UK EGP. Economic and geographical position of Great Britain
EGP characteristic
Great Britain (United Kingdom) is an island state, most of whose territory is located on two large islands separated by the waters of the Irish Sea. The total area of the UK is 244,017 sq. km. The population of Great Britain is 58,395 thousand people.
The official name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It consists of four countries: England, Scotland and Wales, located on the island of Britain, and Northern Ireland. The latter is located on the same island as the Independent Republic of Ireland. Thus, Great Britain has a common land border only with Ireland.
The British Isles lie off the northwest coast of Europe. The British Isles are surrounded by many small islands. The Isles of Scilly are located southwest of the Isle of Britain, and the Isle of Anglesey is to the north of Wales. On the western and northern coasts of Scotland there are numerous small islands that are part of Great Britain. The most important of these are the Orkney Shetland Islands.
From the west, Great Britain is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and from the east - by the waters of the North Sea.
From the south, Great Britain borders on France - the closest and most developed neighbor, which has common water borders with it. The shortest distance to the northern coast of France is the Strait of Dover, but the main communication between the states is through the English Channel, called the English Channel by the British, along the bottom of which a high-speed rail tunnel was built at the end of the twentieth century. Prior to this, communication between the two countries was carried out by water or air.
Also, the closest neighbors of Great Britain are Belgium and the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Norway are located much further.
Thus, the EGP of Great Britain is both neighboring and seaside, which is extremely beneficial for the economic development of the country, although, undoubtedly, it has certain disadvantages in strategic and military terms.
The administrative map of Great Britain has changed several times, because. the accession of the countries that make up the United Kingdom lasted for centuries. Each once independent state has its own capital or administrative center. The official capital of Great Britain is London, since the unification of the lands took place around England.
In the eighteenth - nineteenth centuries, Great Britain, being in first place in the world in terms of economic development, created a colossal colonial power that occupied almost a quarter of the planet's territory. The British colonies included India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and much of Africa. In the twentieth century, the English colonies became independent states, but many of them are part of the British Commonwealth, headed by the British monarch. In 1921, the southern part of Ireland seceded from Great Britain and became an independent state.
Modern administrative divisions of Great Britain
The UK is one of the most densely populated and highly urbanized countries in the world. On average, there are 230 people per 1 square meter of its area. However, the distribution of the population across the country is very uneven. The main part of the inhabitants of Great Britain is concentrated in England, which has the most convenient geographical position, favorable natural conditions and has played a leading economic role throughout the history of the British Isles. Here the average density increases to 356 people per 1 sq. km. km. Within England itself, the main industrial belt of the country, stretched along the London-Liverpool axis, is most densely populated: half of the entire population of Great Britain lives in this belt. The most sparsely populated areas are in Scotland with its harsh natural conditions and less developed economy compared to other parts of the country. For 1 sq. km. It has an average population of 86, with the population concentrated mainly on the coasts, in the valleys and lowlands (especially around Glasgow and Edinburgh), while some highland areas are virtually deserted.
By the end of the nineteenth century. 3/4 of the population of Great Britain lived in cities, and the predominant type of population was already large conurbations. Since the beginning of the twentieth century. there is an intensive migration of rural residents to cities, where almost 4/5 of the country's population now lives. Drawing a line between urban and rural settlements in a highly urbanized country like the UK is difficult. Many villages have become the "bedrooms" of nearby towns, with villagers commuting daily to the towns for work.
There are about a thousand cities in the UK. Half of the country's urban population is concentrated in seven conurbations. One of them - Central Clydesgard (1.7 million people) - are located in Scotland, and the rest in England. These are Tynesad, which is home to 0.8 million people, West Midlands (2.4 million), South East Lancashire (2.3 million), West Yorkshire (1.7 million), Mersnside (1.3 million) and Greater London (7 million). Over 1/10 of city dwellers live in cities with a population of more than 200,000 people each, of which Sheffield and Edinburgh each have more than half a million inhabitants. 75 cities with a population of 50 to 100 thousand people belong to the average in the UK. Five conurbations and half of all large and medium-sized cities in the country are concentrated in an industrial belt along the London-Liverpool axis, which is partly called the metropolis.
One of the consequences of the development of conurbations and especially their central cities is an exorbitantly high population density. In this regard, measures are being taken to relieve them: part of the excess population is moving to the suburbs or to new expanding medium-sized cities.
In the "hierarchy" of British cities, London undoubtedly occupies a leading position as the capital, the main political and Cultural Center country, one of its largest industrial centers, the largest seaport and the leading city of the most important economic region of Great Britain - Southern England. In addition to London, many "capital" functions are performed by 10 more cities in Great Britain: Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast as the capitals of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland respectively; Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds and Bradford, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool as central conurbation cities and regional centres. In addition, over 150 cities, in terms of the number of inhabitants and the role they play in the life of nearby territories, are higher than the main mass of cities. These cities are called "City", all the rest - "town".
There are few countries in the world in which seaside cities occupy such an important place as in Great Britain, in which 44 out of 100 large cities are seaside. London arose primarily as a seaport for trade with continental European states; through Gul (Hull), trade with the countries of the Baltic Sea basin has long been carried out; Bristol and Liverpool served as "gateways to the New World. Seaside resort towns are located near large industrial centers: Brighton and Margate - near London, Blackknul - at the Lankshire coal basin, Scarborough - on the coast of Yorkshire. All the initial development gravitated towards the sea. all specialized apartments and already further - housing.
Much faster than other cities, in the last two centuries, the largest industrial centers grew near coal and iron ore deposits: Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Belfast, Middleborough, etc. The developing industry required more and more workers, and working quarters, hastily built up by speculators , were often slums from the start. Houses for workers were built according to a single standard. Most often, these are monotonous "terraces" - rows of houses of the same type standing back to back. The monotony of workers' quarters in industrial cities is broken only by the huge sooty buildings of factories and plants, warehouses and gas distribution stations. The railway here, as a rule, goes to the very center of the city and serves as its "skeleton". The old quarters of industrial cities are overgrown with new buildings, in which the industrial zone is separated from the residential area.
