Maritime dominance of the Cretan state. Economic and geographical characteristics of Great Britain

Briefly about the article: The history of battleships and battlecruisers - the most powerful war machines ever created by man.

Twilight of the Giants

Battleships of the latest generation

A lifeless Concordian dreadnought sailed past us. The battleship got the first number, and it’s hard for me to imagine what else, besides the armor-piercing silumin shells of other battleships, is capable of disfiguring a mighty flying fortress in such a way.

Alexander Zorich "Tomorrow the war"

The largest warships have always been considered the beauty and pride of the state, the embodiment of the strength, wealth and technical excellence of the state. But prosperity and failure always go hand in hand. In the 30-40s of the 20th century, heavy artillery ships reached the limit of perfection. This means that they could no longer develop further, keeping up with the times. We present to your attention the story of the rise and fall of the most powerful fighting machines created by man.

"Treaty of the Five Powers"

In 1922, Great Britain, the USA, France, Japan and Italy concluded an agreement on the limitation of armaments at sea - the so-called " Washington Treaty ».

Surprisingly, the main instigator of disarmament was England - the strongest maritime power, going according to the treaty for the greatest sacrifices. If other states parted with only a few obsolete ships and limited the construction of new ones, then the British “put under the knife” half of their battle fleet.

The reasons for this "generosity" were, of course, predominantly economic. The war drained the resources of the kingdom. The British, in any case, were forced to make their "Great Fleet", where 400,000 sailors served, half as great.

Tactical considerations also played their part. At the beginning of the 20th century, England thoughtlessly built ships, trying to maintain a two-fold superiority over the Germans. The classic dreadnought had a speed of about 20 knots and was not suitable for active operations. For shelling coastal targets, monitors with a small draft were much better suited. The only purpose of the battleship was to fight with similar enemy ships. And if the enemy did not go out to battle, the ship became only a "finance destroyer".

No one was particularly eager to fight, and for almost the entire war the English and German fleets stood at their bases. There was nothing to fight for: the German fleet from Hamburg could not threaten the communications of England; the British saw no reason to invade the North Sea.

fast battleships

By the end of the war, it became clear that the battleship, with the previous level of armor and armament, should have a speed of at least 27 knots. More powerful machines would have increased the displacement of the ship to about 45,000 tons, but such giants would have required few. Faster ships are easier to transfer from one theater of operations to another. Instead of waiting years for a general battle with enemy battleships, speed ship could participate in operations, accompanying and supporting the cruiser.

But the Washington Treaty, among other things, forbade the construction of ships with a displacement of more than 35,000 tons. The high-speed battleship did not fit into this framework. As a result, in the 20-30s, the powers did not even use the established limit on the number and total displacement of battleships. The restrictions still did not allow the creation of a ship with the capabilities that corresponded to the requirements of the time. The effects of the Great Depression also affected.

Until the end of the 30s, the British launched only " Rodney " And " Nelson "- ships of by no means outstanding merits: well-armed (9 406-mm guns) and protected, but slow-moving. The Americans decided on 3 similar battleships of the " Maryland ". The Italians, French and Japanese did not build anything. The Germans were bound by the Versailles restrictions. And socialism was built in the USSR.

The situation revived only in the last pre-war years. As soon as there was a smell of gunpowder, the powers rushed to arm themselves, unanimously rejecting the Washington restrictions. But it was already too late. In total, only 23 high-speed battleships were built during the pre-war and war years.

Dry figures do not give a completely adequate idea of ​​the combat capability of these ships. So, in terms of the ratio of protection, speed, armament and displacement, “ Littorio ". But if Italian ship armor by that time was the best in the world, then the guns of this country were of very low quality.

In one respect, it was the Italians who demonstrated the overwhelming advantage of the fast battleship over the conventional one. During the battle at Matapan, the Vittorio Veneto received a torpedo in the stern, lost half of the screws and settled into the water along the deck ... But even after that, the old English Valiant could not catch up with him.

On the other hand, formally unremarkable German battleships, due to their well-thought-out design, showed incredible survivability under enemy fire. The British put into Bismarck » about 40 shells with a caliber of 356-406 mm. Moreover, the last shots were fired from a distance of only 2500 m. In addition, the battleship was hit by 4 torpedoes. But after the war, an inspection of the hull lying at the bottom showed that the Bismarck had sunk. as a result of the discovery by the crew of the kingston.

Just as unpleasantly surprised the enemy and " Tirpitz ". He remained afloat after the explosion of four 2-ton mines under the bottom, laid by saboteurs. The British managed to "get" it only with bombs weighing 5.5 tons. Tirpitz did not sink immediately, but after 3 direct and several close hits. By the way, " Roma "- the last of the three battleships of the "Littorio" type - disappeared under water after 2 hits with bombs weighing 1800 kg.

