Transcript Document 7152779

Great Britain consists of
England, Scotland, Wales
and northen Ireland.
Although the regions
belong to one country,
each is a culturally
distinctive region, with a
rich heritage and places
worth visiting.
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Gibraltar is a Britisch dependency, situated on the
southwestern tip of Europe, where are the
Atlantic and Mediterranean met. It has been
populated since neolithic times and is a real
mixture of cultures and races. Gibraltar is 6.5 km2
and is connected to the mainland by a sandy
isthmus.
A Britisch colony
The name of Gibraltar comes from the leade of
the Arabic Army, which invaded Spain in the 8th
century. Over the centuries the name changed
from Gibel Tarik into Gibraltar. After the Arabs
left, it reverted back to Spain but since 1704 it has
been a Britisch possession. There is still a big
argument between the two countries about whom
Gibraltar belongs to, but no settlement has been
reached so far.
Monkey
Gibraltar is home to many unique plants and
animal species. In fact, a big part of the Rock is a
nature reserve. In Gibraltar you can see Barbary
Apes- the only wild primates in all Europe. They
have been there for centuries and the legend says
that when the apes leave, Gibraltar will cease to be
Britisch.
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England is the largest and most
important part of Great Britain. It
includes the capital city of London,
which is the seat of national
government. England was first
settled by Celtic tribes 3,000 years
ago, then conquered by the Saxons
and the Angles, colonised by the
Vikings and then overrun by the
Normans. Due to its long history it
contains a l ot of ancient remains,
including the famous Hadrian’s
Wall, built by the Romans in 122
AD, which is in northern England,
between present-day Newcastle
and Carlisle.
London is a wonderful place to be. It has great museums
with priceless exhibits, old markets, clean green parks and
the best shops and night clubs in Europe. There is
something for everyone. London is on the River Thames
about 40 miles from the sea. It was founded by the
Romans in AD 43 and became a successful and important
city. After 1066 William the Conqueror constructed one of
the most famous landmarks of the city- the Tower of
London. In 1500 it had a population of about 50,000 and
was much bigger than the original medieval boundaries.
Shakespeare’s theathre was built within this new area of
London. In 1666 the Great Fire destroyed nearly all the
city. It was once more ruined during the Second World
War, when bombs destroyed the docklands.
Now London has around 7 milion people living in and
around it.
It is a financial and cultural centre but it is probably most
famous for being the home of the British monarchy. You
can see the Changing of the Guard everyday outside
Buckingham Palace.
London also has some of the world’s best department
stores including Harrods. But the most visited place is the
British Museum with exhibits from all over the world. In
the evening you can go to one of the many theatres ad see
one of the many musicals.
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Birmingham is one of the oldest and biggest cities is Great Britain. It is in West Midlands region
and used to be an Anglo-Saxon hamlet. In the 13th century it became a market town and in the
16th century a well-known metallurgy centre. In 1775 the first factory of steam machines was
built there. The 18th century was the time of the biggest development of the city ad growht of
population. Today Birmingham is the main industrial city of Great Britain.
The Black Century
Birmingham is part of a big industrial region called the Black Country. The name is not accidental,
though. It is linked to the big number of coal mines, which are the main source of work for the
people in the area. What goes with it is not the most welcoming landscape, but rather one which
seems drab and colourless.
Northen Ireland consists of six
Irish counties that decided to
remain in union with Great Britain,
while the remaining 26 counties
chose autonomy. The capital of
Northern Ireland is Belfast and it
has its own parliament while, at the
same time, its members also sit in
the British Parliament. Northern
Ireland is probably best known for
the constant conflict between
Protetestants and Catholics and the
IRA bomb attacks which have
frequently occured in both
countries. Peace talks recently
resumed and, as everyone hopes,
may finally bring an end to the
fighting.
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Wales, lying in the western part of Great Britain, is a
country of green forests and medieval villages. The Welsh
are very proud of their rich tradition and keep it alive in
songs and dances. Wales is mainly rural, but there are
several large cities such as Swansea and, the capital, Cardif.
History
Celtic tribes, who used to live in present day Great Britain,
were driven into the Welsh mountains by the early AngloSaxon invaders. They were called Waelise, meaning ‘foreign’
and in time developed their own nationality and culture.
During the 13th century they fought with the English
kings, but were eventually defeated. In 1301 Edward of
Caernarvon, son of Edward I of England, became the
Prince of Wales, which brought English rule to the Welsh
people.
Nature in Wales
Wales is full of lovely, natural beauty spots, where you can
admire the wonders of nature and relax. One such place is
the Gilfach Nature Reserve, in the Marteg Valley in the
Cambrian Mountains of Mind-Wales. If offers a variety of
landscapes, from moorland and meadows, to forests and
rocky rivers. Apart from the reserve’s exceptional natural
beauty you can also enjoy its many different kinds of birds,
animals and plants. This place, like the rest of Wales, is
really worth visiting.
When we think about
Scotland, What comes to our
minds is the beautiful
landscape of hills and moors
surrounded by the North Sea
and the Atlantic Ocean. It is
an extraordinary place where
men wear tartan skirts and
play the begpipes. From time
to time you can see a
monster called nessie.
Scotland Whisky- Johnnie
Walker and delicious salmon,
a typical Scottish Fish.
The Orkney Islands are a group of 70 islads and islets situated north of the
Scottish coast. They are separated from Scotland by the Pentland Firth. The
Largest island is Mainland and Kirkwall is the capital of the region. The total
area of the islands is 975 square kilometers and only one third of them are
populated. The islands economy depends mainly on fish, such as herring and
cod and lobsters. Apart from excellent fishing conditions, the islands are full
of green meadows, perfect for sheep and cattle breeding.
Aberdeen is a city in the Grampian
region of northern Scotland. It is
on the North Sea, so shipbuilding
is a well-developed industry there.
In 1972 oil was discovered in the
North Sea which has also helped
the city grow enormously.
Aberdeen gained full city rights in
1179 and until the 14th century it
was the seat of the Scottish kings.
It is often called ‘The Granity City’
as most of the buildings in the area
are built of granite from the nearby
quarry works.
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Glasgow is a city in south west
Scotland. It lies on both sides of the
River Clyde. Glasgow is Scotland’s
main industrial and shipbuilding centre
and the third largest city in the United
Kingdom.
Later History
In 543 AD St. Kentigern settled in
Glasgow, escaping from other monastic
brothers, who were jealous of his
miracles. He established a Christian
church in Glasgow which marked the
beginning of Glasgow as a city. For
many years it was mainly an
ecclesiastical city, but in the 12th
century it received full city rights,
which attracted traders and brought
importance to the city.