Until very recently, all cities in the UK have grown mainly in breadth, as low-rise buildings are cheaper and more in line with the tastes and traditions of the British. Until now, some are still reluctant to settle in apartment buildings, as this means living without their own, even a tiny, garden. Cities are expanding their territory more and more due to the growth of suburbs, absorbing the already scarce land resources. Only in the last decade, multi-storey apartment buildings began to appear in British cities, but housing in them is very expensive. Therefore, most Britons continue to live in old houses, many of which were built in the last century. The acute housing crisis, accompanied by rising rents, is one of the country's most serious social and economic problems.
In the UK, there are mainly two types rural settlements. In the low-lying eastern part of England, the population lives predominantly in villages. The forms of villages are varied: more often a star-shaped plan, less often an ordinary, street layout.
Everywhere there are many medium-sized farms on which farming is carried out without the use of hired labor. Small-scale farming is concentrated mainly in Scotland and Wales. The densest network of villages is in North East Yorkshire, where they are often no more than 2.5 km away. from each other. The density of rural and semi-rural settlements is exceptionally high in the main industrial belt of the country and around the conurbations of Tynsad and Clydeside. Here, the settlements in which workers live, employed in the industrial enterprises of conurbations, are interspersed with villages, hamlets and individual farms.
Geographical position. Both countries - Great Britain and France - located in the temperate zone on the northwestern outskirts of Eurasia. Great Britain is located to the north and occupies the islands, France is located on the continent and is located to the south.
Geological structure, relief, minerals. The territories of both countries are within the folding belts: all of Great Britain and most of France is ancient, the French southeast is young. According to the features of the relief, both territories can be conditionally divided into two parts - low and high.
Rice. 79. Scottish Highlands
In the UK, more thanraised north and west: here are the medium-altitude (300-800 m) North Scottish Highlands (Fig. 79) and Pennines. They are dissected by ancient glaciation and in some places covered with lava covers. In France, the south and east are more elevated. Mountains occupy half of the country's territory; they are taller than the British and more dissected. Their height increases as they approach the Mediterranean. In the middle mountains Central massif(1886 m), broken by cracks and faults, relic volcanic cones and covers are widespread (Fig. 80). The high ridges of the young folded Alps are dissected into jagged ridges crowned with large glaciers. Here is the highest point in Europe - Mount Mont Blanc (4807 m). Above 3.5 km, monolithic and hard-to-reach mountain ranges of the Pyrenees rise (Fig. 81).
Rice. 80 Central array
Rice. 81 Pyrenees
The south and east of Great Britain, the north and west of France are occupied by lowlands.
The British lowlands are composed of limestone and chalk strata, forming 60-meter ridges-ledges. And the largest ridges of the vastest plain of France - PaRiga Basin(or the North French Lowland) reach 500 m. The swampy Aquitaine Lowland stretches along the Bay of Biscay, or landes (Fig. 82), separated from the sea by a strip of high dunes.
The bowels of both countries contain a similar set of minerals. These are coal and iron ores, the reserves of which are distinguished by Great Britain. It also owns oil and natural gas from the North Sea shelf. The oil and gas fields of the French plains are not rich. The central massif contains uranium ores, and there are bauxite deposits on the Mediterranean coast.
Rice. 82. Landes
Climate. Inland waters. Landscapes. In the climate of the British Isles, the influence of the warm North Atlantic current and western transport are manifested. The climate is temperate maritime: with warm winters (in the west - above +4 °С, in the east - below), cool summers (from +12 °С - in the north, to +16 °С - in the south). There is a lot of precipitation - up to 750-1000 mm. The climate of continental France is much more diverse. In the north and west, it is warm in winter (+7 °С), and summer is cool (+17 °С), cloudy; the climate is mild - temperate maritime. In the east, winters are colder and summers are hot; The climate here is temperate continental. The coast of the Mediterranean Sea, protected from northern winds by mountains, has a subtropical Mediterranean climate: dry and hot summers (+23 °С), warm winters (+8 °С) and rainy. On the French plains falls from 600 to 1000 mm of precipitation, in the mountains - up to 2000 mm.
Both countries are rich in inland waters. One of the largest rivers in the UK Thames. 20% of the population lives in its basin, the capital is located on the banks - London. There are four large rivers in France - Loire, Garonne, Rhone and the Seine, on the banks of which stands the capital of France - Paris.
The energy of the rivers is used in the energy complexes of both countries. Seaports are located in the bays of the largest rivers. The canal system connects the rivers of the British Isles, the French - between themselves and with the Rhine, making up one of the most important internal communications in Europe.
Natural landscapes in both countries are practically not preserved.
Oak and birch forests in the UK occupy only 10% of the territory: they can be found in the mountains, in protected areas, in the form of protective forest belts and forest plantations. In France, forests of oaks, beeches, plane trees, chestnuts occupy 27% of the territory. Thanks to government programs since the beginning of the 20th century. their area in the country doubled. In the lowland part of Great Britain, fields and pastures predominate, in the elevated part - moorlands - heather, grassy and sedge heaths (Fig. 83) and sphagnum bogs. In the French Mediterranean, among the thorny thickets of maquis, there are forests of olive, cork oak, Aleppo pine.
Rice. 83. Heaths covering limestone rocks
Population France and Great Britain are comparable in number- 63 and 62 million people respectively. All demographic processes in these countries are also similar. The coefficient of natural increase - 4 ‰ - is largely due to the high birth rate among numerous immigrants from former colonies; their share is constantly growing. Both countries have high life expectancy(about 80 years) and the proportion of older people, which leads to the problem of the aging of the nation. High level of urbanization: in France, the townspeople - 77%, in the UK - 80%. Urban residents are concentrated in large (more than 1 million people) agglomerations. In the UK this Greater London, West Midlands (center - Birmingham) and Greater Manchester, in France - Greater Paris, which is home to about 11 million people. - 17% of the country's population. Both countries have a typical post-industrial structure of employment: 70% of the population is employed in non-material production. The titular ethnic groups (English and French) make up more than 80%, and 20% of the population are national minorities and immigrants. In the UK, the average population density is much higher than in France (about 260 and 115 people / km 2, respectively). The vast majority of believers in France are Catholics, in Great Britain they are Protestants.