If you ask yourself which of the projects was the best, then you have to admit that most types of high-speed battleships were approximately equal in strength. The European ones had better protection, the American ones had more powerful weapons. The title of the best ship in the class is traditionally claimed by " Yamato " And " Iowa ". Moreover, one can hardly doubt that the much more powerful Japanese battleship would easily have emerged victorious from the duel.

Gigantism did not make the Yamato a clumsy ugly, like a German supertank " Mouse ". Careful selection of the hull shape provided her with even better maneuverability than many other battleships, acceptable speed and the ability to operate in shallow water.

For their part, the Iowas had better balanced characteristics, and would have surpassed the Yamato in any combat mission (except, in fact, the battle with the Yamato). The speed of these ships is sometimes even indicated as 33 knots. The wave raised by the battleship going at full speed posed a serious threat to the destroyers accompanying it. But sometimes it was also saving: experienced captains specially sent their ships to it so that the water that swept the decks would put out the fires.

battlecruisers

Another option for a heavy artillery ship was the battlecruisers that appeared at the beginning of the 20th century. With the same displacement and armament as battleships, ships of this type had lighter armor, but increased speed to 25-29 knots. It was assumed that the combination of agility and weapons would allow the battlecruiser to participate in both raids and battles.

But in reality, for patrolling on communications, the battlecruisers turned out to be excessively armed. Guns with a caliber of 343-381 mm could only be needed to fight battleships. But with them, the cruiser was not allowed to engage in battle armor. Also in Tsushima battle it was the battlecruiser that went to the bottom first " Oslyabya ". IN Jutland In the same battle, the British lost 3 battlecruisers, but not a single battleship. The Germans also lost an old battleship and a battlecruiser.

However, after the First World War, it was the battlecruiser " Hood "- the largest and closest to the ideal of a" high-speed battleship "ship. But the result of his meeting with a real high-speed battleship - the Bismarck - was quite predictable. After the second hit, Hood exploded. Whereas the battleship Prince of Wales ”, Even having received 5 shells from Bismarck, he left the battle only due to a technical malfunction.

The battlecruisers of the new generation were designed only for combat with other cruisers, which made it possible to reduce the caliber of the guns. By the beginning of the war, the French had built " Dunkirk " And " Strasbourg ", the Germans acquired" Scharnhorst " And " Gneisenau ". And if the French ships were distinguished primarily by the original placement of weapons (the main caliber in two 4-gun turrets at the bow, auxiliary guns at the stern), then the German version was distinguished by an absurdly powerful armor for a battlecruiser. Having limited themselves to protection only from the fire of 203-mm guns, the Germans would have received a truly ideal "killer of cruisers" with a speed of 34-35 knots.

The original characteristics of the Scharnhorsts were connected with the fact that, having freed themselves from Versailles (but not Washington!) Restrictions in 1935, the Germans tried to get both a full-fledged battleship and a raider at once. Moreover, keeping within the permitted 35,000 tons. Naturally, the result left much to be desired.

Designed battlecruisers in other countries. But the American Alaska " And " Guam " (no doubt best ships in their class) appeared only towards the end of the war, and did not have time to take part in the hostilities. Two Soviet cruisers of the " Kronstadt » were not completed.

battleship vs aircraft carrier

In our time, it is often argued that by the beginning of World War II, the battleship was an obsolete type of ship. The outcome of battles was determined by aircraft carriers, because the most powerful guns hit a maximum of 40-45 km, and carrier-based aircraft are able to detect and attack the enemy at a distance of 300-400 km.

But the strategists of the 40s did not share this point of view, rightly believing that comparing a battleship with an aircraft carrier is just as ridiculous as with a submarine. No one disputed the advantages of naval aviation, but after all, on land, aircraft did not replace guns. Only in Japan, the production of battleships ceased in 43. In the United States and Great Britain, battleships were built until the end of the war.

Aircraft carriers aroused quite justified distrust among the admirals. After all, aviation is active only during the day and only in good weather. During the night, the fast battleship managed to strike and go beyond the reach of torpedo bombers. The best sailors - the British and Japanese - were preparing to fight at night. And preferably in heavy storm conditions. The exercises of the fleets of these nations were so extreme that they often led to the loss of ships. Down to the battleships.

But hard in teaching - easy in battle. At night, the Japanese used ordinary binoculars to detect American ships earlier than the Americans were able to notice the enemy with the help of radar. The British, on the other hand, conducted convoys through the Strait of Sicily in such weather when enemy destroyers sent to intercept disappeared in the waves, radioing: “We are sinking, long live Italy!”.

