Great Britain and France: a comparative complex geographical characteristic. Natural conditions and resources

EGP characteristic

Great Britain (United Kingdom) is an island state, most of whose territory is located on two large islands separated by the waters of the Irish Sea. The total area of ​​the UK is 244,017 sq. km. The population of Great Britain is 58,395 thousand people.

The official name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It consists of four countries: England, Scotland and Wales, located on the island of Britain, and Northern Ireland. The latter is located on the same island as the Independent Republic of Ireland. Thus, Great Britain has a common land border only with Ireland.

The British Isles lie off the northwest coast of Europe. The British Isles are surrounded by many small islands. The Isles of Scilly are located southwest of the Isle of Britain, and the Isle of Anglesey is to the north of Wales. On the western and northern coasts of Scotland there are numerous small islands that are part of Great Britain. The most important of these are the Orkney Shetland Islands.

From the west, Great Britain is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and from the east - by the waters of the North Sea.

From the south, Great Britain borders on France - the closest and most developed neighbor, which has common water borders with it. The shortest distance to the northern coast of France is the Strait of Dover, but the main communication between the states is through the English Channel, called the English Channel by the British, along the bottom of which a high-speed rail tunnel was built at the end of the twentieth century. Prior to this, communication between the two countries was carried out by water or air.

Also, the closest neighbors of Great Britain are Belgium and the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Norway are located much further.

Thus, the EGP of Great Britain is both neighboring and seaside, which is extremely beneficial for the economic development of the country, although, undoubtedly, it has certain disadvantages in strategic and military terms.

The administrative map of Great Britain has changed several times, because. the accession of the countries that make up the United Kingdom lasted for centuries. Each once independent state has its own capital or administrative center. The official capital of Great Britain is London, since the unification of the lands took place around England.

In the eighteenth - nineteenth centuries, Great Britain, being in first place in the world in terms of economic development, created a colossal colonial power that occupied almost a quarter of the planet's territory. The British colonies included India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and much of Africa. In the twentieth century, the English colonies became independent states, but many of them are part of the British Commonwealth, headed by the British monarch. In 1921 southern part Ireland separated from Great Britain and became an independent state.

Modern administrative divisions of Great Britain

The UK is one of the most densely populated and highly urbanized countries in the world. On average, there are 230 people per 1 square meter of its area. However, the distribution of the population across the country is very uneven. The main part of the inhabitants of Great Britain is concentrated in England, which has the most convenient geographical position, favorable natural conditions and has played a leading economic role throughout the history of the British Isles. Here the average density increases to 356 people per 1 sq. km. km. Within England itself, the main industrial belt of the country, stretched along the London-Liverpool axis, is most densely populated: half of the entire population of Great Britain lives in this belt. The most sparsely populated areas are in Scotland with its harsh natural conditions and less developed economy compared to other parts of the country. For 1 sq. km. It has an average population of 86, with the population concentrated mainly on the coasts, in the valleys and lowlands (especially around Glasgow and Edinburgh), while some highland areas are virtually deserted.

By the end of the nineteenth century. 3/4 of the population of Great Britain lived in cities, and the predominant type of population was already large conurbations. Since the beginning of the twentieth century. there is an intensive migration of rural residents to cities, where almost 4/5 of the country's population now lives. Drawing a line between urban and rural settlements in a highly urbanized country like the UK is difficult. Many villages have become the "bedrooms" of nearby towns, with villagers commuting daily to the towns for work.

There are about a thousand cities in the UK. Half of the country's urban population is concentrated in seven conurbations. One of them - Central Clydesgard (1.7 million people) - are located in Scotland, and the rest in England. These are Tynesad, which is home to 0.8 million people, West Midlands (2.4 million), South East Lancashire (2.3 million), West Yorkshire (1.7 million), Mersnside (1.3 million) and Greater London (7 million). Over 1/10 of city dwellers live in cities with a population of more than 200,000 people each, of which Sheffield and Edinburgh each have more than half a million inhabitants. 75 cities with a population of 50 to 100 thousand people belong to the average in the UK. Five conurbations and half of all large and medium-sized cities in the country are concentrated in an industrial belt along the London-Liverpool axis, which is partly called the metropolis.

One of the consequences of the development of conurbations and especially their central cities is an exorbitantly high population density. In this regard, measures are being taken to relieve them: part of the excess population is moving to the suburbs or to new expanding medium-sized cities.

In the "hierarchy" of British cities, London undoubtedly occupies a leading position as the capital, the main political and cultural center of the country, one of its largest industrial centers, the largest seaport and the leading city of the most important economic region of Great Britain - Southern England. In addition to London, many "capital" functions are performed by 10 more cities in Great Britain: Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast as the capitals of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland respectively; Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds and Bradford, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool as central conurbation cities and regional centres. In addition, over 150 cities, in terms of the number of inhabitants and the role they play in the life of nearby territories, are higher than the main mass of cities. These cities are called "City", all the rest - "town".

There are few countries in the world in which seaside cities occupy such an important place as in Great Britain, in which 44 out of 100 large cities are seaside. London arose primarily as a seaport for trade with continental European states; through Gul (Hull) trade has long been conducted with the countries of the basin Baltic Sea; Bristol and Liverpool served as "gateways to New World. Seaside resort towns are located near large industrial centers: Brighton and Margate - near London, Blackknul - at the Lankshire coal basin, Scarborough - on the coast of Yorkshire. All of the original development gravitated toward the sea. Near the coast, all specialized apartments were built, and even further - housing.

Much faster than other cities, in the last two centuries, the largest industrial centers grew near coal and iron ore deposits: Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Belfast, Middleborough, etc. The developing industry required more and more workers, and working quarters, hastily built up by speculators , were often slums from the start. Houses for workers were built according to a single standard. Most often, these are monotonous "terraces" - rows of houses of the same type standing back to back. The monotony of workers' quarters in industrial cities is broken only by the huge sooty buildings of factories and plants, warehouses and gas distribution stations. The railway here, as a rule, goes to the very center of the city and serves as its "skeleton". The old quarters of industrial cities are overgrown with new buildings, in which the industrial zone is separated from the residential area.

Until very recently, all cities in the UK have grown mainly in breadth, as low-rise buildings are cheaper and more in line with the tastes and traditions of the British. Until now, some are still reluctant to settle in apartment buildings, as this means living without their own, even a tiny, garden. Cities are expanding their territory more and more due to the growth of suburbs, absorbing the already scarce land resources. Only in the last decade, multi-storey apartment buildings began to appear in British cities, but housing in them is very expensive. Therefore, most Britons continue to live in old houses, many of which were built in the last century. The acute housing crisis, accompanied by rising rents, is one of the country's most serious social and economic problems.

