Great Britain, its geografical position and state system

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on the British Isles. They lie to the north-west of Europe. The British Isles are separated from the continent by the narrow strait of water which is called the English Channel.The United Kingdom consists of four parts: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. England, the central part, occupies the most of the island of Great Britain. To the north lies Scotland and to the west the third part of the country, Wales, is situated. The fourth part is called Northern Ireland and is located on the second island. Each part has its capital. The capital of England is London, Wales has Cardiff, Scotland has Edinburgh and the main city of Northern Ireland is Belfast.Great Britain is a country of forests and plains. There are no high mountains in this country. Scotland is the most mountainous region with the highest peak, Ben Nevis. The rivers of Great Britain are not long. The longest rivers are the Thames and the Severn. The capital of the United Kingdom, London, stands on the banks of the Thames. As the country is surrounded by many seas there are some great ports at the seaside: London, Glasgow, Plymouth and others.Wales is a country of lakes.Seas and oceans influence the British climate which is not too cold in winter but never hot in summer. Great Britain is a beautiful country with old traditions and good people.

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Multiple aspect of London

London is the capital of Great Britain. It is an ancient city, it grew up around the first point where Roman invaders found the Thames narrow enough to build a bridge. They found a small Celtic settlement then known as Londinium and by A.D. 300 they turned it into a separate port and an important trading centre. Nowadays it is the cradle of British traditions and culture. Over 8 million people live in London. It is the home of the nation’s commerce and finance, the main centre of its legal system and press. It has the largest university and the greatest possibilities for entertainment and for sport in Great Britain. London is one of the most famous capital cities of the world, and every year it attracts crowds of visitors from home and abroad. They come to explore its historic buildings, to see its museums and galleries, its streets and parks, and its people. It’s a pity I haven’t been to London yet, but I have read a lot about this famous city. So I have no doubt that London is worth sightseeing. I must say that in London one meets the past and the present, the old and the modern. It is a city of contrasts. London consists of three parts: the rich West End, the poor East End and the City – its financial centre. The biggest department stores, offices and banks can be found there. The City and the West End are the heart of the capital.

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Sports and fitness

Sport is the best and the shortest way to health and fitness. Today increasing number of people are involved in activities that help them keep fit and enjoy life. Physical recreation includes cycling, boating, jogging, walking. To keep fit some people attend special classes or take part in aerobics or yoga, do some kind of weight training in a gym. Others play football, badminton, tennis. But tastes differ and different people have different attitudes to sport and recreation. Some people prefer to participate in them actively others choose to watch different sports events. Watching other people playing is a popular leisure activity. People like to watch national and international sports events that are shown on TV. In many countries there are special TV channels that broadcast sports programmes for 24 hours. The major sporting competitions, such as the Olympic Games, are shown on the central TV channels attracting millions of TV - viewers who can be thousands of kilometres away from the event. Football, hockey, basketball, tennis competitions and motor racing, especially World Football, Wimbledon Championship, Hockey and Basketball Championships, Grand Prix are very popular among the television audience too. Although these two kinds of activities are tightly interconnected, participating in sports has more advantages than simply watching sports competitions. Yet, it is an individual preference. And only the individual has the right to decide what is better for him. But whatever the choice is, the pleasure is undoubted.

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