According to the pre-war ideas of the British, Japanese, German and American admirals, the aircraft carrier had to constantly accompany 2-3 battleships, carrying out reconnaissance and covering them from air attacks. Accordingly, he was forced to act regardless of the weather and approach the enemy at the same distance as his "wards". And this, in turn, required the ship to be equipped with powerful armor even to the detriment of the number of aircraft on board. The Japanese went the farthest, arming some of their aircraft carriers with 8-inch guns.

Aircraft carriers would have remained an auxiliary force in the battle fleet. But in 1941 Admiral Yamamoto made a revolutionary decision to apply them independently and massively. Only by choosing the time and place of the battle at its own discretion, naval aviation could fully use its advantages. Lost battleships in Pearl Harbor , the Americans were forced to adhere to the same tactics. The British, on the other hand, remained unconvinced for a long time.

American aircraft sank the giant Yamato and Musashi, and this fact is often regarded as evidence of the superiority of aircraft carriers. Indeed, neither the most powerful anti-aircraft artillery (24 universal 127-mm guns and up to 150 25-mm machine guns) nor barrage salvos from 460-mm guns saved the battleships from the armada of bombers. But ... no aircraft carrier would have held out for so long against a quarter of the forces thrown at the Yamato. The only thing was that the battleship was still not designed for operations in conditions of complete domination of the enemy in the air.

1

This highly developed country is one of the largest countries in the world. It is washed by the waters of several oceans. The population, characterized by low density (one of the lowest in the world), is located mainly in the east and south-east of the country. Country ranks leading place in the world in terms of reserves of many types of mineral resources: 1/3 of the world's reserves of bauxite lie here, a lot of iron ores and ores of non-ferrous metals, coal, diamonds, gold; oil and gas reserves have been found on the ocean shelf. The structure of exports is dominated by mineral raw materials and agricultural products.

Answer: ____

2

Identify the country by its brief description.

This country is one of the largest in the world in terms of area and population. A significant but least developed part of its territory is occupied by lowlands. A feature of the country is a high level of urbanization. The population is distributed extremely unevenly: 9/10 of the population is concentrated in the coastal zone. The country is rich in various natural resources: in terms of reserves of iron, manganese ores, bauxite, it occupies one of the first places in the world; its water and forest resources are enormous.

Answer: ____

3

Identify the country by its brief description.

This African country is washed by the waters of two oceans. The capital is not the largest city in the country. It is rich in various minerals: diamonds, gold, platinum, uranium, iron ores. Agriculture has reached a high level of development. The branches of specialization are the mining industry, ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering, and the chemical industry.

Answer: ____

4

Identify the country by its brief description

This country is washed by the Mediterranean Sea. Significant areas of it are occupied by the desert. The name of the country is the same as the name of its capital. The capital is the largest city in the country in terms of population. Agriculture in the country is the main branch of the economy. Its main areas are the cultivation of grain crops, vegetable growing, fruit growing (tropical crops), and cattle breeding. Numerous attractions, including several well-known archaeological complexes, constantly attract the attention of tourists. In the first place rightfully is the famous Carthage.

Answer: ____

5

Identify the country by its brief description.

This European country It has overseas territories in North and South America, Indian and pacific ocean, in Antarctica. Its western and northern regions are plains and low mountains; in the center and in the east - medium-altitude mountains. In the southwest - and in the southeast - quite high mountainous areas. The climate is maritime, temperate, transitional to continental in the east, on the coast mediterranean sea subtropical mediterranean. Currently, population growth is mainly due to immigrants from Muslim countries, which caused frequent political unrest in the country. Clothing, shoes, jewelry, perfumes and cosmetics, cognacs and cheeses produced in this country are very famous in the world market.

Answer: ____

6

This state occupies most peninsula on which it is located. The form of government is a monarchy (kingdom). The capital of this state is not located on the coast. In the past - the largest maritime power. It currently owns the largest fishing fleet in Europe.

Answer: ____

7

Identify the country by its brief description.

It is one of the most densely populated countries in Europe. The country is located on lands at the mouths of the rivers Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt. From the soils deposited by these rivers, a delta and a vast flat lowland were formed. Half of the territory lies below sea level, and only in the south the terrain rises to 30 meters or more. The coastline is formed by alluvial dunes. They are followed by lands once reclaimed from the sea, called polders and protected by dunes and dams from sea waters.

Answer: ____

8

Identify the country by its brief description.