In the UK, there are mainly two types of rural settlements. In the low-lying eastern part of England, the population lives predominantly in villages. The forms of villages are varied: more often a star-shaped plan, less often an ordinary, street layout.

Everywhere there are many medium-sized farms on which farming is carried out without the use of hired labor. Small-scale farming is concentrated mainly in Scotland and Wales. The densest network of villages is in North East Yorkshire, where they are often no more than 2.5 km away. from each other. The density of rural and semi-rural settlements is exceptionally high in the main industrial belt of the country and around the conurbations of Tynsad and Clydeside. Here, the settlements in which workers live, employed in the industrial enterprises of conurbations, are interspersed with villages, hamlets and individual farms.

Ministry of General and Vocational Education

Sverdlovsk region

State educational institution

initial vocational education

Vocational school for the training of trade workers

Economic-geographical

country profile

Great Britain

abstract

Executor:

Telitsyna M.M.

student of group No. 21

Supervisor:

geography teacher

Khorzova T.V.

Yekaterinburg

Introduction……………………………………………………………….…3

1. Territory, borders, position of the country…………………………....4

2. Natural conditions and resources………………………………………......5

3.Population………………………………………………………………….7

4.Economy and industry………………………………………...8

5.Agriculture…………………………………………………….11

6.Transport………………………………………………………………….12

7. Science and finance………………………………………………………….13

8. Recreation and tourism …………………………………………………….......15

9. Environmental protection and environmental problems…………....18

Conclusion ……………………………………………………………….19

Annex 1…………………………………………………………….20

Annex 2…………………………………………………………….21

Annex 3…………………………………………………………….22

Annex 4…………………………………………………………….23

Appendix 5…………………………………………………………….24

References…………………………………………………………25

Introduction

I chose the topic "Economic and geographical position of the UK" because it is the UK that is closer to me than all other countries, of course, not counting Russia. I would like to visit this country, its cultural places and learn more about it than my superficial knowledge.

To write an essay on this topic, you need to study four sources that accurately describe the position of Great Britain. And based on these sources, it is necessary, on the basis of the questions raised, to show the current state of the country and draw a conclusion about its state.

1. Territory, borders, position of the country

Great Britain (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) is an irregularly shaped archipelago with a very diverse landscape and nature. The area of ​​the UK is about 240,842 sq. km. Most of it is land, and the rest is rivers and lakes. The area of ​​England is 129,634 sq. km., Wales - 20,637 sq. km., Scotland - 77,179 sq. km. and Northern Ireland - 13,438 sq. km. The southern tip of the island of Great Britain, the Cornwall peninsula, is located at 50 ° N, and the northernmost part of the Shetland Islands archipelago is at 60 ° N. The length of the island of Great Britain from north to south is 966 km, and its greatest width is half that. 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. From the west, Great Britain is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and from the east - by the waters of the North Sea. From the south, Great Britain borders on France - the closest and most developed neighbor, which has common water borders with it. The shortest distance to the northern coast of France is the Strait of Dover, but the main communication between the states is through the English Channel, called the English Channel by the British, along the bottom of which a high-speed rail tunnel was built at the end of the twentieth century. Prior to this, communication between the two countries was carried out by water or air. Also, the closest neighbors of Great Britain are Belgium and the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Norway are located much further. Thus, the EGP of Great Britain is both neighboring and coastal, which is extremely beneficial for the economic development of the country, although it has some disadvantages in strategic and military terms.

2. Natural conditions and resources 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. The average temperature of the coldest month - January - does not fall below +3.5 degrees even in the extreme north-east of Great Britain, and in the south-west it reaches +5.5 degrees. snow in winter time falls throughout the country, but very unevenly. In the mountainous regions of Scotland, the snow cover lasts for at least 1-1.5 months. In the south of England, and especially in its southwest, snow falls very rarely and lasts no more than a week. Here the grass is green 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. Rivers as a source of energy are used only in the highlands of Scotland. The UK does not have a wide variety of minerals. Of particular importance hard coal, the total reserves of which amount to 190 billion tons. The largest reserves and production are three basins: Yorkshire and South Wales. In addition to these three largest stone coal basins An important role is played by the basins of Scotland, stretching in a chain from the western to the eastern edge of the Mid-Scottish Lowlands, as well as the Lancashire and West Midlands, consisting of a number of small deposits. There are small outcrops of coal seams on the coast of the Kimberland Peninsula and in the extreme southeast of England - the Kent Basin. In the 1960s, oil and gas fields were discovered in the North Sea shelf. Large deposits are located off the coast of southeast England and northeast Scotland. The UK is the sixth largest oil producer in the world. Oil reserves in the UK reach 770 million tons. In addition to large energy resources, Great Britain has significant reserves of iron ore. But their deposits are distinguished by a low content of metal in the ore (22-33%). The largest field is East Midland. Until recently, Great Britain provided half of its needs in this type of raw material with its own iron ore, the rest was bought through imports. Currently, the extraction of low-quality ore turned out to be unprofitable, so mining was curtailed and switched to importing high-quality ores from Sweden, Canada, Brazil and a number of African countries. In the past, small deposits of copper and lead-zinc ores, as well as tin, were mined in the UK. Their deposits are severely depleted and now production is very small. Mining some tungsten. Uranium ore found in Scotland. From non-metallic industrial raw materials, the extraction of kaolin or white clay is essential, as well as rock salt in Cheshire and Durham and potash in Yorkshire. The soil cover of the country is dominated by a variety of podzolic soils and brown soils. The most fertile meadow soils are near the Wash Bay. In general, the soils in Great Britain are highly cultivated and give high yields. The UK has a cultural landscape. Only in the mountainous regions of the country, natural vegetation has been preserved. The forests are dominated by broad-leaved species (oak, hornbeam, elm, beech) and only in Scotland - pine. Now only 9% of the territory of Great Britain is occupied by forests. However, the country appears to be very wooded, thanks to the hedgerows that surround the fields and meadows, as well as small areas of forest and numerous parks. Only the western coast, exposed to westerly winds carrying salty sea spray, is almost devoid of vegetation. Thus, due to the temperate oceanic climate in the UK, the grass is green all year round, i.e. soil productivity is high. The UK does not have a wide variety of minerals, however, some have played a huge role in shaping its industrial areas and the UK is now more of an importer than an exporter. 3. Population

