British Clture & civilization - historical reference framework 2

7/23/2019 British Clture & civilization - historical reference framework 2

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Geographical identities



The country’s title for constitutional & political purposes is the United

Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Britain comprises:

The British Isles (off the north est coast of continental !urope"The mainland of !ngland# $cotland & %ales forms the largest island

ith the political title of Great Britain.

Northern Ireland shares the secondlargest island ith the 'epulic of

Ireland# hich has een go)erned independently since *+,*.

$maller islands: -nglesey# the Isle of %ight# the r/neys# $hetlands#

0erides & $cillies 12 are also part of the British political union



Physical features and climate

Britain’s geographical position is mar/ed y:latitude 345N in southern !ngland6atitude 745N across the $hetlands

Britain’s physical area co)ers some +8#4,3 s9uare miles (,,#;,s9uare /ilometers".

!ngland has 34#43, s9uare miles (*,+#78 s9 /m"

%ales has <#+7; (,4#78<"$cotland has ,+#<++ (<<#*<+"

Northern Ireland has 3#,47 (*8#8;"



!ngland has the iggest population (+#;37#444 or ;=" in a UK

total of 3+#744#444.

Britain’s )aried physical characteristics are a source of

identification for many people# such as:The Giant’s >auseay in Northern Ireland

The >liffs of ?o)er in southern !ngland

The 0ighlands of $cotland

The %elsh mountains



Britain’s ma@or ri)ers:The >lyde in $cotlandThe Tyne# Trent# $e)ern & Thames in !ngland and %alesThe Bann & 6agan in Northern Ireland.

Britain as originally part of the !uropean mainland.

Aelting of the glaciers in the last Ice -ge caused the sea le)el torise.

The country as separated from the continent ythe North $eathe !nglish >hannel



The $trait of ?o)er eteen ?o)er (in the $outh" and >alais inrance (, miles# 8; /m" is the shortest stretch of ater eteen!ngland & !urope.

-long the coast there are many:BaysInletsCeninsulas

!stuaries

Tides on the coasts & in inland ri)ers in addition to hea)y rainfallcan cause flooding in many parts of the country.



National authorities pro)ided sustantial finance to construct

defense against flooding:

In *+; as completed a 6ondon flood arrier across the ri)er

Thames

looding is tied to climate and eather change and continues toaffect many lolying inland areas throughout the country.

The costal seas are not deep (less than 844 feet 1 +4 meters"

ecause they lie on the >ontinental $helf.

Gulf $tream 1 the arm North -tlantic >urrent heats the sea and

air as it tra)els from the -tlantic cean across the $helf.



UK has a temperate climate# ith )ariations eteen coolness

and mildness. -ltitude modifies temperatures hich are loer in

the North than the $outh (8,5> in the summer and *45> in the

inter"

Britain’s physical relief is di)ided into:

0ighland (in the North and %est"

6oland (in the $outh and !ast of the country# eDcept for the

$cottish 6olands and central areas of Northern Ireland.There are fertile soils# hich are culti)ated and farmed.



ENGLAND

It co)ers tothirds of the island of Great Britain

!astern !ngland (has lo flat lands":

Norfol/ Broads

>amridgeshire

6incolnshire ens $uffol/ Aarshes.

6o hill ranges stretch o)er much of the country: North Eor/shire Aoors>otsoldsKent$usseD ?ons>hiltern 0ills



0ighland Fones are mar/ed y:

the >he)iot 0ills (eteen !ngland and $cotland"

the northestern mountain region of the 6a/e ?istrict and the

>umrian Aountains

the northern plateau elt of the Cennines forming a ac/one

across northest !ngland

the Cea/ ?istrict (south of the Cennines"

the southestern plateau of ?e)on and >ornall.



The largest tons & cities ha)e the hea)iest population

concentrations:

6ondon# Birmingham#

Eor/shire cities of 6eeds# Bradford & $heffield

6i)erpool & Aanchester

Necastle & $underland.



WALES (population: ,#+8;#444" >apital: >ardiff

Is a highland country

Aoorland plateau# hills & mountains (>amrian Aountains the

highest mountains are in $nodonia (N%" ith the pea/

$nodon (*#4;3 m"

?eep ri)er )alleys in south %ales (here li)e ,H8 of the %elsh

population.

Bigger cities: $ansea & Neport.



SCOTLAND (population:3#*44#444 capital: !dinurgh

There are 8 main areas:

*.The North%est & >entral 0ighlands (Grampians" some islands offthe est and northeast coast.

*H, of the land mass less populated the highest point in the >entral 0ighlands is Ben Ne)is (*#88

m" it is the highest place in Britain.,. The >entral 6olands (*H3 of the land area"

three9uarters of the $cottish population industrial & commercial centres

culti)ated land8. The $outhern Uplands hills



Important cities: !dinurgh# Glasgo# -erdeen# ?undee.