The territory of this European country stretches in a narrow strip (the widest part is less than 420 km) along the coast of the peninsula. The terrain is extremely mountainous. Most of the territory is occupied by a huge upland, consisting of gneiss, granite and other formations of the Archean and Paleozoic periods. In the eastern part, the territory is indented by large valleys, and in the western and northern parts - deeply protruding into the land. sea ​​bays or fjords. Among the minerals that the country is rich in, offshore deposits of oil and natural gas should be noted.

Many believe that in the future, the military will use vehicles that are not limited to use in the elements alone. These will be a kind of amphibians capable of moving on land, air and water. Others, in turn, believe that hostilities will completely go into the virtual space. After all, does it make sense to discuss the navy in the age of drones? It is unlikely that humanity will ever again see a full-scale military conflict on the high seas.

Warships, especially their predecessors, now fast asleep at the bottom of the ocean, are impressive symbols of past, present and future military conflicts of mankind. As an example, a few weeks ago, China sent three of its ships to patrol the area adjacent to a small Japanese island, whose ownership has long been disputed by China. At the same time, in April last year, China unexpectedly seized a Japanese cargo ship as compensation for Japan's unpaid debt obligation since 1936. As you can see, today the navy is more like a symbolic military force, rather than actually possessing it. Nevertheless, it cannot be argued, for example, that 45 destroyers are not capable of anything. One way or another, today the possession of a large navy gives countries power and increases their authority in the eyes of other states. China and Japan, whose military conflicts have been going on for millennia, know this firsthand.

Below you will find out the approximate tonnage and number of ships owned by the most major countries peace.

15. Royal Netherlands Navy: 116.308 tons

Once the most powerful navy of its time, it made the history of the 17th century with its own hands. To date, he has been assigned the role of a peacekeeper in the NATO bloc, however, the presence among the 23 ships of such monsters as the De Zeven Provinciën frigates, worth $ 800 million each, as well as the Karel Doorman support ships, worth $ 400 million each, makes this peaceful the flotilla is threatening enough.

14. Indonesian Navy: 142.094 tons


The Indonesian fleet is much larger than the Dutch one. As of 2009, it has 150 units and is one of the largest in the Southeast Asian region. Indonesian military units include various modern Chang Bogo-class submarines, corvettes and frigates. Like the Netherlands, Indonesia has quite a few defensive frigates of impressive tonnage.

13. Turkish Navy: 148.448 tons


With its origins, the Turkish navy goes far back to Ottoman Empire However, the official date for the organization of the Turkish national navy is 1920, when the War of Independence ended. Initially, the Turkish flotilla consisted mostly of classic cruisers and destroyers, which were subsequently decommissioned. On this moment Turkey boasts frigates, patrol boats and anti-mine tankers, as well as fourteen military submarines, making Turkey a leader among world powers in the area of ​​underwater territory control.

12. Spanish fleet: 148.607 tons


The powerful maritime power, which once gave us the voyages of Christopher Columbus and other discoverers, currently owns only 42 ships, mainly of a transport and defensive nature. But among all its small flotilla, Spain hides several modern assault ships Juan Carlos I, named after former king Spain. These ships are estimated at 600 billion US dollars and are among the heaviest and most powerful ships of our time.

11. Naval Forces of the Republic of China (Taiwan): 168.662 tons


The Republic of China Navy, founded in 1924, exists solely to deter a possible invasion. People's Republic China. It consists predominantly of massive Tian Dan-class defensive frigates equipped with state-of-the-art intrusion detection capabilities. Total number ships of Taiwan is 50 units.

10. Brazilian Navy: 172.190 tons


In this photo you can see how the Brazilian Navy frigate Bosisio (F 48) opens fire on an unmanned aircraft launched during US military drone tests. But even this giant will look like a baby next to the flagship aircraft carrier NAe São Paulo, weighing 32,800 tons. By the way, the most powerful fleet South America He even managed to take part in hostilities during the Paraguayan War in the 19th century, during the First and Second World Wars, as well as Operation Big Omar in 1962.

9. Italian Navy: 184.744 tons


Partially disbanded after the defeat in World War II, the Italian Navy today consists of 63 warships. Among them, you can meet the flagship aircraft carrier Cavour (550), weighing 27,000 tons, Maestrale and Bergamini class missile frigates, as well as several submarines. Among the achievements of the Italian Navy is the sinking of the Austro-Hungarian battleship SMS Szent Istvan during the First World War.

8. Republic of Korea Navy: 195.910 tons


Along with its northern neighbor, the Republic of Korea competes with its neighbors for the territory of a number of islands in the East China Sea. It currently has 80 active military vessels, many of which are about to be decommissioned. The Republic of Korea's military units also include Son Wonil-class submarines and twenty Incheon-class defense frigates made by Hyundai, worth $230 million each.

