Where is England. Great Britain or the United Kingdom - two names of the same country or different concepts

Great Britain is a state with a rather complex structure, which includes four national areas. It is located in the northwest of Europe and occupies the British Isles in the Atlantic Ocean. The islands are separated from the mainland by two straits: the English Channel and the Pas de Calais. What countries are included in the UK? What is each of them famous for?

The UK includes the following powers:

1. England
2. Scotland
3. Wales
4. Northern Ireland

The official name of the state sounds like the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is worth noting that the Republic of Ireland, whose capital is Dublin, separated from this union at the beginning of the 20th century, and only Northern part countries.

The currency for all four regions is the same - the pound sterling, despite the inclusion of the country in the EU. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. Each of the countries of the union will be interesting for travelers in its own way.

England

At the mention of Britain, this country comes to mind first. This is not in vain - England is the cultural, political and economic center of the entire state. A lot of attractions attract tourists from all over the world. Here is the capital of Great Britain - London, as well as the most prestigious universities on the planet - Oxford and Cambridge.

Tower, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace, in which the residence of the British monarchy is located - all these places are familiar from English textbooks. England is still one of the most mysterious powers, and the British - one of the most difficult and interesting nations in the world.

Scotland

Quite a colorful power, and this color is supported by many medieval castles in the territory. The beauty of the picturesque plains here is combined with the gloomy dullness of endless rains.

Most tourists flock to Loch Ness Edinburgh castle and also in Glasgow as the center of Scottish art. rich night life and modern shopping centers make it clear that Scotland is not only bagpipes and whiskey.

Wales

A couple of hours drive from London will take the traveler to Wales. This country stands out with impressive natural scenery, and big amount castles. The main local attraction - national park Snowdonia, named after high mountain Wales.

Northern Ireland

This industrial centre Britain. Suitable for those who prefer a leisurely relaxing holiday. The bright architecture of the capital Belfast, the bird park and Mount Morne, the nature of which is the prototype of the fabulous Narnia, attract tourists no less than the sights of other British countries.

Britain in the European Union

The relations of the state with the European community have always been complex. Britain joined the European Union in 1973, but has always tried to keep its distance by bargaining for special privileges. She never took part in the single European currency. In addition, the country has not signed the main part of the Schengen agreement, the migration policy here is distinguished by more stringent conditions.

Very often you can hear about the results of the referendum on the withdrawal of Britain from the union. The campaign to support this decision is currently ongoing. All countries of Great Britain, including England, consider the European Union an encroachment on the political and economic sovereignty of the state. In the last referendum, more than 52% of residents supported leaving the community.

In general, Britain is unhappy with a large number of migrants, a common agricultural policy that is damaging their economy. Also, the exit will free the state from contributions to the EU.

Visa

The United Kingdom was not included in the number of countries participating in the Schengen Agreement. This means that on a Schengen visa they will not be allowed to enter its territory, as with British visa to the territory of the Schengen states.

Registration required for entry national visa, documents for which should be submitted to the British visa centers. The first step is to fill out an online form, print and sign it. To others binding documents relate:

1. International passport. It must be valid for another six months from the date of completion of the tour.
2. Two photographs, one of which is glued to the questionnaire.
3. Certificate from the applicant's place of employment indicating monthly income and position. Pensioners provide pension, students and schoolchildren - documents from the place of study.

In general, the provision of additional documents will not be superfluous in applying for a visa to this country. Any supporting documentation increases the chances of a positive decision. This includes confirmation of the financial solvency of the applicant in the form of bank statements. It is also worth attaching documents for real estate or a car. They give a guarantee that the tourist will return to their homeland, and will not try to stay in Britain.

All additional documentation must be provided in English translation copies. The visa application is considered within fifteen days.

Great Britain is an island power in the northwest of Europe. The state is localized on numerous British Isles and the northern part of the island of Ireland, from mainland Europe it is separated by two straits and the North Sea. The composition of the UK is very diverse, and includes 4 large country-regions, as well as 17 dependent territories.

Features of the geographical location

Historically, the United Kingdom of Great Britain includes 4 major region: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Western European power land border only with Ireland, because it is surrounded on all sides by water. Great Britain is washed by the waters of the North, Celtic, Irish and Hebrides seas, as well as two straits: the English Channel and the Pas de Calais.

