The United Kingdom

The specific part of maturita topic 13 (Geography and environment), at B2 level: the geography of the UK, its nations, people and political system. London and the sights are in London and Places of Interest in the UK.

The name and the countries

The official name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is made up of four countries – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – each with its own capital, traditions and national symbols.

It is important not to mix up the names: Great Britain is the largest island (England, Scotland and Wales), the UK also includes Northern Ireland, and the British Isles is a geographical term for Great Britain, the whole island of Ireland and more than 6,000 smaller islands, such as the Hebrides, the Orkneys and the Shetlands.

Geography

The UK lies in north-western Europe, separated from the continent by the English Channel and the North Sea; since 1994 it has been connected with France by the Channel Tunnel. It covers about 243,000 km², which is roughly three times the size of the Czech Republic. Its only land border is with the Republic of Ireland.

• Mountains: the north and west are mountainous – the Scottish Highlands with Ben Nevis (1,345 m), the highest mountain in the UK, the Pennines (the “backbone of England”), the Lake District with the Cumbrian Mountains, and Snowdonia in Wales. The south and east are lower, with rolling hills and flat land; the lowest area is the Fens in eastern England.
• Rivers and lakes: the rivers are short but deep. The longest is the Severn, followed by the Thames, which flows through London. The largest lake is Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland; Scotland is famous for its lochs, such as Loch Ness and Loch Lomond.
• Coast: no place in the UK is more than about 120 km from the sea. The coastline is long and varied, from the white chalk cliffs of Dover to the rocky Scottish coast.

Climate and weather

The climate is mild and changeable. Thanks to the warm Gulf Stream and the Atlantic Ocean, winters are mild and summers rarely very hot. The weather can change several times a day, which is why the British talk about it so much. The west is wetter than the east, and Scotland is colder than the south of England.

People and languages

The UK has about 69 million inhabitants, most of whom live in England and in big cities such as London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Liverpool. It is a multicultural society – many people have their roots in former British colonies, for example in India, Pakistan or the Caribbean. The official language is English, spoken with many regional accents; Welsh is spoken by about a fifth of the population of Wales and Scottish Gaelic in parts of Scotland.

Political system

The UK is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy. It has no single written constitution; the rules are based on laws, traditions and court decisions.

• The monarch – King Charles III (since 2022; his heir is Prince William) is the head of state, but his role is mostly ceremonial: he opens Parliament, signs laws (the Royal Assent) and represents the country. He is also the head of the Commonwealth and of the Church of England.
• Parliament in the Palace of Westminster has two chambers: the House of Commons with 650 Members of Parliament (MPs), elected at least every five years, and the House of Lords, whose members are not elected – most of them are appointed for life.
• The government is formed by the party that wins the majority in the House of Commons. Its leader becomes the Prime Minister, who lives and works at 10 Downing Street. The second largest party forms the Opposition with its “shadow cabinet”.
• Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own parliaments or assemblies which decide on things like education and health.

The UK was a member of the European Union from 1973 until Brexit in 2020. It is still a member of NATO and one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Symbols

• The flag – the Union Jack combines the crosses of St George (England), St Andrew (Scotland) and St Patrick (Ireland). Wales is not represented on it.
• The national anthem – God Save the King.
• The currency – the pound sterling (£), divided into 100 pence.

Economy

The UK was the first industrial country in the world – the Industrial Revolution started there in the 18th century. Today most people work in services: London is one of the world’s biggest financial centres, and the country is strong in research, education, media, creative industries and tourism. Industry produces cars, aircraft parts, chemicals and medicines, and there is oil and gas under the North Sea. Agriculture is small but efficient – sheep, cattle and cereals.

Key vocabulary

Useful phrases

• The UK consists of / is made up of four countries…
• It is separated from the continent by…
• The highest / longest… is…, which is…
• Compared with the Czech Republic, the UK is…
• The King’s role is mainly ceremonial, whereas the real power…
• One thing that surprised me about Britain is…

Questions the examiner may ask

Try to answer each question in two or three sentences, then click on the hint to compare.