GB

GB is situated on the British Isles & as a whole is a densely populated country. The population of country is more then 56 million people. The country has a very good geographical position as it lies on the crossways of the sea routes from Europe to other parts of the world. The sea connected GB with most of the world & influence the climate of the country. Thanks to the Atlantic oscine & the Golf-Stream, a warm ocean current, the climate of GB is warm & damp. GB is a highly developed industrial country. It is known as exporters of iron & steel products, chemicals & navigation equipment. GB is a country with old cultural traditions & customs The most famous educational centers are Ox-ford & Cambridge universities .They are consider to be the intellectual centers of Europe. The education is not free it is very expensive. GB is a Parliamentary monarchy .The monarchy is one of the old English traditions. It has no power .The Queen of GB "doesn’t rule ,but reigns” The country is governed by the Parliament, consisting of the Queen (or King) The House of Commons & The House of Lords, but government elected with the Prime Minister at the head. GB consist of 4 main parts: England ,Wales, Scotland, & Northern Ireland. The relief in the South & East is flat. Scotland &Wales are mountains & hilly. But the mountains are not high ,The highest one is Ben Nevis in Scotland. It is 1343 meters high. There are many rivers in GB but they are not long. Many of rivers are connected with each other by means of channels .The main rivers are: The Seven, The Themes, The Shannon & The Clyde.

Great Britain

The full name of the country the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 
The United Kingdom is situated on the British Isles. The British Isles consist of two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland, and a great number of small islands. Their total area is over 314 000 sq. km. 
The British Isles are separated from the European continent by the North Sea and the English Channel. The western coast of Great Britain is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea. Northern Ireland occupies one third of the island of Ireland. It borders on the Irish Republic in the south. 
The island of Great Britain consists of three main parts: England (the southern and middle part of the island), Wales (a mountainous peninsula in the West) and Scotland (the northern part of the island). 
There are no high mountains in Great Britain. In the north the Cheviots separate England from Scotland, the Pennines stretch down North England along its middle, the Cambrian mountains occupy the greater part of Wales and the Highlands of Scotland are the tallest of the British mountains. There is very little flat country except in the region known as East Anglia. 
Most of the rivers flow into the North Sea. The Thames is the deepest and the longest of the British rivers. Some of the British greatest ports are situated in the estuaries of the Thames, Mersey, Trent, Tyne, Clyde and Bristol Avon. 
Great Britain is not very rich in mineral resources, it has some deposits of coal and iron ore and vast deposits of oil and gas that were discovered in the North Sea. The warm currents of the Atlantic Ocean influence the climate of Great Britain. Winters are not severely cold and summers are rarely hot. The population of the United Kingdom is over 58 million people. The main nationalities are: English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish. In Great Britain there are a lot of immigrants from former British Asian and African colonies. 
Great Britain is a highly industrialized country. New industries have been developed in the last three decades. The main industrial centres are London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Glasgow and Bristol. 
The capital of the country is London. The United Kingdom is a parliamentary monarchy.

The Geographical Position Of Great Britain

There are two large islands and several smaller ones, which lie in the north-west coast of Europe. Collectively they are known as the British Isles. The largest island is called Great Britain. The smaller one is called Ireland. Great Britain is separated from the continent by the English Channel. The country is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Great Britain is separated from Belgium and Holland by the North Sea, and from Ireland — by the Irish Sea. In the British Isles there are two states. One of them governs of the most of the island of Ireland. This state is usually called the Republic of Ireland. The other state has authority over the rest of the territory. The official name of this country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. But it is usually known by a shorter name — "The United Kingdom". The total area of Great Britain is 244,000 square km. 
They say that the British love of compromise is the result of the country's physical geography. This may or may not be true, but it certainly true that the land and climate in Great Britain have a notable lack of extremes. The mountains in the country are not very high. It doesn't usually get very cold in the winter or very not in the summer. 
It has no active volcanoes, and an earth tremors which does no more than rattle teacups in a few houses which is reported in the national news media. The insular geographical position of Great Britain promoted the development of shipbuilding, different training contacts with other countries.