Economy. Both countries are included in the group of the most economically developed countries in the world. Their economies are comparable in size and have a post-industrial structure: the service sector accounts for 2/3 of their GDP. In a diversified industry, a leading role is played by modern industries Keywords: complex and science-intensive engineering, chemistry of organic synthesis. Agriculture is distinguished by a high level of labor productivity and the use of intensive technologies.
Industrycountries has similarities, but it differs significantly. Energy Great Britain is almost entirely based on its own fuel resources. In terms of reserves of primary energy sources (oil, coal, natural gas), it ranks first in Europe (without Russia). More than 60% of the oil produced from nearly 130 offshore fields in the North Sea is exported. There are several large coal basins on the territory of the country. As a result, thermal power plants dominate the UK electricity industry. And, conversely, an acute shortage of own fuel resources France feels. However, the presence of large reserves of uranium ores allows the development of nuclear energy, in terms of which the country is second only to the United States.
Metallurgy , which once played a decisive role in the structure of the industry of both countries, has lost its significance today. The use of predominantly imported raw materials led to a shift in production to coastal areas. In France, in the port centers - Dunkirk and Fosse (Marseille region), large ferrous metallurgy plants operate. In the UK, the production of non-ferrous metallurgy (for example, the aluminum industry) is concentrated in Scotland, where they are located near the hydroelectric power station. mechanical engineering in both countries provides about 40% of the cost of manufacturing products. The leading role in it is played by transport engineering, which specializes in the production of automobiles, aviation and rocket technology, and, to a lesser extent, ships. This industry is more powerfully developed in France. Its largest centers are located in the Lyon and Paris agglomerations. In the production of products of the aircraft industry (the centers of Toulouse, Bordeaux, Bourges), France is the leader in Europe. In both countries, the production of electronics and electrical engineering is developed. British firms specialize in the production of communications equipment, turbines and electric motors, French - machine tools, agricultural machinery, rolling stock. Among the most developed industries in both countries - chemical industry. In the UK, it specializes in the production of high technology products: pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, engineering plastics for aerospace and microelectronics. Enterprises chemical industry in the UK gravitate towards oil refining centers. France has developed the production of mineral fertilizers, synthetic rubber and plastics.
V agriculture there are more differences between countries. In the UK, its structure is dominated by animal husbandry: cattle are bred for meat and dairy purposes, bacon pig breeding and poultry farming are developed. Crop production, which produces mainly fodder, is of service importance.
Agricultural land covers 77% of the UK. Of these, about 30% are pastures, and more than 60% are arable land; about 1 / 3 of it is occupied by fodder grasses and the same - by cereals (wheat, barley, oats).
In structure Agriculture In France, the ratio of crop production and livestock production is approximately equal, and it is characterized by a wide variety of industries. In crop production, grain farming is the leading one. Wheat is grown in the North French and Aquitaine lowlands, corn in the southwestern regions, and rice in the Rhone Delta. Barley and potatoes are planted everywhere. The main sugar beet production area, in which France is the world leader, is the North French Lowland; most of the sugar factories are also located here. Horticulture and fruit growing are developed everywhere.
France belongs to the 2nd place in the world in the production of grapes. The main viticulture area is Languedoc. The bulk of the crop is used in winemaking: vintage wines are produced in the Bordeaux region, in Champagne, the Loire Valley.
The main branch of animal husbandry is the breeding of cattle for meat and dairy purposes. Pig breeding and horse breeding are developed.
Transport systems countries have significant differences. The island position of Great Britain determined the leading role of the maritime(90% of all cargo transportation) and aviation transport. Transportation of goods and passengers within the country is mainly carried out by road transport, while rail transport provides only a small part of them. However, the role of rail transport has increased significantly after the construction of the Eurotunnel, which connected the UK with the French coast of the mainland.
The commercial movement of trains through the tunnel under the English Channel began in 1994. Three shafts of the tunnel are laid at a depth of 25 to 40 m, each is about 50 km long (37 km of them are under water). Trains run along two shafts, the third is service (Fig. 84).
Rice. 84. Eurotunnel
The French transport system is one of the most developed and balanced in the world. In domestic passenger and cargo transportation, road and rail transport are in the lead. Large volumes of oil and gas imports led to the development of an extensive pipeline system. Maritime and air transport serve mainly external relations.
Tourism. The originality of nature and historical and cultural attractions attract tourists to both countries (Fig. 85). France is a world leader in the tourism industry. Every year, the country is visited by up to 60 million foreign tourists heading to the French Mediterranean, the French Alps and to Paris - the largest center of not only foreign, but also domestic tourism. In the UK, most foreign tourists tend to London and Scotland, rich in natural and historical monuments.
