Lesson Week 3: Geography of the UK

Lesson Week 3 Geography of the UK provide documentation for the country you are studying Anglo-American school for you majored in English. Invite you to consult, hope content useful document serves the academic needs and research.

Company Logo

Week 3: Geography of the UK

2 England Geography

 Capital City: London

 Major Cities: Birmingham, Leeds,

Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffied

 Official Language: English

 Currency: Pound Sterling (£)

 Highest point: Scafell Pike (978 m)

 Longest River: The Thames (346 km)

 Largest Lake: Windermere (14.7 sq

km)

• Is the largest of the countries comprising the island of Britain (covering about two-third of the island).

• Can be divided into two major regions:

 the highland zone of hills and mountains in the

North and West

 the lowland zone of rolling plains in the South and

East.

• The highland zone including the Pennine Chain of mountains (the backbone of England), is a massive

upland area (160 miles – 260 km).

• Is made up of several broad, rolling, windswept moorlands separated by deep river valleys.

• Generally, the Highland is cooler than the Lowland, and gets more rainfalls and less sunlight

• The soil is too thin and stony, with hard rock formation below the ground.

• The lowland zone contains mostly rolling plains, receives less rain and more sunshine than the highland zone, and the soil is fertile.

• Most of the region is less than 150m (500ft) above the sea level.

• Has been extensively inhabited, farmed and

grazed for thousands of years

• Most of Britain’s population lives densely packed into the lowland zone.

• The overall climate is called Temperate maritime

• Mild with temperatures not much lower than 0oC in winter, and not much higher than 320C in summer.

• Has four seasons:

 Spring: March to May

 Summer: June to August

 Autumn: September to November

 Winter: December to February

Images of England

• Is the most important river in

the southern England.

• Is the main source of the

water supply of London.

• The part of the river

immediately below London

Bridge is called the Pool, part

between the bridge and the

Blackwall is called the Port

River Thames

Big Ben

• Is the great bell in the clock

tower on the eastern end of the Houses of Parliament in London.

• The booming 13.5 ton bell first rang out in 1859.

• Officially Big Ben is only the name of the biggest of the 5 bells in the clock tower (St Stephen’s Tower)

Westminster Abbey

• Is the most famous church in Great

Britain.

• Located in London, officially known as

the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter in

Westminster.

• Was built between 11 th and 19 th

centuries.

• In the main church of the abbey there

were the tombs of famous citizens – the

poet Geoffrey Chaucer, the physicist Isaac

Newton, and the naturalist Charles

Darwin.

Houses of Parliament

• Also called New Palace of

Westminster, is the seat of the British

legislation, on the East bank of the

River Thames in London.

• Was built from 1840-1860, after plans

by Sir Charles Barry, on the site of the

Palace of Westminster which was

largely destroyed by fire in 1834.

• Cover an area of more than 3

hectares and contain 1100 apartments,

100 staircases, and 11 courts.

• Bobby (nickname for policeman) is named after Sir Robert Peel, the politician who created London’s police force in the

19th century.

• Bobby is familiar form of

“Robert”.

Double – Decker Buses

• Can be seen all over Britain, but only red ones are seen in London

• Buses in London are not as popular as the Tube because they get stuck in traffic

The Rose

• The national flower of England

• Has been adopted as

England’s emblem since the

Wars of the Roses – civil wars

(1455 – 1485)

• The civil wars between the

house of Lancaster (emblem

was a red rose) and the royal

house of York (emblem was a

white rose)

The Oak

• Is sometimes depicted as the

traditional tree of England

 partly for its connotation of

strength and endurance

 partly for its royal associations

• Is regarded as the “monarch of the forest”

3 Scotland Geography

Topographic map

Regions and Cities

Scotland’s Quick Facts

 Area: 78,789 sq km

 Population: 5,222,100 (2010 estimate)

 Capital City: Edinburgh

 Major Cities: Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling.

 Official Language: English / Scottish Gaelic (1.4%)

 Currency: Pound Sterling (£)

 Highest point: Ben Nevis (1,343 m)

 Major Rivers: The Clyde, The Dee, The Don (The longest: Tay- 188

km)

 Major Lakes: Loch Linnhe, Loch Fyne (Sea Lakes), Loch Ness

 National emblems: St Andrew, bluebell, thistle.