The total population (according to 2008) is 61,113,205 people. Age structure: up to 14 years - 16.7%, 15-64 - 67.1%, from 65 and older - 16.2%. Average age men - 39 years, women - 41 years. The average composition of a family is 2 children and parents. The rural population is 11%, the density of the rural population is 242 people. per 1 km sq. The total number of economically active population is 29 million people. In cities with a population of St. 100 thousand people almost half of the country's population lives. The largest cities in terms of the number of inhabitants: London (6,803,000 people), Birmingham (935,000 people), Glasgow (654,000 people), Sheffield (500,000 people), Liverpool (450,000 people), Edinburgh (421 000 people), Manchester (398,000 people), Belfast (280,000 people). In the UK, the birth rate exceeds the death rate, a rapid birth rate can be seen in the table (Appendix 1) from 1976 to 2009. Indigenous people make up 92% of the population (2001, census), of which:

British - 83.6%,

Scots (mainly in Scotland) - 8.5%,

Welsh (mainly in Wales) - 4.9%,

Irish (mainly in Northern Ireland, Ulsters) - 2.9%.

Immigrants and their children reside mainly in the Greater London, West Midlands and Merseyside conurbations. They make up about 8% of the country's population, including:

• immigrants from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh - 3.6%,
• China - 0.4%,
• African countries - 0.8%,
• black people from the islands caribbean - 1 %

The current monarch is Elizabeth II, who began her reign on February 6, 1952. Her eldest son, Prince Charles, is her heir. The Prince of Wales performs various ceremonial functions, as does the Queen's husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. In addition, there are several more members of the august family: children, grandchildren and cousins. Thus, the population is growing due to labor immigrants from countries that have recently joined the European Union, who, after the enlargement of the EU in May 2004, were allowed free entry to work in the UK. Nevertheless, the birth rate in the country still exceeds the death rate, although natural increase is no longer the dominant factor in the increase in the British population.

4. Economy and industry

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks sixth among the top countries in terms of overall economic activity and in terms of gross domestic product (GDP). The country's economy is highly monopolized: the 100 largest TNCs control over 50% of industrial output and foreign trade. The UK industry provides 1/3 of the gross national product, it accounts for 1/3 of all employees. It uses mainly imported raw materials, and is increasingly oriented to the foreign market. On the one hand, the UK is characterized by rapid growth modern industries, using progressive production technology and labor organization, the latest equipment and perfect management methods, on the other hand, the old traditional industries are lagging behind. The country's largest industrial monopolies are Imperial Chemical Industries, or IKI, Unilever, British Leyland, and General Electric Company, which each employ 200,000 people. The main part of the industrial enterprises of Great Britain is concentrated in a densely populated industrial belt, including the counties from London to Lancashire and from West Yorkshire to Gloucestershire. The largest industrial areas outside this belt are South Wales, the northeast of England and the central part of Scotland. In areas where old industries and traditional industries developed, they became lagging behind or depressed. This is most of Scotland, Northern Ireland, almost all of Wales, the extreme northeast and part of the southwest of England. The main branch of the mining industry in Great Britain is coal mining. It has been going on for three centuries. In terms of coal reserves, Great Britain ranks third in Europe. As for the British oil refining industry, it is still dependent on imports of crude oil and petroleum products. There are 9 refineries in the country with a total capacity of about 90 million tons per year (in 1999, the Shell refinery in Shell Haven with a capacity of 4.3 million tons per year was closed). They are located at the mouth of the Thames, at Foley near Southampton, in south Wales, at the Manchester Canal, in Teesside, Humberside and in Scotland (Grangemouth). More than 80 gas fields with proven reserves of 2 trillion cubic meters have been discovered in the British North Sea zone. m 3 and recoverable - 0.8 trillion. m 3. Gas production at them began in the mid-60s, now 37 fields are being exploited, 1/2 of the production is produced by 7, among them are Lehman Bank, Brent, Morkham. Production volume for 1990–2003 increased from I to 103 billion m 3 . Foreign gas trade is negligible; in 2003, its exports amounted to 15, and imports - 8 billion m 3 . The gas pipeline, laid on the bottom of the North Sea, reaches the east coast of the island of Great Britain in the area of ​​Easington and Yorkshire. A major achievement of the British economy is that the entire manufacturing and consumer sectors are fully supplied with electricity. 86% of electricity is produced by thermal power plants, 12% by nuclear and 2% by hydroelectric power plants. The vast majority of thermal power plants run on coal, but in last years some of them go to oil. The largest thermal power plants (with a capacity of more than 1 million kW) are located on the River Trent and near London. Hydro stations are usually small, located mainly in the Scottish Highlands. Iron ore is mined in a relatively narrow belt that starts at Scunthorpe in Yorkshire in the north and runs through the East Midlands to Banbury in the south. The ore here is of low quality, siliceous and contains only 33% of the metal. Need in iron ore covered by imports from Canada, Liberia and Mauritania. Ferrous metallurgy has been greatly developed.
Today, the UK ranks eighth in the world in iron and steel smelting. The state corporation British Steel produces almost all the steel for the country. 4 metallurgical districts have survived, of which only one is located in the center of the country: Sheffield-Rotherham, with its specialization in high-quality steel and electric steel, the rest - on the coast in ports (in South Wales - Port Talbot, Llanvern, in Humbersay - de - Scunthorpe , in Teesside - Redcar). Engineering, the largest branch of British industry, employs 1/4 of all those employed in the manufacturing industry. The industry accounts for 40% of conditionally pure products of the manufacturing industry. Transport engineering dominates. About 1/3 of the capital spent on the production of means of transport belongs to American companies that have established themselves in the British Isles after the Second World War. There are enterprises in this industry in almost all areas and in most cities in the UK. Electrical engineering is one of the growing and developing industries, it ranks second among the manufacturing industries in terms of the number of employees. Several very large companies dominate electrical engineering: General Electric, English Electric, and Associated Electric Industries. The position of the UK in the production of turbines and electric motors is still quite strong. But now electronics is dominating. The production of computer technology is developing most dynamically, but the main positions here are occupied by American capital, and in the production of consumer electronics - by Japanese capital. British firms are traditionally strong in the production of electronic equipment (radar, radio transmitters) and communications. Aircraft manufacturing is one of the fastest growing engineering industries in the UK. This industry is dominated by the state's largest firm, British Airspace. It specializes in the production of a wide range of various aircraft, helicopters, spacecraft, missiles. Helicopters are manufactured by another large firm, Westland Aircraft. Almost all the production of aircraft engines in the country is concentrated in the hands of the nationalized company Rolls-Royce, which has factories in Derby, Bristol, Coventry, and also in Scotland. Cooperation with Western European and American companies in the production of civil and military equipment is widely developed. The newest productions of the chemical industry are also among the rapidly developing industries. About 1/3 of products basic chemistry are inorganic chemicals - sulfuric acid, oxides of metals and non-metals. Among the many chemical industries the production of synthetic fibers, various types of plastics, new dyes, pharmaceutical products and detergents began to stand out on a large scale. British chemistry is based on oil and gas raw materials and specializes in a fairly limited number of chemicals. The industries traditional for the British economy, such as the textile industry, are also developing. From industries light industry it has a special role in the industrial development of the country, in the spread of the machine mode of production throughout the world. Woolen fabrics are produced mainly in West Yorkshire, rayon production prevails in the Yorkshire city of Silesden, and cotton fabrics in Lancashire, in small textile towns north-east of Manchester. The production of woolen fabrics, products, yarn is the oldest in the British Isles. The woolen products of British textile workers are still highly valued in foreign markets today. In the structure of the manufacturing industry, the paper and printing industries (13.9%), food and tobacco (13.8%) have the largest share. The food and flavor industry over the past half century has become one of the main areas of concentration of British capital: of the 40 corporations in the country that are members of the "Club 500" of the largest companies in the world, this industry is represented by a dozen, led by Unilever, Diageo and Cadbury Schweppes. Food concentrates, confectionery, drinks (including tea, Scotch whiskey and London gin), and tobacco products are highly competitive on the world market. The placement of the largest enterprises is focused on markets, including external ones. Thus, the UK ranks sixth among countries in terms of the overall scale of economic activity, in terms of GDP and industrial production.