7. French Navy: 321.855 tons


In the photo you can see Rubis Amethyste class submarines belonging to the French Navy. The French Navy has a centuries-old history of triumphs at sea, as well as participation in key battles at sea during the Second World War. Today, you can see here the 14,335-ton Triomphant-class nuclear submarine, the Charles de Gaulle-class R91 flagship aircraft carrier with a displacement of 37,000 tons, as well as a number of modern frigates, destroyers, landing ships, and even several old schooners.

6. Royal Navy of Great Britain: 345,400 tons


No world power owes its status to the navy as much as the United Kingdom. Until the outbreak of World War II, the Royal Navy remained the most powerful in modern history. During the Cold War, he regained his former glory, conducting a number of successful submarine missions against Soviet Union. Today it is one of the most versatile fleets in the world. There are Albion-class amphibious transporters, Vanguard-class ballistic submarines, and the latest $1.7 billion missile destroyers.

5. Indian Navy: 381.375 tons


The Indian fleet is similar in composition to the Indonesian fleet, where ships of small tonnage predominate: slightly surpassing the British fleet in tonnage, it has three times as many combat units. Mostly lightweight ships are found here, however, a modified Russian aircraft carrier with a displacement of 45,400 tons can serve as a separate pride of the Indian fleet. Despite its surface successes, the Indian Navy faced significant challenges in securing its underwater borders. According to analysts, the renewal of the submarine fleet could take a whole decade.

4. Japanese Navy: 405,800 tons


The Japanese navy has about 100 ships in service and ranks second in the world in terms of the number of destroyers. Japan has two 10,000-ton missile destroyers and one 27,000-ton Izumo-class helicopter carrier. As of today, Japan's naval forces are considered peacekeeping and specialize in anti-submarine and air defense.

3. Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy: 896.445 tons


Surprisingly, the Chinese navy has not only a huge number of combat units, but also their excellent quality. In total, China's squadron has 377 ships, most of which have only recently been put into service. Among them, an aircraft carrier with a displacement of 59,500 tons, as well as 15 corvettes, destroyers and submarines, stand out.

2. Russian Navy: 927.120 tons


And although the Russian Navy was officially founded in 1991, most of its constituent ships previously belonged to the USSR. The newest of the destroyers of the Russian Navy is about 20 years old, and the oldest is almost 50. At the same time, the submarines are more modernized and equipped with the latest military developments. Despite the impressive number of ships, most of them are expected to be decommissioned in the near future.

1. US Navy: 3.378.758 tons


Looking at the catalog of the US Navy, you are likely to be amazed that every year and continuously, from 1970 to the present day, at least one ship was launched into the water. At the moment, the US Navy has 270 units. Thus, it is not surprising that most of the US spending went to the military. At the moment, America has an impressive lead over its closest competitors, and its position is unlikely to change in the next few years.

General economic and geographical characteristics of one of the countries Western Europe(Great Britain).

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland consists of four major territories: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. For a long time (until the end of the 19th century), Great Britain dominated the world economy, because here, earlier than in other states, the industrial revolution took place. The country owned huge colonies, which gave advantages for the development of the economy; the nodal position at the crossroads of the most important maritime transport routes provided it with wide connections with all regions of the globe. The role of a favorable combination of natural conditions and resources (coal, iron ore, full-flowing rivers) is also important.

Great Britain has a complex administrative-territorial division. It consists of 4 historical and geographical regions: England (45 counties and a special administrative unit - Greater London); Wales (8 counties); Northern Ireland (26 districts); Scotland (12 regions); independent administrative units are the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

To a certain extent, the rapid economic development of Great Britain was facilitated by a favorable geographical position. This maritime power, formerly a "great maritime power", is located on the continental shelf. The British archipelago is separated by the shallow North Sea from developed countries Western and Northern Europe (Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Germany), the narrow straits of the English Channel (20 km) and Pas de Calais (33 km) from France. The railway tunnel that runs along the bottom of the English Channel connects Great Britain and France and puts an end to the country's maritime isolation.

The role of the country in the international arena is great. Great Britain has been a member of the UN since 1945, a permanent member of the Security Council, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) since 1949, a member of the European Union since 1973, a member of the Western European Union since 1954. The head of the British Commonwealth, created in 1931 and includes 50 states, former British dominions and colonies, maintaining close economic and political ties with Great Britain. Great Britain has been a member of the NATO military-political organization since 1949 and possesses nuclear missile weapons. It plays a large role in such international economic organizations as the Paris Club and the London Club, which regulate the monetary and financial problems of the West and largely determine the policy of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Today Great Britain remains one of the leading powers in the world. A highly industrialized power, a major exporter of capital, the creator and coordinator of the Commonwealth (formerly the British Commonwealth of Nations) - a kind of association between Great Britain and its former colonies.

