Nazi regime. Until 1982, the youngest daughter of Freud, also a psychoanalyst, lived here. Now it houses both a museum and a research center. Tower of London. In a book dedicated to the 900th anniversary of the Tower, the Duke of Edinburgh wrote: "Throughout its history, the Tower of London has been a fortress, and a palace, and a repository of royal jewels, and an arsenal, and a mint, and a prison, and an observatory, and a zoo, and a place that attracts tourists." Ferris wheel(LondonEye) is a large, tallest Ferris wheel in the world. Such a gift to Londoners and guests of the city was made by 2000. The Ferris wheel has 32 cabins, each of which is designed for 25 people, a full turn of the wheel takes half an hour. The construction of a huge Ferris wheel was financed by British Airlways. From a height of one hundred and thirty-five meters, a wonderful view of London opens up; if the weather is favorable, you can see the city with its surroundings within a radius of forty kilometers. Cathedral saint Paul- This is the residence of the Bishop of London, as well as the spiritual center of the City. The architect Sir Christopher Wren watched the construction of the cathedral from the windows of his house, which was located on the opposite bank of the river. From there he could see the work at the top of Ludgate Hill. The construction of this masterpiece lasted for thirty-five years. Sherlock Holmes' house built in 1815. The British government declared it architectural and historical monument second rank. From 1860 until 1934, the house was a private property, there was a boarding house, but with the acquisition of the building by the International Society, it became the home of Sherlock Holmes. windsor palace- this castle, which is visible from the side of Windsor Park, the great people found it very romantic. To the left of it is the Round Tower. The architect Geoffrey Whiteville for his creation in 1828 was awarded his work in the estate of knights. Westminster Abbey – its beauty has been painstakingly created by generations of members of the royal family, beginning with Edward the Confessor, who ascended the throne in 1040. It is a pity that the church he built was consecrated only in 1065, when the king became weak and could not attend the consecration ceremony. On next year On Christmas Day, the coronation of William the Conqueror took place in the church. Thus, tradition and modernity, traditions in cooking, religion and cultural property, and modernity in education, upbringing of young generations and in social development.

9. Environmental protection and environmental issues

Today, a three-year project to create a database of building materials is at the last stage of implementation. The project is supported by 24 trade organizations involved in the production and supply of building materials, and is aimed at improving their quality, service life and checking how they meet the principles of energy saving, environmental protection and human health. Recent sociological studies show that about 70% of respondents believe that the state of the environment in their living quarters needs to be improved. Therefore, the Institute of Construction is going to publish recommendations for construction companies on how they can improve the quality of buildings being built and their compliance with environmental requirements. To encourage construction firms to participate in this important cause, the Institute is planning to publish a book, Environment. Competition. Profit, which will include data on all firms that are serious about protecting the environment. The UK is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions . Under the Kyoto Protocol commitments, the country has already reduced emissions by 12.5% compared to 1990 and plans to reach 20% in 2010. It is planned that by 2015 33% of household waste will be recycled or used as fertilizer. During the period from 1999 to 2000, the recycling of household waste increased from 8.8% to 10.3%. Great Britain ratified such international agreements: “on environmental protection”, “on air pollution” (nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, organic compounds), “on protection natural environment Antarctica”, “On the Conservation of Marine Resources of Antarctica”. "Antarctic Treaty", "on biodiversity", the UN framework convention "on climate change", the Kyoto Protocol "on desertification", "on hazardous waste", the Maritime Convention, the ban on nuclear weapons testing, "on the protection of whales" and others. Thus, by signing the above treaties and agreements, the UK seeks to reduce and partially eliminate the environmental problem.

Conclusion

This essay was written using four sources, having studied which I can conclude that now the UK is a highly developed state, one of the leading world powers. In terms of industrial production, it ranks fifth in the world after the USA, Japan, Germany and France. But it hasn't been done yet. In Britain, mining is underway, the development of new methods for extracting the latter. Due to the fact that Britain is an island nation, it remains one of the largest maritime powers at the present time. Due to its economic and geographical position, there are still development options in the UK. This country can only develop and improve its position in the world.

Annex 1

1-1976; 2-1998; 3-2004; 4-2005; 5-2007; 6-2009

Annex 2

Annex 3

Appendix 4

Appendix 5

Bibliography:

1 .Internet "Great Soviet Encyclopedia". Editor-in-Chief S.I. Vavilov. State scientific publishing house "Big Soviet Encyclopedia". Volume number 7. 1951.2.Internet Handbook "Countries of the World". 1976. Moscow. Publishing house of political literature.3.Internet Encyclopedia for children. "Avanta+". Volume 13. “Countries. Peoples. Civilizations. 1999.

Soviet encyclopedic Dictionary. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia
1979.- p.204.

Ministry of General and Vocational Education

Sverdlovsk region

State educational institution

initial vocational education

Vocational school for the training of trade workers

Economic-geographical

country profile

Great Britain

Essay

Executor:

Telitsyna M.M.

student of group No. 21

Supervisor:

geography teacher

Khorzova T.V.

