The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or Great Britain is a sovereign state located off the northeastern coast of continental Europe. It occupies the island of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), one sixth of the island of Ireland (Northern Ireland), as well as many nearby small islands. The main territory of the country lies between 49°N. and 59°N (Shetland Islands are located near 61°N) and 8°W. and 2°E The Greenwich Observatory, located in southeast London, is the origin of geographical longitudes, the zero meridian passes through it.
Great Britain is washed by the waters Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. The minimum distance to Europe is 35 km. The country is separated from France by the English Channel and the Pas de Calais. Northern Ireland has a 360 km long land border with the Republic of Ireland. A tunnel has been built between the UK and France under the Pas de Calais. Great Britain, which includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and a number of nearby small islands, has an area of 243,610 square meters. km. The area of England - the largest country in the UK - 130,410 square meters. km, the area of Scotland is 78,772 sq. km. Wales and Northern Ireland are much smaller in area - 20,758 sq. km and 13,843 sq. km, respectively.
Relief of Great Britain
According to the features of the relief, the territory of the United Kingdom can be divided into two main areas. High Britain (including Northern Ireland), located in the north and west of the country, is underlain by stable ancient bedrock and consists of mostly heavily dissected uplands and much less common lowlands. To the south and east extends Low Britannia, characterized by hilly terrain, low elevations, and a few mountainous regions; at its base lie younger sedimentary rocks. In a south-westerly direction from Newcastle at the mouth of the Tyne River to Exeter at the mouth of the Ex River in south Devon, the border between High and Low Britain runs. This boundary is not everywhere clearly defined, and often the transitions between High and Low Britain are smoothed out.
At the base of the mountains throughout Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, the Lower Paleozoic folded structures rest, and in the south of Wales and in the south of Cornwall - Hercynian. These ancient mountain structures were subjected to intense erosion and destruction for a long time, which led to the leveling of their surface.
As a result, the newest uplifts, which occurred in several stages and were accompanied by discontinuous movements, the mountains were fragmented into a number of massifs and acquired a mosaic structure. Leveled surfaces of different heights are very characteristic. Mountain tops often have a flattened shape. The mountains of Great Britain are relatively easily accessible, and there are numerous roads along low watersheds and wide passes.
UK statistics
(as of 2012)
Quaternary glaciation intensified the smoothing of the mountains, as a result, in the most elevated regions, an alpine-type relief was formed with sharp jagged ridges and peaks, glacial cirques and typical valleys. A significant role in the modeling of the relief was played by erosion processes, which are actively taking place at the present time. In many lowland areas, erosion has severely, and in some places completely erased the glacier-accumulation landforms that formed in the era when the ice sheets descended from the mountains to the plains. It is known that, for example, during the maximum glaciation, ice approached the Thames valley, but the extreme south of England was never covered with ice.
UK climate
The climate of Great Britain, due to the influence of the Gulf Stream, is temperate oceanic, humid, with mild winters and cool summers, strong winds and fogs. Thanks to the North Atlantic Current and warm winds blowing from the Atlantic Ocean, the UK generally has mild winters.
But these same winds explain cloudy weather, frequent rains and fogs. The average annual temperature is around 11°C in the south and around 9°C in the northeast. The average July temperature in London is about 18°C, the average January temperature is about 4.5°C. The average annual rainfall (the heaviest rains come in October) is about 760 mm. Scotland is the coldest region in the UK, although the climate is generally quite mild. The average January temperature is about 3°C, and snow often falls in the mountains in the north. The average July temperature is about 15 ° C. The highest amount of precipitation falls in the west of the Highlands region (about 3810 mm per year), the least - in some eastern regions (about 635 mm per year).
The climate of Wales is the same as the climate of England, mild and humid. The average January temperature is about 5.5° C. The average July temperature is about 15.5° C. The average annual rainfall is about 762 mm in the central coastal region and more than 2540 mm in the Snowdon massif. Northern Ireland has a mild and humid climate. The average annual temperature is about 10°C (about 14.5°C in July and about 4.5°C in January). The amount of precipitation in the north often exceeds 1016 mm per year, while in the south it is about 760 mm per year.
The main reasons for the increased rainfall in the UK are the presence of a low pressure area that stretches across the Atlantic Ocean to the east; southwest winds prevailing during the year; and the fact that most of the mountains are in the west of the country. Frosty weather sets in for a long time with the intrusion of cold air from the east and northeast.
Snow 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. In the west of the UK, winters typically receive twice as much rain as summers. In the eastern regions, winters are colder and less humid.
The weather in the British Isles has become notorious for its variability and treacherousness due to the climate conditions listed. In these latitudes summer days long, and winter - very short. Even on the long July days, the southern coast gets only seven hours of sunshine on average, while the northern part of the country gets less than five hours a day. The lack of sunlight is due to increased cloud cover, and not due to fog, as is commonly believed. The famous London fogs of the past enveloped the city because of the thick smoke from burning coal for space heating, and not due to meteorological conditions. However, wet, damp fog is still recorded in London on average 45 days a year, mainly in January and February, and in most ports there are from 15 to 30 foggy days each year, and the fog can paralyze all traffic for a couple of days or more. .
