- Countries
THE BRITISH ISLES
Scotland: The colors that form the Scotland flag are Blue and White(is a X-shaped cross). When Saint Andrew, one of the Apostles, was being crucified by the Romans in A.D. 60, it is said that he believed himself unworthy to be crucified on a cross like that of Christ, and so he met his end on a ‘saltire’, or X-shaped cross (St. Andrew’s cross) which became his symbol.
England: The flag of England is derived from Saint George’s Cross. The association of the red cross as an emblem of England can be traced back to the Middle Ages, and it was used as a component in the design of the Union Flag in 1606. Since the 1990s it has been in increasingly wide use, particularly at national sporting events. King Richard I of England (Richard the Lionheart) is believed to have adopted St. George’s Cross as his flag during his crusades. Red crosses were also used by English soldiers throughout the Middle Ages, but it wasn’t until the English Reformation’s revised prayer book of 1552, that all religious flags and other saint’s banners, except for St. George’s, were abolished. St. George’s flag had first been used as a maritime flag seven years earlier.
Wales: The flag of consists of a red dragon passant on a green and white field and the Patron Saint of Wales is being remembered today (March 1st) on St David’s Day, which falls annually on this date. Sadly, March 1st is the date that Saint David is recorded to have died, around 600AD. Saint David was a Welsh bishop of Mynyw during the 6th century, whose mother was the celibate Saint Non. The story goes that she was raped by Sanctus, King of Ceredigion, before bearing the child against all odds, with pools of bright light bathing the place of David’s birth.
Northern Ireland(Ireland): Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. His work was instrumental in establishing Christianity on the island and therefore he is highly esteemed in Northern Ireland by both Catholics and Protestants.
The respect for him was such that sometimes it is difficult to determine how much of the information we have about him is real history and how much is part of the legend of saint Patrick.
Patrick’s name at birth was Maewyn Succat. He took the name Patrick when he later joined the clergy. At 16 he was captured by marauding Irish raiders and taken to Ireland where he worked as a shepherd for six years for an Irish chieftain near Antrim. According to his own words, his faith grew while in captivity.
Finally, The official flag of Northern Ireland is the Union Flag of the United Kingdom. The Ulster Banner was used by the Northern Ireland government from 1953 until the government and parliament were abolished in 1973. Since then, it has had no official status. However, it is still used as the flag of Northern Ireland by loyalists and unionists, and to represent Northern Ireland internationally in some sporting competitions.
IRELAND: The flag itself is a vertical tricolour of green (at the hoist), white and orange.
-Flowers:
- Tudor Rose of England:
When Henry VII took the crown of England from Richard III in battle (1485), he brought the end of the retrospectively dubbed «Wars of the Roses» between the House of Lancaster (one monarch of which had sometimes used the badge of a red or gold rose) and the House of York (which had lately used a white-rose badge).
- Thistle of Scottland:
The thistle has been the national emblem of Scotland since the reign of Alexander III (1249–1286) and was used on silver coins issued by James III in 1470. It is the symbol of the Order of the Thistle, a high chivalric order of Scotland.
- The Leek of Wales:
The leek is the national emblem of Wales. According to legend the patron saint of Wales, Saint David, ordered his Welsh soldiers to identify themselves by wearing the leek on their helmets in an ancient battle against the Saxons that took place in a leek field.
- Shamrock of Nothern Ireland:
The Shamrock is a symbol for the christian trinity. A shamrock is a young sprig, used as a symbol of Northern Ireland and Ireland. The shamrock was thought to have the mystical properties and the ability to predict the weather, hisleaves turn skyward when a storm is brewing. It is belived that St Patrick, on seeing the importance of this small plant to the Druids, used the shamrock to illustrate the Christian teachings of the Holy Trinity, thus spreading the world of Christianity throughout the land in a way that appealed to his people.Many of the Druid high priests are thought tot have converted to Christianity, becoming Bishops following St Patrick’s teachings.
Ireland has the same flower as Nothern Ireland.
-Animals:
- England: Lion
- Scotland: Unicorn
- Wales: Red Dragon
- Ireland: Irish Hare
- MAPS
- Physical features(Area, distances(Straigh line), population UK)
1.England: The area of England is 130.395 km² and for the distance we will take the reference from Brighton until Carlilse, two of the most important cities of England and are very far away .The distance between Brighton and Carlisle is 489.96 km that is like the distance that we have in Spain between Girona and Alacant (492km).Population 54,79M.