The Climate Of Great Britain

Great Britain is situated on islands. It is washed by seas from all sides. That's why the climate and the nature of Great Britain is very specific. The popular belief that it rains all the time in Britain is simply not true. In fact, London gets no more rain in a year than most other major European cities. 
Generally speaking, the further west you go, the more rain you get. The mild winters mean that snow is a regular feature of the higher areas only. The winters are in general a bit colder in the east of the country than they are in the west. While in summer, the south is slightly warmer and sunnier than the north. Besides Britain is famous for its fogs. Sometimes fogs are so thick that it is impossible to see anything within 2 or 3 meters. 
Why has Britain's climate got such a bad reputation? Maybe it is for the same reason that British people always seem to be talking about the weather. There is a saying that Britain doesn't have a climate, it only has weather. You can never be sure of a fry day, though it may not rain very much altogether. There can be cool and even cold days in July and some quite warm days in January. The weather changes very often. Mark Twain said about America: "If you don't like the weather in New England, just wait a few minutes" but it is more likely to have been said about England. 
The lack of extremes is the reason why on the few occasions when it gets genuinely hot or freezing cold, the country seems to be totally unprepared for it. A bit of snow, a few days of frost and the trains stop working and the roads are blocked. If the thermometer goes above 27°C, people behave as if they were in the Sahara and the temperature makes front-page headlines. These things happen so seldom that it is not worth organizing life to be ready for them. Everyone who comes to Great Britain says that it looks like one great beautiful park. The British people love their country and take care of it.

The Population Of The British Isles

The British Isles are the home of four nations — English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish. Even though foreigners often call all British people "English", and sometimes have difficulty in appreciating the distinctions, the component nations of the United Kingdom are well aware of their own individual characteristics. The Scots, Welsh and Irish regard themselves as largely Celtic peoples, while the English are mainly Anglo- Saxon in origin. 
British society as a whole does not have a uniform cultural identity. In 1993 the population of the United Kingdom was about 58 million inhabitants. This figure gives a population density of 600 persons per square mile (284 per square km). England has an average density of 980 persons per square mile (364 per square km). This average does not reveal the even higher densities in some areas of the country, such as south-east parts. Within Europe only the Netherlands has a higher population that England.

England

England is the largest and the richest country of Great Britain. The capital of England is London but there are other large industrial cities, such as Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and other famous and interesting cities such as York, Chester, Oxford and Cambridge. Stonehenge is one of the most famous prehistoric places in the world. This ancient circle of stones stands in Southwest England. It measures 80 meters across and made with massive blocks of stone up to four meters high. Why it was built is a mystery. 
Not far from Stonehenge stands Salisbury Cathedral. It is a splendid example of an English Gothic Cathedral; inside there is one of four copies of Magna Charta and the oldest 
clock in England. Chester is very important town in the north-west of England. In the past it used to be a Roman fort; its name comes from the Latin word castra, meaning "fortified camp". In Chester there is a famous museum which contains over 5000 ancient and modern toys. 
Oxford is the home of the oldest university of England. The most famous college is Christ Church. It has a great hall which was built during the reign of Henry VIII and its chapel has become the Cathedral of Oxford. Cambridge is the home of Britain's second oldest university. 
York was the capital of Northern England. It is one of the best preserved medieval cities of Europe. It was built by Romans, conquered by Anglo-Saxons and ruled by the 
Vikings. Birmingham is often called the "City of 1,500 trades" because of the great variety of its industries.

Scotland

Scotland is a country in the north of Great Britain. It is a part of the United Kingdom. Scotland is divided into three natural regions: the Southern Uplands, the Central Lowlands and the Highlands and islands. A lot of places in Scotland are a natural paradise, still untouched by man. 
The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh, well known for its castle. Glasgow is the industrial capital of Scotland. It is the third largest city in Great Britain. The typical products of Scotland are timber, whisky, salmon. Golf is the Scottish natural sport and it seems to have originated in this country. 
Scotland is also the land of myths and mysteries; every castle has its ghost. Glamis Castle is said to have nine of them. And of course everyone knows about the Loch Ness Monster. "Nessie" is said to be about six meters long, with a long, thin neck. The first report of the monster in Loch Ness was in 565 A.D. Since 1934 thousands of people claimed to they had seen the monster. Scientists have investigated the Loch and taken pictures but no scientific explanation of the mystery has been given.

Scotland (2)

Scotland is the north part of Great Britain. Five million people live in Scotland. Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland. There are two large cities here: Glasgow and Aberdeen. Scotland is full of mountains and lakes. The highest mountain is Ben Nevis. There are a lot of rivers. The sea nearly cuts the mountains into parts. The Scottish flag is a white cross on a blue background. The cross is the cross of Saint Andrew. Saint Andrew was a disci pie of Jesus. 
A long time ago the Scots built many large churches beside the river. These churches were called Abbeys. The Scots built Melrose Abbey in 1136 but the English destroyed it in 1544. In the days of the Abbeys, the hills and farms were full of sheep and they still are. 
Some people go to Scotland by plane. Some people go there by ship. There are trains and buses to Glasgow and Edinburgh from London every day. Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and the third largest in the United Kingdom. Before 1750 Glasgow was a small town. It had a cathedral and a university but it was not a rich town. After 1707 Scottish ships could go to the English colonies in America. Ships brought tobacco to Glasgow and took back Scottish goods. In 1776, the American colonies became independent and the tobacco trade stopped. Heavy industry began to develop. It used coal and iron from the Clyde valley. Glasgow became rich but very dirty. 
Glasgow is famous for football teams: Rangers and Celtic. Most people in Glasgow are fans of one of teams. When they play against each other, thousands of fans go to watch. Rangers and Celtic have won more football competitions in Scotland than all the other Scottish teams. 
Glasgow has a busy cultural life. A lot of musicians, actors and singers come to Glasgow to give concerts. It the evenings the opera house, the cinemas and the concert halls are full. In cafes and pubs small groups sing, act, read poetry.