Meteorologists often make mistakes in their predictions, which is why Britons often hear the vague "changeable" or "unstable" in weather forecasts. Unpredictable weather has long been a national treasure of the British, a topic of daily conversation, and for some, a defining factor in the character of the nation. The British tend to think they live in a milder climate than they really are, but many flee abroad in both summer and winter.
UK 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 the Severn, which has a length of 354 km, and the Thames - 338 km, the basins of which border on each other. The Thames is of the greatest importance to the UK economy. 1/5 of the total population of the country lives in its basin.
There are many rivers, they are short, but close to each other and, with low watersheds, are easily connected by canals, which at one time made it possible to create a dense network of waterways on their basis, which were widely used before the development of railway transport, and now - more for sports purposes. The importance of the estuaries of rivers that go far into the land is very great, as well as the general large indentation coastline. This allowed many ports to be created; some have grown into large industrial hubs. Good accessibility for maritime transport is especially important for an island country.
The rivers of the lowland part of the country are calm. In the mountainous regions of Scotland and Wales, the sources of the rivers are at significant heights, so the rivers flow quickly, they often overflow their banks, especially during the rainy season. The fast flowing rivers of northwest 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. At high tide, salt water penetrates the estuaries far upstream, so the population of most seaports is supplied with drinking water from the headwaters of rivers, underground reservoirs and mountain lakes.
The largest lakes in Great Britain are Loch Tay (about 400 sq. km) in northern Ireland, as well as Loch Lomond and Loch Ness in Scotland. Numerous lakes of Highland Scotland and the Lake Circle are very picturesque and attract many tourists. They serve as a flow regulator and are used as local transport routes. So Loch Ness and Loch Lomond, located in the Great Glen and connected by a canal, constitute a direct waterway between the east and west coasts of Scotland. The Lake Circle has long been a supplier of fresh water to Manchester, which receives it through two aqueducts over 100 km long. In the flat part of Great Britain there are many artificial reservoirs created on the site of former peat extraction, sand and gravel pits.
Underground reservoirs have long served as the main source of high-quality water for the population of the lowlands of England. Currently, underground reservoirs provide 2/5 of all water consumed in England and Wales. In addition to natural waterways significant work was carried out to improve access to seaports, in particular dredging in the lower reaches of the Clyde and Mersey, and a wide network of canals was built, especially in England - between the north Midlands and the Thames valley. The Caledonian Canal connects Inverness and Fort William in the Great Glen, another canal links the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth in Scotland. In England, canals have been built between the rivers Dee and Mersey, Mersey and Ayr, Trent and Mersey, Avon (a tributary of the Severn) and Welland and Thames and Severn.
UK soils
Podzolic and brown forest soils are widespread in the soil cover of the country, and humus-calcareous soils are found on limestones. The mechanical composition is dominated by clay and loamy soils. Due to the abundance of rainfall, the soils are highly leached. In general, the soils of Great Britain have been cultivated for a long time and give high yields.
Podzolized brown forest soils have been preserved under natural and perennial pastures on swampy coastal lowlands - marches - and in some other flat areas of England that have undergone reclamation. Fertile peaty alluvial soils are common in the drained marine lowlands of Fenland, as well as in the valley of the Trent River.
Here, more than in other regions of the country, wheat is sown, orchards and berry fields are planted, and intensive gardening is practiced. Thin humus-calcareous and soddy-calcareous soils are developed on the uplands and kuest ridges. In the western and northwestern regions of Great Britain, acidic brown podzolic soils predominate, grasses grow better here, and oats and barley from cereals, which determines livestock specialization. In the highlands of Cornwall, the Pennines, the Lake Circle and Scotland, where the climate is humid and cool, soddy-podzolic soils are developed, which are easily subject to waterlogging, leading to the formation of peat bogs. Pastures with coarse herbage predominate there.
Minerals of Great Britain
The UK has significant mineral reserves. It is especially rich in coal, the total reserves of which are 189 billion tons, including recoverable - 45 billion tons. Its deposits are found in all economic regions of the country, except for the three southern and Northern Ireland. The largest are concentrated in three coal basins: Yorkshire and Northumberland-Durham, located in the foothills of the Pennines, and South Wales, on the southern slope of the Welsh mountains. Many coal basins came close to the sea coast, and coal could be easily transported. At present, the role of coal is no longer so great, its extraction has decreased, the best seams have been worked out, and the use of deep mines has become unprofitable.
In the 1960s and 1970s, large new energy resources were found on the shelf of the North Sea - oil and natural gas. The deposits are located off the coast of southeast England and northeast Scotland. Oil reserves - 2 billion tons, natural gas - 2 trillion. m3. Their intensive development has changed the overall assessment of the UK's energy supply and put it in a more advantageous position compared to EU partners. The largest offshore deposits are Fortis and Brent, on the mainland - Witchfarm in Dorset. The main coal deposits (substantially depleted) are Yorkshire - Derby - Nottinghamshire Basin in the East Middland, Northumberland - Durham Basin in the North East of England.
