Great britain

GREAT BRITAIN

1. GEOGRAPHY
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated In the West of Europe. It consists of England, Scotland, Wales, Ulster (the north-east part of Ireland) and many small islands such as the Isle of Wight, the Isle of Man and the Shetlands, the Orkneys and the Hebrides in the North. It covers 2,448 thousand square kilometers and its current population is about 60 million. The capital of UK is London. The south-west part of the country is rather low-lying while the rest is dominated by the old mountains such as the Pennines in England, the Cambrian Mountains in Wales and the Grampians and the Caledonian Mountains in Scotland.
The climate of Great Britain is moderate. Winters are mild, summers are cool and the weather is rainy and changeable dependent on the influence of the Atlantic Ocean.
The most important rivers are the Severn and the Thames. The British Isles are washed by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the Straits of Dover, the English Channel and the Irish Sea. The main ports are London, Liverpool and Southampton.
The country is well developed and industrialized. The major interests are the mining industry, metallurgy, shipbuilding, car industry, textile industry and electrotechnics. Agriculture is less developed. It is based on cattle-breeding, sheep-farming, fisheries and the cultivation of barley, wheat and sugar-beets.

2. POLITICAL SYSTEM
Britain is a parliamentary democracy in which the country is governed by the representatives of the people. Democracy guarantees the equality of citizens? rights and freedom in all aspects of public and private life. Britain is also a monarchy. The queen is the official head of state, the head of the legal system, the commander-in-chief of all armed forces and the head of the Church of England. The queen participates in the summoning of Parliament. Her official approval (so-called royal assent) is needed before any bill (the draft of an Act of Parliament) becomes law. The making of laws is done by Parliament consisting of the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the sovereign (at present Queen Elisabeth). The speaker presides over the House of Commons which is the lower house of the British Parliament, consisting of 650 elected Members of Parliament. Elections must be held every five years maximum. The house of Lords is the upper house of the British Parliament consisting of about 1.200 non-elected members (Lords Spiritual and Lords Temporal).
The most important parties in England nowadays are the Conservative Party, Liberal Party and Labour Party.
Local government in Britain has almost the same structure as the central government. It is elected for districts such as towns or countries (fifty territorial divisions of England). Councillors representing local authorities deal with such problems as education, police, health or housing and perform a useful service to the local community.

3. THINGS TO SEE IN GREAT BRITAIN

London
The capital of Great Britain is one of the most fascinating places in the world where races, nations and civilizations meet. Apart from its variety, London is also famous for its numerous historic buildings, monuments, museums, galleries, parks, theatres, cinemas and shops.
Traditionally, most tourists start visiting London from Westminster Abbey where all British sovereigns have been crowned. The magnificent Gothic Church is also famous for its numerous tombs and monuments to distinguished figures in Britain?s Past.
Not far away from Westminster Abbey is a massive complex of the Houses of Parliament built in the Gothic style in the 19th century. To the west of Parliament Square there is St. James?s Park, the oldest of London?s royal parks where tired tourists may rest for a while before they proceed to Buckingham Palace, the Queen?s residence. There they may observe the Changing of the Guard, a very colorful ceremony which takes place most mornings in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace. Leading east from the royal residence is Whitehall, a street crowded with government offices, ministries and the Prime Minister residence at Downing Street No.10.
When visiting historic London, tourists should not forget about the Tower of London. It is traditionally guarded by the Yeomen warders of the Guard (known as ?Beefeaters?) who daily perform the Ceremony of the Keys (the ritual locking of various parts of the Tower). The former prison and royal residence is now a museum where visitors may see the fabulous Crown Jewels, the executioner?s block or the oriental and other armouries.
The centre of London has many different areas. As interesting place to see is colorful Chinatown, a Chinese district full of oriental shops and restaurants. Shaftesbury Avenue separates Chinatown from Soho ? the centre of London entertainment with numerous cinemas, theatres, discotheques, night clubs, pubs, restaurants and gambling clubs. To the south of Soho there is Picadilly Circus with its colorful neon signs, the statue of Eros and the Trocadero ? a new development of shops, restaurants and entertainments.
The city of London is one of the world?s greatest financial centres and the historical centre of London. There are several banks, including the Bank of England and Stock Exchange. The most impressive building in this part of London is St. Paul?s Cathedral, The architectural masterpiece of Christopher Wren. It houses many graves and monuments to important figures in the history of England, such as Nelson, Wellington or Montgomery.
Visitors of London may relax in wonderful London parks: Richmond and Kew Gardens full of beautiful exotic plants and trees.

Edinburgh
Edinburgh, the capitol of Scotland, is the centre of government and commercial life. It is also a popular tourist destination. The city is famous for its picturesque location, fine buildings and the annual international festival.
The most imposing structure is Edinburgh Castle, a famous fortress built on a hill in the centre of Edinburgh. The oldest parts of the castle date back to about 1100. A special tourist attraction is the Edinburgh Military Tattoo which takes place annually on the grounds of the castle. This spectacular military parade lasts three weeks in August and September and is an impressive display of marching, military music and freworks.
Another event which draws thousands of visitors to the capital of Scotland is the famous Edinburgh Festival. This international arts festival started in 1947 and since that time it annually brings to Edinburgh the finest performers and productions from all over the world. It is held at various centres of Edinburgh at the same time as the Tattoo and includes theatre, music, opera, dance and comedy.
Edinburgh is full of beautiful historical buildings. One of them is Hollyrood House, a large mansion built in the early 16th century and uses as the official residence of the Queen whenever she is in Edinburgh. Another well-known building is Lady Stair?s House dating from 1622 and containing literary relics of Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. Most of the old buildings in Edinburgh stand along the Royal Mile, the ancient street leading from the castle.

Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital city of Wales. It lies on the southeast coast of Wales on the Bristol Channel. Although is not a metropolis (its current population is only about 300.000), it is an important administrative, commercial, cultural and industrial centre and port.
Cardiff is a city of contrasts. The famous Cardiff Castle dating back to Roman times, stands alongside a modern shopping centre with many fashionable shops, excellent restaurants and hotels. The Castle, built in 1090, is the greatest tourist attraction.
Cardiff is also known for its beautiful parks covering of acres in the city. The major commercial buildings are found Cathays Park. Cardiff has also one of the world?s great Civic Centres including the Law Courts; the University College; the National Museum of Wales with an astonishing range of exhibits in nature science, archeology, botany, zoology, and art; and the Welsh Industrial and Maritime Museum housing a collection of boats and railway vehicles.
Visitors to Cardiff may also admire Llandaff Cathedral built in the late Gothic style, and the richly decorated building of City Hall. Although Cardiff is not so exciting as London, it is an attractive and interesting place to see.