The United Kingdom of Great

Britain and Northern Ireland

I.P. Ruchka

The UK is situated off the north-west of Europe.

It consists of 4 countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The capital of England is London.

The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh.

The capital of Wales is Cardiff.

The capital of Northern Ireland is Belfast.

The United Kingdom is separated from the continent by the English Channel and the Strait of Dover.

It is also washed by the North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea.

The population of the UK is more than 57 million people.

The area of the country is 244,100 square kilimetres.

The most important rivers are the Thames, the Severn, the Clyde.

The most famous lakes are Loch Lomanne and Loch Ness.

There are mountains in Great Britain, but they are not very high: the Grampians, the Cambrians, the Pennines.

Ben Nevis is the highest peak.

The climate of the UK is temperate.

It is not very cold in winter or very hot in summer.

Generally, it is quite wet and mild.

The coldest weather in January is found in Scotland.

The winds moving from the Atlantic Ocean pick up moisture.

That’s why Britain has plenty of clouds and rain.

Every country in the UK has got its own symbol.

The symbol of England is the rose.

The symbol of Scotland is the thistle.

The symbol of Wales is the daffodil.

The symbol of Ireland is shamrock.

The official language in the UK is English.

Everyone there speak English but in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland people speak Scottish, Welsh and Irish too.

Welsh Scottish

The flag of the UK is known as the Union Jack.

It is blue, white and red. It is made up of three crosses: the cross of St. George (the patron saint of England), the cross of St. Andrew (the patron saint of Scotland), the cross of St. Patrick (the patron saint of Ireland).

The other national symbols are the National Coat of Arms and the National Anthem.

Queen Elizabeth II is the head of the state.

The National currency in Great Britain is a pound.

Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Leeds, Birmingham are the biggest cities in the country.