The UK also has significant reserves of iron ores (reliable and probable - 4.6 billion tons). The main deposit is located in the east of Northamptonshire, but, with the exception of the now mined rich hematite ores of Cumberland, most of the rest are of low quality (22–33% of the metal). Currently, mining has been stopped, the industry uses rich imported ore. As for other minerals, there is a large deposit of kaolin in Cornwall, also rock salt in Cheshire and Durham, potash salt in Yorkshire, and some non-ferrous metals in very small quantities (including tin in the west of Cornwall). Uranium ore found in Scotland.
Flora of Great Britain
The vegetation of England is quite poor, forests occupy less than 10% of the region. Basically, they are preserved along the river valleys and in the lower parts of the mountain slopes. In Scotland, forests are more common, although moorland dominates the region. Oak and coniferous trees (spruce, pine and larch) grow mainly in the forests in the south and east of the Highlands. Oak, elm, hornbeam, beech and ash grow in the lower belt of the mountains of England and Wales. The upper limit of the forest reaches 500-600 m, and broad-leaved forests usually do not rise above 400 m.
In the perennial meadows of England and Wales grow wild pale yellow daffodils (the emblem of the Welsh), lilies, purple orchid and primrose, which have long been used to make wine in English villages. Above the forest line in the mountains of England and Wales, cereal-forb meadows and moorlands with juniper, blueberry and crowberry predominate. In the south of the country there are evergreen Mediterranean plant species. Plants vegetate all year round.
Animal world of Great Britain
Many large mammals, such as the bear, wild boar and Irish red deer, have long been extirpated in the British Isles as a result of intense hunting, and the wolf has been extirpated as a pest. Now there are only 56 species of mammals left. Red deer - the largest representative of mammals - lives in the uplands of Cornwall, in the Scottish Highlands. There are quite a few roe deer that are found north of Yorkshire and in the south of England. Wild goats live in mountainous areas. Among small mammals there are hare, rabbit, marten, otter, wild cat, a large number of partridges and wild ducks. Of the small predators, the ermine and weasel are the most numerous, ferrets are found in Wales, and wild European cats and American martens are found in the mountains of Scotland.
There are a lot of salmon and trout in the rivers and lakes of Scotland. Cod, herring, haddock are caught in coastal waters. The fauna is practically the same as in England, with the exception of the black polecat, which is not found in England. Various types of fish are found in the waters off the British Isles: in the surface layers of sea waters - sable fish, herring, sprat feed in the bays and estuaries of rivers, and sardines and mackerel appear off the coast of the Kirkwall Peninsula. The most important commercial fish of far and near waters are cod, haddock and marlan. Some cod individuals weigh up to 20 kilograms. Also in rivers and lakes there are roach, chub, barbel. The famous monster of Loch Ness, which could supposedly be a relic aquatic dinosaur, is most likely a fiction invented to attract tourists and various types of businesses.
The gray seal is found near the islands and coastal cliffs of Cornwall and Wales, while the common seal prefers the coasts of Scotland, the eastern coasts of Northern Ireland and the islands adjacent to them.
More than 200 species of birds can be seen in England, of which more than half come from other countries. The British Isles are home to 130 species of birds, including many songbirds. Many species are able to adapt to changing conditions, and it is believed that there are more birds in suburban gardens than in any forest. The most common sparrows, finches, starlings, crows, kingfishers, robins, tits. The national symbol of England is the red-breasted robin. Millions of birds migrate along the coast of Great Britain from south to north and back.
And although at the mention of the word "Great Britain" everyone, without exception, has a feeling of something monumental, unchanging and majestic, like the power of the monarch and the walls of the Tower, each of the four parts of this island European state has its own history, cultural traditions and unique appearance.
Scottish whiskey, English stiffness, Prince of Wales, Irish dances are connected in our minds with individual peoples and cultures. Book your trip to the UK at www.fly.com
When we talk about the UK as a tourist attraction, the choice of attractions seems to be small - with Big Ben, Tower Bridge and Westminster Abbey, Stonehenge, Loch Ness monster in Scotland. Someone else will remember Oxford, and, but hardly anyone at all knows anything about it. You can also admire the palaces and castles in the Czech Republic or Austria, which are not so distant and easier in terms of organizing travel - closer and getting a visa is easier. So tourists perceive the UK solely as a place where you can "pull up" English or get a prestigious education, having closely examined the exceptional capital of Foggy Albion. Meanwhile, there are much more sights and "antiquities" in this country, so European, but so unlike anyone else, than it seems at first glance.