2.Scotland: The area of Scotland is 80.077 km² and for the distance we will take the reference from Stranraer until John O‘Groats, two cities of Scotland that are very far away .The distance between Stranraer and John O‘Groats is 431.87 km that is like the distance that we have in Spain between Barcelona and Elx (425km).Population 5,37M.
3.Wales: The area of Wales is 20.735 km²and for the distance we will take the reference from Cardiff until Llandudno, two cities of Wales that are very far away .The distance between Cardiff and Llandudno is 209.5 km that is like the distance that we have in Spain between Oviedo and Coruña(207km).Population 3,09M.
4.Northern Ireland: The area of Northern Ireland is 14.130 km² and for the distance we will take the reference from Newry until Portstewart, two cities of Northern Ireland that are very far away .The distance between Newry and Portstewart is 115.1 km that is like the distance that we have in Spain between Valencia and Elda(116km).Population 1,87M.
5.Ireland: The area of Ireland is 70.273 km²and for the distance we will take the reference from Cork until Sligo , two cities of Ireland that are very far away .The distance between Cork and Sligo is 263.71 km that is like the distance that we have in Spain between Madrid and Caceres(251km).Population 4,77M.
In conclusion, the population of UK is 66,02M.
- Physical Relief UK and Ireland
Highland and low-land Britain: Lowland Britain lies mainly in the south-east of England.Highland Britain includes the whole of Scotland, the Lake District (north-west England), the south and the south-west of England (Cornwall and Devon), and almost the whole of Wales.
The main rivers (big to small) are Severn(Wales/England, 354km), Thames(England, 346km), Trent(England, 297km), Great Ouse(England, 230km), Wye(Wales/England215km), Tay(Scotland,188km), Clyde(Scotland,176km) and we have one that is from Northern Ireland and it has 159km, the River Bann/Lough Neagh.
On the other hand, the mountains are very present in Scotland where there is the highest peak mountain in the UK, Ben Nevis standing at 1,345 metres above sea level, it is at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area of the Scottish Highlands, close to the town of Fort William. The mountain is a popular destination, attracting an estimated 100,000 ascents a year, around three-quarters of which use the Pony Track from Glen Nevis. The 700-metre cliffs of the north face are among the highest in Scotland, providing classic scrambles and rock climbs of all difficulties for climbers and mountaineers. They are also the principal locations in Scotland for ice climbing.Then, we have the Ben Macdui ) is the second highest mountain in the United Kingdom (in absolute height) after Ben Nevis, and the highest in the Cairngorms National Park. And finally the third one is Braeriach(1296m), also in Scotland. It is the highest point in the western massif of the Cairngorms, separated from the central section by the pass of the Lairig Ghru.
- Climate
Uk and Ireland does not have extremes of rainfall or temperature, is temperate and humid. A large large Atlantic Ocean current of warm water from the Gulf of Mexico, keeps winters quite mild whilst during summertime, warm but not excessively hot temperatures are experienced. The average annual temperature in Britain is about 10ºC, with the summer average temperature being around 15ºC and the winter average being around 5ºC (day and night). Britain has a changeable weather. It it say that they have their weather, not a climate. In winter due to the polar continental air is very cold. Howover the tropical continental air reaches the islands from the Sahara region of Africa ,then we have in the summer a dry weather that gives pleasantly warm season and also gives pleasantly warm weather in the winter. The weather, however, is variable, with frequent changes from day to day or even in the same day.
Big Ben
Futhermore, the precipitation is very typical in all the country, but it’s more frequent and abundant in the north and in the west. Rain falls throughout the year, and the weather in England can change very rapidly. In autumn and winter, strong low-pressure systems can bring gales, heavy rain and thunderstorms. In general, the west coast and montainous areas rceives the most rain.
Brighton in a sunny day of August
Uk and Ireland has much to occupy whatever the season, but the best chance of catching sunny days is between May and September. Popular summer holidaying spots such as Brighton, Devon and Cornwall become particularly crowded during the end of July and throughout August when schools are closed. Finally, The average number of days on which rain falls in London each year is less than in Paris, Santander (Spain) and Wellington (New Zealand). London is drier than Rome, New York, Brisbane, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo and The average minimum daily temperature in London is higher than that in Seattle, Dublin and Toronto.