5.Agriculture

In recent decades, the scientific and technical level and productivity of the national agro-industrial complex has significantly increased in the development of agriculture. The provision of the country at the expense of local resources is steadily growing, and in the post-war period it has risen from 1/3 to 4/5, full self-sufficiency has been achieved in such products as milk, the provision is high in eggs, poultry meat, wheat, oats, barley, potatoes; fruits, butter, sugar, cheeses are imported. Under the conditions prevailing in the EU, you have to pay more for imported products in comparison with the possibilities of importing food from the former colonies, which gives rise to constant contradictions between the UK and other EU members. Agriculture in the UK is currently one of the most productive and mechanized in the world. The share of employment in the industry is 2% of the total employment in the country. The total area of ​​agricultural land is 58.3 million hectares (76% of all land in the country). The structure of agricultural production is dominated by animal husbandry. Dairy and meat and dairy cattle breeding, pig breeding (bacon fattening), meat sheep breeding and poultry farming are also developed. England is one of the world's largest suppliers of sheep's wool. Traditionally, animal husbandry is concentrated in river basins. However, animal husbandry suffered great damage in 2001 due to livestock diseases - first with spongiform encephalopathy (“mad cow disease”), and then with foot and mouth disease. In crop production, almost 60% of arable land is occupied by perennial grasses, more than 28% - by grain crops (including 15% - wheat, 11% - barley); 12% - under technical (rapeseed, sugar beet, flax) and fodder crops (including potatoes), as well as vegetable gardens and berry fields. The main agricultural areas are East Anglia and the South East. There are many orchards in the country. Agriculture enjoys great state support and receives subsidies from the EU budget. For such products as: wheat, barley, oats and pork, production volumes exceed consumption; for such as: potatoes, beef, lamb, wool, sugar and eggs - the volume of production is lower than the volume of consumption. Thus, many essential UK products have to be imported from other countries. They import 4/5 of butter, 2/3 of sugar, half of wheat and bacon, 1/4 of the beef and veal consumed in the country.

6.Transport

Great Britain is an island state, therefore all its external transportation and trade are connected with sea and air transport. About 9/10 of the total cargo turnover falls on maritime transport, including 1/4 - on cabotage. All areas of Great Britain, except for the West Midlands, are in one way or another directly connected with seaports, which serve as the main transport hubs. The largest of them are London, Southampton, Liverpool, Hull and Harwich, with the London and Liverpool seaports handling about half of all cargo (by value). Great Britain is connected with the continent by a tunnel under the English Channel, two railway ferries (Dover - Dunkirk and Harwich - Ostend), and numerous sea car and passenger ferries - with Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Holland and France. Road transport plays the most important role in domestic freight transport. The dominant role in domestic transportation is occupied by road transport - 85% of passenger traffic and 81% of freight traffic. The territory of Great Britain is covered with a dense network of highways. The length of paved roads is 406.4 thousand km. Unlike other developed countries in the UK, with a high density of roads, only 4% are modern motorways, which attract 36% of traffic flows. The most intensive traffic is on the axial motorway London - Birmingham - Manchester - Glasgow. Both London and Glasgow have subways. To increase competitiveness, electrification of railways was carried out (1/3 of the lines), express trains for passengers and cargo were launched on the main directions. The government is implementing various organizational measures to modernize this mode of transport. The importance of river transport is declining. The length of waterways is 3.2 thousand km. Inland waterways (rivers and a network of canals) are now mainly used for recreational purposes only. Cargo transportation is carried out mainly within the deep-sea estuaries of the Mersey, Thames, Severn, and Humber. Air transport is developing rapidly. Since the 1980s air transportation of passengers and cargo has more than tripled. British Airways is a leading international airline. There are about 450 civilian airports in the country - the largest of them is Heathrow. The pipeline transport network is rapidly expanding; it is connected to gas pipelines coming from the fields of the North Sea; the total length of pipelines is 3.9 thousand km. - up to 75% of oil is delivered to land through oil pipelines.

Thus, transport in the UK plays an important role in domestic freight and passenger transport. So the tunnel under the English Channel with two rail ferries transports 60-80% of the total population per day.