Rice. 85. Tourist sites of France and Great Britain: 1 - Chambord castle;
2 - Tower Bridge
Rice. 86. Cote d'Azur
Bibliography
1. Geography Grade 9 / Tutorial for the 9th grade of institutions of general secondary education with the Russian language of instruction / Edited by N. V. Naumenko/ Minsk "People's Asveta" 2011
egp japan
1. not profitable, because there are no neighbors
2. profitable, because it is a leader among port states and many trade routes pass through it
3. not profitable, poor in minerals, has polymetallic ores and copper ores, agricultural areas are not developed
4. profitable egp
5. Trade relations with other countries of the world have become more active. From the end of the 12th century until 1867, the feudal state that existed on the islands of Japan was ruled by the shoguns. The feudal rulers imposed a ban on almost all contact with foreigners, fearing their expansion and the spread of Christianity. The “closure” of Japan prevented the colonization of the country. However, a long period of its isolation led to the fact that until the 20th century it was, as it were, hidden from the eyes of Europeans. Severe isolation greatly affected the economic development of the country. At a time when all of Europe was advancing by leaps and bounds towards scientific and technological progress, Japan was still at the agrarian stage of development. In the 20th century, Japan was a participant in three major wars (Russian-Japanese, 1st and 2nd World Wars). In World War II, it was an ally of Nazi Germany and Italy. In 1945, in accordance with the secret Yalta agreements of the victorious countries, all the Kuriles passed to the Soviet Union as a war trophy. Since the Second World War, Japan has not had a peace treaty with Russia and claims Russia to the Kuril Islands: Kunashir, Shikotan, Khabomai. After almost 50 years of belonging to the Kuriles of the USSR and Russia, the socio-economic situation on the islands remains extremely difficult, the islands have remained undeveloped. Based on the principles of justice, it must be admitted that Japan has the moral and legal right to lay claim to at least the South Kuriles. It is necessary to support in every possible way the emerging trend towards rapprochement, resolve the territorial issue and conclude peace with Japan, putting an end to the Second World War.
6.beneficial influence, increased production area
1. favorable
2.favorable, there is access to the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean
3.Favorable, average amount of minerals
4.favorable
6.EGP has a positive effect on the manufacturing sector
The leading role in the country belongs to maritime transport (86% of cargo turnover), it provides international and domestic communications. Road transport accounts for 75% of inland traffic (the main London-Manchester-Glasgow motorway) and rail for about 20%.
With the opening of the railway tunnel, the role of this transport in international traffic has increased. High-speed trains cover the distance between London and Paris in 3 hours.
River routes are used for recreational purposes, and the role of pipeline transport is increasing.
Since the country is an island, the role of air transport is great. There are 150 passenger airports in the country, which provide communication with 120 countries of the world. Transportation is carried out by the transnational company British Airways. The largest airports are located in London (Heathrow and Gatwick).
Since the UK is an island state, all of its external transportation and trade is connected with sea and air transport.
About 90% of the total cargo turnover is accounted for by sea transport, including 25% for cabotage.
The UK Navy is 9.6 million reg. br.t. All areas of the country, except the West Midlands, are in one way or another directly connected with seaports, which serve as the main transport hubs. The largest of them are London, Southampton, Liverpool, Goole and Harwich. The ports of London and Liverpool handle about half of all cargo (by value).
In the past, more passengers arrived in the UK by sea than by air.
However, since the beginning of the 60s of the 20th century, the number of air passengers began to grow rapidly and now exceeds the number of those arriving in the country by sea by several times.
egp uk. The position of the UK in relation to neighboring countries.
In total, the country has about 150 airports, through which it is connected by permanent airlines with more than 100 countries of the world.
Almost all transportation is carried out by British Airways. The five largest airports in the country - Heathrow and Gatwick located in the London area, as well as Manchester, Luton and Glasgow - provide 75% of all passenger and air cargo transportation.
Great Britain is connected with the continent by two railway ferries (Dover - Dunkirk and Harwich - Ostend), the English Channel and numerous sea car and passenger ferries - with Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Holland and France.
To attract passengers, duty-free trade is open on ferries.
Road transport plays the most important role in domestic freight transport. It is more than 3 times inferior to the railway and coastal routes. In connection with the development of motor transport, more than 12 thousand km of railway tracks were removed. Now the length of the railway tracks is about 17 thousand km. at the same time, the road network is expanding (371,000 km) and being reconstructed.
At the same time, the main attention is paid to connecting the main conurbations of the country in the shortest possible way.
UK transport system wikipedia
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Characteristics of Great Britain
(England) 1 position in relation to neighboring countries 2 Provision against the main land and sea transport routes 3 Rules in relation to the main fuel bases of raw materials, industrial and agricultural areas 4 positions in relation to the main area of sales of products 5 Change in GWP in time 6 General Conclusion The impact of EGP on the development and deployment of the country's economy
(England)1 Position in relation to neighboring countries 2 Position in relation to
to the main land and sea transport routes 3
relation to the main fuel resource bases, industrial and
agricultural areas 4 Position in relation to the main
sales areas 5 EGP change over time 6 General conclusion about
the influence of the EGP on the development and location of the country's economy
- 1) Great Britain borders only with Ireland.
2) The island state is an important point of cargo transportation from Europe to America and Africa.Land transport is only relevant in domestic transport.
3) one of the major fuel bases in Europe, the North Sea, is located near Great Britain. Great Britain, through the narrow English Channel, neighbors with the major economic countries of Europe - France and the Netherlands with Belgium.
4) UK sales areas are Europe, America, Asia and Africa
5) EGL has not changed significantly over time since the 80s of the 20th century (the formation of the EU).
6) Thanks to its favorable geographical position (access to the Atlantic, close to Europe, direct connection with the USA), Great Britain is actively developing its economy and international trade.The largest economic centers of Great Britain are located on the coast, near major ports.
Most easy way movement in the center of London is the subway. You can buy tickets for one or two trips, but if you use the metro often, then travel cards will be very convenient.
These can be cards for one day, for a week, or for a month, and they give you the opportunity to use the metro, bus and train in the areas you have chosen for an unlimited number of times.
One-day travel cards can be purchased at metro ticket offices. They are valid for travel on the metro and buses at any time. They are not valid for airport buses or special tours.
Weekly passes are valid for metro and bus travel at all times, but are not valid for airport bus travel or special tours.
The cost varies depending on the number of zones selected.
How to get to the city center from Heathrow Airport
TAXI. The taxi rank is located next to the airport exit.
BUS. Airport buses run to central London (A1 to Victoria station and A2 to Euston station). The fare is about 6 pounds. Tickets can be purchased at the airport building or on the bus.