Wales

Wales is the country in the west of Great Britain. It is mainly a mountainous land with a chiefly agricultural economy and an industrial and coal-mining area in the south. The landscape is beautiful. Many English people move to Wales when they retire. 
Cardiff, a large city in the south, was chosen as the capital of Wales in 1955, mainly because of its size. Since 1536, Wales has been governed by England and the heir to the throne of England has the title of Prince of Wales, but Welsh people have strong sense of identity. There is a Welsh National party which wants independence from the United Kingdom and the Welsh language is still used in certain parts of the country. 
Welsh is an ancient Celtic language, similar to Breton, spoken in Brittany, France. In the 60's Welsh was given equal status with English as an official language and is used in the law courts. It is taught in school and some TV program are broadcast in Welsh. However, only about 20% of the population speaks Welsh.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland, also known as Ulster, is still a part of the United Kingdom. It is made up of six countries: Antrim,  Armagh,  Down, Fermanagh,  Londonderry, Tyrone. One third of the population lives in and around the capital, Belfast. 
Belfast is also the most important port and commercial and industrial centre. Some parts of the territory, those that are not close to the capital, have remained mainly rural. 
The Irish population is divided into two groups: the Protestants and the Catholics. The Protestants are of British origin. They are descendants of British settlers who came to Ireland in the XVI-th and XVII-th centuries, during and after the Reformation. The Catholics are mostly natives of Ireland.
The Protestants were the majority and dominated the Catholics with strong discrimination. In 1968 the Catholics began the movement for equal civil rights. The fighting between the two groups of the population continue to this day. 
Northern Ireland has a strong cultural tradition: songs, dances, literature and festivals. It has its own Art Council, and there are orchestras, theatres, ballet and opera companies.

Ireland

Ireland is an island on the west side of Europe. The capital of Ireland is Dublin. There are about 5 million people in the Republic of Ireland. It is a small country but a lot of people know about it. In many countries there are Irish priests and nuns. 
People left Ireland to find work in those countries and they stayed there. All over the world there are people with Irish blood. 
The country is in two parts. The larger part, the Republic of Ireland, is in the south. The smaller part of Ireland, Northern Ireland, is part of the United Kingdom and its big city is Belfast. Like a lot of other countries, Ireland had sad and difficult times, but it had good times too.

The Irish are kind and polite people, they welcome strangers. The Irish love to talk. Ireland is a beautiful country with fine lakes, tall mountains and attractive beaches. It has two great rivers. It is a very green country. It is green partly because it rains too much. 
Ireland is a country of good butter, good beer and good horses. People come from all over the world to buy Irish horses, from Europe, from America, from Arab countries and from the Far East. Ireland also has its manufacturing industry.

The Structure Of Government In Great Britain

The Queen is officially head of all the branches of government, but she has little direct power in the country. The constitution has three branches: Parliament, which makes lows, the government, which "executes" laws (puts them into effect) and the courts, which interpret laws. Parliament has two parts: the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Members of the House of Commons are elected by the voters of 650 constituencies. They are known as Members of Parliament. The Prime Minister is advised by a Cabinet of about twenty other ministers. The Prime Minister, or leader of the Government, is usually the leader of the political party. The Cabinet includes the ministers in charge of major government departments or ministries. 
Departments and ministries are run by civil servants, who are permanent officials. Even if the Government changes after an election, the same civil servants are employed. Members of the House of Lords are not elected. About 70 per cent of them are "hereditary peers" because their fathers were peers before them. The 30 per cent are officially appointed by the Queen, on the advice of the Government, for various services 
for people.

Forming A Government. The Cabinet.

