Denomination. Religion. Church
Modern England is a multifaith community, the Cristianity is major.
Freedom of worship is generally excepted.
In northern Ireland religious tensions are …
As many as 75 per cent of adults are said to believe in God, Though about 4 per cent go to church regularly. Regional variation attendance – the father
English – 13%, Wales – 23, Scotland – 37, Northern Ireland – 80%.
according to denomination the overwhelming majority of the British are Protestants including the Presbyterians. The rest form the 'Catholic minority. Over 60% of the English describe themselves as belonging to the Church of England; 10% - Roman Catholic Church.
Many people are Christened, some get married in church and many people a Christian funeral service, but otherwise they have little interest in religion.
White British People rarely discuss religion and they feel that person's religious beliefs are private matter.
Today there is complete freedom of practice regardless of religion or sect, but it wasn't always so. Until the mid 19 century those who didn't belong to the Church of England were bud from public offices. The establish church still plays a powerful role in national life in spite of small number of active members. Many national and local events include prayers. The church is also involved to some extent in political life, because archbishops and bishops sit in the house of lords.
Some people believe that politics and religion should be kept apart, but others consider that the church should be more active in the minding social justice.
Christian religious education is provided in all British state schools, though it's not compulsory.
There are 2 state churches in the UK. The church plays a certain role in government: the Church of English and the Presbyterian Church of Scotland.
The Church of English is protestant episcopal, it's subjected to the crown and to the Parliament,
The Church is Scotland is independent from state authority, though it's a state church.
Scotland – no altar, only table and it's more democratic.
Anglican – associated with authority, it's used to be known as “the Tory party at prayer” (Conservative party). Though the church has been gradually distancing itself from ruling establishment, it still remains predominantly middle and dominant class establishment.
The Roman Catholic church returned to Britain in the mid – century, earlier was prejudice that being catholic …. it has disappeared. The only 10% of population are Catholic – the biggest active
all the other Protestant groups in Britain other than the church of England are called nonconformist churches. Most working class people belong to them.
They are Christian churches, but they are not epicsopal. they all admit both men and women to their ministry. The main nonconformist churches are:
The Methodist church
the Baptist Church
The salvation Church.
On oldest among others – the Judaism.
Density. Distribution
Britain – densely populated country. The UK – 234 people per sq. km. - the 3rd in Europe according to its density (the Netherlands and ….)
The world's extremes – Hong Kong – about 5,5 thousand people per sq. km.; Botswana – 2 people per sq. km.
Though the population density is very high the distribution is …
England is the most thickly populated part 361 people per
Wales – 135; Northern Ireland – 110
Scotland – 65 people (one of the most sparsely populated countries in Europe).
Densities over 500 people are onle found in industrial areas – the Midlands and south-east england.
The density of greater london – over 4000 people per sq. km.
There are 8 major conurbations:
Greater London
Greater Manchester
the Merseyside with Liverpool in its center
Clydeside with glasgow as its centre
South Yorkshire (Shefield
West Yorkshire (Leeds as its
Tyneside (Newcastle
the West Midlands with Birmingham
Most of the mountainous parts in Wales, Scotland, Pennines are sparsely populated.
In proportion of the urban population over 90% lives in cities and towns (the first of the world)
There are 91 cities and towns in the UK.
Some big towns in the UK are not called cities
There are 62 cities in the UK including the City of London and Westminster (parts of London – not cities in full meaning)
Rural population differs from traditional of other countries. British villages are situated not far from towns and they are inhabited by farm workers, teachers, clergymen, shopkeepers and old-aged people.
Farmers do not live in such places they live in isolated farms.
There are about 13000 villages in England – nearly all of them existed before the Norman Conquest.
Villages are usually 2-3 km apart.
The recent tendency shows a movement of people away from the main conurbations to surrounded suburbs.