The history of the British Isles is a chain of continuous migrations and conquests of tribes and peoples from the European continent, who, however, did not devastate the local lands, but settled here and considered their home, bringing their culture and moving the country forward. At first, the Celtic tribes settled here, who received the name "Britons", and were later conquered by Julius Caesar, when the territory up to the Scottish Mountains became a province of the Roman Empire. The history of England dates back to the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons, who divided the lands into several kingdoms, often suffering from Viking raids. In 1042 Wilgelm the conqueror at the head of the Normans, he conquered the country, established the power of his dynasty for a long time and connected the country with France through periods of war, then of alliance. In 1171 Henry II conquered Ireland and awarded another title to the English kings - King of Ireland. Wales annexed during his reign Edward I who gave his son the first title of Prince of Wales. During the reign of the queen Elizabeth I England conquered vast possessions in colonies around the world - in America, China, Iceland, India, and began to rightfully be called a great maritime power. The Kingdom of Great Britain was officially formed in 1707, when a union was signed between England and Scotland, and from 1801 Ireland was included in this union, most of whose territories later won their independence, and now the official name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Geography
Great Britain is located on the British Isles, the largest of which are Great Britain, Ireland(the country includes the northeastern part of the island), Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland islands, island Anglesey; and covers an area of 244 thousand square meters. km, of which England accounts for 54% of the total area, Scotland - 31%, Wales - 8.4%, Northern Ireland - 5.6%. Under the control of the United Kingdom are also formally Isle Of Man between the UK and Ireland channel islands off the coast of France (Jersey and Guernsey), St. Helena in the Atlantic Ocean, in America - the Cayman, Falkland Islands and others. The only land border is between the UK (Northern Ireland) and the Republic of Ireland and is 360 km long. Distance from the south coast of England to the northern point Scotland is 960 km, and between the east coast of England and western Wales - 480 km.
Great Britain is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean in the north and west, the North Sea in the east and the Irish Sea in the west, and the strait separates Great Britain from its closest neighbors on the European continent. English Channel and its narrowest part - pas de calais(32 km). The southern and southeastern parts of Great Britain are flatlands separated by hills and uplands. Almost all of Wales, located on the western part of the island, is occupied Cambrian mountains. Pennines in the northern part of England stretch from north to south and separate the Lancashire lowlands in the west from Yorkshire in the east. Geographically, Scotland includes three parts: the South Scottish Highlands, the Central Lowlands, where the majority of the population lives, and the North Scottish Highlands with the highest point of all the British Isles - Mt. Ben Nevis(1343 m). The highest point within England is Scofell Peak (964 m), and in Wales - Mount Snowdon (1085 m).
Great Britain is crossed by many rivers, the largest of which are the Severn (354 km), originating in the mountains of Wales, Thames(346 km), in the basin of which one fifth of the country's population lives, and Trent (297 km). In the past, a significant part of the islands was covered with glaciers, after the retreat of which many lakes were formed, especially in Scotland and in the north-west of England, in the so-called Lake District. The largest lake in the UK loch neagh, located in Northern Ireland, 20 km from Belfast and having an area of 396 sq. km. In Scotland, Loch Lomond (71 sq. km) and Loch Ness (65 sq. km) are considered the largest lakes. A significant part of the UK is occupied by arable land and pastures, while forests make up only about 9% of the territory.
Population
Migration has always played a special role in the life of the country. Even before the beginning of our era, first the Celts moved here, then the Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and Normans, who formed the nations and peoples of Great Britain. So, the British are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons and Normans, and the Scots, Welsh, Irish and Cornish are the descendants of the Celts. During the heyday of Great Britain as a colonial power, there was an outflow of the population to the countries of the British Commonwealth and the United States, which naturally combined with the immigration of people from Europe and Asia. Now the total population of the UK is 61.4 million people, of which 80% are British, 12% are Scots, Welsh (Welsh), Irish, and about 8% are immigrants, mainly from India, Pakistan, Vietnam and other former British colonies, and the number of immigrants is constantly growing. More than 8 million people live in London, the capital of Great Britain, with an average population density of about 5 thousand people per sq. km. km.
Language
The official language of the United Kingdom is English, belonging to the Germanic group of languages of the Indo-European family and formed as a result of mixing the Anglo-Saxon language and the Norman-French dialect. Also actively used are the Scottish dialect of English and the Gaelic language, which have official status in Scotland. In Wales, according to the legislation, the Welsh language, which belongs to the Brythonic group of Celtic languages, has equal rights with English: all inscriptions in the region are given first in Welsh, and then dubbed in English, printed and Internet publications are published in it, one of TV channels.
Religion
The status of the state in the UK has the Anglican Church in England and the Presbyterian Church in Scotland. There are no state religions in Wales and Northern Ireland. The Anglican Church, as one of the largest branches of Protestant Christianity, acquired official status in the 16th century during the Reformation, when the British monarch was recognized as its secular head. Also Protestant include the so-called "Free Churches" (Free Churches): Baptist, Methodist Church, Salvation Army, etc. The Roman Catholic Church was restored in the UK in 1850 and now has about 4,000 churches with the largest number in Northern Ireland . Thus, Christianity accounts for 72% of the population, Islam (one of the largest communities in Western Europe) 3%, Hinduism 1%, Judaism 0.5% and Buddhism 0.3%. At the same time, more than 20 percent of the population consider themselves atheists.
Connection
To call the UK, you need to dial the code +44 - the year of the city - the phone number. Diagram of a call from the country to Russia: 007 - area code - subscriber number. The following mobile operators operate in the country: T-Mobile, Vodafone, Orange, O2, 3G (Three), Virgin. The easiest way is to buy a SIM card in any store without concluding an agreement on the system Pay As You Go, which are replenished using express payment cards with a unique code, also available even in the smallest points of sale. Calls abroad will be cheaper if you use pay phones that accept coins and phone cards (sold in shops and tobacconists). Calls in the evening and at night, as well as on weekends and holidays, always cost less. Internet access is ubiquitous, ranging from numerous specialized cafes to Wi-Fi, the network of points of which in London, for example, is the most developed in all of Europe. In many restaurants and cafes where you can stop by for refreshment or a cup of tea, access via Wi-Fi is absolutely free.