The party which wins the most seats in the General Election forms the government in Britain. The leader of the winning party becomes Prime Minister. As leaders of their political parties and leaders of the country, Prime Ministers are powerful because they have the majority support in Parliament and they can choose their own ministers and government. 
The PM, chooses a committee of ministers called the Cabinet. This is made up of a selection of senior MPs from the House of Commons and some members of the House of Lords. Each member of the Cabinet is a minister responsible for a government department: for example, the Secretary of State for Education and Science is responsible for all the schools, universities and teachers in Britain. The Cabinet of ministers runs the country. The Cabinet meets at the Prime Minister's house — 10 Downing Street. 
The cabinet works as a team and all ministers must accept the decisions of the "group". The team of ministers must always agree in public because they are collectively responsible for the decisions they make. If a minister cannot agree with all the others, he usually resigns from the cabinet. Cabinet meetings are held in private and the details must remain secret for at least 30 years. Margaret Thatcher tried to change this style of the Cabinet and was forced to resign when the other ministers could not agree with her. 
Cabinet ministers cannot, however, do as they please! They are responsible to Parliament and must answer questions from backbenchers from the House of Commons. Even the Prime Minister must answer questions every Tuesday and Thursday in the Commons — this is «called Prime Minister's Question Time. Everyone wants to know what has been decided behind the closed doors of the Cabinet Room.

Parliament. The Palace Of Westminster

Britain is administered from the Palace of Westminster in London. This is also known as the Houses of Parliament. Parliament is made up of two chambers — the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The members of the House of Lords are not elected: they qualify to sit in the House because they are bishops of the Church of England, aristocrats who have inherited their seats from their fathers, people with titles. There has been talk of reform in this century because many Britons think that this system is undemocratic. The House of Commons, by contrast, has 651 seats which are occupied by Members of Parliament (MPs) who are elected by the British public. The United Kingdom is divided into constituencies, each of which has an elected MP in the House of Commons. 
Each of the major political parties appoints a representative (candidate) to compete for each seat. Smaller parties may have a candidate in only a few constituencies. There may be five or more parties, fighting for one seat, but only one person — the candidate who gets the greatest number of votes — can win. Some parties win a lot of seats and some win very few, or none at all. 
The Queen, who is the Head of State, opens and closes Parliament. All new laws are debated (discussed) by MPs in the Commons, then debated in the Lords, and finally signed by the Queen. All three are part of Parliament in Britain.

British Institutions

Parliament is the most important authority in Britain. Parliament first met in the 13th century. Britain does not have a written constitution, but a set of laws. 
In 1689 Mary II and William III became the first constitutional monarchs. They could rule only with the support of the Parliament. Technically Parliament is made up of three parts: the Monarch, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. 
The continuity of the English monarchy has been interrupted only once during the Cromwell republic. Succession to the throne is hereditary but only for Protestants in the direct line of descent. 
Formally the monarch has a number of roles. The monarch is expected to be politically neutral, and should not make political decisions. Nevertheless, the monarch still performs some important executive and legislative duties including opening and dissolving Parliament, signing bills passed by both Houses and fulfilling international duties as head of state. The present sovereign is Queen Elizabeth II who was crowned in Westminster Abbey in 1953. 
The House of Lords comprises about 1 200 peers. The house is presided over by the Lord Chancellor. The House of Lords has no real power but acts as an advisory council for the House of Commons. As well as having legislative functions, the Lords is the highest court of appeal. The House of Commons consists of Members of Parliament who are elected by the adult suffrage of the British people in general elections which are held at least every five years. The country is divided into 650 constituencies each of which elects one Member of Parliament. 
The Commons, therefore, has 650 Members of Parliament. The party which wins the most seats forms the Government and its leader becomes the Prime Minister. The functions of Commons are legislation and security of government activities. The house is presided over by the Speaker. The government party sits on the Speaker's right while on his left sit the members of the opposition.

National Emblems Of The United Kingdom

The United Kingdom (abbreviated from "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland") is the political name of the country which consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (sometimes known as Ulster). 
Great Britain is the name of the island which is made up of England, Scotland, Wales, whereas the British Isles is the geographical name of all the islands off the north-west coast of the European continent. 
In everyday speech "Britain" is used to mean the United Kingdom. 
The flag of the United Kingdom, known as the Union Yack, is made up of three crosses. The upright red cross on a white background is the cross of the 1st George, the patron saint of England. The white diagonal cross on a blue background is the cross of St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland, The red diagonal cross on a white background is the cross of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. 
The Welsh flag, called the Welsh dragon, represents a red dragon on a white and green background. 
St. George's Day falls on 23 April and is regarded as England's national day. On this day some patriotic Englishmen wear a rose pinned to their jackets'. A red rose is the national emblem of England from the time of the Wars of the Roses (15th century). 
St. Andrew's Day (the 30th of November) is regarded as Scotland's national day. On this day some Scotsmen wear a thistle in their buttonhole. As a national emblem of Scotland, thistle apparently first used in the 15th century as a symbol of defense. The Order of the Thistle is one of the highest orders of knighthood. It was founded in 1687, and is mainly given to Scottish noblemen (limited to 16 in number). 
St. Patrick's Day (the 17th of March) is considered as a national day in Northern Ireland and an official bank holiday there. The national emblem of Ireland is shamrock. According to legend, it was the plant chosen by St. Patrick to illustrate the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to the Irish. 
St. David's Day (the 1st of March) is the church festival of St. David, a 6th-century monk and bishop, the patron saint of Wales. The day is regarded as the national holiday of Wales, although it is not an official bank holiday. On this day, however, many Welshmen wear either a yellow daffodil or a leek pinned to their jackets, as both plants are traditionally regarded as national emblems of Wales. 
In the Royal Arms three lions symbolize England, a lion rampant — Scotland, and a harp — Ireland. The whole is encircled and is supported by a lion and a unicorn. The lion has been used as a symbol of national strength and of the British monarchy for many centuries. The unicorn, a mythical animal that looks like a horse with a long straight horn, has appeared on the Scottish and British royal coats of arms for many centuries, and is a symbol of purity.