7. Science and finance

Great is the contribution of Great Britain to the treasury of world science, primarily to the development of the natural and technical sciences. Among the outstanding scientists - physicists, chemists, biologists: I. Newton, R. Boyle, R. Hooke, J. Joule, M. Faraday, J. Maxwell, C. Darwin, Cavendish, E. Rutherford. World famous works of British philosophers, sociologists, historians, economists: R. Bacon, T. More, Fr. Bacon, T. Hobbes, I. Bentham, W. Petty, A. Smith, D. Riccardo, J. Mill, R. Owen, T. R. Malthus, A. Marshall, J. M. Keynes, B. Russell. Over 70 British scientists have been awarded Nobel Prizes. The UK accounts for approximately 4.5% of the world's spending on science, 8% of all scientific publications. The importance of science in the UK can be seen from the changes that have taken place in education. Technical schools and colleges, as well as continuing education programs at other institutions, seek to increase the number of professional scientific workers. Schools work closely with industry. Manchester Council for scientific research brings together university scientists and members of the Chamber of Commerce. The University of Sheffield conducts industrial research in the field of glass technology, and in Cheshire in the use of radio telescopes. Over 200 in the UK scientific institutions and organizations that produce more than 400 scientific periodicals. As for the libraries, let's name the main ones. The British Museum Library in London (over 10 million volumes), the Cambridge University Library (over 3.5 million volumes), the Bodleian Library in Oxford (over 4.5 million volumes), and the Scottish National Library in Edinburgh (over 4 million volumes), National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth (more than 2 million volumes). Copies of all published books go, in accordance with the law, to the British Museum for copyright, as well as to other libraries, if they receive requests for these publications. The largest libraries are located at the universities of London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, St. Andrews, Royal (in Belfast), John Ryland (in Manchester), at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Museum of Natural History. Important collections of special editions are held at the Patent Office, India House, Public Records Office, Royal geographical society, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, the Royal College of Music, the Royal Academy of Music, the Council of the Arts, the National Book League, the National Archives, the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Institute of Modern History (Wiener Library) and the National Library for the Blind. There are about 500 public library boards with over 40,000 branches and lending out over 400 million books a year. The delivery of books on specially equipped vehicles is becoming increasingly popular for remote areas. Collections of books are supplemented large quantity video and audio materials. British companies have cut their R&D (Research and Development) spending. According to this indicator, the UK ranks fifth among the seven leading industrialized countries. In the field of high technology, British firms are ahead of Japanese and German companies, but behind the US and France. This situation is caused not only by a decrease in the level of development funding from the companies themselves, but also by a reduction in support from the state. The Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Finance are developing a joint policy to increase investment in R&D and to optimize the process of introducing research results into all sectors of the country's economy. The fact that the Ministry of Finance is involved underscores the attention that the government is paying to solving this problem. The two ministries lead the working groups involved in the restructuring of the process of organizing and financing British R&D. The Chief Treasurer of the Treasury sponsors a group led by the director of British Biotech. The group is looking into R&D funding in high-tech companies, and in particular upstream funding. The Ministry of Trade and Industry sponsors the Tech-Stars group to overcome barriers to the development of small and medium-sized firms in the field of high technology. The Minister of Science leads a working group on inventive activity and the implementation of inventions in industry. The Investment Working Group, chaired by Lord Hollick, is busy looking at the constraints to investment in R&D. All groups include representatives of banking circles, joint capital and firms in the fields of production and services. Thus, scientific and technical programs have been developed and are being implemented, aimed at solving the pressing problems of industry and society, which include: the creation of a promising vehicle of the future; reducing the level of pollution in large cities of the country; creation of promising materials for industry; genetic and ecological balance of human health; an integrated approach to the problems of aging. And the role of science in the UK is very significant.

8. Recreation and tourism

For most visits to the UK, a multi-entry visitor visa is issued for a period of 6 months. In some cases, a visitor visa may be issued for a single visit. Russian citizens, thanks to a concession under the UK Immigration Rules, may not receive a transit visa and leave the airport transit area if they stay in the UK for no more than 24 hours. In cooking, the British are as committed to tradition as in many other things. An English day for centuries begins with a traditional breakfast: scrambled eggs with fried bacon, fried tomatoes, mushrooms, sausages and black pudding. Nowadays, oatmeal and corn flakes are more commonly served. After breakfast, tea and toasted toast with orange jam are sure to be waiting for you. Lunch, or second breakfast, is served at half past two, followed by tea or a light lunch at 5 o'clock and dinner at 7. Snacks and sandwiches are very popular - triangular sandwiches have already become one of the many English traditions. Puree soups and broths are common among the first courses, but they are rarely served, they are not an integral part of the daily meal. Spices and herbs are used very rarely. The British eat a lot of meat: beef, veal, lamb, pork. It is baked whole with blood or cut into steaks and fried in a pan. Meat is served with gravy, roasted vegetables (usually potatoes) and pickles. Of the intoxicating drinks, beer is especially popular - black ale and porter, and draft beer is especially appreciated, as well as whiskey, gin, brandy, rum, port wine. Accommodations in the UK are divided into three types:

• Hotel - a hotel where a full service for accommodation is provided;
• B&B and Inn - guest accommodation providing the necessary service for overnight stays and breakfasts;
• Motel - budget or roadside hotels, informal accommodation options with a very limited range of services. run by private entrepreneurs and have limited opportunities for businessmen.