The entire coast of Great Britain is dotted with numerous deltas, bays, bays, and therefore most of The country is located at a distance of no more than 120 km from the sea.

Rice. 1. Great Britain on the map.

The sovereignty of Great Britain extends, in addition to four countries, to 17 more territories:

• 14 British Overseas Territories, including Bermuda, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands and others. These territories are heritage british empire and they decided to preserve British sovereignty.
• 3 Crown lands are private domains of the British Crown: major islands Guernsey, Balley and Maine.

The geographical position of Great Britain affected ethnic composition local population. The ancestors of modern white British were Romans, Celts, Vikings, Anglo-Saxons, Normans.

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Beginning in the 18th century, black and Asian migrants began to assimilate into the United Kingdom. The strongest waves of migration were recorded in the second half of the 20th century.

UK composition

The United Kingdom includes 4 countries-regions:

• England - the oldest monarchical power in Europe, the largest administrative and political part of Great Britain. The capital of England is London, major metropolis with fine developed infrastructure and lots of attractions. The composition of England consists of 9 regions, each of which has original culture and traditions. The official language is English.
• - country of incredible beauty majestic mountains, deep blue lakes and picturesque green hills. The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh, the country consists of 9 districts and about 800 different islands, a third of which are not suitable for life. The official languages ​​are English, Scottish and Scottish Gaelic.

Rice. 2. Scotland.

In 2014, Scotland held a referendum to leave the UK. However, most of the population voted against the declaration of independence.

• Wales - land of picturesque landscapes and ancient castles whose capital is Cardiff. For many years, Wales has served as a natural setting for the filming of historical films. The official languages ​​are Welsh and English.
• - the smallest autonomous region of the United Kingdom, whose capital is the city of Belfast. It consists of 26 districts, official languages three are Irish, Ulster-Scots and English. The country is famous for its picturesque nature, rich history, culture and traditions.

Let's see how England works - the birthplace of Jack the Ripper, Winston Churchill and Francis Drake. After all, we must understand when to write "Great Britain", when "England", and when "British Isles" or, say, "United Kingdom".

Geography first. As you can see on the map at the beginning of the post, the British Isles consist of two large islands (the islands of Great Britain and the islands of Ireland), as well as several groups of smaller formations. It should be noted that the Channel Islands, located in the English Channel, although they belong to the British, are still located off the coast of France. Therefore, they are sometimes reckoned, and sometimes not reckoned with the British Isles.

Now a little history with etymology. In the north-west of France is the historical region of Brittany, which owes its name to the people of the Britons. Displaced from their native Britain, the Britons settled in Brittany in the late Roman period. After that, two "Britain" were formed on the map - a small one (Brittany in France) and a large one (the island of Great Britain).

In French, these areas are called "Bretagne" and "Grande Bretagne" - that is, "the land of the Britons" and " big land Britons."

The Channel Islands owe their name to another region of France - Normandy. Normandy, in turn, became known as such after the invasion of the Vikings, who were oppressed by the Vikings locals called "Nortmanni" or "Normanni" - northern people. If you want to read the beautifully designed history of these places, I recommend good book science fiction writer Isaac Asimov, History of England.

Origin of the Orkney and Hebrides lost in the darkness of ages. Shetland Islands are part of Scotland and, obviously, owe their name to it. The name of the Isle of Man comes from a character in Celtic mythology called "Manannán mac Lir" by the Irish and "Manawydan" by the Welsh.

Smooth transition to political structure region.

As you can see on the multi-colored map, the smaller part of the islands is occupied by the Republic of Ireland, and the larger part is occupied by the state of Great Britain. Great Britain, in turn, consists of several parts.

The red part is England, the historical core of the kingdom. Blue - Scotland, an area inhabited by proud highlanders, which the British conquered for a long time and stubbornly, and, in the end, took it into their tenacious hands. From a political point of view, the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland Islands are part of Scotland.

The Principality of Wales is marked in yellow, which used to have the name Wallis in Russian, and whose inhabitants are still called Welsh in Russian.

Finally, Northern Ireland is marked in green - a sore spot for the British. Separatist sentiments are still very strong in Northern Ireland. If suddenly your name is Ira and you are flying to England, do not write your name on the suitcase English letters. English police react to the abbreviation IRA - "Irish Republican Army" - very nervously.