The structure of British industry is typical of the most developed countries in the world. The leading role belongs to complex and diverse engineering (London, Coventry, Birmingham, Clydeside, etc.). Well-developed ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy work mainly on imported raw materials (Sheffield and coastal cities). After the discovery of oil and gas fields on the shelf of the North Sea, the chemical industry received a new impetus for development.

Agriculture is highly productive, the leading role belongs to animal husbandry (cattle breeding, sheep breeding, pig breeding and poultry farming). Farms specializing in dairy farming predominate. The main direction of crop production is providing livestock with fodder, 2/3 of the sown area is occupied by fodder crops. Fishing plays a significant role. The main fishing ports are located on the east coast.

Transport. The main freight turnover in domestic transportation is accounted for by road transport. The main transport routes converge to London, Birmingham, Manchester and other industrial cities. Great Britain has a large maritime and passenger fleet. Developed air transport. The importance of water and air transport is very high, given insular position countries.

There are five main areas within the UK. In the southern part is the capital - London, which is also one of the largest ports in the world. Active maritime trade and the role of the capital is the "face" of the southern part of the country. The southeast is the main zone of grain and industrial crops. Animal husbandry is developed. On the coast - ports, military bases, resorts. Southampton is the UK's largest passenger port. The central part of the state is the birthplace of the coal and factory industries of the world (metallurgical, metalworking, textile). Now it is an almost continuous band of industrial cities with old, new and new industries. Wales is dominated by old industries. In Scotland - shipbuilding, now the chemical industry is rapidly developing as a result of the development of oil and gas fields in the North Sea. In the highlands of Scotland, sheep breeding is developed, in the eastern and coastal regions - dairy farming and fishing. Ulster is the economically most backward part of the country. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy there.

The tasks of the regional policy are the rise of depressive old industrial regions and the smoothing out of disproportions between them and highly developed regions; industrialization and general development the most backward regions; growth restriction and "unloading" of some largest cities and urban agglomerations.

Natural conditions and resources. The natural resource factor provided big influence on the formation of the territorial structure of the economy.

Great Britain has diverse landforms: mountainous relief prevails in the north and west, and flatlands in the east. The highest point of the country - Mount Ben Nevis (1343 m) is located in mountainous Scotland. The Penninsky ridge, elongated from north to south, has the greatest extent. A vast rolling plain occupies the southeast and center of the country, and the flattest lowland - Fenland - surrounds the Wash. In Scotland, the Lowlands stretch between the Northern and Southern Highlands.

The climate of Great Britain is temperate, oceanic, very humid with mild winters and cool summers. The British Isles are characterized by frequent fogs and strong winds. The temperate oceanic climate and the influence of the warm North Atlantic Current create favorable conditions for the development of agriculture (in the southwest, plants vegetate all year round). High soil cultivation is an important factor in increasing crop yields.

Rivers in the conditions of the British climate are full of water. The largest are the Thames, Severn, Trent, Mersey.

The importance of the estuaries of rivers that go far into the land is very great, as well as the overall large indentation of the coastline. This allowed the creation of many ports. Rivers as a source of energy are used only in the highlands of Scotland and North Wales.

In general, the country does not have significant reserves of minerals, with the exception of fuel and energy. Hard coal reserves are estimated at 190-200 billion tons. Total and recoverable reserves are about 50 billion tons (first place in Western Europe). The main deposits are located on the Mid-Scottish Lowland.

In the 1960s, oil fields were discovered on the shelf of the North Sea, explored reserves are estimated at 2.4 billion tons, which is approximately 35% of the oil reserves of the entire shelf of the North Sea (2% of world reserves). Found about 50 fields, large among them - Brent and Fortis together provide 33% of the total production.

Large deposits of natural gas were discovered in 1959 in the western part of the North Sea. In 1965, 70 km. east of Clinthorps, industrial gas production was started. Its total reserves are estimated at 1.2 trillion. cube m. Currently, 37 out of 60 natural gas fields are being developed.

Great Britain also has other minerals. Iron ores, mostly phosphorous, of low quality

Great Britain has insignificant reserves of tin in Cornwall, lead-zinc ores in Wales, and uranium ores in Scotland.

Kaolin is mined in Cornwall; rock salt in Cheshire and Durham; potash salts in Yorkshire.