The Royal Family

At present the British royal family is headed by Queen Elizabeth. When the Queen was born on the 21st of April 1926, her grandfather, King George V, was on the throne and her uncle was his heir. The death of her grandfather and the abdication of her uncle brought her father to the throne as King George VI. As a child she studied constitutional history and law as well as art and music. In addition she learned to ride and acquired her enthusiasm for horses. As she grew older she began to take part in public life, making her first broadcast at the age of 14. The marriage of the young Princess Elizabeth to Philip, Duke of Edinburgh took place in November 1947. She came to the throne after her father's death in 1952 and was crowned in Westminster Abbey in June 1953. 
Among Queen Elizabeth's many duties are the regular visits she makes to foreign countries, and especially those of the Commonwealth, whose interests and welfare are very important to her. The Queen has allowed the BBC to make a documentary film about the every day of the royal family. She also started the tradition of the "walkabout", an informal feature of an otherwise formal royal visit, when she walks among the public crowds and stops to talk to some people. 
The annual Christmas broadcast made by the Queen on radio and television has become a traditional and popular feature of the season, and there were widespread celebrations and special programmes of events in 1977 to mark her Silver Jubilee. 
The Queen's husband, Duke of Edinburgh, was born in 1926 and served in the Royal Navy. He takes a great deal of interest in industry, in the achievements of young people (he founded Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme in 1956) and in saving raise wild animals from extinction. The Queen's heir is Charles, Prince of Wales, who was born in 1948, married Lady Diana Spencer and has two children, Prince William and Prince Harry. The Prince of Wales is well-known as a keen promoter of British interests. 
In recent years he has become outspoken on such controversial topics as modern architecture, violence in films and on television, and the standard of English teaching in schools. His wife Diana, Princess of Wales (often called in mass media Princess Di), won the affection of many people by her modesty, shyness and beauty. Unfortunately, she died in a car accident in August, 1997. 
The Queen's other children are Princess Anne (born in 1950), Prince Andrew (born in 1960) and Prince Edward (born in 1964). Anne, Princess Royal, has acquired a reputation for being arrogant, but in recent years has become quite popular with the general public. 
The Queen is widely known for her interest in horses and horse-racing. She is now president of the Save the Children Fund, Chancellor of the University of London and carries out many public engagements. Prince Andrew, Duke of York, served as a helicopter pilot in the Royal Navy. In 1986 he married Miss Sarah Ferguson (Fergie, for short) and has two daughters. 
Prince Edward is keen on the theatre. This interest began while he was at university. He quit the Royal Marines, and is now pursuing a career with a theatrical company. 
The Queen Mother, the widow of the late King George VI, celebrated her one hundred birthday in 2 000 and died in 2002. The Queen's only sister, Princess Margaret, Countess of Showdown, is well-known for her charity work.

Diana — The People's Princess

Diana Spencer was born on the first of July 1961 in Sandringham in England. She had two older sisters and a younger brother. In childhood she liked games, swimming, running and dancing. She wanted to become a dancer. Besides she loved children very much and at the age of sixteen she worked in schools for very young children. Diana became princess, when Prince Charles, the Queen's son, asked her to be his wife and they got married. They seemed to be a happy couple at first. They had two sons. They travelled a lot they worked a lot, they visited many countries together. But Diana was not quite happy because they did different things and Charles didn't understand her. 
Why was Diana the most famous, the most beautiful, the most photographed woman in the world? Why did she win the hearts of millions and millions of people in many countries? Why did so many people come to London to remember her when she died? Why did the car accident which took her life, become such a total shock to crowds of people? Why did people feel the need to be in London at the funeral? Why did the tears and love at the funeral move the world? 
The answer is so simple. Matthew Wall, a student at St. Michael's College in Burlington said: "She was such a lovely lady. She did so much for those people less fortunate that herself". She was a kind woman. Hundreds of people talked about Diana's kindnesses. She liked ordinary people, though she was rich and had many rich friends. Wherever she was, she was always ready to lend a hand. She was devoted to the sick and the poor. She visited hospitals for people with AIDS and for lepers and wasn't afraid to touch them, talk to them, listen to them. She worked on children's charities, and had teamed up with Hillary Clinton in an effort to ban landmines. And it's not only money, that she wanted to give people. She wanted to give them a part of her soul, to make them happy because she was unhappy herself. She wanted to give them love, because she needed love herself. 
Rock stars (Sting, Elton John), pop singer George Michael, film stars and producers (Tom Hanks, Steven Spilberg, Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise) and other famous people were among her friends. But she had more friends among ordinary people. 
Diana was seen many times in floods of tears, because of the pressures of her loveless 15-year marriage. It is not a secret that Diana was hounded and humiliated to the point of mental breakdown and was able to pull through only because she knew she had the love of the people to buoy her in her darkest hours. 
She was, indeed, the People's Princess.