Time
In one of the suburbs of London - Greenwich- passes the reference line of geographical longitudes and time zones. Thus, the UK is in the zero time zone, and the time here is 3 hours behind Moscow. Summer time, as in all of Europe, is valid from March to October, but the transition takes place at 1:00 local time.
Great Britain located in northwestern Europe. Consists of the island of Great Britain, on which are located England, Scotland and Wales, and part of the island of Ireland, which occupies Northern Ireland. The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are dominions of the United Kingdom, but are not part of it. It is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean in the west and north, the North Sea in the east. In the south it is separated from the mainland by the English Channel.
The name of the country comes from the English Great Britain. Britain - by the ethnonym of the Briton tribe.
Official name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Capital:
The area of the land: 244 thousand sq. km
Total population: 61.6 million people
Administrative division: It consists of four historical regions (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland), which are administratively divided into numerous counties.
England: 39 counties, 6 metropolitan counties and a special administrative unit - Greater London (administrative center - London).
Wales: 8 counties (administrative center - Cardiff).
Scotland: 12 regions and 186 islands (administrative center - Edinburgh).
Northern Ireland: 26 districts (administrative center - Belfast). The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands have a special status.
Form of government: A constitutional monarchy.
Head of State: The monarch is the supreme bearer of executive power, the head of the judiciary, the supreme commander in chief.
Composition of the population: 83.6% - English, 8.5% - Scots, 4.9% - Welsh, 2.9% - Irish, also live 0.7% - (Indians, Pakistanis, Chinese and from African countries)
Official language: English. Accordingly, in Scotland they use Scottish, and in Wales - Scottish Gaelic and Anglo-Scots (Scots).
Religion: 71.6% Christian, 15.5% Atheist, 0.3% Buddhism, 2.7% Islam, 1% Hinduism, 0.6% Sikhism, 0.5% Judaism.
Internet domain: .uk
Mains voltage: ~230 V, 50 Hz
Phone country code: +44
Country barcode: 50
Climate
The climate of the United Kingdom is very mild. Although extreme temperatures above 38°C or below -18°C have been recorded, temperatures very rarely rise above 29°C on summer days or fall below -7°C on winter nights. The mildness of the climate is mainly due to the influence of the North Atlantic Current (an extension of the Gulf ), which brings warm waters to the western coast of Europe. At these latitudes, westerly winds prevail, and thus cool air comes from the Atlantic Ocean in summer and warm air in winter.
Although temperature differences are quite small, winters are warmer on the west coast of the United Kingdom than on the east. In the Isles of Scilly, the extreme south-west of Great Britain, and in Holyhead in north-west Wales, the average January temperature is 7 ° C, in London it is only 5 ° C, and in most east coast- below 4 ° C. Despite the similarity of temperatures, winters become less favorable as you move north along the east coast, where dank, moist winds blow from the cold North Sea.
Frost and snow are not uncommon, especially at high altitudes, but in the lowlands in a typical winter, temperatures below 0 ° C stay only 30-60 days a year, and snow - only 10-15 days. In London, snow lies on the ground only about 5 days a year.
The highest summer temperatures are in the southeast. In London, the average July temperature is 17°C, in the Isles of Scilly 16°C, in Holyhead 15°C, and on the north coast of Scotland it is less than 13°C.
In normal years, all areas of Great Britain receive enough rainfall for agricultural work, and in some mountainous areas they are even excessive. Seasonal and annual fluctuations in precipitation are insignificant, droughts are rare.
The greatest amount of precipitation falls in the west of the United Kingdom, relatively little - in its eastern part. In London, the average annual rainfall is only 610 mm, in most of Low Britain - up to 760 mm, and in parts of High Britain - up to 1020 mm. Central Wales averages over 1525 mm of precipitation per year, with parts of the Lake District and the western Highlands of Scotland (the wettest places in the interior of the United Kingdom) receiving over 2540 mm.
Fairly cloudy weather prevails, as most of the precipitation falls in the form of constant drizzle rather than showers, and the sun does not show for many days of the year.
At these latitudes, summer days are long and winter days are very short. In January, the south coast of the UK receives an average of two hours of sunshine per day, and north of Birmingham rarely more than an hour and a half. Even on the long July days, the southern coast gets only seven hours of sunshine on average, while the northern part of the country gets less than five hours a day. The lack of sunlight depends more on overcast than on fogs.
The famous London fogs of the past enveloped the city because of the thick smoke from burning coal for space heating, and not due to meteorological conditions. However, wet, damp fog is still recorded in London on average 45 days a year, mainly in January and February, and in most ports there are from 15 to 30 foggy days each year, and the fog can paralyze all traffic for a couple of days or more. .