The climate# isolation and harsh physical conditions in much of

$cotland ha)e made con9uest# settlement and agriculture

difficult.



Northern reland (population: *#<44#444" capital: Belfast

has since *+,* a ;; /m order ith the 'epulic of Ireland

(in the south and est"

has a roc/y coastline in the north

fertile plain in the south

mountains in the est# northeast & southeast (Aourne

Aountains: pea/ $lie)e ?onard (;38 m"

6a/e 6ough Neagh (8+7 s9 /m" is the largest fresater la/e (it

lies at the centre of the country"



AG!C"LT"!E

There are 84#444 farm units that use <<= of the land area

388#444 people (*#= of the or/force" are engaged in farming.

Cro)ides 7= of all Britain’s food needs

Aany farms in $cotland# Northern Ireland# %ales and northern

and southestern !ngland specialiFe in dairy farming# eef

cattle and floc/s of sheep.

$ome farms concentrate on pig production.



Coultry meat & egg industries are idespread ith intensi)e

factory farming.

ther farms gro arale crops (heat# arley# oats# potatoes#

oilseed rape# sugar eet.

0orticultural products: apples# erries and floers are also

idely gron.

-griculture is a significant industry

It is producti)e# intensi)e# mechaniFed and specialiFed



*++7 Britain’s farming eDperienced a difficult period due to:

a fall in farm pricesa series of disasters such as B$! (Bo)ine $pongiform !ncephalopathy" incos 2 animals ere lost

The >ommon -gricultural Colicy (>-C" of the !U# hich accounts for ;=of the !U’s udget# has also affected British farmers.>-C as simplified in ,443 hen the !astern !uropean nations entered intothe !UThere ere continued negotiations ith the %orld Trade rganiFation(%T" o)er tariff arriers.

arm susidies are eing reduced & are dependent upon en)ironmental protection# competition# a mar/etorientation# cuts in o)erproduction# foodsafety & animal health.There continues to e conflict ithin the !U (eteen Britain & rance"o)er the eDtend of cuts in susidies.



#S$E!ES

Britain is one of !urope’s leading fishing nations and operates in

the North $ea# the Irish $ea and the -tlantic.

ishing industry is centred on ports around the coasts.

ish catches: cod# haddoc/# hiting# herring# mac/erel# plaice#

sole.

There are <#,<* registered )essels of the fishing fleet



ishing industry (salmon# trout and shellfish" is a large & eDpanding usiness# particularly in $cotland.

ishing industry as also affected y

the !U’s >ommon isheries Colicy (>C"British go)ernment policies

There is the need to conser)e fish resources & pre)ent o)erfishing.

There ere ta/en measures to limit the time fishing )essels spend atsea.

%ithout fish conser)ation# there ill e reduced supplies in future.



#O!EST!%

%oodlands co)er 7.7 million acres (,.< million hectares" ofBritain:

+= of !ngland*<= of $cotland*= of %ales7= of Northern Ireland

83= of national forests are managed y the state orestry>ommission or go)ernment departments

The rest of the forests are managed y pri)ate forestry industries



The go)ernment has encouraged tree planting programmes in$cotland# %ales and the !nglish Aidlands# to comat gloal

arming and pollution.

orestry policy is supposed to ta/e conser)ation factors intoaccount in the de)elopment of timer facilities.

There are en)ironmentalists campaign against the destruction

of oodland for road uilding and airport eDpansion



ENE!G% !ESO"!CES

Crimary energy resources:ilGas Nuclear poer 0ydropoer >oal

They generate electricity (,44#444 people or/ in energy production"Britain’s largest companies: $hell# BC# British Gas.Aultinational companies operate under go)ernment licence andeDtract fuels from the North $ea and -tlantic fields.



-lternati)e forms of reneale energy:

%ind poer on land & at sea

The use of tidal & a)e poer is eing implemented on some

coasts

$olar energy is already pro)ided

Biomass & eDca)ating heat from roc/s & earth’s core

They represent *3= of all energy & electricity production

(,4*3"



orecasters at the ?epartment of Trade and Industry elie)e that

Britain’s reneale energy mar/et ill gro y ,4,4

It ill ecome attracti)e to in)estors as the industry sells its

eDpertise on oth the British and orld mar/ets.



T!ANSPO!T & CO''"NCATONS

They are di)ided eteen the pulic & pri)ate sectors of the

economy

The country’s transport system includes:

roads# railays# shipping# ci)il a)iation

>ommunication needs are supplied y:

Telecom# telecommunication companies & Cost ffice.



Transport

There is a road network ith motorays & trun/ roads hichcarry most of the passenger traffic & hea)y goods )ehicles.