In addition to star rating, hotels (Hotel) can be assigned specific names. MetroHotel (metro hotel). Does not offer hot meals to guests, but should be within walking distance of eating places. CountryHouseHotel (country home hotel). The hotel should have a small park or garden - secluded and quiet. SmallHotel (mini-hotel). The maximum number of rooms is 20. Usually these hotels are run by private entrepreneurs and have limited opportunities for businessmen. The main sights of England and the whole of Great Britain are, of course, located in London, where, for example, in the City area, tradition and modernity are combined. And also in the capital of Scotland - Edinburgh. Big Ben ( appendix 1) - This is a huge clock that stands on the tower of St. Stephen. This clock, located on the tower of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, is recognizable by sound and heard all over the world, because their beat is broadcast on BBC radio every hour. Tourists are not allowed to enter Big Ben, to get to the very top of the ninety-six-meter tower you can go along a very narrow spiral staircase. After passing all three hundred and thirty-four steps, you can get to a small open area, this is where the legendary bell is located. Big Ben is one bell. It is over two meters high and three meters in diameter. British museum(Appendix 2) - British Library, reading room The British Museum, which is a huge cylindrical room. All the walls of this room are lined with books. Buckingham Palace(Appendix 3) - Buckingham Palace is located opposite the marble gilded monument to Queen Victoria opposite Pall Mall. If the Queen is in the palace, then the royal flag flies on the roof of the palace. At the request of the Queen's ancestor, King George IV, the palace was built according to architectural project John Nash. The cost of building reached seven hundred pounds due to the mass of excesses of this kind, such as, for example, five hundred marble blocks with veins from Carrara Edinburgh castle(Appendix 4) Edinburgh Castle is located in the heart of the city, so it is visible from everywhere. None of the passing tourists can pass by. Because the castle has a huge height. But in addition to entertainment, it attracts with its age and historical significance. Stonehenge. The giant structure in the center of Europe - Stonehenge - is a stone mystery. In general, Stonehenge is a giant structure that includes 82 five-ton megaliths, 30 stone blocks of 25 tons and 5 huge triliths weighing 50 tons. Stone blocks are stacked in the form of arches pointing to the cardinal directions. Until recently, scientists believed that this structure was erected in 3100 BC by the tribes of the British Isles in order to observe the Sun and Moon. But recently this idea has been revisited. London parks- this is a special attraction, which is a green spot in the very center of the city, with an area of ​​more than three hundred hectares. The huge size of the parks, their length creates the illusion of an untouched landscape of nature, creating an environment that comes into contrast with the super-urban landscape of the city. The significance of parks in restoring the atmosphere of central London is enormous, which is why they are called the "lungs of London". Museum of Z. Freud. Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, lived in this house since 1938 with his family after fleeing Austria from the Nazi regime. Until 1982, the youngest daughter of Freud, also a psychoanalyst, lived here. Now it houses both a museum and a research center. Tower of London. In a book dedicated to the 900th anniversary of the Tower, the Duke of Edinburgh wrote: "Throughout its history, the Tower of London has been both a fortress, and a palace, and a repository of royal jewels, and an arsenal, and mint, and a prison, and an observatory, and a zoo, and a place that attracts tourists." Ferris wheel(LondonEye) is a large, tallest Ferris wheel in the world. Such a gift to Londoners and guests of the city was made by 2000. The Ferris wheel has 32 cabins, each of which is designed for 25 people, a full turn of the wheel takes half an hour. The construction of a huge Ferris wheel was financed by British Airlways. From a height of one hundred and thirty-five meters, a wonderful view of London opens up; if the weather is favorable, you can see the city with its surroundings within a radius of forty kilometers. Saint's Cathedral Paul- This is the residence of the Bishop of London, as well as the spiritual center of the City. The architect Sir Christopher Wren watched the construction of the cathedral from the windows of his house, which was located on the opposite bank of the river. From there he could see the work at the top of Ludgate Hill. The construction of this masterpiece lasted for thirty-five years. Sherlock Holmes' house built in 1815. The British government declared it an architectural and historical monument of the second category. From 1860 until 1934, the house was a private property, there was a boarding house, but with the acquisition of the building by the International Society, it became the home of Sherlock Holmes. windsor palace- this castle, which is visible from the side of Windsor Park, the great people found it very romantic. To the left of it is the Round Tower. The architect Geoffrey Whiteville for his creation in 1828 was awarded his work in the estate of knights. Westminster Abbey – its beauty has been painstakingly created by generations of members of the royal family, beginning with Edward the Confessor, who ascended the throne in 1040. It is a pity that the church he built was consecrated only in 1065, when the king became weak and could not attend the consecration ceremony. The following year, on Christmas Day, the coronation of William the Conqueror took place in the church. Thus, in the UK, tradition and modernity, traditions in cooking, religion and cultural values, and modernity in education, upbringing of young generations and social development have merged.

9. Environmental protection and environmental issues

Today, a three-year project to create a database of building materials is at the last stage of implementation. The project is supported by 24 trade organizations involved in the production and supply of building materials, and is aimed at improving their quality, service life and checking how they meet the principles of energy saving, environmental protection and human health. Latest sociological research show about 70% of respondents believe that the state of the environment in their living quarters needs to be improved. Therefore, the Institute of Construction is going to publish recommendations for construction companies on how they can improve the quality of buildings being built and their compliance with environmental requirements. In order to attract construction firms to participate in this important matter for all, the institute plans to publish a book " Environment. Competition. Profit", which will include data on all firms that are serious about protecting the environment. The UK is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Under the Kyoto Protocol commitments, the country has already reduced emissions by 12.5% ​​compared to 1990 and plans to reach 20% in 2010. It is planned that 33% of household waste will be recycled or used as fertilizer by 2015. The recycling of household waste increased from 8.8% to 10.3% between 1999 and 2000. The UK has ratified international agreements such as: environmental protection”, “on air pollution” (nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, organic compounds), “on protection natural environment Antarctica”, “On the Conservation of Marine Resources of Antarctica”. Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Kyoto Protocol on Desertification, Hazardous Waste, Marine Convention, test ban nuclear weapons, "on the protection of whales" and others. Thus, by signing the above treaties and agreements, the UK seeks to reduce and partially eliminate the environmental problem.

Conclusion

This essay is written using four sources, having studied which I can conclude that now the UK is a highly developed state, one of the leading world powers. In terms of industrial production, it ranks fifth in the world after the USA, Japan, Germany and France. But it hasn't been done yet. In Britain, mining is underway, the development of new methods for extracting the latter. Due to the fact that Britain is an island nation, it remains one of the largest maritime powers at the present time. Due to its economic and geographical position, there are still development options in the UK. Given country can only develop and improve its position in the world.

Attachment 1

1-1976; 2-1998; 3-2004; 4-2005; 5-2007; 6-2009

Annex 2

Annex 3

Appendix 4

Appendix 5

Bibliography:

1 .Internet "Great Soviet Encyclopedia". Editor-in-Chief S.I. Vavilov. State scientific publishing house "Big Soviet Encyclopedia". Volume number 7. 1951.2.Internet Handbook "Countries of the World". 1976. Moscow. Publishing house of political literature.3.Internet Encyclopedia for children. "Avanta+". Volume 13. “Countries. Peoples. Civilizations. 1999.

Soviet encyclopedic Dictionary. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia
1979.- p.204.

Located between 49°57` and 60°49` north latitude; 1°46` east longitude and 8°00` west longitude.