Religion In Great Britain

British religion used to be closely connected with kings, queens and politics. England was a Roman Catholic country until 1534. In 1525 King Henry VIII decided to divorce his queen, Catherine of Aragon, because he fell in love with Anne Boleyn. But when Henry asked the Pope for permission to divorce Catherine, he refused. Henry was so angry with the Pope that he ended all contact between England and Rome. He divorced Catherine of Aragon without the Pope's permission and married Anne Boleyn. 
In 1534 Parliament named Henry head of the Church of England. This was the beginning of the Anglican Church. The Anglican Church did not start as a Protestant Church and Henry certainly did not regard himself as a Protestant. However the Protestant movement in Europe was growing very strong at that time. When Henry quarreled with Rome and ordered the Bible to be translated into English, the way was open for Protestantism to spread in England. 
Over the next years many people changed to this new religion. In 1553 Mary, Henry's daughter by Catherine of Aragon, became Queen of England. The country re-entered the Roman Church, because she was a Roman Catholic. 
Protestants were glad when Mary died, because while she was Queen, many Protestants were burned for their beliefs. After Marry, Elizabeth became head of the Anglican Church and Roman Catholicism was never again the official religion in England. 
The Church of England is still the established church in England nowadays. But in spite of the great variety of forms of worship, only a minority of people regularly go to church in Britain today. Most people see Sunday more as a day for relaxing with the family or for doing jobs around the house and the garden.

The Towns Of Great Britain

The centre of everything in Great Britain is the city of London. It's situated at the centre of a vast national and international network of communication. London consists of four main districts, which differ from each other. These are the City, Westminster, the West End and the East End. London's industries are extremely varied. Among them an extensive system of docks and port industries, electrical engineering, the motor car industry and other. The other towns, situated to the north of the Thames are Oxford and Cambridge. Oxford was first mentioned in recorded history in the tenth century and later became an important trade centre in medieval times, then it developed into leading educational centre. Cambridge is also best known for its ancient university. Its industries are mostly concerned with electronics which has an international reputation. 
Bristol dominates South-west England, both as the region's largest seaport and as its largest city. It is a major centre of metallurgy, aircraft and chemical industries. 
Of the towns situated in the south of England the largest ones are Southampton, Portsmouth and Brighton. 
Southampton is primarily a seaport, the most important on the south coast. 
Brighton is one of the most popular seaside resorts of Britain. It has mild climate, warm sea and wonderful beaches. 
Manchester is a city of ancient origin. By the 17th century it was great commercial city, a centre of textile industry. Now engineering along with clothing manufacture are most important industries there. 
Sheffield, situated in South Yorkshire, produces almost two-thirds of the country's alloy steel, it is famous for its tools and cutlery. Other industries include paper making machinery and food processing. 
In North Yorkshire the largest town is York. Its leading industries are engineering and manufacture of confectionery. York attracts many tourists because of its famous medieval city walls.

The Tower Of London

The Tower of London is one of the most imposing and popular of London's historical sites. It comprises not one, but 20 towers. The oldest of which, the White Tower, dates back to the llth century and the time of William the Conqueror. Nowadays a lot of tourists visit the Tower of London, because of the Tower's evil reputation as a prison. The Tower is famous as home of the Crown Jewels. Today they can be viewed in their new jewel house. They include the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother which contains the celebrated Indian diamond. 
Many stories associated with British history come from the Tower. In 1483 King Edward IV's two sons were murdered in the so-called Bloody Tower. Over two centuries later the skeletons of two little boys were found buried beneath steps in the White Tower. Traitor's Gate has steps leading down to the River Thames. Countless prisoners, including the future Queen Elizabeth I of England, were brought to the Tower by barge and ascended the steps before being imprisoned. For many it was their last moment of freedom before their death. But Elizabeth was released from the Tower and became Queen. The King's second wife, Anne Boleyn, was brought to trial there in 1536 and beheaded. Six years later her cousin, Catherine, Henry VIII's fifth wife, suffered the same fate. Sir Thomas More was beheaded there in 1535. 
Of course, no visit to the Tower would be complete without seeing the ravens; huge black birds who are an official part of the Tower community. Legend states that if the ravens were to leave the Tower the Crown will fall, and Britain with it. Under the special care of the Raven Master, the ravens are fed a daily diet of raw meat. And there is no danger of them flying away, because their wings are clipped.