Geography
Great Britain is an island nation in the northwest of Europe. It occupies the island of Great Britain, part of the island of Ireland and a number of smaller islands (Man, Wight, Channel Islands, Orkney, Hebrides, Shetland and others).
Great Britain consists of 4 historical and geographical regions: England, Scotland and Wales, located on the island of Great Britain, and Northern Ireland. The total area of the country is 244.9 thousand square meters. km. Great Britain has a land border with the only country - Ireland. In the north and west, the country is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and in the east and south - by the North Sea and the narrow straits of the English Channel and Pas de Calais. The entire coast is dotted with bays, bays, deltas and peninsulas, so most of the UK is located at a distance of no more than 120 km from the sea.
Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and Northern England are dominated by medium-altitude mountains and uplands with deeply incised river valleys. The most high point The country is located in Scotland - this is Mount Ben Nevis with a height of 1343 m. The southeastern and central parts of Great Britain are occupied by elevated plains and wastelands. In these areas, only a few places reach 300 m above sea level.
Great Britain has a dense network of rivers. In England and Wales the main rivers are Tyne, Trent, Humber, Severn and Thames, in Scotland the Clyde, Fort and Tweed, in Northern Ireland the Bann and Logan. All of them are short, full-flowing and non-freezing in winter. There are many lakes in the mountains, mostly of glacial origin. The largest of them are Loch Neagh, Loch Lomond and Loch Ness.
The nature protection of Great Britain is carried out by a system of national parks, national nature and forest reserves and reserves for the protection of waterfowl, which occupy about 7% of the country's territory. The originality of British national parks is that these are not "deaf" areas, but quite close to big cities areas that look more like huge city parks or botanical gardens. The largest National parks- this is the Lake District or Lake District and Snowdonia, Dartmoor and Brecon Beacons reserves.
Flora and fauna
Vegetable world
In prehistoric times, much of the United Kingdom was densely forested with oak, birch and other hardwoods, but now, after more than 20 centuries of economic development, the area is largely deforested. Nevertheless, despite the absence of large forest areas, agricultural areas appear wooded thanks to hedgerows, protective forest belts in fields, game animal sanctuaries, and small forest plantations near farms and homesteads.
Forest plots are usually confined to areas with highly rugged topography or sandy soils that are of little use for agriculture. Enormous old trees are preserved in the royal forests, i.e. in areas such as the New Forest, which were originally set aside for royal hunting, but some of them have never been heavily forested. After 1919, and especially after 1945, the government began to encourage the creation of both public and private border forest belts from fast-growing coniferous trees. According to a 1997 estimate, forest inventory was carried out in the country on an area of approx. 2 million ha. However, Low Britain is not dominated by forests, but by fields and pastures.
The main plant formation in Great Britain is the moorhens, which prevail in High Britain at altitudes above 215 m, but are also found in other areas. In general, they account for approximately 1/3 of the area of Great Britain and most of Northern Ireland. In fact, four completely different types are combined here: heath proper, dominated by common heather (Calluna vulgaris), found on rather steep slopes and well-drained, usually sandy soils; grassy heathlands on well-drained soils with a predominance of bentgrass (Agrostis sp.) and fescue (Festuca sp.), and in less drained areas - blue moth (Molinia coerulea) and white-beard protruding (Nardus stricta); sedge barrens, represented by cotton grass (Eriophorum vaginatum), reeds (Scirpus cespitosus) and rushes (Juncus sp.) in more humid lands, and sphagnum bogs in the dampest areas.
Animal world
Many large mammals, such as the bear, wild boar and Irish red deer, have long been extirpated in the British Isles as a result of intense hunting, and the wolf has been extirpated as a pest. Now there are only 56 species of mammals left. Red deer - the largest representative of mammals - lives in the uplands of Cornwall, in the Scottish Highlands. There are quite a few roe deer that are found north of Yorkshire and in the south of England.
Wild goats live in mountainous areas. Among small mammals there are hare, rabbit, marten, otter, wild cat, a large number of partridges and wild ducks. Of the small predators, the ermine and weasel are the most numerous, ferrets are found in Wales, and wild European cats and American martens are found in the mountains of Scotland.
There are a lot of salmon and trout in the rivers and lakes of Scotland. Cod, herring, haddock are caught in coastal waters. The fauna is practically the same as in England, with the exception of the black polecat, which is not found in England. Various types of fish are found in the waters off the British Isles: in the surface layers of sea waters - sable fish, herring, sprat feed in the bays and estuaries of rivers, and sardines and mackerel appear off the coast of the Kirkwall Peninsula.
The most important commercial fish of far and near waters are cod, haddock and marlan. Some cod individuals weigh up to 20 kilograms. Also in rivers and lakes there are roach, chub, barbel. The famous monster of Loch Ness, which could supposedly be a relic aquatic dinosaur, is most likely a fiction invented to attract tourists and various types of businesses.
The gray seal is found near the islands and coastal cliffs of Cornwall and Wales, while the common seal prefers the coasts of Scotland, the eastern coasts of Northern Ireland and the islands adjacent to them.
