Great britain

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in Western Europe, usually known as the United Kingdom, the UK, Britain, or less accurately as Great Britain. The UK was formed by a series of Acts of Union which united the formerly distinct nations of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland under a single government in London. The greater part of Ireland left the United Kingdom in 1922, and is today the Republic of Ireland. The north-eastern portion of the Island of Ireland – the Northern Ireland – remains part of the United Kingdom. The UK is situated in the north-western part of Europe, surrounded by the North Sea, the English Channel and the Atlantic Ocean. Great Britain, now sometimes called simply Britain, is the geographical name for the largest island in the British Isles. In total, it is estimated that the UK is made up of around 1098 small islands.

The United Kingdom is made up of four “parts”: the nations of England, Scotland, and Wales, and the province of Northern Ireland. All four “home nations” have historically been divided into counties.

The primary language spoken is in the UK is English. Other languages include the Celtic languages: Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Cornish and Irish Gaelic.

The United Kingdom contains two of the world’s most famous universities, the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford, and has produced many great scientists, including Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin.

Many believe that a great number of important sports originated in the United Kingdom, including: football (soccer), golf, boxing, rugby and billiards.

Playwright William Shakespeare is the most famous writer in the world; other well-known writers include the Bronte sisters (Charlotte, Emily and Anne), Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and Charles Dickens. Important poets include Lord Byron, Robert Burns, and Thomas Hardy. The UK was the home country for some of the most famous bands, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and many others.

Australia

Australia geographically is the sixth-largest country in the world and the only one to occupy the entire continent. Australia includes the island of Tasmania, which is an Australian State. Its neighboring соuntries include New Zealand to the south-east and Indonesia and Papua New Guinea to the north. The name Australia comes from the Latin word “australis” meaning southern, and dates back to the 2nd century AD legends of an “unknown southern land” (terra australis incognita).

The Commonwealth of Australia is a constitutional monarchy: the Queen of Australia is considered to be the Head of State. Although under the Australian Constitution the role of the Queen is almost entirely ceremonial. The Constitution gives significant executive power to the Governor-General; these powers are almost never used directly, and are usually delegated to the Cabinet, whose members are chosen by the governing party or by the Prime Minister alone, from the current members of the Parliament.

Australia is divided into six states and several territories. The states are New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. The two major territories are the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory.

Most of the Australian population descends from the 19th and 20th century immigrants mostly from Great Britain and Ireland, but from other countries in later years. Although Australia was founded as a penal colony, the transportation of British convicts to Australian colonies has gradually stopped between 1840 and 1868. During the Gold Rush of the late 19th century, the criminals and their descendants were rapidly overshadowed by hundreds of thousands of free settlers from many different countries. For example, in the 1850s about two percent of populations of Britain and Ireland emigrated to New South Wales and Victoria. By the late twentieth century many inhabitants of Australia were of Greek, Italian or Asian descent. The indigenous population, the Australian aborigines make up about two percent of the population.

As many other developed countries, Australia is currently experiencing a demographic shift towards an older population, with more people retiring and fewer people of working age. Because of the aging population, Australia maintains one of the most active immigration programs in the world, absorbing tens of thousands of immigrants from all over the world every year.

English is the main official and spoken language in Australia, although some of the surviving Aboriginal communities maintain their native languages. A considerable number of first and sometimes second generation immigrants are bilingual.

Much of Australia’s culture comes from Europe and America, but distinctive Australian features have evolved from the environment, aborigine culture, and the influence of Australia’s neighbors.