Buses leave every 20 minutes.
METRO. The Piccadilly line runs from Heathrow to central London and links the extensive underground metro network.
But if you have a lot of luggage, then the trip can be difficult. Trains depart every 5 minutes and the journey takes 55 minutes.
HIGH-SPEED TRAIN. To central London, to PADDINGTON railway station, every 20 min. high-speed trains run, travel time is 20 minutes.
TAXI"Black cabs" are a characteristic feature of the London streets, they are safe and their traffic is orderly.
Taxis can be hailed on the street when the yellow light is on to indicate that the taxi is available. There are taxi ranks in many places, including major stations. Doormen and porters in hotels will order a taxi for you. Be careful and do not accept offers from car drivers who do not have special taxi signs.
Many of them do not have a legal work permit, they are not safe to drive because they are not insured, and the drivers are often inexperienced.
Urban transport
London is one of the cities in the world where transport has become a legend.
The world's first subway and the famous double-decker buses are the visiting card of the English capital. Of course, Londoners, faithful to the traditions, try to preserve their appearance with the least changes. True, London's urban transport has long been no longer limited to the underground and red Double Decker double-decker buses.
Despite all the English conservatism, new modes of transport regularly appear in the British capital. The steam subway has long been electrified, the division of carriages into classes has disappeared, and buses in London are no longer only double-decker. Now the main transport load is still borne by the metro and buses. However, the history of London transport (beginning with omnibuses and launched in 1863 by the steam metro) is so great and interesting that a museum of urban transport has been created in the British capital.
Metro (Underground, Tube) has twelve lines. All of them were created at different times and by different owners, and therefore are still quite different from each other. Some trains run mostly underground, others on the surface.
Over time, many sections of the railways switched from metro to long-distance trains and vice versa. At first glance, the metro scheme, intertwined with the regular train network, is depressing, especially after the slender Moscow metro system. However, it's pretty easy to figure it out. The lines often branch out into separate branches to one or another area of the city, so you should always pay attention to the destination of the train.
In addition, trains of different lines can run on the same tracks. On the main lines, trains run quite often, with an interval of no more than five minutes; on the outlying lines, you can wait up to half an hour.
The position of the country in relation to neighboring countries. Economic and geographical position of countries
The London Underground fare system sounds complicated, but it's actually not that big of a problem to figure it out.
The whole of Greater London is divided into six zones, which diverge from the center in concentric circles.
Any ticket must be valid in all zones through which the trip passes. Therefore, when choosing a travel route, you need to make sure that you do not inadvertently get into an area where your ticket is not valid. In general, the London Underground usually allows you to get to your destination in several ways. Among them, you can choose the one that affects fewer zones. Let's say, if you need to travel from the second zone to the third on the opposite side of the city, you can easily bypass the first central zone and, thus, halve the cost of the trip.
The most expensive is the first zone, which includes the city center and largest number tourist attractions.
A single smart_card (Oyster Card) is another way to pay for travel on the London Underground, buses and trams. It is also valid on some rail routes and DLR (Docklands Light Rail) lines.
Oyster Card is a more economical payment system that allows you to link several travel cards to a magnetic card, or use the “pay as you go” mode.
You can top up your magnetic card balance at London Underground stations, at some railway stations, at specialized points of sale of these cards, by phone or on the website www.tfl.gov.uk.
The tram has recently been restored in London. Everyone knows about double-decker buses, but few people know that fifty years ago double-decker trams ran around London.
The London Tram now has three routes in the southern part of the city. Thirty meter long double wagons serve the Croydon area. Tram tickets are sold separately from vending machines at stops. If you need to transfer to a bus after a tram ride or vice versa, you can buy a “tram-bus” ticket for the same price. Bus tickets are not valid on the tram.
Another new (a little over ten years old) type of London transport is the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).
It owes its appearance to the collapse of the London docks, which lost their orders after the modernization of maritime freight transport. Large-tonnage container ships began to unload in the deep-water ports of the coast, leaving the vast London area in desolation.
The program for reviving the docks area provided for the appearance of high-speed transport there, which was launched in the late eighties. The DLR train consists of several driverless trailers that can accommodate about 250 people. Four lines are currently in operation.
They link the former dock area to metro and rail stations, as well as to the city centre. The DLR fare system is the same as the metro, metro tickets are valid on the DLR and vice versa.
Tickets for transport can be bought at vending machines located at metro stations and at stops of land transport. In addition, bus tickets can be bought from the driver.
All child tickets expire at 22:00.
In general, London transport operates from four or five in the morning until one in the morning. It is better not to drive during peak hours: 07:30-09:30 and 16:30-18:30. Night buses have an N index in front of their number, for example, N-23.
All of them pass through Trafalgar Square. On Sunday, transport starts after seven in the morning and stops by midnight. Traffic intervals on Sunday are approximately twice as long. At Christmas, many lines do not function at all.
Another part of London's transport system is the river boats that ply between the many jetties on the Thames.
They are owned by several companies and contain a total of twenty routes. The Thames fare system is its own.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is located in the British Isles. It is the largest archipelago in Europe. It includes two big islands- Great Britain and Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, and another 5 thousand small islands, among which three groups of islands in the north stand out: Hybrid, Orkney and Scottish. The territory of the country is 244.1 thousand square meters. km, which is half the size of the largest states in Western Europe- France and Spain.
Great Britain has a complex administrative-territorial division. It consists of 4 historical and geographical regions: England (45 counties and a special administrative unit - Greater London); Wales (8 counties); Northern Ireland (26 districts); Scotland (12 regions); independent administrative units are the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
To a certain extent, the rapid economic development of Great Britain was facilitated by a favorable geographical position. This maritime power, formerly a "great maritime power", is located on the continental shelf. The British archipelago is separated by the shallow North Sea from the developed countries of Western and Northern Europe (Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Germany), by the narrow straits of the English Channel (20 km) and Pas de Calais (33 km) from France. The railway tunnel that runs along the bottom of the English Channel connects Great Britain and France and puts an end to the country's maritime isolation.
