2. The British isles are separated
from the European continent
by the North Sea and the
English Channel.
The western coast of Great
Britain is washed by the
Atlantic Ocean and the Irish
Sea. The surface of the British
Isles varies very much.
The north of Scotland is
mountainous and is called
Highlands, while the
south, which has beautiful
valleys and plains, is called
Lowlands. The north and west
of England are
mountainous, but all the rest -
east, center and southeast - is
a vast plain. Mountains are not
very high. Ben Nevis is the
highest mountain.

3. The United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern
Ireland is situated on the
British Isles.
The British Isles consist of two
large islands, Great Britain
and Ireland, and above
five thousand small islands.
Their total area is over 244
000 square kilometers.
The United Kingdom is
made up of four countries:
England, Scotland, Wales
and Northern Ireland.
Their capitals are
London, Edinburgh, Cardiff
and Belfast.

4. There are a lot of rivers in GB, but they are not very long. The
Severn is the longest river, while the Thames is the deepest and
the most important one.
The mountains, the Atlantic Ocean and the warm waters if Gulf
Stream influence the climate of the British Isles. The weather in GB
is very changeable. A fine morning can change into a wet
afternoon and evening and the wrong side out. The English
people say: "Other countries have a climate; in England we have
weather." The English also say that they have three variants of
weather: when it rains in the morning, when it rains in the
afternoon or when it rains all day long.

5.  The most unpleasant
aspect of English weather
is fog and smog. This is
extremely bad in big cities
especially in London. The
fog spreads everywhere
so cars move along slowly
and people can't see
each other. They try not
to be run over by a car
but still accidents are
frequent in the fog.

6.  a unified entity since the 10th century;
 The union between England and Wales began in 1284 with the Statute of
Rhuddlan,but was not formalized until 1536 with an Act of Union;
 In another Act of Union in 1707, England and Scotland agreed to
permanently join as Great Britain;
 The legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland was implemented in
1801 with the adoption of the name the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland;
 The Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of Ireland; six northern
Irish counties remained part of the United Kingdom as Northern Ireland;
 The current name of the country, the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland, was adopted in 1927

7. British nation is considered to be
the most conservative in
Europe. It is not a secret that
every nation and every country
has its own customs and
traditions.
In Great Britain people attach
greater importance to traditions
and customs than in other
European countries. Englishmen
are proud of their traditions and
carefully keep them up. The
best examples are their
queen, money system, their
weights and measures.

8.  Constitutional monarchy and Commonwealth realm
 Head of state – Queen Elizabeth II
 Parliament consists of two houses:
• House of Commons
• House of Lords
 Government
Devolved government
Scottish Parliament – 1999
Scottish Government – 2007
Northern Ireland Assembly – 1998
Northern Ireland Executive – 1998
National Assembly for Wales - 1999

9. Monarchy is the oldest form of government in the United Kingdom.
In a monarchy, a king or queen is Head of State. The British monarchy is
known as a constitutional monarchy. This means that, while The Sovereign is
Head of State, the ability to make and pass legislation resides with an
elected Parliament.
Although the British Sovereign no longer has a political or executive role, he
or she continues to play an important part in the life of the nation.
As Head of State, The Monarch undertakes constitutional and
representational duties which have developed over one thousand years of
history. In addition to these State duties, The Monarch has a less formal role
as 'Head of Nation'. The Sovereign acts as a focus for national identity, unity
and pride; gives a sense of stability and continuity; officially recognizes
success and excellence; and supports the ideal of voluntary service.
In all these roles The Sovereign is supported by members of their immediate
family.

10. Commonwealth of Nations
An intergovernmental organization of 54 independent member
states. All but two of these countries were formerly part of the British
Empire.
The member states co-operate within a framework of common
values and goals as outlined in the Singapore Declaration.
These include the promotion of democracy, human rights, good
governance, the rule of law, individual liberty, egalitarianism, free
trade, multilateralism and world peace.
The Commonwealth is not a political union, but an
intergovernmental organisation through which countries with diverse
social, political and economic backgrounds are regarded as equal
in status.

11. British people think that the Grand National horse race is the
most exciting horse race in the world. It takes place near
Liverpool every year. Sometimes it happens the same day as
the Boat Race takes place, sometimes a week later. Amateur
riders as well as professional jockeys can participate. It is a
very famous event.

12. Halloween is a day on which many children dress up in unusual
costumes. In fact, this holiday has a Celtic origin.
The day was originally called All Halloween's Eve, because it
happens on October 31, the eve of all Saint's Day.
The name was later shortened to Halloween.
The Celts celebrated the coming of New Year on that day.

13. On November 5,1605, a man called Guy Fawkes
planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament where the
king James 1st was to open Parliament on that day. But
Guy Fawkes was unable to realize his plan and was
caught and later, hanged. The British still remember that
Guy Fawkes' Night. It is another name for this holiday.
This day one can see children with figures, made of
sacks and straw and dressed in old clothes. On
November 5th, children put their figures on the
bonfire, burn them, and light their fireworks.

14. British Library
After fifteen years of problems and millions of public money
spent, the library finally opened its doors to the public in the
spring of 1998. The sheer number of books inside will take
your breath away. This is actually the largest library in
London. Location - Euston Road (near St Pancras Station).

15. In the City of London you
will come upon St Paul`s
Cathedral.
The present structure is
the fifth cathedral to be
built on the site. The
weddings of the Prince
and Princess of Wales, the
funeral of Sir Winston
Churchill and many other
occasions have graced
this spiritual centre.
Built of Portland stone with
a Dome that rises to 365
feet and with Great
Paul, the largest bell in
England, this has to be
one of THE MUST SEE sights
in London.

16. The most famous London
sight is Westminster Abbey.
It has been so closely
connected with the Crown
and the nations history.
The coronation of every king
and queen (apart from two)
spanning 900 years has been
held here.
The magnificent Gothic
building seen today dates
from the 11th century.