Ekaterinburg

Introduction……………………………………………………………….…3

1. Territory, borders, position of the country…………………………....4

2. Natural conditions and resources………………………………………......5

3.Population………………………………………………………………….7

4.Economy and industry………………………………………...8

5.Agriculture…………………………………………………….11

6.Transport………………………………………………………………….12

7. Science and finance………………………………………………………….13

8. Recreation and tourism …………………………………………………….......15

9. Environmental protection and environmental problems…………....18

Conclusion ……………………………………………………………….19

Annex 1…………………………………………………………….20

Annex 2…………………………………………………………….21

Annex 3…………………………………………………………….22

Annex 4…………………………………………………………….23

Appendix 5…………………………………………………………….24

References…………………………………………………………25

Introduction

1. Territory, borders, position of the country

2. Natural conditions and resources The climate of Great Britain is temperate, oceanic, very humid with mild winters and cool summers. The British Isles are characterized by frequent fogs and strong winds. The temperate oceanic climate and the influence of the warm North Atlantic current create favorable conditions for the development of agriculture. The average temperature of the coldest month - January - does not fall below +3.5 degrees even in the extreme north-east of Great Britain, and in the south-west it reaches +5.5 degrees. Snow in winter falls throughout the country, but very unevenly. In the mountainous regions of Scotland, the snow cover lasts for at least 1-1.5 months. In the south of England, and especially in its southwest, snow falls very rarely and lasts no more than a week. Here the grass is green all year round. High soil cultivation is an important factor in increasing crop yields. Rivers in the conditions of the British climate are full of water. The largest are the Thames, Severn, Trent, Mersey. Rivers as a source of energy are used only in the highlands of Scotland. The UK does not have a wide variety of minerals. The importance of hard coal is especially great, the total reserves of which amount to 190 billion tons. Three basins stand out as the largest reserves and production: Yorkshire and South Wales. In addition to these three largest coal basins, an important role is played by the basins of Scotland, stretching in a chain from the western to the eastern edge of the Mid-Scottish Lowlands, as well as the Lancashire and West Midlands, consisting of a number of small deposits. There are small outcrops of coal seams on the coast of the Kimberland Peninsula and in the extreme southeast of England - the Kent Basin. In the 1960s, oil and gas fields were discovered in the North Sea shelf. Large deposits are located off the coast of southeast England and northeast Scotland. The UK is the sixth largest oil producer in the world. Oil reserves in the UK reach 770 million tons. In addition to large energy resources, Great Britain has significant reserves of iron ore. But their deposits are distinguished by a low content of metal in the ore (22-33%). The largest field is East Midland. Until recently, Great Britain provided half of its needs in this type of raw material with its own iron ore, the rest was bought through imports. Currently, the extraction of low-quality ore turned out to be unprofitable, so mining was curtailed and switched to importing high-quality ores from Sweden, Canada, Brazil and a number of African countries. In the past, small deposits of copper and lead-zinc ores, as well as tin, were mined in the UK. Their deposits are severely depleted and now production is very small. Mining some tungsten. Uranium ore found in Scotland. Of the non-metallic industrial raw materials, the extraction of kaolin or white clay is of significant importance, as well as rock salt in Cheshire and Durham, and potash salt in Yorkshire. The soil cover of the country is dominated by a variety of podzolic soils and brown soils. The most fertile meadow soils are near the Wash Bay. In general, the soils in the UK are highly cultivated and produce high yields. The UK has a cultural landscape. Only in the mountainous regions of the country, natural vegetation has been preserved. The forests are dominated by broad-leaved species (oak, hornbeam, elm, beech) and only in Scotland - pine. Now only 9% of the territory of Great Britain is occupied by forests. However, the country appears to be very wooded, thanks to the hedgerows that surround the fields and meadows, as well as small areas of forest and numerous parks. Only the western coast, exposed to westerly winds carrying salty sea spray, is almost devoid of vegetation. Thus, due to the temperate oceanic climate in the UK, the grass is green all year round, i.e. soil productivity is high. The UK does not have a wide variety of minerals, however, some have played a huge role in shaping its industrial areas and the UK is now more of an importer than an exporter. 3. Population

The total population (according to 2008) is 61,113,205 people. Age structure: up to 14 years - 16.7%, 15-64 - 67.1%, from 65 and older - 16.2%. The average age of men is 39 years, women - 41 years. The average composition of a family is 2 children and parents. The rural population is 11%, the density of the rural population is 242 people. per 1 km sq. The total number of economically active population is 29 million people. In cities with a population of St. 100 thousand people almost half of the country's population lives. The largest cities in terms of the number of inhabitants: London (6,803,000 people), Birmingham (935,000 people), Glasgow (654,000 people), Sheffield (500,000 people), Liverpool (450,000 people), Edinburgh (421 000 people), Manchester (398,000 people), Belfast (280,000 people). In the UK, the birth rate exceeds the death rate, the rapid birth rate can be seen in the table (Appendix 1) from 1976 to 2009. Indigenous people make up 92% of the population (2001, census), of which:

British - 83.6%,

Scots (mainly in Scotland) - 8.5%,

Welsh (mainly in Wales) - 4.9%,

Irish (mainly in Northern Ireland, Ulsters) - 2.9%.

Immigrants and their children reside mainly in the Greater London, West Midlands and Merseyside conurbations. They make up about 8% of the country's population, including: