Woollen - шерстяной

Natural resources

The United Kingdom is a major world producer of petroleum, coal and natural gas. These three fuels account for about 85 percent of the value of total mineral production in the country. Petroleum is Britain's most valuable mineral. British oil wells produce about 650 million barrels of petroleum a year. In the past, the country had to import petroleum to meet its needs. But during the 1970's, Britain began producing petroleum from wells in the North Sea. Today, Britain's oil wells provide nearly all the petroleum that the country uses and also supply petroleum for export.

Britain's largest coal-mining region lies near the River Trent in central England. Coal from this area is an important source of fuel for the country's electric power plants. Britain obtains natural gas from deposits below the North Sea. These deposits provide enough gas to meet most of the country's needs. Britain's next most important minerals, in order of value, are sand and gravel, limestone, and clays. The Southwest Peninsula has fine china clay, used in making pottery. South-eastern England has large deposits of chalk, used for cement. Other British minerals include sandstone and gypsum.

The UK Еconomy

The UK has a well developed economy that is largely based on services, international trade and manufacturing. The country is one of the world’s producers of tractors, cranes, road graders, drilling machines, harvesters, railway equipment, household appliances. It is famous for its jet aircraft, engines, automobiles. British factories produce electronic and cable television equipment, communications systems, undersea telephone cables.

Britain is a producer of pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, cotton, woolen textiles , fabrics. Great Britain has one of the Europe’s largest clothing industries. British clothing has long been of a high quality. Other industries manufacture bricks and cement, furniture, glassware, leather goods and paper.

Agriculture employs some 2 percent of the workforce. Farming is highly mechanized, though the farms are not extremely large. In southern England farmers grow most of Britain’s fruit and vegetables. In Scotland, Wales and western England farmers use their land for grazing.

Sheep are Britain’s chief livestock. British farmers raise beef-cattle, dairy-cattle, hogs. The land in eastern England is used by farmers for raising crops. Chief crops include barley, wheat, sugar beets and potatoes.

Foreign Trade

The UK is a leading trading nation. Britain exports its steel, petroleum, aerospace equipment, heavy machinery, motor vehicles, medical equipment.

Great Britain is the fourth largest exporter of chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

Books published in the UK are exported to many countries of the world. Great Britain exports clothing, chemicals, motor vehicles, machinery, petroleum products and textile.

The UK imports items that can’t be easily grown in Britain’s climate: oranges, bananas, avocados, pineapples and some others.

France, Germany and the United States are Britain’s leading trade partners. The UK also trades with Canada, Japan, Ireland, Norway, Sweden and some other countries.