Read the text below and elicit the main geographical features of the country.

Great Britain

Lesson 1. A geographical outline of Great Britain

Lead in

1. Answer the following questions:

a) What countries constitute the UK?

b) What countries does Great Britain comprise?

с) What is the population of Great Britain?

d) How many islands are there in Britain?

e) What are the famous towns and cities of great Britain?

f) What is the residence of the Prime Minister?

g) How many people in Britain are involved in farming?

h) Can you name any national parks of Britain?

i) What are the most popular tourist destinations in Britain?

 

2. Watch the video An Introduction to Britain and check your ideas

Reading

Read the text below and elicit the main geographical features of the country.

The United Kingdom is a sovereign state located off the north-western coast of continental Europe. With a total area of approximately 243,610 square kilometres (94,060 sq mi), the UK occupies the major part of the British Isles archipelago and includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern one-sixth of the island of Ireland and many smaller surrounding islands. The mainland areas lie between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea with the south-east coast coming within 35 km of the north-west coast of France, from which it is separated by the English Channel. The coastline of Great Britain is 17,820 km long. It is connected to continental Europe by the Channel Tunnel, which at 50 km (38 km underwater) is the longest underwater tunnel in the world.

England accounts for just over half of the total area of the UK, covering 130,395 square kilometres. Most of the country consists of lowland terrain, with mountainous terrain north-west of the Tees-Exe line; including the Cumbrian Mountains of the Lake District, the Pennines and limestone hills of the Peak District, Exmoor and Dartmoor. The main rivers and estuaries are the Thames, Severn and the Humber. England's highest mountain is Scafell Pike (978 metres) in the Lake District. Its principal rivers are the Severn, Thames, Humber, Tees, Tyne, Tweed, Avon, Exe and Mersey.

Scotland accounts for just under a third of the total area of the UK, covering 78,772 square kilometres and including nearly eight hundred islands, predominantly west and north of the mainland; notably the Hebrides, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands. The topography of Scotland is distinguished by the Highland Boundary Fault – a geological rock fracture – which traverses Scotland from Arran in the west to Stonehaven in the east. The faultline separates two distinctively different regions; namely the Highlands to the north and west and the lowlands to the south and east. The more rugged Highland region contains the majority of Scotland's mountainous land, including Ben Nevis which at 1,343 metres is the highest point in the British Isles. Lowland areas – especially the narrow waist of land between the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth known as the Central Belt – are flatter and home to most of the population including Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, and Edinburgh, its capital and political centre.

Wales accounts for less than a tenth of the total area of the UK, covering 20,779 square kilometres. Wales is mostly mountainous, though South Wales is less mountainous than North and mid Wales. The main population and industrial areas are in South Wales, consisting of the coastal cities of Cardiff, Swansea and Newport, and the South Wales Valleys to their north. The highest mountains in Wales are in Snowdonia and include Snowdon which, at 1,085 metres, is the highest peak in Wales. The 14, or possibly 15, Welsh mountains over 3,000 feet high are known collectively as the Welsh 3000s. Wales has over 2,704 kilometres of coastline. Several islands lie off the Welsh mainland, the largest of which is Anglesey in the northwest.

Northern Ireland, separated from Great Britain by the Irish Sea and North Channel, has an area of 14,160 square kilometres and is mostly hilly. It includes Lough Neagh which, at 388 square kilometres, is the largest lake in the British Isles by area. The highest peak in Northern Ireland is Slieve Donard in the Mourne Mountains at 852 metres.

Great Britain - Climate

 

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52

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53

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43

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54

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6°

48

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Temperatures °C (degrees Celsius) in London
Rainfall (mm) in London
(Average values for each month)

Great Britain

Lesson 1. A geographical outline of Great Britain

Lead in

1. Answer the following questions:

a) What countries constitute the UK?

b) What countries does Great Britain comprise?

с) What is the population of Great Britain?

d) How many islands are there in Britain?

e) What are the famous towns and cities of great Britain?

f) What is the residence of the Prime Minister?

g) How many people in Britain are involved in farming?

h) Can you name any national parks of Britain?

i) What are the most popular tourist destinations in Britain?

 

2. Watch the video An Introduction to Britain and check your ideas

Reading

Read the text below and elicit the main geographical features of the country.

The United Kingdom is a sovereign state located off the north-western coast of continental Europe. With a total area of approximately 243,610 square kilometres (94,060 sq mi), the UK occupies the major part of the British Isles archipelago and includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern one-sixth of the island of Ireland and many smaller surrounding islands. The mainland areas lie between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea with the south-east coast coming within 35 km of the north-west coast of France, from which it is separated by the English Channel. The coastline of Great Britain is 17,820 km long. It is connected to continental Europe by the Channel Tunnel, which at 50 km (38 km underwater) is the longest underwater tunnel in the world.

England accounts for just over half of the total area of the UK, covering 130,395 square kilometres. Most of the country consists of lowland terrain, with mountainous terrain north-west of the Tees-Exe line; including the Cumbrian Mountains of the Lake District, the Pennines and limestone hills of the Peak District, Exmoor and Dartmoor. The main rivers and estuaries are the Thames, Severn and the Humber. England's highest mountain is Scafell Pike (978 metres) in the Lake District. Its principal rivers are the Severn, Thames, Humber, Tees, Tyne, Tweed, Avon, Exe and Mersey.

Scotland accounts for just under a third of the total area of the UK, covering 78,772 square kilometres and including nearly eight hundred islands, predominantly west and north of the mainland; notably the Hebrides, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands. The topography of Scotland is distinguished by the Highland Boundary Fault – a geological rock fracture – which traverses Scotland from Arran in the west to Stonehaven in the east. The faultline separates two distinctively different regions; namely the Highlands to the north and west and the lowlands to the south and east. The more rugged Highland region contains the majority of Scotland's mountainous land, including Ben Nevis which at 1,343 metres is the highest point in the British Isles. Lowland areas – especially the narrow waist of land between the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth known as the Central Belt – are flatter and home to most of the population including Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, and Edinburgh, its capital and political centre.

Wales accounts for less than a tenth of the total area of the UK, covering 20,779 square kilometres. Wales is mostly mountainous, though South Wales is less mountainous than North and mid Wales. The main population and industrial areas are in South Wales, consisting of the coastal cities of Cardiff, Swansea and Newport, and the South Wales Valleys to their north. The highest mountains in Wales are in Snowdonia and include Snowdon which, at 1,085 metres, is the highest peak in Wales. The 14, or possibly 15, Welsh mountains over 3,000 feet high are known collectively as the Welsh 3000s. Wales has over 2,704 kilometres of coastline. Several islands lie off the Welsh mainland, the largest of which is Anglesey in the northwest.

Northern Ireland, separated from Great Britain by the Irish Sea and North Channel, has an area of 14,160 square kilometres and is mostly hilly. It includes Lough Neagh which, at 388 square kilometres, is the largest lake in the British Isles by area. The highest peak in Northern Ireland is Slieve Donard in the Mourne Mountains at 852 metres.