Restaurants In London

The British have taken good ideas from all over the world. You can eat Chinese, Indian, Italian and Greek food in any big city. There is a fantastic variety of restaurants.
The restaurants' best customers are business people, who meet in 
them to talk business in a relaxed atmosphere away from the telephone.
They can eat what they like because the company pays the bill. 
When a man and woman want to get to know each other better, they often go out to a restaurant together. After all it's easier to talk in a quiet atmosphere with soft music, wine and good food. Most British families only go to restaurants on special occasions, like birthdays or wedding anniversaries. For visitors to London, eating out can be fun. But if you want that special feeling of London, go to the Ritz in Piccadilly for tea any afternoon at about half past four. And you'll see that the prices are very high. Then you can try England's favourite food-fish and chips. Take it away and eat where you like — in the park, on the bus or while you walk down the street. British restaurants have not always been famous for their good food. Too often, they offered only fried food and chips with everything. But now healthy food is in fashion.

London Traffic

London is so large that visitors must learn to use buses and the underground to get about. London taxis are too expensive for any but the rich. You can get a map of the underground and the bus routes at any ticket office. The word "Underground" across a large circle shows you where the stations are. The London underground is called the "tube".
Bus stops are marked clearly. In the suburbs buses do not stop unless there are passengers who wish to get on or off. These stops are marked "Request Steps". 
Inside some buses you will see the notice: "Please, state your destination clearly and have the exact fare ready." It is easy enough to tell the conductor where you want to go to, but not always possible to have the exact fare. The conductor will always give you the change. 
The London buses are very large. They have seats both upstairs and downstairs. English children like to sit on the front seats of a big London bus. They can see everything that is happening in the streets. 
Here are some of the things you may hear on a bus in London: 
"Fares, please." 
"Fourpence, please." 
"Full up inside; plenty of seats on top." 
"Standing room only." 
"No, sir, this bus does not go to Victoria Station." 
"You want a number 11." 
"No more seats on top; five seats inside." 
In Great Britain traffic keeps to the left. Motor-cars, buses and cyclists must all keep to the left side of the road. In most other countries traffic keeps to the right. There is heavy traffic in London and you must observe traffic rules.

Outstanding Events In The History Of Great Britain

There were many outstanding events in the history of Great Britain. Many different tribes tried to control the territory of Britain. England was added to the Roman Empire in 43 A.D. Roman invasion played a very important role in the history of the country. The Roman built the first roads in the country, dug the first walls. The Romans, who were great architects, constructed the first towns in Britain. 
But the Normans influenced the British civilization most of all. They came in 1066 under the leadership of William the Conqueror. As the invaders spoke French, their speech influenced the English language. 
Once the British had to face the French in 1805 at the battle of Trafalgar. Then Admiral Nelson won a great victory over the French fleet. In order to commemorate this event the monument to Admiral Nelson was erected on this square. 
In the 18th century technological and commercial innovation led to the Industrial Revolution. The 13 North American Colonies were last, but replaced by colonies in Canada an India.

Places Of Interest In Great Britain

Britain is rich in its historic places which link the present with the past. 
The oldest part of London is Lud Hill, where the city is originated. About a mile west of it there is Westminster Palace, where the king lived and the Parliament met, and there is also Westminster Abbey, the coronation church. 
Liverpool, the "city of ships", is England's second greatest port, ranking after London. The most interesting sight in the Liverpool is the docks. They occupy a river frontage of seven miles. The University of Liverpool, established in-1903, is noted for its School of Tropical Medicine. And in the music world Liverpool is a well-known name, for it's the home town of "The Beatles". Stratford-on-Avon lies 93 miles north-west of London. 
Shakespeare was born here in 1564, and here he died in 1616. Cambridge and Oxford Universities are famous centers of learning. 
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument, presumably built by Druids, members of an order of priests in ancient Britain. Tintagel Castle is King Arthur's reputed birthplace. Canterbury Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, head of the Church of England. 
The British Museum is the largest and richest museum in the world. It was founded in 1753 and contains one of the world's richest collections of antiquities. The Egyptian Galleries contain human and animal mummies. Some parts of Athens' Parthenon are in the Greek section. 
Madam Tussaud's Museum is an exhibition of hundreds of life-size wax models of famous people of yesterday and today. The collection was started by Madam Tussaud, a French modeler in wax, in the 18th century. Here you can meet Marilyn Monroe, Elton John, Picasso, the Royal Family, the Beatles and many others: writers, movie stars, singers, politicians, sportsmen, etc.

