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United Kingdom 536-
The UniTed Kingdom of great Britain and northern ireland was formed
under the Act of Union of 1801. it is made up of england, Wales, and
Scotland, which together form the island of great Britain, and the province
of northern ireland. in the late 1990s, the British government devolved
(decentralized) power to regional governments by creating new parliaments
in northern ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The english countryside is famed
for its gently sloping hills and rich farmland. Wales and Scotland are mostly
wild and mountainous. much of northern ireland is low-lying and marshy.
in Wales and parts of Scotland many of the people speak a language of their
own. Britain is a multicultural country, for the english, Scots, Welsh, and irish
are all separate peoples. in addition, in the last 100 years refugees
and immigrants from europe, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean
have settled in Britain, bringing with them their own languages
and religions. Britain once controlled a vast empire that
stretched around the world. in recent years, its
economy has declined, but
the discovery of oil in the
north Sea has helped
make the country self-
sufficient in energy.London
When the Roman armies invaded Britain almost 2,000 years ago, they built
a fortified town called Londinium to safeguard the crossing over the Thames
River. By 1100, the city of London had grown in size to become the capital
of the entire country. Today, London is a huge city of more than 10 million
people and is the political, financial, and cultural center of Britain. Tourists
come from all over the world to admire the historic buildings, particularly
the Tower of London (left), an 11th-century fortress.engLAnd
The biggest and most
populated part of the United
Kingdom is england. many people
live in large towns and cities such as
London, Birmingham, and manchester.
Parts of southeast and northern england are
very crowded. The english countryside is
varied, with rolling farmland in the south
and east, and hilly moors in the north and
west. england is dotted with picturesque
villages, where old houses and stores are
often grouped around a village green, or park.Cricket began in
Britain and is the
country’s national
sport. Many villages
have their own teams.CiTy of London
The ancient heart of London is called the City.
London is one of the world’s leading financial
centers, and most of the nation’s banks and
businesses have their headquarters here.
The modern building shown on
the left is the Lloyd’s Building,
where the world’s shipping
is registered and insured.The United Kingdom is just
off the northwest coast of europe.
To its east lies the north Sea. The
Atlantic ocean washes its northern
and western coasts. The english
Channel separates the country from
mainland europe.Distinctive red double-decker
buses and black taxis ferry
Londoners around the city.The rose is the national flower of England.US_536_United_Kingdom_1.indd 536 09/02/16 5:27 pm