The role of the country in the international arena is great. Great Britain has been a member of the UN since 1945, a permanent member of the Security Council, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) since 1949, a member of the European Union since 1973, a member of the Western European Union since 1954. The head of the British Commonwealth, created in 1931 and includes 50 states, former British dominions and colonies, maintaining close economic and political ties with Great Britain. Great Britain has been a member of the NATO military-political organization since 1949 and possesses nuclear missile weapons. It plays a large role in such international economic organizations as the Paris Club and the London Club, which regulate the monetary and financial problems of the West and largely determine the policy of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Natural conditions and resources. The natural resource factor had a great influence on the formation of the territorial structure of the economy.
Great Britain has diverse landforms: mountainous relief prevails in the north and west, and flatlands in the east. The highest point of the country - Mount Ben Nevis (1343 m) is located in mountainous Scotland. The Penninsky ridge, elongated from north to south, has the greatest extent. A vast rolling plain occupies the southeast and center of the country, and the flattest lowland - Fenland - surrounds the Wash. In Scotland, the Lowlands stretch between the Northern and Southern Highlands.
The climate of Great Britain is temperate, oceanic, very humid with mild winter and cool summers. The British Isles are characterized by frequent fogs and strong winds. The temperate oceanic climate and the influence of the warm North Atlantic current create favorable conditions for the development of agriculture (in the southwest, plants vegetate all year round). High soil cultivation is an important factor in increasing crop yields.
Rivers in the conditions of the British climate are full of water. The largest are the Thames, Severn, Trent, Mersey.
The importance of the estuaries of rivers that go far into the land is very great, as well as the overall large indentation of the coastline. This allowed the creation of many ports. Rivers as a source of energy are used only in the highlands of Scotland and North Wales.
In general, the country does not have significant reserves of minerals, with the exception of fuel and energy. Hard coal reserves are estimated at 190-200 billion tons. Total and recoverable reserves are about 50 billion tons (first place in Western Europe). The main deposits are located on the Mid-Scottish Lowland.
In the 1960s, oil fields were discovered on the shelf of the North Sea, explored reserves are estimated at 2.4 billion tons, which is approximately 35% of the oil reserves of the entire shelf of the North Sea (2% of world reserves). Found about 50 fields, large among them - Brent and Fortis together provide 33% of the total production.
Large deposits of natural gas were discovered in 1959 in the western part of the North Sea. In 1965, 70 km. east of Clinthorps, industrial gas production was started. Its total reserves are estimated at 1.2 trillion. cube m. Currently, 37 out of 60 natural gas fields are being developed.
Great Britain also has other minerals. Iron ores, mostly phosphorous, of low quality
Great Britain has insignificant reserves of tin in Cornwall, lead-zinc ores in Wales, and uranium ores in Scotland.
Kaolin is mined in Cornwall; rock salt in Cheshire and Durham; potash salts in Yorkshire.
UK population. The main productive force of society is the population. In 2000, the total population of the UK was 58.6 million people, natural population growth - 0.1% per year.
The dominant and most numerous nation of Great Britain is the English; they make up 80% of the population (about 46.9 million people). They inhabit England proper, most of Wales and form compact settlements in some areas in southern Scotland. English language belongs to the northwestern group of Germanic languages. English is also spoken by the majority of the population of the country of Celtic origin - Scots and Welsh.
Of the Celtic peoples of Great Britain, the Scots are the most numerous, the number of which exceeds 5.1 million people (10%). They inhabit mainly the northwestern regions of the island of Great Britain and the Scottish, Orkney and Hebrides Islands adjacent to their coast.
The basis of the Scottish language was one of the northern dialects of the Anglo-Saxon language. Many words from the Gaelic that it displaced entered the Scots language, in addition, the influence of the Scandinavian languages visibly affected it.
From the 14th to the 17th centuries it was the official language of the Scottish state. With the loss of Scotland's independence, the Scots language is gradually being replaced by English.
In recent years, a national movement has taken on a large scale in Scotland. The nationalist ideas of this movement are developed by the Scottish National Party, founded in 1928, which is fighting for a democratic solution to the social and national problems of Scotland.
The historical fate and ethnic development of the Welsh (about 2.1 million people, less than 4% of the total population) were different from those of the Scots.
Wales was conquered early by the English; its population underwent more assimilation than the Scots.
For many years there has been a bitter struggle in Northern Ireland, annexed to the British state in 1922, while the rest of Ireland has achieved independence. The United Kingdom then included six counties from the nine Irish provinces of Ulster. Ethnic composition The population of this area is heterogeneous. About 500 thousand indigenous people of the island (these are Irish Catholics) and more than 1 million Anglo-Irish and Scotch-Irish live here. Such a composition of the population developed here in the 17th–18th centuries. during the period of intensive colonization of Ireland by the British government.
Unlike the rest of Ireland, where land was distributed to large English owners - landlords, in Ulster land was allocated to small and medium tenants, English and Scots from the southern part of Scotland.
Thus, in Ulster historically there were three groups of the population that differed from each other in religion and culture, and were wary, and sometimes hostile, towards each other. The eastern regions of Northern Ireland were occupied by settlers from Scotland - the Presbyterians, the central and northern provinces were settled by the British, belonging to english church, in the extreme western and border areas with Ireland lived the remnants of the indigenous population - the Irish, Catholics by religion.
Over time, there was a rapprochement between the English and Scottish settlers on the basis of common interests, and at present they are already acting against the native Catholic Irish as a united front. Power in Northern Ireland is concentrated in the hands of this Protestant majority, and Irish Catholics are discriminated against in a variety of ways. Very often this is presented in the media as a simple religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants. In fact, the causes of the struggle in Northern Ireland are a complex web of national, socio-economic and regional contradictions, the roots of which go back centuries.