British Museums

There are many museums in London. One of them is the Tate Gallery in Millmank, which presents modern masters of England and France. There are some fine examples of modern sculpture. Its collection of French Impressionists is marvelous. There is the Victoria and Albert Museum in Brompton Road. It has an outstanding collection of the applied arts of all countries and periods. 
The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square has one of the best picture collection in the world. It has the most valuable display of French paintings from the early of the Impressionists, and, of course, the finest English painting, with Gainsborough, Turner, Constable and others.
It shows the progress of Italian painting from the medieval to the Renaissance, some outstanding pictures of the old Roman masters. It also has a great variety of Dutch and Flemish masters and an excellent choice of Spanish painters. There are great treasures dispersed in private collections all over the world. The Queen's collection is the most valuable among them.

Action Taken 
Britain attaches particular importance to the environmental policy of the European Community. 
Much has already been achieved: since Britain joined, the Community has adopted some 280 environmental measures, including far-reaching-legislation to combat acid rain, curb pollution from cars and industry, conserve wildlife and ensure public access to information about the environment.

Transport In Britain

You can reach England either by plane, by train, by car or by ship. The fastest way is by plane. London has three international airports: Heathrow, the largest, connected to the city by underground; Gatwick, south of London, with a frequent train service; Luton, the smallest, used for charter flights. 
If you go to England by train or by car you have to cross the Channel. There is a frequent service of steamers and ferryboats which connect the continent to the south-east of England. 
People in Britain drive on the left and generally overtake on the right. The speed limit is 30 miles per hour (50 km/h) in towns and cities and 70 m.p.h. (110 km/h) on motorways. 
When you are in London you can choose from four different means of transport: bus, train, underground or taxi. The typical bus in London is a red double-decker. The first London bus started running between Paddington and the City in 1829. It carried 40 passengers and cost a shilling for six kms. 
The next to arrive were the trains; now there are twelve railway stations in London. The world's first underground line was opened between Baker St. and the City in 1863. Now there are ten underground lines and 273 underground stations in use. The London underground is also called the Tube, because of the circular shape of its deep tunnels.

"Unwritten Rules" Of Great Britain

Good and bad manners make up the social rules of a country. They are not always easy to learn because they are often not written down in books. For example, British women didn't go into pubs at the beginning of this century because it was not considered respectable behaviour for a woman. 
Now both women and men drink freely is pubs and women are fully integrated into public life. Visitors to Britain are often surprised by the strange behaviour of the inhabitants. One of the worst mistakes is to get on a bus without waiting your turn in the queue. The other people in the queue will probably complain loudly! Queuing is a national habit and it is considered polite or good manners to wait for your turn. 
In some countries it is considered bad manners to eat in the street, whereas in Britain it is common to see people having a snack whilst walking down the road, especially at lunchtime. 
Britons may be surprised to see young children in restaurants in the evening because children are not usually taken out to restaurants late at night. And if they make a noise in public or in a restaurant it is considered very rude. In recent years children are playing a more active role and they are now accepted in many pubs and restaurants. In recent years smoking has received a lot of bad publicity, and fewer British people now smoke. Many companies have banned smoking from their offices and canteens. Smoking is now banned on the London Underground, in cinemas and theaters and most buses. It's becoming less and less acceptable to smoke in a public place. It is considered rude or bad manners to smoke in someone's house without permission. 
Social rules are an important part of our culture as they passed down through history. The British have an expression for following these "unwritten rules": "When in Rome, do as the Romans do".

Pubs In Great Britain

Pubs can be found in every town or village. Social life for many people has centered on the pub for many years. Opening and closing times are decided by law. Pubs in England and Wales close at 11 p. m. And ten minutes before closing time, the barman shouts, "Last orders!" When you go into a pub you have to go to the bar, pay for your drink and carry it to your seat. One of the main attractions of the pub for all regular pub goes is that it offers good company in friendly surroundings. Where else can you appear as a complete stranger and at once be able to join a conversation with a group of people? 
People often meet at a pub before going on to another place. Some people do a tour of all the pubs in one area and have a drink in each one. It's usual for each person in a group to take it in turns to buy drinks for everyone and this is called a "round". Pub meals have become very popular over the past ten years and are generally cheap and often good. Pubs with gardens or chairs and tables outside are often crowded in the summer. Pubs also provide entertainment: live music, singing, video and karaoke machines. 
Pubs are still a central part of British culture. Good conversation and good beer are two essential items provided by them. The drinking beer in a public house is not compulsory. But it's said that beer is the perfect drink for the pub — it comes in large measures so that just one drink provides plenty of conversation time.