CULTURE
ENGLAND
The largest of the three political divisions within the island of Great
Britain
Mostly flat or low-lying lands
o North: a range of limestone hills - the Pennines
o West: the Cumbrian Mountains and the Lake District (clear, quiet
lakes and low mountains)
o South: densely populated area and the rural beauty (the county
of Kent, the West country, and the southwest peninsula)
o Midlands: the industrial heartland of Britain (West Midlands),
the Black country, the Potteries, the 'Shakespeare country'
o The rest of England: the English lowlands (farmland, low hills,
London)
Britain (United Kingdom): London
England: Saint George
SCOTLAND
Roman name: Caledonia
Three geographical areas
o The Scottish highlands (mountain ranges, plateaus, deep
valleys)
o The central lowlands (Scotland’s best farmland, large Scottish
towns and cities)
o The southern uplands (Cheviot Hills form on the border with
England)
The highest mountain in Britain: Ben Nevis (1,347m)
The largest body of water: Loch Ness
Scotland: Edinburgh
Scotland: Saint Andrew
NORTHERN IRELAND
Roman name of Ireland: Hibernia
To the northeast of the island of Ireland
Geographical features include low mountains, deep valleys, and fertile
lowlands, rich fields, pastures
Most of the land is used for crop farming or grazing
Lough Neagh - the largest lake in the British Isles
Northern Ireland: Belfast
Northern Ireland: Saint Patrick
WALES
Roman name: Cambria
A peninsula to the west of England
Two geographical areas
o North Wales: a wild region of mountains and lakes
o South Wales: industrialized, thickly populated (70% Welsh
inhabitants)
The Cambrian Mountains cover most of Wales.
Snowdon (1085m) - the highest mountain in Wales
River Severn (220 miles) - the longest river in the UK
Wales: Cardiff
Wales: Saint David
What are the impacts of the first industrial revolution on British
people?
Urbanization with new machines and the spread of factories → an influx
of urban dwellers looking for job opportunities → mass-produced goods
with more affordable prices
Improved transportation and communication methods → enhanced
connections between individuals, businesses and trades made more
easily
A shift in the economy: agriculture-focused → industry-and-service-
goods-focused
Cities became overcrowded, polluted, and crime-ridden
A decline of traditional occupations (farmers, fishermen)
Terrible working conditions (working long hours, low wages, no
benefits)
Increased gaps between the rich and the poor
THE ENGLISH
John Bull
Personification of Englishness since the 18th century
Appearance indicates prosperity
During the Napoleonic Wars - the national symbol of freedom, loyalty
to country, & resistance to French aggression
19thC - a figure in politics - giving the people a voice
THE SCOTTISH
Typical appearance: pale skin, blue/green eyes, brown/red hair
Traditional attire: tartans and kilts
Scottish bagpipe: a symbol of pride and identity
Distinctive accent: Scottish English
Cuisine: haggis, lorne sausage, toffee, whisky, etc.
Arts: Robert Burns - the foremost literary figure in Scottish history (the
poem "Auld Lang Syne")
Sports are an important part of life
THE WELSH
Well-known for castles (>600)
Creativity is at the heart of Welsh life (writers, musicians, artists)
National identity includes
o Sports: Rugby dominates competitive sporting culture in Wales
o Language: Cymraeg (or Welsh)
THE IRISH
Northern Ireland vs. The Republic of Ireland: religious difference
(Protestant vs. Roman Catholic)
Ireland has the highest native-born population living overseas of any
country across the globe → The popularity of St. Patrick’s Day
Traditional Irish music: folk music overflowing with fiddles, harps, tin
whistles and the bodhran (a traditional drum)
NATIONAL IDENTITY
Britannia
The female embodiment of Britain
A symbol of the Bank of England since 1694
Symbolizes British national pride, unity, and strength
Was associated with British naval power in the old times
BUSINESS IN THE U.K
Overview
The economy of the United Kingdom is a highly developed social
market and market-oriented economy.
The sixth-largest national economy in the world measured by nominal
GDP (2023).
The tenth largest by purchasing power parity (PPP) (2020).
Twenty-seventh largest by GDP per capita (2024).
The third largest inward FDI; and the fifth-largest outward FDI.
#8 in the world on the ease of doing business index (2020).
Overview
The U.K. is the founding member of:
The Commonwealth
G7
G20
IMF
NATO
The World Trade Organization
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
The United Nations
The United Nations Security Council
Overview
1. Main economic attributes
A service-oriented economy
A leader in engineering and manufacturing
A country of freelancers and individual consultants
A thriving start-up culture
99.3% of U.K. businesses are small and medium enterprises (SMEs)
GIG ECONOMY
2. The modern economy
Finance and business services
Consumer-focused industries (retail, food and beverage, and
entertainment)
Tourism
Property-related services
3. Economic structure
A mixed economy of public and private sectors
The public sector includes the remaining state-run industries and
public services, which now amount to under one-third of the economy.
The private sector belongs to people who have a financial stake in a
company.
Currency - Pound Sterling (GBP)
The oldest currency to be in constant use
The fourth most commonly exchanged currency on the forex market
Issued by the Bank of England
Four denominations of notes are in circulation – 5, 10, 20, and 50 GBP
The polymer printed notes include 5 GBP, 10 GBP, and 20 GBP
Coins come in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 pence, 1 GBP, and 2 GBP
100 pence is equivalent to 1 pound
The key institutions of the British economy
HM Treasury: The economic and financial arm of the British
Government, presided over by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The Bank of England (also referred to as the Old Lady of
Threadneedle Street): Britain’s central bank issues banknotes, sets the
base interest rate, and rescues troubled banks.
The London Stock Exchange: Where shares are traded in Britain’s
largest companies.
Lloyd’s of London: The largest commercial (re)insurance
marketplace in the world.
Economic performance (1997-2009)
In May 1997, Labour, led by Tony Blair, won the general election after
18 years of Conservative government.
A platform of New Labour:
o Characterized by the continuation of neo-liberal economic
policies, but also supporting a strong welfare state
o Largely known as the "Third Way" – embracing both social
justice and the market
The UK experienced almost 16 consecutive years of economic
growth between the end of the 1991 downturn and the downturn in
2008