The orld’s first pulic passenger steam railway opened in *;,3 eteen $toc/ton and ?arlington in northeast !ngland.

-fter *44 years of pri)ate operation# the railays ecame stateoned in *+<.

They ere pri)atiFed in *++<.



-fter poor performance of the railay lines and infrastructure oned y 'ailtrac/# the go)ernment too/ control of it in ,44* and it asrenamed Netor/ 'ail.

It continues in pri)ate hands ith go)ernment susidies.

'ail passenger ser)ices consist of a fast intercity netor/# lin/ing allthe main British centres

6ocal trains supply regional needs

There are diesel trains (Inter>ity tra)elling at a maDimum speed of,4* /mHh"



6ondon underground system (the Tue" co)ers 4; /m of railayline in the capital (has een partly pri)atiFed".

The >hannel Tunnel is pri)ately run y a renchHBritish

company (!urotunnel" opened in *++.

It pro)ides a dri)eon# dri)eoff shuttle ser)ice for cars#

coaches# )ehicles and passenger trains (!urostar" from %aterloo

$tation in 6ondon.



There are o)er 300 ports in Britain.

Bigger ports: >lyde# ?o)er# 0ull# Grimsy# $outhampton#

eliDstoe and >ardiff 2 ser)ice most of the trade and tra)el

re9uirements.

The cargo mar/et is dominated y a small numer of large

pri)ate sector groups.

<3= of Britain’s o)erseas trade is still carried y sea.



Britain’s civil aviation system accounts for *= of passengermileage and is in the pri)ate sector folloing the pri)atiFation of

the former stateoned airline# British -irays# in *+;<.

ther carriers:British Aidland International

Britannia -irays

Jirgin -tlantic

They run scheduled & charter passenger ser)ices on domestic

and international routes.



>heap price airlines: !asyet & others 2 are controlled y the >i)il-)iation -uthority (>--". It regulates the industry and air trafficcontrol

There are *, licensed ci)il aerodromes in Britain.

0eathro and Gatic/ -irports outside 6ondon are the largest.

$tansted in southeast !ngland

Glasgo# !dinurgh and -erdeen in $cotland

They are all oned y the pri)ate sector B--.



'egional airports:

6uton# Aanchester# Birmingham# Belfast# Necastle# !ast

Aidlands

are controlled y local authorities

cater for the country’s remaining passenger and cargo needs.



Communications

>ommunications systems in Britain are also di)ided ereen the

pulic and pri)ate sectors.

British Telecom (BT"

as pri)atiFed in *+;

has <*= of mar/et share

pro)ides domestic & international telephone and

communications systems.



The pri)ate companies Jodafone and >ale and %irelesscompete fiercely ith British Telecom.

ther competitors: cale netor/s NT6 and Teleest pro)ide:

telecommunications facilitiesand the de)elopment of roadand ser)ices.

Aoile telephones and ser)ices pro)ided o)er the Internet are

groing rapidly.



The Post Office as estalished in *783

is responsile for collecting# handling and deli)ering ;4 million

letters and parcels e)ery day.



Attitudes to the en(ironment

There is pulic concern in Britain aout

Collution & traffic congestionThe lac/ of an ade9uate pulic transport system

The 9uality and eDploitation of the natural haitat

The use of energy sources

The safety of agricultural productsThe effects of gloal arming

The damage caused to personal health y en)ironmental prolems.



'esearch sur)eys and opinion polls regularly report that peopleare orried aout the future of the countryside and ant to stop

housing de)elopment# uilding or/ and roadHairport schemes

hich damage the en)ironment.

-ir pollution in Britain is caused y

factories

poer stations

cars# uses# lorries domestic homes discharging caron emissions into the

air.



ther forms of en)ironmental damage:

sea and each pollution

>aused y toDic industrial aste that are pumped into the sea y

commercial companies.

nly +4= of eaches meet !U 9uality standards.

'i)ers are also polluted y industrial aste# toDic fertiliFers#

pesticides.



Culic concern surrounds the agricultural industry ecause of itsidespread use of fertiliFers and pesticides# its methods of animal

feeding and the effects of intensi)e farming on the en)ironment.

>ases of food poisoning ha)e risen sharply and there are orriesaout standards of hygiene in the food and farming usinesses.

'ecent polls reported that ;,= of respondents fa)oured a return

to traditional farming methods# e)en if this meant paying morefor food.



- Good Housekeeping magaFine poll found that:

only * in 7 people trust the supermar/ets to sell safe food

4nly 8 in ere more concerned than e)er efore aout the

safety of the food they uy.-lthough +<= of respondents uy most of their food from

supermar/ets# their faith in them has suffered.

British Clture & civilization - historical reference framework 2

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