Great Britain is an island state; consists of the island of Great Britain and the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland (they are separated by a narrow North Strait), as well as smaller islands (the most significant of them are Anglesey, White, Orkney, Hebrides, Shetland). Great Britain includes the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea and the Channel Islands, located in the English Channel off the coast of France, enjoying internal autonomy. The British Isles (as they are usually called and) are washed by the waters of the North Sea. They are separated from mainland Europe only by the narrow straits of the Pas de Calais (in the UK - the Strait of Dover) and the English Channel (English Channel). Great Britain is connected with a tunnel 48 km long, of which 37 km passes under. The coastline - 12,429 km - is heavily indented, replete with bays and bays - convenient parking for ships. The largest bays are Bristol, Cardigan, Solway Firth, Firth of Clyde, Moray Firth, Firth of Forth, Wash. Great Britain shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland; its length is 360 km.

Most of the UK is characterized by rugged terrain. Mountainous terrain prevails in the north and west. In the northern part of the island, mountains rise from 840 to 1300 m above sea level (the highest peak is Ben Nevis - 1340 m). The North Scottish Highlands are separated from the South Scottish Highlands by the Mid-Scottish Lowland less than 100 km wide. Mountain ranges cover almost the entire western part of the island, especially Wales and Cornwall. The middle part of northern England is occupied by the Pennines, which separate the Lancashire lowlands in the west from the Yorkshire lowlands in the east. The southern half of Great Britain consists of plains separated by hills and uplands.

The UK has significant reserves. Among them - oil, natural gas, coal, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, copper, silica. Offshore oil reserves are estimated at 1,430 million tons; most of them are located in the North Sea, east and northeast of and east of Shetland and Orkney; the largest offshore fields are Fortis and Brent, on the mainland - Witchfarm in Dorset. Natural gas reserves reach 1710 billion m3, the main deposits are located in the North Sea off the east coast of England. The main coal deposits (substantially depleted) are Yorkshire - Derby - Nottinghamshire Basin in East Middland, Northumberland - Durham Basin in the northeast of England.

The soil cover of Great Britain is quite diverse. Brown forest, podzolic soils predominate. Carbonate, alluvial, acidic soils, peatlands are widespread.

The climate of Great Britain is temperate, humid, oceanic. Thanks to the North Atlantic Current and warm winds blowing from the Atlantic Ocean, the UK generally has mild winters. But these same winds explain cloudy weather, frequent rains and. The average temperature in January is 3-7°С, in July 11-17°С, the amount of annual precipitation is 550-800 mm in the southeast, 3000 mm in the mountainous western and northern regions. Most precipitation falls from October to January, less - in February-March.

In the UK there is a large number of rivers and lakes. The longest river - Severn (328 km) - originates in the mountains of Wales and flows into Bristol Bay (west coast). The Lancashire lowlands are crossed by the Mersey, which flows into Liverpool Bay. The main river of the east coast - the Thames (336 km) - flows through the most densely populated areas of southeast England. The Mid-Scottish Lowlands are also rich in rivers. The longest of them is the Clyde (157 km), originating in the South Scottish Highlands and flowing into the Firth of Clyde (west coast), and the Fort, flowing into the Firth of Forth (east coast). There are many lakes in the north of the country. The largest is Loch Nih in Northern Ireland - 396 km2. The deepest is Loch Morir in the North Scottish Highlands (310 m).

The flora of Great Britain is diverse - 9% of the territory is covered with forests. Broad-leaved forests predominate - oak, beech, birch. There are many coniferous forests in Scotland - spruce, larch. Heathlands are widespread. In the south of the country there are evergreen Mediterranean plant species. Plants vegetate all year round.

There are about 30 thousand species of animals in Great Britain. Among them are foxes, hares, red squirrels, otters, black rats, mink, reptiles and amphibians. Of the 200 bird species, the most common are sparrows, finches, starlings, crows, kingfishers, robins, and tits. In rivers, lakes and coastal sea ​​waters numerous species of fish are found - cod, haddock, whiting, herring, salmon, trout.

The area is 244.8 thousand km2. Population - 60.4 million people

A constitutional monarchy is a unitary state with autonomous entities (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands). Capital -. London

EGP

Great Britain is an island state in the northeastern part. Atlantic Ocean, from the mainland. Europe is separated by a strait. English Channel. Except the island. Great Britain, it includes the north-eastern part of the island. Ireland and a number of small islands. In the west, the state borders with. Ireland, which was a colony for more than 700 years. UK her. The nearest neighbors on the mainland -. France i. B elgium. UK is a member. EU,. NATO and other integration associations, which contributes to the development of pan-European cooperation.

UK is central state. The Commonwealth is a political and economic association of countries and territories that were previously part of. British. Empires (49 states and territories) in the composition. The Commonwealth includes 14 states, among them such highly developed ones as. Canada,. Australia,. New. Zealand*.

Location. Great Britain on the islands contributes to the development of maritime transport and access to international maritime trade routes. A tunnel laid at the narrowest point of the strait. English Channel, connects. Great Britain with the mainland. This greatly improves it. EGGP.

Population

In terms of population, the country ranks second among European countries after. Germany. For. Great Britain has long been characterized by low natural population growth, which today is more than 1 per 1,000 people per year. For several years, even a slight decrease in the population of the state was observed. Right now in. Britain's population is slowly growing due to the insignificant nature of one increase and the influx of foreigners. The low birth rate against the background of a significant average life expectancy (78 years) leads to the aging process of the nation.

The national composition of the population is motley. More than 80% are British, about 4% - Welsh (Welsh), 2% - Irish, about 5.2% - Scots and over 4% - immigrants from the states. Commonwealth and others. From the middle of the XX century about. 3000 people from Ukraine. Residents by religion. Great Britain belong to three denominations: the British and the Welsh are supporters of the Protestant Anglican Church; the Irish are Catholics; Scots are Protestants (Presbyterians).

Placed population. Great Britain on the territory unevenly. The average population density is about 240 people per 1 km2. The highest population density in England (350 people per 1 km2), the smallest in. Scotland India (more than 100 people per 1 km2). More than 90% of the population lives in cities. For. Great Britain is characterized by large agglomerations with a population of over 1 million people, in which one third of the urban population lives. Together with smaller agglomerations (about 30 in all) they form. English metropolis with population. 3 million people. Bridge-millionaire two -. London (7.6 million people) i. Birmingham. Countryside in the way I live, I differ little from Mrs. Mist.

In the structure of employment of the population, about 80% are employed in the service sector, 19% - in industry and 1% - in agriculture. There is unemployment in the country, on average it reaches 5.5% annually.

