THE UNITED
KINGDOM
Hana Cábová, 4FT
Location
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on the British Isles in the Atlantic Ocean, northwest of continental Europe
separated from France by the English Channel
the UK consist of four states:
England – London
Wales – Cardiff
Scotland – Edinburgh
Northen Ireland - Belfast
London
Cardiff
Edinburgh
Belfast
State border
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the Northen Ireland borders the Republic
of Ireland
Britain is surrounded by the Atlantic
Ocean, the North Sea, the English
Channel, the Celtic Sea and the Irish Sea
Geography
north and north-west
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more mountainous, especially Scotland
south and east
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hills and flat lands
National parks
Peak District
• an upland area in the middle of southern England
• close to the city centers
• frequently visited
• it is divided into the Dark Peak and the White Peak
Lake District
• the biggest national park in England
• it is known for its mountain, lake and coastal scenery
• the deepest lake in England: Wastwater
• the largest lake in England: Windermer
Snowdonia
• the biggest national park in Wales
• you can get almost to the top by a steam train
Mountains
Highlands
• the highest mountains in the UK
• located in Scotland
• the highest mountain in the UK – Ben Nevis (1344 m)
Scafell Pike
• the highest mountain in England (978 m)
• located in the Lake District
Snowdon
• the highest mountain in Wales (1085 m)
• located in the Snowdonia
Ben Nevis
Scafell Pike
Snowdon
Lakes
Loch Ness
• it is located in Scotish Highland
• it is the most famous lake in the UK,
because of the legendary monster called
Nessie
Loch Neagh
• it is located in the Northen Ireland
• the largest lake of the UK
Loch Ness lake
monster Nessie
Loch Neagh lake
Rivers
River Severn
• it is the longest river in the UK (354 km)
• it flows from North Wales to the Bristol
Channel
River Thames
• the second largest
• the most popular, because it flows
through the Capital London
• it flows into the North Sea
Climate
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the UK has the mild climate
the temperature changes according to the seasons
there are no real weather extremes
the UK is famous for its wet weather
People and languages
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the UK has population of nearly 67 million people (2022)
the main language spoken is English
there are lots of regional dialects (accents) across the country
Gaelic is spoken in some areas of Scotland
Welsh is the second language spoken in Wales
Currency
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currency is the pound, also called pound sterling
Industry and products
the UK’s economy is dominated by services industries, which include retail,
hospitality and finance
public services like health and education
the biggest exporting industries in the UK
precious metal
petroleum
medicinal and pharmaceutical products
cars
Politics and economy
•
the UK is a constitutional monarchy, which means it has:
•
a parliament (The Houses of Parliament in London)
a monarch who is the head of the royal family (lives in a Buckingham
palace)
the head of the government is The Prime Minister (Rishi Sunak)
the major political parties are the Conservative Party (right wing) and the
Labour Party (left wing).
National symbols
The flag of the United Kingdom, British Union Flag, Union Jack
• it was officially adopted in 1801
• the flag consist of three crosses
•
the upright red cross – the cross of St. George (the patron saint of England)
the white diagonal cross – the cross of St. Andrew (Scotland)
the red diagonal cross – the cross of St. Patrick (Ireland)
National symbols
State Emblem – The Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom
• it has two variants – one is used in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the
second one is used in Scotland
National anthem
• it is called God Save the King
• if there is a Queen on the British throne, the song changes to God Save the Queen
Famous cities
Manchester
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it is famous for its Manchester United football team
Liverpool
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there is a major seaport in the north of the city
it is an industrial city
the Home of the Beatles
Oxford and Cambridge
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universities towns
Oxford is the oldest university in the UK, it has 33 colleges
Cambridge has 31 colleges
Glasgow
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an industrial city and a seaport
the largest city in Scotland
very popular with tourists
Stratford-upon-Avon
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located in central England
the birthplace and the burial place of William Shakespeare
Famous
sights
Stonehenge
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a circle of huge stones
more than 3500 years old
it could be a calendar or a prehistoric temple
Giant‘s Causeway
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a natural wonder of the northern coast
a causeway formed by columns of hexagonalshaped stepping stones
Hadrian‘s Wall
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a wall made of stones in northern Britain
it was supposed to be a protection from enemies
it is 117,5 km long
Famous people
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William Shakespeare – a playwright and poet from the 16th and 17th century
Isaac Newton – developed the theory of gravity
Charles Dickens – a novelist from the 19th century
Fictional characters: James Bond, Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter
Typical food
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traditional English breakfast: fried bacon, sausages, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms and
toasts
fish and chips, sanwiches, roast beef, Yorkshire pudding
Sports
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British people like to play football, with matches on most weekends
in summer they like to play cricket
rugby, which is associated with public school students
tennis
rowing
Quiz
What is the capital city of the UK?
What is the highest mountain in the UK?
What‘s the name of the lake where the monster Nessie lives?
What are Oxford and Cambridge known for?
Who/what can you see in the picture?
Thank you for
your attention!
