8.Northern Ireland.

• Northern Ireland was covered by an ice sheet for most of the last ice age and on numerous previous occasions, the legacy of which can be seen in the extensive coverage of drumlins in Counties Fermanagh, Armagh, Antrim and particularly Down. The centrepiece of Northern Ireland's geography is Lough Neagh, at 151 square miles (391 km2) the largest freshwater lake both on the island of Ireland and in the British Isles

• The whole of Northern Ireland has a temperate maritime climate, rather wetter in the west than the east, although cloud cover is persistent across the region. The weather is unpredictable at all times of the year, and although the seasons are distinct, they are considerably less pronounced than in interior Europe or the eastern seaboard of North America.

• Northern Ireland consists of six historic counties: County Antrim, County Armagh, County Down, County Fermanagh, County Londonderry, County Tyrone

• The Northern Ireland economy is the smallest of the four economies making up the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland has traditionally had an industrial economy, most notably in shipbuilding, rope manufacture and textiles, but most heavy industry has since been replaced by services, primarily the public sector. Tourism also plays a big role in the local economy. More recently the economy has benefited from major investment by many large multi-national corporations into high tech industry. These large organisations are attracted by government subsidies and the skilled workforce in Northern Ireland.

• Northern Ireland is served by three airports – Belfast International near Antrim, George Best Belfast City in East Belfast, and City of Derry in County Londonderry.Major sea ports at Larne and Belfast carry passengers and freight between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Passenger railways are operated by Northern Ireland Railways. With Iarnrod Éireann (Irish Rail), Northern Ireland Railways co-operates in providing the joint Enterprise service between Dublin and Belfast.

• In Northern Ireland, sport is popular and important in the lives of many people. Sports tend to be organised on an all-Ireland basis including both Northern Ireland and the Republic, as in the case of Gaelic football, rugby union, rugby league hockey, basketball, cricket and hurling. The main exception is association football, which has separate governing bodies for each jurisdiction.

9. Political system of G.B.

• The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a constitutional monarchy. It means that the sovereign reigns but does not rule.

• Britain does not have a written constitution, but a set of laws.

• Parliament is the most important authority in Britain. Technically Parliament is made up of three parts: the Monarch, the House of Lords; and the House of Commons. In reality the House of Commons is the only one of the three which has true power.

• The monarch serves formally as head of state. But the monarch is expected to be politically neutral and should not make political decisions.

• The present sovereign is Queen Elizabeth II. She was crowned in Westminster Abbey in 1953.

• The House of Commons consists of Members of Parliament. There are 650 of them in the House of Commons. They are elected by secret ballot. General elections are held every five years. The country is divided into 650 constituencies. All citizens, aged 18 and registered in a constituency, have the right to vote. But voting is not compulsory in Britain. Only persons convicted of corrupt and certain mentally ill patients don't take part in voting.

• There are few political parties in Britain thanks to the British electoral system. The main ones are: the Conservative Party, the Labour Party and the Liberal / Social Democratic Alliance.

• Each political party puts up one candidate for each constituency. The one who wins the most votes is elected MP for that area.

• The party which wins the most seats in Parliament forms the Government. Its leader becomes the Prime Minister. His first job is to choose his Cabinet. The Prime Minister usually takes policy decisions with the agreement of the Cabinet.

• The functions of the House of Commons are legislation and scrutiny of government activities. The House of Commons is presided over by the Speaker. The Speaker is appointed by the Government.

• The House of Lords comprises about 1,200 peers. It is presided by the Lord Chancellor. The House of Lords has no real power. It acts rather as an advisory council.

• It's in the House of Commons that new bills are introduced and debated. If the majority of the members are in favour of a bill, it goes to the House of Lords to be debated. The House of Lords has the right to reject a new bill twice.

• But after two rejections they are obliged to accept it. And finally a bill goes to the monarch to be signed. Only then it becomes law.

• Parliament is responsible for British national policy. Local governments are responsible for organizing of education, police and many others.

10. The Early days of G.B.

• Britain is one of the wealthiest and most influential countries in the world. It's people have spread their culture, language and faith all over the world.

• It also has a very rich history; no other nation did so much to shape modernity. The industrial revolution was born in its borders - the first industrialised economy - and the world followed. British scientists changed the world, and are still doing the same today.

• This tiny Nation had the richest empire the world had ever seen, which covered a quarter of the earth. In darker days in history, its people have also stood up for freedom and democracy, and against all odds prevailed.

• Culturally the British gave the world its number one language and sport, as well as some of the most successful bands and literature.

• Today Britain plays a leading role at the centre of international politics, as the closest ally to the world’s sole superpower.

• How did the people of such a small Island play such a large part in the shaping of the world? It can only be in God’s sovereign plan of grace and because of our leading role in promoting Christianity around the world.