1.1. Country, State, Flag, Population

The word Britain comes from Britannia, the name given by the Romans to the area inhabited by the Brits (the Celtic tribes) which is now England, Scotland and Wales. Albion (albus – Latin “white” because of chalk cliffs) is a poetic name for Britain.

    The British Isles include two large islands: Great Britain and Ireland. These islands make up two independent states – the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the UK), capital – London, and the Republic of Ireland, capital – Dublin.

    By 1603 one king (James I) ruled Scotland, Wales and England, and the island became known as Great Britain. Great Britain is the largest island in Europe. The next largest island is Ireland. It is made up of Northern Ireland (or Ulster) and the Irish Republic (or Eire).

    In 1801 Ireland also officially came under British Rule and England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland became known collectively as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

    In 1937 Southern Ireland was established as Eire, an independent sovereign state. The United Kingdom became known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

    The UK consists of 4 parts: England (capital London), Scotland (capital Edinburgh), Wales (capital Cardiff) and Northern Ireland (capital Belfast).

Wales and England were united politically, administratively and legally by the acts of union of 1536 and 1542. In 1707 Scotland joined England and Wales in forming a single parliament for Great Britain.

● Administrative Subdivision

    In Great Britain the county, or shire (уст. графство), is the principal subdivision of the country for political, administrative, judicial and other purposes. A British county provides police and fire services, education, social welfare services, public transport, traffic regulation, consumer protection, libraries, some highways and parks.

● Flag

    The Union Flag, or Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom and it is so called because it embodies the emblems of three countries united under one Sovereign – the kingdoms of England and Wales, of Scotland and of Ireland.

    The flag consists of three heraldic crosses:

1) the cross of St. George: patron saint of England since 1270’s – a red cross on a white ground. It was a national flag of England until James I became a king in 1603. In 1606 it was combined with:

2) the cross of St. Andrew: patron saint of Scotland – a diagonal red cross on a blue ground;

3) the cross of St. Patrick: patron saint of Ireland – a diagonal red cross on a white ground.

The Welsh flag, called the Welsh dragon, bears the red dragon on the white and green background. St. David is the patron saint of Wales.

The national emblem of England is the rose. The national emblem of Scotland is the purple thistle. The national emblem of Ireland is the shamrock. The national emblem of Wales is the leek.

The Welsh dragon does not appear on the Union Flag because the first Union Flag was created in 1606. Wales was already united with England and was no longer a separate principality.

King James I (1566 –1625) ordered the British Flag to be flown on the main mast of all British ships, except on ships-of-war. Here the flag was flown at the front of the ship – the bowsprit. The end of the bowsprit was called the Jack Star. A “jack” is an old word for a “sailor”.

The Union Flag was originally a royal flag; today it is flown above Buckingham Palace and Sandringham, as well as at Windsor Castle when the Queen is not in residence. The Union Flag is also flown over government buildings.

●Population

    Britain is one of the most densely populated country in Europe, with the population of about 60 mln and the average population density of 239 per sq. km. Most British people live in towns and cities with only about 10 % living in the countryside. 

    British Society does not have a uniform cultural identity. Britain has 4 nations: the Scots, the Welsh and Irish are Celtic people, while the English are Anglo-Saxon in origin. They have separate traditions and cultures.

    For centuries people from overseas settled in Britain. They have brought with them their languages, cultures and religions. Ethnic minorities make up about 6 % of the total population. Most immigrants came from India, Pakistan, and the West Indies which were former British colonies.

Answer the questions:

1. What is the origin of the word Britain?

2. When did the names Great Britain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?

3. What are the capitals of Wales, Scotland, England and Ireland?

4. What is called the “county” or “shire”?

5. What is the difference between the names of the flag: “the Union Flag”, “Union Jack”, “the Jack Star”?

6. What are the constituents of the national Union Flag of the United Kingdom?

7. What are the national flower emblems of Wales, Scotland, England and Ireland?

8. Are all people in Britain “English”?

The System of Government

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, this institution dates back in Britain to the Saxon king Egbert. The UK does not have a written constitution, as a single legal document. It is based on statutes and imported documents (such as Magna Carta, signed by King John (1215); Habeas Corpus Act, signed by Charles II (1679); the Bill of Rights signed after James II lost his throne in 1689 by his daughter Mary II and her husband William II); decisions taken by courts of Law; other customs and conventions, a combination of Acts of Parliament.

●Monarch

In Law the Monarch is Head of the legislative, executive and judicial powers; the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and the Supreme governor of the Church of England, but in reality her role is mostly ceremonial. Nowadays monarchs reign, but not rule. The monarch is considered to act as a “unifying force” in both in Constitution and the nation.

●The legislative power in the UK belongs to Parliament which comprises the Monarch, the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

The House of Commons consists of 651 Members of Parliament (MPs) who are elected by the citizens over the age 18. The main function of the House of Commons is to make laws.

The House of Lords consists of about 1200 hereditary and life peers and some senior bishops named by the Queen. The main function of the House of Lords is to revise Bills proposed by the House of Lords is to revise Bills proposed by the House of Commons. But it cannot reject them, it can only delay a Bill from becoming Law for six months.

●The executive power in the UK belongs to the Government, the main function of which is to put laws into effect and plan policy.

    The main political parties in the UK are the Labour and the Conservatives parties. The leader of the party which wins the most seats in the Parliament at a general election becomes Prime Minister. Prime Minister is Head of Government. The group of ministers (100), 20 of them are invited by Prime Minister and are known as the Cabinet.

●The judicial power in the UK belongs to Magistrates’ Courts, Crown Courts, County Courts, Courts of Appeal, House of Lords.

●Local Government. Along with the national government there are local governments for administrative areas known as counties. The people elect representatives to regional and district councils which are responsible for housing, education transport, police and other social services.

Answer the questions:

1. What documents is the UK constitution based on?

2. Who is Head of the State?

3. Whom does the Legislative power in the UK belong to?

4. What is the structure of the Legislative power?

5. What are the main functions of the House of Lords and the House of Commons?

6. Whom does the Executive power in the UK belong to?

7. Who is Head of the Government?

8. What are the main political parties in the UK?

9. What types of courts function in the UK?

           UNIT 2. GEOGRAPHY OF GREAT BRITAIN