More than 200 species of birds can be seen in England, of which more than half come from other countries. The British Isles are home to 130 species of birds, including many songbirds. Many species are able to adapt to changing conditions, and it is believed that there are more birds in suburban gardens than in any forest. The most common sparrows, finches, starlings, crows, kingfishers, robins, tits. The national symbol of England is the red-breasted robin. Millions of birds migrate along the coast of Great Britain from south to north and back.
Attractions
The territory of Great Britain is full of natural contrasts - ancient and bleak moors, moorlands and incredible blue lakes of Scotland in the north, picturesque coastal cliffs and crystal clear calm waters off the south and west coasts, hilly cultivated Central England with parks and lawns, majestic mountains and green valleys of Wales in the West. Each region of the country has a characteristic appearance, its own distinctive traditions, culture and customs.
- Beaumaris
- York Minster
- canterbury cathedral
- Tower
- sherwood forest
- Edinburgh castle
- Westminster Abbey
- Loch Ness lake
Banks and currency
The monetary unit of Great Britain is the pound sterling (GBP). There are 100 pence in one pound. In circulation there are banknotes in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 pounds and coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 pence and 1 pound. In the provinces, the names of old British coins are sometimes used - "guinea", "shilling", "penny" and others, but the real unit of payment is the pound.
In England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, banknotes are printed slightly different from each other. Although they are valid throughout the United Kingdom, it is best to leave them in the shops of the parts of the country where you received them. If you did not have time to do this, such banknotes can be exchanged at banks, and without commission.
Banks are open from 9.00 to 15.30 without a break on weekdays, large banks also work on Saturday.
You can change money at any bank branch (commission 0.5-1%), in the evening - at exchange offices of large department stores and in some travel agencies. Exchange offices at airports operate around the clock. A passport is required to exchange cash.
Credit cards Visa, Master Card, American Express, as well as traveler's checks are widely used. Street ATMs are widespread, but there are cases of mistaken blocking of credit cards, so it is better to use ATMs in institutions.
Useful information for tourists
Shops are usually open from Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 17.30, although many of the department stores are open until 18.00, and on Wednesdays or Thursdays - until 19.00-20.00. Large stores can also receive customers on Sundays, but only during any six hours from 10.00 to 18.00. In smaller towns and villages, shops often close for half a day after lunch once a week, as well as for an hour-long lunch break.
Hotels in many cases have a special service charge, usually 10-12%. Where this fee is not included in the bill, the employees and maids serving you are usually given a tip of 10-15% of the bill.
Service is included in the bills of some restaurants. Where it is not taken into account, a tip of 10-15% of the bill is accepted.
Porters receive 50-75 pence per suitcase, taxi drivers - 10-15% of the fare.
One of the peculiarities of the UK that you may encounter is that until now in most hotels the water taps above the wash basin are not equipped with a faucet. The English do not wash themselves with running water, but draw a full washbasin of water, use it, then lower it.
On the day of departure, you must vacate the room before 12.00. If there is a lot of time left before the departure of the plane, things can be left in the hotel's storage room.
In England, good manners are very important, the ability to stay at the table, so you need to follow the basic rules of the ritual of eating. Never put your hands on the table, keep them on your knees. Cutlery is not removed from the plates, as knife stands are not used in England. Do not shift cutlery from one hand to another, the knife should always be in the right hand, the fork in the left. Since various vegetables are served at the same time as meat dishes, you should proceed as follows: you put vegetables on a small piece of meat with a knife; learn to hold them there with the back of a fork without piercing them. If you dare to prick at least one pea on a fork, then you will be considered ill-mannered.
Don't kiss ladies' hands or say compliments in public like "What a dress you have on!" or “How delicious this cake is!” - they are regarded as a big indelicacy.
It is not allowed to have separate conversations at the table. Everyone should listen to whoever speaks in this moment and, in turn, speak loudly enough to be heard by those present.
Remember that the British have their own lifestyle, and they, like no other nation, sacredly honor traditions and customs.
Going to Great Britain - the country of fogs - we advise you not to forget that the British weather is unpredictable! Winters are usually quite mild, with temperatures rarely reaching below zero. From March to May, the days can be both sunny and windy, with rain. In June-August the temperature can reach +30°C or more, but during the day, as a rule, it stays somewhere between +20-25°C. It rains 180 days a year in London, and the wettest cities are Liverpool and Manchester.
The quality of UK beaches has improved 4 times over the past 10 years. In 1997, the Marine Protection Society recommended only 127 British beaches for recreation, and in 2007 - already 494 (out of 787 studied). All recommended beaches meet the European water quality standardHampshire
newport
Newport is located on the border of England and Wales, which gives it a special flavor. Newport Port is one of the main industrial ports in Britain. Located in the English Channel, on the Isle of Wight, Newport is famous for mild winters and cool summers. Patients with anemia and catarrhs of the upper respiratory tract come here to be treated.
Pebble beach, water sports: sailing training, traditional English rowing, yachts and catamarans.
