Vypracovala: Mgr. Katarína Matiašková
Great Britain
Basic facts:
The official name is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northen Ireland
It has 4 parts: England, Scotland, Wales, Northen Ireland
There are 2 large islands: Great Britain and Ireland and some smaller ones, e.g. Isle of Wight, Isle of Man, etc.
Mountains:
The Pennines
The Highlands in Scotland are the highest mountains in Britain
Rivers and lakes:
Severn and Thames are the longest rivers
The best known lakes are Loch Lomond and Loch Ness in Scotland
Official language:
English
There are four countries:
England – the capital is London,
Scotland – the capital is Edinburgh,
Wales – the capital is Cardiff
Northen Ireland – the capital is Belfast
Currency:
pound (libra)
Political system
Great Britain is constitutional monarchy. The present sovereign is Queen Elizabeth II
Famous personalities
Literature
William Shakespeare
the greatest English playwright and poet
his most famous comedies are The Midsummer´s Night Dream, Much Ado About Nothing
his best tragedies are Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth
Politics
Margaret Thatcher
She was the first woman Prime Minister (1979-90)
She was called „Iron Lady“
Music
The Beatles
There were four members: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Star
Science
Charles Darwin - He developed theory of evolution.
Alexander Fleming - He discovered penicillin.
Isaac Newton - He discovered law of gravitation.
James Watt - He was an inventor of the steam engine.
London
- is the capital of both England and United Kingdom
- lies on the river Thames
- more than 7,3 million people live there
There are:
Tower of London - it is London´s top tourist attraction.
Tower Bridge – is the most famous one. It is raised in the middle to allow ships to pass up the river.
St. Paul´s Cathedral – the largest church of The City.
The Houses of Parliament – is the political centre and home of the British Parliament.
Big Ben – the tower clock.
Westminster Abbey – the monarchs are crowned and heroes buried there.
10 Downing Street – there is the official residence of the Prime Minister.
Buckingham Palace – The Royal Family stays there.
Trafalgar Square – is the largest in London.
Piccadilly Circus – it is the centre of entertainment with its theatres, cinemas, night clubs and restaurants.
Hyde Park – the most popular among tourists for its Speaker´s Corner where everybody can speak publicly without fear of being arrested for their oppinions.
Použitá literatúra:
Chudý, T., Chudá, J.: Some basic facts about English speaking countries, Príroda, Bratislava, 2001