Has 3 fairly clearly-marked regions:

 The Southern uplands (north of the border with England):

small towns, quite far apart from each other, economy depends on sheep farming

 The Central plain (further north): riff valley, relatively

low-lying, economy includes coal and iron, 80% of the population

 The Highlands (lie to the north and west): mountains,

deep valleys, and numerous small islands, the North Sea oil industry is the main economy

Major Cities

European City of Culture.

• Over the centuries, has

received many immigrants

from Ireland

• Is half size of Glasgow

• Is the capital city of Scotland

• Has comparatively

middle-class image

• Associated with scholarships,

the law and administration

• Has many fine historic

buildings

=> Is called “Athens of the

North”

Weather and Climate

• Is subject to the moderating influence of the surrounding seas

Extreme seasonal variations are rare

• Temperate winters and cool summers are the

outstanding climatic features

• In the western coastal region, conditions are somewhat

milder than in the east (subject to the moderating effects

of the Gulf Stream)

The Thistle & The Bluebell

The Thistle

• Has been Scotland’s emblem for

centuries

• The first use as a royal symbol

was on silver coin issued by

James III in 1470

• Grows to a height of five feet,

has no enemies because of

vicious spines that cover it like

armor plating

The Bluebell

The Bluebell of Scotland

The rose, summer’s emblem

‘tis England’s chosen tree

And France decks her shield

with the stately Fluer-de-lis

But brighter, fairer than these

There blooms a flower for me,

Tis the Bluebell, the Bluebell

On Scotland’s grassy lea

Where from the dark, up springs the lark

The rising sun to see!

Where from the dark, up springs the lark

The rising sun to see!

1 Marriage and Family

• People usually marry in their middle to

late 20s

• Early families living in the Scottish

Highlands were loyal to their clan

(relatives sharing a common ancestor)

• Contemporary members of a clan

make efforts to preserve its traditions

and history

• Each clan is represented by a tartan

(a distinctive plaid pattern)

Royal Stewart Tartan

Black Watch Tartan

1 Marriage and Family

• In rural areas, the extended family can still be important

• In urban areas, families tend to be small and generally

close-knit

• The elderly prefer to stay in their own homes and remain independent as long as possible, rather than living with their married children

2 Eating

• Traditionally, the Scots have

favored meals such as stews,

eaten with vegetables as

neeps (turnips) and tatties

(potatoes)

• The national dish is haggis

made from ground sheep

entrails, mixed with oats and

spices, and tied in a sheep’s

stomach and cooked

3 Socializing

• A handshake is usual when people are introduced

• Standard English greetings such as “Hello” and “How do you do?” are common

• Informal greetings among friends include “All right?”, “Fit like?”, to which the response is “Nae sae bad” (Not so bad)

or “All right.”

• In Scotland, visits home are usually prearranged Only close friends and family drop by unannounced

4 Holidays and Celebrations

• New Year’s Eve (Hogmanay)

 More important festival in Scotland than it is in England, even it has a special name (Hogmanay)

 On Hogmanay, children would go to the doors of their neighbors, sing and cry out “Hogmanay!” to receive oatmeal cakes in return

 “First – footer” is the 1st person to cross the threshold of a home after midnight on New Year’s Eve If the “first-footer”

is a dark-haired man carrying presents => the family should have good luck for the rest of the year

5 Holidays and Celebrations

• Saint Andrew’s Day

 On 30th November to honor the patron saint of Scotland

 Some Scots wear a blue-and-white X on this day to symbolize the cross upon which Saint Andrew was crucified by the Romans

4 Wales Geography

Topography map

Regions and Cities

Wales’s Quick Facts

 Area: 20,779 sq km

 Population: 2,999,300 (2009)

 Capital city: Cardiff

 Major cities: Caerphilly, Newport, Swansea, Wrexham

 Official Language: English, Welsh

 Currency: Pound Sterling (£)

 Highest point: Snowdon (1,085m)

 Longest river: Severn (partly in England, 354km)

 Largest Lake: Bala (4,4 sq km)

 National Emblems: St.David, the Daffodil and the leek

 The Welsh national Game: Rugby

Regions and Cities

• Is 242 km from north to south

• 2/3 of the total population of more than 2.9 million people live in the South Wales coastal area

• The three biggest towns are located in the South Wales

coastal area:

 Swansea

 Cardiff

 Newport

Regions and Cities

• Swansea

 Is an important industrial centre

with manufactures including steel &

nonferrous metals, motor-vehicle

parts.