- Economy
The economy of the United Kingdom is highly developed and market-oriented.
The UK is one of the most globalised economies, and it is composed of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The service sector dominates, contributing around 80% of GDP; the financial services industry is particularly important, and London is the world’s largest financial centre. Britain’s aerospace industry is the second-largest national aerospace industry. Its pharmaceutical industry, the tenth-largest in the world, plays an important role in the economy. Of the world’s 500 largest companies, 26 are headquartered in the UK. The economy is boosted by North Sea oil and gas production; its reserves were estimated at 2.8 billion barrels in 2016, although it has been a net importer of oil since 2005. There are significant regional variations in prosperity, with South East England and North East Scotland being the richest areas per capita. The size of London’s economy makes it the largest city by GDP in Europe.
Agriculture in the United Kingdom uses 69% of the country’s land area, employs 1.5% of its workforce (476,000 people) and contributes 0.62% of its gross value added (£9.9 billion).[1] The UK produces less than 60% of the food it eats. Although agricultural activity occurs in most rural locations, it is concentrated in East Anglia (for crops) and the South West (livestock). Of the 212,000 farm holdings, there is a wide variation in size from under 20 to over 100 hectares.
Despite skilled farmers, high technology, fertile soil and subsidies, farm earnings are relatively low, mainly due to low prices at the farm gate. Low earnings, high land prices and a shortage of let farmland discourage young people from joining the industry. The average age of the British farm holder is now 59.
Recently there have been moves towards organic farming in an attempt to sustain profits, and many farmers supplement their income by diversifying activities away from pure agriculture. Biofuels present new opportunities for farmers against a background of rising fears about fossil fuel prices, energy security, and climate change. There is increasing awareness that farmers have an important role to play as custodians of the British countryside and wildlife.
UK receive his energy from oil, natural gas,coal, nuclear, and renewable energy. The total of all renewable electricity sources provided for 14.9% of the electricity generated in the United Kingdom in 2013. They use the wind power, solar power, biofuels, geothermal power and hydroelectric. The wind power and the hydroelectric power has large potential resources Interest in renewable energy in the UK has increased in recent years due to new UK and EU targets for reductions in carbon emissions and the promotion of renewable electricity power generation through commercial incentives such as the Renewable Obligation Certificate scheme (ROCs) and Feed in tariffs (FITs) and the promotion of renewable heat through the Renewable Heat Incentive. Under the 2009 EU Renewable Directive the UK’s has a 15% target for reduction in total energy consumption by 2020.
Finally, the main industry is finance and banking. There are currently more than 2 million people working in the finance and banking industries all over the United Kingdom – that’s 7 per cent of the country’s total working population. According to the latest data, the country has nearly 40,000 businesses that specialise in financial services, and a further 37,000 provide accountancy services. Outside of London, the UK’s main financial centres are in Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, and Birmingham. Currently, this sector accounts for 7.5 per cent of the country’s GDP. Howover the information communications technology sector was worth £58 billion. Nearly every major industry relies on technology in order to function, so the importance of the technology sector cannot be underestimated.
The economy of Ireland is a knowledge economy, focused on services into high-tech, life sciences and financial services industries. Ireland is an open economy. The Irish economy has registered impressive growth, but the government faces many economic policy challenges. As a small, open economy, it has responded effectively to global fluctuations. Government debt is high, and the banking system is still burdened with hefty residential property mortgage arrears and impaired loans to small and medium-size enterprises. However, low corporate taxes and a talented high-technology labor pool attract foreign multinationals, and Ireland’s strong economic fundamentals are undergirded by solid protection of property rights and an independent judiciary that safeguards the rule of law. Ireland is ranked 2nd among 44 countries in the Europe region, and its overall score is well above the regional and world averages.
Bibliography:
- https://www.nchlondon.ac.uk/uk-weather/
- https://primeofficespace.co.uk/latest/top-ten-industries-in-uk/
- https://www.wikipedia.org/
- https://www.native-english.ru/topics/climate-and-nature-of-great-britain
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rivers_of_England
- https://www.worldmap1.com/uk.asp
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_symbols_of_the_United_Kingdom,_the_Channel_Islands_and_the_Isle_of_Man#cite_note-National_Emblems_of_Britain-2
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/17219261
World of curiosities about UK and USA 