Outline the geographical position of the British Isles in the world referring to its advantages. Examine the territory and composition of the British Isles

1. Outline the geographical position of the British Isles in the world referring to its advantages. Examine the territory and composition of the British Isles.

Geographical position:

o  the British Islands are situated off the north-west coast of Europe and once formed part of the continent

o  latitude: 50^o-60^o north

o  longitude: 2^o East – 8^o West

Dimensions (размеры, измерения):

¨  total area: 322,246 square km (the British Isles); 244,100 square km (the UK)

¨  total population (the UK): 60 million people

¨  Great Britain stretches:

-  from the south to the north – 900 km

-  from the west to the east – 500 km (the widest part), 60 km (the narrowest part)

Surrounding:

·  the Atlantic Ocean (N)

·  the North Sea (E)

·  the English Channel (S) - From the European continent the BI are separated by the English Channel. In its widest part in the west is 200 km. wide and in the narrowest, what is called of the Strait of Dover, only 32 km

·  Irish Sea (W) (it separate Britain from Ireland)

The BI are situated on the so-called Continental Shelf – the zone of shallow water that surrounds a continent (the average depth of the North Sea and the English Channel is 95m and 60m respectively)

Benefits of the Shelf:

1. fishing (warm water)
2. oil and natural gas deposits (platforms in the North Sea)
3. the Cannel Tunnel (the depth of the water over the Tunnel is only 30m)
4. mild climate (shallow water gets warm during the day and never gets too cold during the night)

2.Outline the main features of the physical geography of the British Isles referring to the relief features of England, Scotland, Wales, NI

ENGLAND

Mountains:

• the Pennies (the highest point is Cross Fell 893m) –  the most important range of mountains, the backbone of England as it separates eastward-flowing and westward-flowing rivers and 2 industrial areas: Lancashire and Yorkshire
• Cheviot Hills (816m) – form a natural border between England and Scotland
• the Cumbrian Mountains (the highest point is Scafell) – famous for the Lake District

Plains:

• Salisbury Plain
• The South-West Lowlands and Uplands (600m)
• The Midland Plains

Rivers:

• The Thames (332km), the Trent (274km), the Ouse, the Humber, the Tees, the Tyne (flow into the North Sea)
• The Mersey, the Eden (flow into the Irish Sea)

Lakes:

• Windermere – the largest in England
• Grasmere
• Ullswater

WALES

Mountains:

• the Cambrian Mountains (the highest point is Snowdon 1085m)

Rivers:

• the Severn (350km) – the longest and largest in GB (flow into the Irish Sea)
• the Wye (flow into the Irish Sea)

SCOTLAND

Regions:

¨  the Highlands

¨  the Southern Uplands

¨  the Central Lowlands / the Midland Valley

Mountains:

¨  the Grampian Mountains (the highest point is Ben Nevis 1374m)

Rivers:

¨  the Clyde (flow into the Irish Sea)

¨  the Tweed, the Forth, the Dee, the Tay (flow into the North Sea)

Lakes:

¨  Loch Lomond – the largest in GB

¨  Loch Ness – the longest in the BI, famous for its monster

NORTHERN IRELAND

Mountains:

Ø  The Antrim Mountains – comprise the famous Giant’s Causeway

Ø  The Sperrin Mountains

Ø  The Mourne Mountains

Rivers:

Ø  the Shannon (384km) – the longest in the BI

Lakes:

Ø  Lough Neagh – the largest in the BI

3. Give the account of the drainage features of the British Isles, their chief rivers, lakes. Describe the most important characteristics features of British’s climate.

ENGLAND

Rivers:

• The Thames (332km), the Trent (274km), the Ouse, the Humber, the Tees, the Tyne (flow into the North Sea)
• The Mersey, the Eden (flow into the Irish Sea)

Lakes:

• Windermere – the largest in England
• Grasmere
• Ullswater

WALES

Rivers:

• the Severn (350km) – the longest and largest in GB (flow into the Irish Sea)
• the Wye (flow into the Irish Sea)

SCOTLAND

Regions:

¨  the Highlands

¨  the Southern Uplands

¨  the Central Lowlands / the Midland Valley

Rivers:

¨  the Clyde (flow into the Irish Sea)

¨  the Tweed, the Forth, the Dee, the Tay (flow into the North Sea)

Lakes:

¨  Loch Lomond – the largest in GB

¨  Loch Ness – the longest in the BI, famous for its monster

NORTHERN IRELAND

Rivers:

Ø  the Shannon (384km) – the longest in the BI

Lakes:

Ø  Lough Neagh – the largest in the BI

Climate and Weather

Weather – a state of atmosphere over a short period of time

Climate – average weather conditions over a long period of time

The weather in the BI is changeable (due to the sea); the seasonal contrasts are very small.

The climate of the BI is mild all through the year; there is little