The Great Britain

A country of 5500 islands
Situated in Western Europe on
2 big and
5500 small islands
4 parts:
England (London)
Wales (Cardiff)
Scotland (Edinburgh)
Northern Ireland (Belfast)
Washed by 2 seas
North
Irish
The English Channel separates the UK from continental Europe.
2 main rivers:
the Severn – the longest
the Thames – the most important and famous.
Climate is humid and oceanic with warm winter (+5) and warm summer (+25)

GB is twice as small as France or Spain
The country has: an area of 244000 sq. km
population of about 60 million people. It takes the 17th place in the world in terms of population.
More than 50 million people live in England.
Union Jack (3 crosses national flag) symbolizes the unity of 3 saints:
the upright red one for St. George (patron saint of England) the white one for St. Andrew ( patron saint of Scotland) the diagonal red for St. Patrick (patron saint of Ireland)

The biggest cities

Britons were those people who inhabited GB many centuries ago
In 50s England was called Britain and people who lived there were called Britons.
Julius Caesar invaded British Isles in 55.
Romans left the country in the 5th century.
From the 5th to 13th century present GB was invaded by different nations:
Anglo-saxons (the 4th century)
vikings (the 8th)
100 Years War (1337-1457) between Britain and France in which France won, made British and French people treat each other unfriendly until present time.
2 times terrible plague killed many people in GB:
In 1348
In 1665
Famous royal dynasties:
The Yorkists
The Lancastrians
The Tudors
The Stuarts
Georgian Period (1714-1830) – 4 kings under the name George

Monarchy and freedom
GB is a constitutional monarchy with the Queen as the head of the state.
The UK is famous for its unwritten constitution.
The country is governed by the 2 chamber Parliament.
The executive power is exercised by:
the Prime Minister and
his Cabinet (20 members) appointed by the Queen.
There are 2 parties: Labor and Conservative

Where to go and what to see
In London – Buckingham Palace, National Gallery, National Museum, Stock Exchange, the House of Parliament, Westminster Palace, Downing street 10, the British Museum, Madam Tussaud’s Museum, Sherlock Holmes Museum, Tower of London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Harrods and many, many other
In Birmingham – University, Town Hall
In Oxford – Oxford University (800 years old), Ahmolean Museum, the Christ Picture Gallery, Museum of History of Science
In Cambridge – Museum of Archeology and Antropology, Cambridge
University, Fitzwilliam Museum, Folk Museum
Stratford-on-Avon – Ann Hathaway’s Cottage, Holy Trinity Church, Butterfly farm, Teddy Bear Museum
In Liverpool - Beatles’ places, University, 7 miles of docks

Holidays and traditions
Bank Holidays=all public holidays like
Christmas, Easter Monday, May Day, Boxing day
Historic Holidays
Gardening & animals