The UK also includes the so-called "crown lands" - the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

The full name of the state of Great Britain sounds like "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland", sometimes it is abbreviated to "United Kingdom". In colloquial speech, it is also acceptable to call this state England or Britain - although bores will rebuke you every time you use these words for the name of a state.

When translating, it should be remembered that in English the terminology is slightly different from Russian. The term "Great Britain" means the island of Great Britain (England + Scotland + Wales), and the term "British Islands" means the state of Great Britain together with the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

It remains to mention two important facts.

Firstly, at present, under the sovereignty of Great Britain there are 14 small territories, evenly distributed in parts of the planet that are important from a military point of view - this is Gibraltar, Bermuda, Saint Helena and so on.

Secondly, the English queen is still the official monarch in 16 states of the so-called "Commonwealth". The Commonwealth Realms include, among others, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and, of course, the UK itself.

Perhaps on this brief digression in internal organization The British Isles can be completed.

If you are now imbued with the romance of all these old castles, landgraves, free forest robbers and other feudal remnants, once again I recommend the wonderful historical game "Kings Crusaders" from Paradoxes.

Great Britain and England are frequently used country names in the media.

These are not two variants of the name of one country, but two different states, between which there is a certain difference.

Great Britain (Russian name from English. Great Britain) or United Kingdom(United Kingdom, abbreviated UK), the full official name is United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland(English T the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), - Island state located in the northwest of continental Europe.

The political union of Scotland and England (including Wales) led to the formation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707.

The form of government is a parliamentary monarchy.

The state religion is the Anglican Church, Protestantism.

Form state structure- a unitary state, although Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales (3 historical provinces of 4) have had rights of limited autonomy since the end of the 20th century.

Capital - London(English) London[ˈlʌndən]) - the capital and The largest city United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, one of largest cities Europe and one of the largest financial and economic centers of the world.

Official languages: English(in fact), in Wales - Welsh.

The state religion is the Anglican Church, Protestantism.

Geographical position

The state is located in the British Isles (the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland, as well as a large number of smaller islands and archipelagos, including the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland Islands, Anglesey, Arran, White) in the Atlantic Ocean. It is washed by the Northern, Irish, Celtic and Hebrides seas. The English Channel separates southeast coast UK from north coast France.

The area of ​​Great Britain is 243,809 km²(78th in the world), of which land - 240,579 km², inland waters- 3230 km².

Government of Great Britain

Great Britain includes several vast regions, where England represents the historical core of the Kingdom. State sovereignty extends to 14 territories - Bermuda, Gibraltar, St. Helena, Maine, Orkney, Hybrid, Channel Islands and others. Provinces: Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales. Largest cities: Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Sheffield, Liverpool, Edinburgh. Formally, the head of state is Queen Elizabeth II. The UK is one of the largest European states. high status Great Britain among one of the largest European states is confirmed by the country's permanent membership in the UN Security Council and the presence of a nuclear potential. The United Kingdom does not have a unified legal system. The judicial bodies of Great Britain in their activities are guided by three judicial systems, in which there are significant differences: English law, the law of Northern Ireland and the law of Scotland.

General information about England

England (English England [ˈɪŋɡlənd]) is a state (kingdom) within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Great Britain). The largest administrative and political part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The population of England is 84% ​​of total number population of the UK.

England became a union of once warring kingdoms in 927. The name of the country comes from the name of one of the Germanic tribes that settled there in the 5th and 6th centuries - the Angles. The capital of England is London, the largest city in Great Britain.

England - place of origin in English And Anglican Church, and English law forms the basis of the legal systems of many countries; in addition, London was the center of the British Empire, and the country was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. England was the first industrial developed country in the world, as well as a country with a parliamentary democracy, whose constitutional, governmental and legal innovations were adopted by other nations and countries.

The Kingdom of England, including the Principality of Wales, was separate state until May 1, 1707, when it united with Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain.

England is currently made up of 9 regions and 48 ceremonial counties. An important role in the English economy is played by agriculture, industrial production, the high-tech industry and the sports industry. The form of government is a parliamentary monarchy (there is no constitution, it is controlled by the monarch, parliament and the government of Great Britain). The state religion is Anglicanism. The names of the inhabitants are Englishman, Englishwoman, Englishmen.
Currency - pound sterling.
Telephone code - +44
Time zones are Greenwich Mean Time.