Natural conditions and resources

. Island. Great Britain is rich in coal resources, whose reserves are currently very depleted. Largest coal basins -. Yorkshire, Newcastle (Northern England) and. Welsh. Oil and gas reserves are significant (the shelf of the North Sea). B. British sector. The North Sea contains significant deposits of oil and natural gas. Great Britain is the only European country of the "Big Seven" that fully meets its needs with its own oil and natural gas

The Nadra Islands contain small reserves of iron ore in the central coastal parts of the state, lead-zinc and tin ores on the peninsula. Cornwall (southwest. Great Britain). In the central parts. England has deposits of table and potash salts.

The state is relatively rich in water resources (the humid climate contributes to the full flow of the rivers). Only in the center. England is in short supply water resources. Insignificant water resources are concentrated in the rivers. S. Scotland and. Wales.

Forest reserves in the country are insignificant. Only 10% of its territory is covered with forests and only 15% of the timber demand is covered by its own resources.

The country is dominated by a flat terrain. Significant areas are occupied by old destroyed mountains (Cambrian, Peninsky), which do not have a significant impact on the nature of the development of the territory

The country's climate is temperate maritime with mild winters and cool summers. It contributes to the cultivation of all crops of the temperate zone. On the western coast of the island, 2000 mm of precipitation falls, and on the eastern coast - 600 mm of precipitation on the river.

The UK has limited farmland resources. The soils of the state are quite fertile (brown forest, podzolic), but require a significant amount of mineral and organic fertilizers.

In the north. Scotland hosts a large lake district, characterized by significant recreational resources

1. Compare on the map the EGP of Germany and Great Britain. What are the benefits of the UK PGP?

Germany and the UK occupy a favorable EGP, although there are certain differences between them. Germany is located at the crossroads of transport routes, the most important of which have a latitudinal direction. They are the shortest paths from the countries Western Europe to Central. Of particular importance for the country is direct access to North Sea, on the coast of which there are several ports of world importance (Hamburg).

Great Britain is an island state. It is located at the crossroads of international sea routes. The EGP of the country has improved after the completion of the construction of the tunnel, which is laid in the narrowest part of the English Channel and connects about. Great Britain with the mainland.

2. What factors contributed to the development of the country's economy? To answer, involve knowledge of geography, history.

Great Britain is an island state. The nodal position on the most important lines of shipping and world trade, passing through the English Channel and Pas de Calais, provides extensive links with the regions of the world.

Mild winters and cool summers, a significant amount of precipitation make it possible to grow all crops of the temperate zone, although the soils are not very fertile.

The mineral resources of Great Britain are diverse (coal, metal ores, etc.), but their long-term exploitation has led to the exhaustion or depletion of many of them. The “gift” for the country was the discovery of oil and gas fields in the North Sea, thanks to which the UK (along with Norway) has become the largest producer and exporter of oil and gas among European countries.

Before late XIX in. this country was the most powerful empire in the world, the birthplace of capitalism and the earliest industrial revolution.

3. Choose the correct statements:

1) In the UK, 9/10 of cargo turnover is in the navy.

2) The structure of agriculture in the UK is dominated by crop production.

3) The country is characterized by low natural population growth.

4) 90% of UK residents live in cities.

4. What causes the aging of the country's population?

The aging of the country's population is due to low birth rates.

5. Give a description of one of the UK industries (optional) according to the plan given on p. 119-120.

In the largest branch of British industry - engineering, 25% of all employed in the manufacturing industry work. Transport engineering dominates. Now, in terms of car production, Great Britain ranks 8th in the world (1296 thousand cars and 273 thousand trucks). On average, 40% of automotive products are exported. The UK is the world's largest exporter of trucks. Some brands of British cars (Land Rover, Rolls-Royce) have become the standard of the automotive industry. Almost all mass-produced cars and trucks are produced by several of the largest British Leyland automobile companies, plants of the international American company Chrysler U.K. and subsidiaries of the American firms Vauxhall and Ford. The first major automotive industry in the British Isles was the West Midlands, centered on Birmingham. The second area was the south-east of England (with centers in Oxford, Luton and Dagenel). In connection with the government measures to decentralize industry, three new car factories were built in Merseyside and two in Scotland (outskirts of Glasgow and Edinburgh). One of the fastest growing branches of engineering is aircraft manufacturing. The dominant company here is British Airspace. Helicopters are manufactured by another large firm, Wesland Aircraft. Almost all the production of aircraft engines in the country is concentrated in the hands of the Rolls-Royce company, which has factories in Derby, Bristol, Coventry and the cities of Scotland. In terms of aircraft production, Great Britain is second only to the United States in the world. It produces about 20 types of vehicles: military, passenger, cargo and small aircraft for special purposes. Together with the French, the Concorde supersonic passenger liner was created. Great Britain is also known for its shipbuilding. Shipbuilding is varied and of high quality, but the British build ships slowly and are very expensive. Tankers, passenger liners, barges, excavators, trawlers, submarines, icebreakers, seabed drilling rigs, and yachts leave the stocks of British shipyards. The largest center of shipbuilding in the British Isles is the mouth of the River Clyde in Scotland. Two other major centers are located on the rivers Wear and Tyne. In Northern Ireland, the largest shipyard in Europe has been built on Queens Island. However, this branch of the British economy is currently in crisis.

6. What is the structure of agriculture? What is it due to?

The country's agriculture is highly commercial, specialized, capitalist. The share of agriculture, forestry and fisheries in the structure of GDP (1991) - 1.8%. Agriculture employs 2% of the population. 19 million hectares are used for agricultural production. Almost all land is cultivated by farmers. The area of ​​land occupied by one farm is approximately 100 hectares. However, there are also huge agricultural associations, the lands of which reach 1600 hectares. The main branch of animal husbandry is the breeding of highly productive beef and dairy cattle. Animal products provide 70% of the value of agricultural products. The livestock areas are the highlands of Wales, Northern England and Scotland. The main part of arable land is located in the eastern part of the island of Great Britain, where there is relatively little rainfall, low-lying and fertile soils. Oats, barley and wheat are sown from grain crops. Areas under corn have increased. The traditional crop - potatoes - is widespread everywhere. Fodder beet and cabbage are also grown for livestock feed. Kitchen gardens, orchards and greenhouses occupy 1.5% of agricultural land and provide 12% of the value of agricultural products. An important branch of crop production is the cultivation of flowers - pale yellow daffodils, "Dutch" tulips, hyacinths, etc. Fishing plays an important role in the country's economy. The main fishing ports are located on the east coast, close to which in the North Sea is the shoal of Dogger Bank, where about 2 million tons of fish are caught per year. The fishing fleet consists of 11 thousand vessels.