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1. The formation of this developed state took place a little over a hundred years ago. It is one of the largest in terms of area, although in terms of average population density it occupies one of the last places in the world. Population growth occurs both through natural increase and through immigration; The territory of the country is populated unevenly. In its bowels lies a lot various kinds mineral raw materials and fuel, only the reserves of timber and water are small in the country. ( Australia)
2. On the territory of this small country, which appeared on political map world not much more than half a century ago, the main shrines of the three world religions were located. This is one of the "hot spots" of the planet. There is a large proportion of immigrants in the population structure. The presence of highly qualified labor resources contributes to the development of manufacturing industries: precision engineering, light and food industries. In agriculture, subtropical agriculture is developed. ( Israel)
3. An inland Asian state, it has borders with the largest state in the world in terms of area and with the leader in terms of population among the countries of the world. Most of the small population of the country leads a nomadic life, engaged in cattle breeding. ( Mongolia)
4. This European state is the closest to Russian Federation monarchy (kingdom). It has a 200-kilometer section of the border with our country. In this country, the basis of the electric power industry is hydroelectric power plants, which produce almost all electricity. On its territory there is an extreme north point Europe. ( Norway)
5. One of the largest countries in the world; modern population formed as a result of immigration; 90% of the population lives in a narrow strip along the southern border; diversified industry; one of the branches of international specialization is the forestry and woodworking industry. ( Canada)
6. This African country was in the past French colony, and now it is a member of OPEC, one of the major exporters of oil and gas. This is one of the few countries whose name is the same as the name of its capital.( Algeria)
7. This country stretches in a narrow strip along the Pacific coast. A significant length from north to south determines the presence on its territory of natural zones from the desert to mixed forests. The main mineral wealth of the country is copper, which is exported to the world market. ( Chile)
8. This small Latin American country is located in the central part of the Western Hemisphere, has two maritime and two land borders. The country is a traditional exporter of bananas, exports sugar, coffee, fishmeal. The capital has the same name as the country. A transport route connecting two oceans passes through the country. ( Panama)
9. This Latin American country was a former Spanish colony. On its territory is largest lake mainland and the highest waterfall in the world. Rich subsoil, vast forests, full-flowing rivers create good prerequisites for the development of its economy, which is based on the oil industry. ( Venezuela)
10. This highly developed European country, a member of the EU, is a constitutional monarchy. The basis of its industry is a variety of mechanical engineering, but it stands out from other European countries and significant oil and gas production, coal reserves in old basins, the development of which is now practically stopped. ( Great Britain)
11. This is a small African country whose name is the same as the name of its capital. It has a variety of mineral resources, including iron lead-zinc ores, phosphorites. It also produces oil, but the country is not a member of OPEC. Its diverse recreational resources, unique monuments of antiquity (the legendary Carthage was located on its territory) and the warm sea contributed to the transformation of tourism into the leading branch of its economy. Tunisia)
12. This African country of the Arab world is one of the largest in its region. It is located in a desert climate area, but has a developed agriculture. Cotton is an important export item. It has a variety of mineral resources, including oil, but is not a member of OPEC. Various recreational resources unique monuments ancient civilization and the warm sea made it popular with tourists from all over the world. Egypt)
13. This European country is a monarchy in form of government, bordering on land with one the only country. The area of ​​its main territory is 50 times less area the largest island of the Earth, it belongs to. Industry specializes mainly in the development of manufacturing industries in the presence of available qualified labor resources and in the absence of its own mineral resource base. Agriculture in a maritime temperate climate is specialized in raising dairy cattle: this country is called the "dairy farm" of Europe. ( Denmark)
14. This developing country according to the type of administrative-territorial structure is a federation. It is part of two regional integration groups: NAFTA and LAI. Approximately 75% of the country's population are urban dwellers. One of the largest agglomerations of the world has formed around its capital. Tourism occupies a significant place in the country's economy. Mexico)
15. A small state in the heart of Europe, not part of European Union, has significant economic potential, despite the lack of minerals and limited farmland (80% of the territory is occupied by mountains). The multinational population is characterized by a high standard of living. The capital is not the largest city in the country. This country hosts the European headquarters of the United Nations, of which it has been a member since recently (2002) ( Switzerland)
16. This peninsular country is a constitutional monarchy (kingdom) in form of government. According to the structure of the economy, it is an agrarian country with an intensively developing industry, whose share in GDP is almost a third. Priority industries: electronic, light industry; high technologies are developing. wonderful coastlines, protected islands, palaces and Buddhist temples attract many foreign tourists. (Thailand)