Sussex
Eastbourne
The elegant seaside resort of Eastbourne is located on the English Channel, south of London. The beaches are sandy and well maintained. The water temperature in August rises to +19 C. In the premises of the administration of the beaches, you can rent beach umbrellas and sunbeds, as well as buy the necessary accessories: sunblock, towels, bathrobes, swimming boards, and so on. Some beaches have individual bathing cabins that can be rented all year round. Each has a shower, faucet, dressing room and wardrobes for storing clothes and personal belongings.
The 6-kilometer promenade leading along the beaches is rich in sights and architectural monuments. On the territory of the beaches there is a specially equipped "green theater", where various musical groups perform from May to September.
In Eastbourne, there is the largest chalk cliff in Britain - Beachy Head (162 m), rising above the water in a picturesque place on the coast.
Brighton
The small fishing village of Brighton came to the attention of the Crown in 1724, when most of the houses were washed away by a powerful storm and the orphaned residents turned to the government for help. The money was allocated, and new buildings were erected on the artificial banks. And in 1750, Brighton was rediscovered by Dr. Richard Russell. He told Britain that the sea air is good for health, especially healing properties, according to the doctor, it was the air of Brighton. So almost overnight, Brighton turned from a provincial town into trendy resort for representatives of high society.
During the residence of Prince George (the future George IV) in Brighton, the city was equipped with special "bathing machines" that delivered "beachers" to the coast. In addition, several unique buildings in Chinese and Indian style were erected for the prince. You can admire them to this day.
Brighton is home to the unique West Pier, one of only two piers in the UK to be officially listed as the number one listed historical and architectural monument. Its proportions, style and form are exceptional. Built in 1866 by Eugene Birch, at first the Pier was just a promenade. Then gazebos, a theater were erected on it, and then concert hall for 1400 people. In the 1920s, Pierce even had his own orchestra. In 1975, the pier was closed, and in 2003 it was badly damaged by a fire. Now the British government is thinking about the restoration of its heritage.
Another Brighton attraction is the Bertie and Belcher Brighton Brewing Company offers beer at The Hedgehog and Barrel in Hove, not anywhere else. For the name of such a length, the pub is included in the Guinness Book of Records.
Municipal beaches are pebbly and sandy, their cleanliness is almost fanatically monitored. The beaches are free. The fee for the use of umbrellas and sunbeds is indicated at the entrance to the beach. Money is collected by an employee who walks around the territory.
But actually swimming is not the main entertainment of Brighton. The road from the beaches to the Old Town is a real exhibition of works of folk craftsmen. Here you can buy a variety of souvenirs and trinkets, visit the Fisherman's Museum, sit in cozy cafes and bars.
The coast provides a diverse range of water activities - yachts, catamarans, fishing, tourist boat trips. On the embankment you can rent skateboards, play petanque, run kite or just have a romantic picnic. There is also a beautiful marine aquarium.
Capabilities organized recreation provides Brighton Marina - an entertainment seaside complex, a city within a city with bowling, a cinema, swimming pools, shops, many restaurants and pubs, which offer picturesque views of the harbour. Marina is home to more than a thousand ships. Elegant yachts of millionaires coexist here with salty "hard workers" who have just circumnavigated the world. If you are a diving enthusiast, you will be offered to dive to the wrecks of military ships.
Every year in May, Brighton hosts Britain's largest Arts Festival (since 1967). Brighton is also known as one of the largest and most vibrant gay resorts in the south of the UK.
Devonshire
Torbay
The history of Torbay goes back many thousands of years. In the vicinity of the city, the remains of Paleolithic settlements were found in caves. Torbay became a resort during the Victorian era, with magnificent gardens, elegant terraces and white villas.
Torbay is called the English Riviera. The resort area consists of 20 well-maintained beaches stretching along the coast for 35 km - from Torquay (formerly a separate resort, but now part of Torbay) to Brixham. The coast is distinguished by an enviable diversity and provides discerning tourists with almost all recreation options: here and sandy beaches, and ruined fortresses, and bird sanctuaries, and golf courses, and climbing cliffs, and picturesque parks by the sea, and fishing, and sailing. Moreover, the English Riviera boasts real palm trees. The first trees were planted here in 1820, and today literally thousands of classic southern plants surround the sandy beaches. And, of course, bars and restaurants overlooking the sea await guests everywhere.
Torbay includes the former cities of Torquay, Brixham and Paignton. Paynton is best suited for family vacation: long sandy beaches, vibrant atmosphere, calm seas, friendly to inexperienced swimmers and plenty of attractions and entertainment.
Life in Brixham is centered around the harbour. It is one of the busiest fishing ports in Britain. Tourists' favorite pastimes here are walking along the numerous small shops in the port area, watching the day's catch being unloaded, as well as looking at the works of artists exhibited on the waterfront. Here you can buy the freshest fish and seafood or taste ready-made meals in a restaurant or pub. On the beaches you can rent chalets and bungalows.
Two ancient canals are laid through Torbay, built over 200 years ago to transport goods to the sea. The canals themselves are historical objects, plus there are buildings along their banks that are included in international catalogs of historical and architectural monuments. Outside the city limits, along the canals, it is pleasant to walk or bike. The roads are well-groomed, there are a lot of wild flowers, birds and small animals around. Torbay's parks are also a Crown National Treasure and offer guests hundreds of miles of hiking trails.