Enough large group population (about 500 thousand people) in the UK are Jews, living mainly in London and other large cities.
After the Second World War, in connection with the great restoration work and the development of productivity, the influx of workers from European countries into England increased. Now in the UK there are 1 million immigrants from various European countries, and the total number of foreign citizens in the UK is over 2.5 million people, or less than 5% of the total population of the country. In addition, between 50,000 and 60,000 temporary workers from Europe arrive in the country every year (most from Italy, and now from of Eastern Europe). Beginning in the 1950s, the flow of immigrants from the Commonwealth countries, from the regions of the West Indies, India and Pakistan, increased sharply. The position of this category of citizens is very difficult. Most of them are employed in unskilled work, in the service sector, etc.
The growth in the number of immigrants from the former English colonies gave rise to the question of race relations. The government, in its special acts, is attempting to restrict immigration from its former colonies.
The UK is one of the most densely populated and highly urbanized countries in the world.
On average, per 1 sq. km accounted for 246.3 people in 2000. However, the distribution of the population across the country is very uneven. The main part of the inhabitants of Great Britain is concentrated in England, which has the most advantageous geographical position and favorable natural conditions. Here the average density per 1 sq. km exceeds 356 people. Half of the entire UK population lives in the London-Liverpool belt. The most sparsely populated areas are in Scotland with its harsh natural conditions compared to other parts of the country. The population density here is less than 90 people per 1 sq. km. km, and the population is concentrated mainly on the coasts, in river valleys and lowlands (especially around Glasgow and Edinburgh).
In 2000, 89.4% of the population lived in cities. The growth rate of the urban population is 0.4% per year. The so-called English metropolis is being formed, uniting the agglomerations of London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and other cities, in total there are 30 urban agglomerations. The total area of the metropolis is 50 thousand square meters. km, population - 30-35 million people.
The average life expectancy is high, for men - 75 years, for women - 80.5 years.
The total number of labor resources is about 30 million people. A positive trend in the economy is that the number of people employed in manual and low-skilled labor has decreased, and, on the contrary, the number of people employed in jobs requiring high qualifications has increased.
In 2000, the unemployment rate was 6.3% (1812 thousand people).
The proportion of the population living below the poverty line, according to UN experts, is 10.6%; living below the average income - 50%, 13.1% - have an income of $ 14.4 per day.
Political system. Great Britain is a parliamentary monarchy. The country does not have a constitution in the form of a single basic law. Legislative acts adopted by Parliament and judicial precedents are of constitutional significance.
The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II (since February 6, 1952), who belongs to the Hanoverian dynasty of English monarchs, is the 40th British monarch since the conquest of England by the Normans (1066). The Queen is considered the supreme bearer of executive power, the head of the judiciary, the supreme commander of the armed forces, the secular head of the Anglican Church, has the formal right to convene Parliament in session, dissolve the House of Commons, authorize bills passed by Parliament, ratify international treaties. In practice, however, all major royal prerogatives are exercised by the Cabinet and Parliament.
The state legislature is the parliament, which consists of two chambers. The House of Lords consists of about 1,200 hereditary and life peers, Lords Judges of Appeal and "Spiritual Lords" (two archbishops and 24 bishops, of the English Church) and the highest appellate court. The House of Commons is an elected body consisting of 649 deputies, elected for five years by a majority system of relative majority by direct and secret ballot on the basis of universal suffrage.
In the absence of a constitution and according to the position of "parliamentary sovereignty", the parliament is not bound by previous decisions and can cancel acts of constitutional significance. British courts are deprived of the right to review or annul acts of Parliament and are obliged to apply not the provisions arising from the international legal obligations of Great Britain, but the norms of parliamentary status.
As a result of the general elections in May 1997, the Labor Party received an absolute majority in the House of Commons (418 seats). The Conservatives have 165 seats, the Liberal Democrats have 46, the Ulster Unionist Party has 10, the Scottish National Party has 6 and the Welsh National Party has 4.
The government is formed by the leader of the party that wins the majority of seats in the House of Commons. In 1997, Tony Blair became prime minister. Labor replaced the Conservatives, who had been in power for 18 years.
Political parties. The Conservative Party took shape organizationally in 1867 (about 1.5 million members). Domestically, the party pursued a policy of broad social and economic reforms, including decentralization and privatization of the economy. In foreign policy terms, the conservatives are characterized by a NATO-wide approach to solving international problems. The party shares the concept of "nuclear deterrence", stands for the preservation of "special relations" with the United States, for the modernization of the UK's nuclear potential, for the country's continued membership in NATO and the EU. Differences remain in the ranks of the Conservatives on the issue of European integration, which complicated the passage of the Maastricht Accords through the parliament, regarded by the majority in the party leadership as a worthy compromise, taking into account British national interests.
The Labor Party of Great Britain (LPW) was founded in 1890 and unites 6.4 million collective and individual members. As an ideological basis, she puts forward the principles of "democratic socialism", in economic policy she is committed to the concept of a mixed economy.
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was formed in 1988 by the merger of the liberal and social democratic parties, which since 1981 have been in the political arena in an alliance that unites about
60 thousand people. The political platform of the LDP is centrist, largely compromise (between the two main parties) and vague. Its main components: the need to keep the UK's nuclear weapons and the country's membership in NATO. In domestic matters, the LDP also follows an intermediate line, advocates the fight against unemployment, a priority solution social problems, the cessation of further denationalization, but in general relies on a market economy and the development of competition.
