Раздел 2 Вариант I

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Great Britain

The most well-known of the individual countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is England. It takes up more than half the land area of the island of Great Britain. In the past, England ruled over many lands throughout the world that came to be known as the British Empire. London, the capital of the United Kingdom, is located in England.

Geography

The United Kingdom is a nation of Western Europe. England's land area is 50,531 square miles (130,410 square kilometers). It is bordered to the north by Scotland and to the west by Wales and the Irish Sea. The English Channel lies to the south and the North Sea to the east. The English Channel separates the south coast of England from France. The longest river in England is the Thames. It flows through a large part of southeastern England. England's climate is rainy and temperate. Winters are mild, summers cool, and rain falls in all seasons.

People and culture

The people of England are a mixture of many different ethnic groups. The original residents of the area were Celtic peoples.

Most of the people of England are Christian. The Church of England, which is Protestant, is the country's official church. Immigrants from Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean have created communities of Muslims, Sikhs, and Hindus. England also has a large Jewish population.

The majority of England's population lives in cities. The Greater London area, in the southeast, is by far the largest city area. Other major English cities include Birmingham, in the center of the country, and Leeds, in the northeast. Liverpool and Manchester are the main industrial cities of the northwest.

England has a long, great history of producing literature and many other works of art. Among the towering figures of English literature are Geoffrey Chaucer, John Milton, William Shakespeare, William Wordsworth, and Charles Dickens. English music has also had wide influence. The country's great composers include George Frideric Handel, Edward Elgar, and Benjamin Britten. In the 1960s, English rock bands such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Who became popular throughout the world.

In addition, England has influenced the development of English-speaking cultures in many countries outside the United Kingdom. England is also home to Oxford and Cambridge universities, which are among the world's oldest centers of advanced education.

 Economy

England was traditionally very strong in manufacturing. However, heavy industries such as iron and steel, coal mining, and ship building declined in the late 20th century. This hurt the industrial areas of northern England. By the start of the 21st century, services dominated the English economy. The chief service areas in southeastern England, especially London, have prospered.

Among England's important service industries are tourism, banking, insurance, and retail trade. London is a major world center for finance. Manufacturing provides jobs for about one fifth of the English workforce. Farming accounts for only a small portion of England's income.

Political development

Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne in 1952. The Parliament had gained much power in the 19th century, and the prime minister's role had grown stronger. In 1979 the Conservative party leader Margaret Thatcher became the United Kingdom's first woman prime minister. The Labour party leader Tony Blair became prime minister in 1997.

Population of Great Britain is (2001 estimate), 49,752,900.