Geographical position

England occupies two thirds of the island of Great Britain. Territory - 133,396 km². The landscape of England consists mainly of sloping hills, the terrain becomes more mountainous towards the north. The mountainous and flat terrain are conventionally divided along a line running between the mouth of the Teess (Teesside) in the northeast and the mouth of the Aix (Devon) in the southwest. To the east is low-lying marshland, which has mostly been drained for agricultural use.

It borders Scotland to the north and Wales to the west. The six largest cities in England (in descending order of population): London, Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool and Manchester.

Thus, "Great Britain", or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, is the name of the state, while England is the dominant region of Great Britain.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

The UK is located in the northwest of Europe. It consists of the island of Great Britain, on which England, Scotland and Wales are located, and part of the island of Ireland, which is occupied by Northern Ireland. The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are dominions of the United Kingdom, but are not part of it. Washed by the waters Atlantic Ocean in the west and north, 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.

Capital

Square

Population

59648 thousand 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.
Higher Legislature. Bicameral Parliament consisting of the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Elected for a term of 5 years.
Supreme executive body. Council of Ministers.

Big cities

Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Sheffield, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Belfast.

Official language

English, in Wales - English and Welsh.

Religion

47% - Anglicans, 16% - Catholics.

Ethnic composition

81.5% - English, 9.6% - Scots, 2.4% - Irish, 1.9% - Welsh.

Currency

Pound sterling = 100 pence.

Climate

Great Britain is called the country of fogs and rains. The climate of the country varies depending on the region. In England, the climate is mild and humid, due to the relative warmth of the seas surrounding it. Average annual temperature is about + 11 °С in the south and + 9 °С in the northeast. Scotland is the coldest region in the UK. In the mountains in the north there is snow from November to April-May. The climate of Wales and Northern Ireland is mild and humid. The average annual temperature in Northern Ireland is +10°C. The most abundant precipitation in Scotland, Northern Ireland, the mountains of England and Wales (1000-1500 mm per year). The least rainfall is in southeast England (600-750 mm per year).

Flora

The vegetation of England is rather poor, forests occupy less than 4% of the territory, most often there are oak, birch, pine. In Scotland, forests are more common, although moorland dominates the region. Mostly in the forests in the south and east grow oak and coniferous trees - spruce, pine and larch. In Wales, the forests are mostly deciduous - ash, oak. IN mountainous areas coniferous trees are widespread.

Fauna

Deer, fox, rabbit, hare, badger live in England. Among the birds - partridge, dove, raven. Reptiles, of which there are only 4 species in all the British Isles, are rare in England. The rivers are mostly inhabited by salmon and trout. For Scotland, the most characteristic deer, roe deer, hare, rabbit, marten, otter and wild cat. Of the birds, partridges and wild ducks predominate. There are also many salmon and trout in the rivers and lakes of Scotland. Cod, herring, haddock are caught in coastal waters. In Wales, the fauna is practically the same as in England, with the exception of the black polecat and pine marten, which are absent in England.

Rivers and lakes

The main rivers of England are the Thames, the Severn, the Tyne. The main rivers of Scotland are the Clyde, the Tay, the Force, the Tweed, the Dee and the Spey. Among the numerous lakes, the legendary Loch Ness, Loch Tay, Loch Catherine stand out. The main rivers of Wales are the Dee, Usk, Teifi. Most large lake- Bala. The main rivers of Northern Ireland are the Foyle, the Upper Ban and the Lower Ban. Loch Neagh is the largest lake in the British Isles.

Attractions

Megalithic complex Stonehenge, church in Bargon, castle of the XII century. in Inverness, Glasgow Cathedral, Edinburgh Castle and Church, Cardiff Castle, Shakespeare's House Museum in Stratford, Oxford and Cambridge Universities, in London - the British Museum, Tower Castle (the jewels of the royal crown are stored here), Westminster Abbey (the place of the coronation of British kings ) with Poets' Corner, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben clock tower, Buckingham Palace, Museum wax figures Madame Tussauds, Hyde Park with Speakers' Corner and much more. On trafalgar square Nelson's Column rises. An interesting "square mile of sin" - the Soho area.

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 small 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.
Very important in England good manners, the ability to stay at the table, so you must 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 the cutlery from one hand to the other, the knife must always be in right hand, fork - in the left. Since different vegetables are served at the same time meat dishes, you should proceed as follows: you put vegetables on a small piece of meat with a knife; learn to keep them there with reverse side forks without piercing. 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.