 Larger petroleum refinery &

chemical works are located in the

suburb of Llandarcy.

 The town centre was destroyed by

German bombing during World War II

(1939-1945), and has been rebuilt,

was enlarged in 1974.

Regions and Cities

• Newport

 is a town in southeastern Wales, a port on the Usk River.

 is a major steel-producing center of the United Kingdom.

 is a commercial and transportation center of southeastern Wales.

 the port, improved in 1970s, handles imports of ore and timber and

exports of iron, steel, and machinery.

Regions and Cities

 is an attractive and interesting place to live with good communications, plenty of parks and varied population.

Cardiff at night

Cardiff Bay

The New Theatre

National Museum of Wales

Weather and Climate

• The climate of Wales, like that of England, is mild and

The Daffodil and the Leek

• The national flower of Wales

is the daffodil, which is

traditionally worn on St

David’s Day

The Daffodil and the Leek

• The vegetable called leek is

also considered to be a

traditional emblem of Wales

• Explanations: St David

advised the Welsh, on the eve

of battle with the Saxons, to

wear leeks in their caps to

distinguish friend from enemy

The Culture of the Wales

1. The Welsh Language

• The Welsh are very proud of their language and culture

• The language & culture are best preserved in the North and

West of the country, and have been more challenged by industrialization in the South and East

• Welsh is one of the Celtic languages, and is estimated to be

spoken by 16% – 20% of the population

The Welsh Language

• The Welsh language Act in 1967 said that all official documents should be in both languages, most road signs are printed in English and Welsh

• Since the 1960s, there has been increased interest in Welsh (50% of secondary school students learn Welsh as their 1st language)

• Since 1982, there has been an independent fourth TV channel broadcasting mainly in Welsh

The Welsh Language

Welsh

Gwlad! Gwlad! Pleidiol wyf i’m

gwlad; Tra môr yn fur i’r bur boff

bau, O bydded i’r hen iaith barbau

English

Homeland! I am devoted to

my country; So long as the sea is a wall to this beautiful land,

May the ancient language remain.

• Means “a sitting of learned men” in Welsh

• Is a name for competition people meet to dance, sing and read poems

• Is held each summer in the 1st week of August to promote Welsh language, literature, music, and customs

5 Northern Ireland Geography

Northern Ireland’s Quick Facts

 Total area: 13,843 sq km(ranking fourth in the UK)

 Population: 1.8 million (2010 estimate)

 Official Language: English, Irish, Scots

 Capital: Belfast

 Largest Lake: Lough Neagh (about 390 sq km), also the largest lake

in the British Isles.

 Highest point: Slieve Donard (852 m), a peak in the Mourne

Mountains.

 Currency: Pound Sterling (£)

 National Emblems: St Patrick and the Shamrock , a three-leaved

plant similar to clover.

Topography

• Has an extreme northern to southern extension of about 135 km, and an extreme eastern to western extension of about 175 km.

• Consists of mainly a low, flat plain

• Because of the flat terrain , drainage is poor, and the areas of marshland are extensive.

• Apart from several isolated elevations, 3 major

(northeastern coast), and the Mourne Mount (southeast)

• The chief river are the Foyle River , which forms part of the northwestern boundary and flows into Lough Foyle at Londonderry.

Weather and Climate

• The climate is mild and damp throughout the year

• The prevailing westerly winds from the Gulf Stream are largely responsible for the lack of extreme summer heat and

winter cold

• Average annual temperature is 100C: in July (140 C) and in January (40 C)

• Rainfall is distributed during the year (1,000 mm)

• The level of humidity is high

Places of interest

• Belfast – the Capital City

 Is one of the youngest capital cities

 Is also well-known for shipbuilding (the Titanic was build here)

The Giant’s Causeway

• According to the legend, the

basalt columns of Giant’s

Causeway are ancient stepping

stones giants used to cross the

channel between Ireland and

Scotland.

• Based on geological evidence,

scientists believe the distinct

pillars formed during the cooling

and contracting phase of a lava

flow

The Giant’s Causeway

• The tops of the columns form

stepping stones that lead from

the cliff foot and disappear

under the sea.

• Altogether there are 40,000 of

these stone columns, mostly

hexagonal.

• The tallest are about 40 feet

high, and the solidified lava in

the cliffs is 90 feet thick in

places.

Company Logo