Features of the EGP. The country is located in the British Isles in the northwest of Europe. Let’s look at the UK PGP – first
its geographical aspect. Great Britain consists of
four large provinces: England, Wales, North
Ireland and Scotland. UK EGP in many ways
determined by its insular position. British
The islands are the largest archipelago in Europe. In its composition
includes two large islands (Ireland and Great Britain) and
more than five thousand small. Southern part of the island
Great Britain is in the fiftieth and northern
part of the archipelago (Scottish Islands) - on the sixtieth
degrees north latitude. Distance from the northernmost
points of the island of Great Britain to its southernmost point
equals 966 kilometers, and its greatest width is 508
kilometers. Geographic location of Great Britain
such that it is washed by the waters of the North Sea and
Atlantic Ocean, and the southern part of its coast
located only thirty-five kilometers from
north coast of France. They are separated by the English Channel. The area of Great Britain is 243,810
square kilometers.
year. 13th place in the world in terms of living standards is
Great Britain. The country's economy is one of the most developed in
the world.
The country has a well-developed electronic and electrical industry,
large automotive industry, aerospace industry, shipbuilding,
agricultural engineering and machine tool building. Wide
represented by the chemical and petrochemical industries, production
lifting and transport equipment and industrial equipment, as well as
oil refining and pharmaceutical industry, black and
non-ferrous metallurgy. The UK is one of the first places in
in the world for the export and production of dyes, synthetic fibers and
plastics, detergents, chemical and mineral fertilizers.
Natural resource potential.
Great Britain has a variety of landforms: mountainous relief prevails onnorth and west, and the plains in the east. The highest point in the country is Mount Ben Nevis (1343 m)
located in the highlands of Scotland. The Penninsky Range has the greatest extent,
elongated from north to south. A vast hilly plain occupies the southeast and center of the country, and
the flattest lowland, the Fenland, surrounds the Wash. In Scotland between the North and
The Southern Highlands stretches the Mid-Scottish Lowland.
The climate of Great Britain is temperate, oceanic, very humid with mild winters and not hot
summer. The British Isles are characterized by frequent fogs and strong winds. Moderate
oceanic climate and the influence of the warm North Atlantic Current create favorable
conditions for the development of agriculture (in the southwest, plants vegetate all year round).
High soil cultivation is an important factor in increasing productivity
crops.
Rivers in the conditions of the British climate are full of water. The largest are the Thames, Severn,
Trent, Mercey.
In general, the country does not have significant mineral reserves, with the exception of
fuel and energy. Hard coal reserves are estimated at 190-200 billion tons. General and
recoverable reserves are about 50 billion tons (first place in Western Europe). Main
deposits are located on the Mid-Scottish Lowland. In the 60s, oil fields were discovered on the shelf of the North Sea,
explored reserves are estimated at 2.4 billion tons, which is approximately 35% of the reserves
oil from the entire shelf of the North Sea (2% of world reserves). Found about 50
deposits, the largest among them - Brent and Fortis together provide 33% of the total
production volume.
Large deposits were discovered in the western part of the North Sea in 1959
natural gas. In 1965, 70 km. east of Clinthorps was launched
industrial gas production. Its total reserves are estimated at 1.2 trillion. cube m. V
37 out of 60 natural gas fields are currently being developed.
Great Britain also has other minerals. iron
ores, mostly phosphorous, of low quality
(22–23% metal content), they were found in Northamptonshire. Are common
explored reserves amount to 2.3 billion tons. However, their production from year to year
declined and is now almost non-existent.
Great Britain has insignificant reserves of tin in Cornwall,
lead-zinc ores in Wales and uranium ores in Scotland.
Kaolin is mined in Cornwall; rock salt in Cheshire and Durham; potash
salt - in Yorkshire.
characteristics of the UK population.
Basic ethnic group England are Europeans whomake up 87.2% of the total UK population. The rest are
Africans, Pakistanis, Indians, etc.
The UK ranks 23rd in the world in terms of the number of people.
The population of this country at the beginning of 2015 was 64,789,810 people.
Birth rate prevails over mortality: 12 children born per 1000
population, 9 deaths per 1000 population. Birth rate: 1.9
children per woman.
Net migration rate: 2.56 migrants per 1,000 population.
The average population density in the UK is 255 people. per km²
Characteristics of the population of Great Britain.
The national language of the United Kingdom is English,but in each province people speak their own regional language.
Recognized regional languages: Scottish, Welsh, Irish,
Cornish. Christianity is the leading religion in England.
includes: Anglican Church, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian
– 59.5% of the population. The rest are Muslims, Buddhists, Jews and others.
Great Britain is very tolerant, the population calmly perceives
existence of other religions in its territory.
Great Britain: population and economy
The head of state is the British monarch, in this caseQueen. The prime minister is considered the head of government.
Great Britain is a unitary state, it consists of
four provinces that enjoy considerable autonomy:
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In addition, England
has sovereignty over territories that are not part of
kingdoms. British Overseas Territories: Bermuda, Anguilla,
British Virgin Islands, British Indian Territory
ocean, island of Montserrat, Gibraltar, Pitcairn, Saint Helena,
Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Islands, South Sandwich Islands, South Georgia, Falkland Islands.
As well as sovereign military bases in Cyprus.
Ecological problems.
The UK is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. According toobligations under the Kyoto Protocol, the country has already reduced emissions by 12.5%
compared with 1990 and plans to reach 20% in 2010. It is planned that by 2015
33% of household waste will be recycled or used as fertilizer.
During the period from 1999 to 2000, the processing of household waste increased from 8.8 to
10,3%.
The UK has ratified such international protection agreements
environment such as: air pollution (nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides,
organic compounds) on the protection of the natural environment of Antarctica
conservation of the marine resources of Antarctica, the Antarctic Treaty on
Biodiversity UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Kyoto
Desertification Protocol on Hazardous Wastes Marine Convention
testing of nuclear weapons on the protection of whales and others.
External economic relations of Great Britain
The UK imports 6 times more manufactured goods thanraw materials. Nearly half of all UK imports are
manufacturing products. Increased imports of cars and
equipment, products of the chemical industry. Great Britain
is a major importer of agricultural products, raw materials,
intermediate (semi-finished) and finished products, as well as cars
(from EU countries and Japan) . The main sources of English imports are
USA (14%), Germany (11.7%), France (7.7%), Netherlands (6.2%) and
Belgium (4.8%).
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