17. July is the peak of winter in this country. One of characteristic features nature - a wide distribution of deserts. The capital is not the largest and not the "oldest" of its city. The average population density is no more than two people per 1 km². One of the directions public policy carried out for the purpose of its sustainable development, is the implementation of a uniform resettlement of the population throughout the country. ( Australia)
18. A country where mountains rise straight out of the sea has coastline equal to half the length of the equator. Deep in the crystal clear, cold, salty waters, countless treasures lurk - seafood supplied to 150 countries, and the continental shelf is rich in oil and natural gas, which account for half of exports. This country is the world's third largest exporter and sixth producer of oil and gas. The merchant fleet is highly developed here, more than 90% of the ships of this country serve world trade. ( Norway)
19. It is the second largest country on the mainland. For three centuries it remained a Spanish colony. Its nature is rich and varied. The country is located in three climatic zones. The main wealth is fertile soils, which, combined with a mild climate in most of the country, contributed to the development of grain farming and beef cattle breeding here. capital is large sea ​​port and chief industrial centre countries.( Argentina)
20. This ancient country, most of whose population lives in the valley and delta great river peace. Oil reserves, irrigated lands, recreational resources are the main wealth of this country; it also has a favorable economic and geographical position: access to the sea, proximity to developed countries and the operation on its territory of one of the largest canals in the world. ( Egypt)
21. It borders on only two countries (larger in area), has no access to the seas, in terms of area is equal to 1/3 of the area Foreign Europe; most of this country is occupied by desert and semi-desert landscapes; the population is small, the population density is very low; extractive industries predominate in the structure of industry, the low level of development makes it possible to classify it as a group of backward countries. ( Mongolia)
22. This country is a republic in form of government. She takes southern part peninsulas. It occupies one of the first places in terms of the degree of involvement in the world economy. The branches of international specialization are the production of electronic and household appliances, automotive industry. Despite the limited resource base (the country has only small reserves of coal), ferrous metallurgy, shipbuilding, and the petrochemical industry are developed. The country is well provided with labor resources. ( The Republic of Korea)
23. This small highland kingdom, located between the two largest countries in terms of population in the world and being the center of Buddhist pilgrimage from all over the world, has recently begun to receive income from the development of mountaineering tourism. ( Nepal)
24. This is a peninsular state located in two parts of the world, the capital is not the largest city in the country; the population professes the Islamic religion; favorable agro-climatic conditions contribute to the development of subtropical and tropical (under irrigation) agriculture and sheep breeding; sea ​​coast combined with a favorable climate; historical and cultural monuments - the basis of development international tourism. (Turkey)
25. The country of Central Europe, in the past was part of a powerful empire. The population is characterized by a natural decrease, the level of urbanization is 65%. Most of the country is occupied by a lowland located in the middle reaches of the river of the same name; branches of industry specialization: non-ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering, food industry; agriculture of the Central European type is developed, specializing in grain farming, horticulture, and animal husbandry - pig breeding. ( Hungary)
26. This developing is located in two parts of the world; 95% of the population lives in the valley and delta of one of the world's great rivers. The capital of the country is one of the largest agglomerations on the mainland. The population is characterized by a homogeneous national composition, the share of city dwellers is 45%. The main occupation of the population is agriculture: they grow rice and cotton. The presence of historical, cultural, recreational resources contribute to the development of international tourism.( Egypt)
27. Ice and fire! These words are suitable for this country. More than 10% of the territory is covered with ice, and volcanoes with geysers, like in no other country! Boiling water gushes from the earth, and a July day is rarely hotter than +110. This "ice country" has no land neighbors. The main industry in the economy is fishing and fish processing. Geothermal waters are used for heating and greenhouse economy.( Iceland)
28. The country that gave the world the largest navigators, travelers, writers and artists. The land of this country is generous: dates, grapes, olives, oranges, wheat, tobacco, almonds, hazelnuts ripen here. The face of the country is ships, cars, chemicals, textiles, shoes, wines, citrus fruits, non-ferrous metals, olive oil. Foreign tourism gives a significant profit. ( Italy)
29. One of the developed countries of Western Europe, by European standards, is rich in a variety of natural resources, its role is noticeable in the production and export of cars, aviation and rocket technology, perfumes and cosmetics, wine and cheese. A country with a radial network of roads converging to the capital, significant differences in the agricultural specialization of the northern and southern regions, the eastern border runs along the highest mountain range in this part of the world. ( France)
30. This country is the most multinational country in the world, in which there are more than 150 peoples and 1600 languages. It ranks first in the world in terms of livestock, but much less meat is produced. Main agricultural products: tea, rice, wheat, spices. National women's outfit - sari. The presence of historical, cultural, recreational resources contribute to the development of international tourism. ( India)