Country
Background
Great Britain is a subsection of a bigger
country called the
United
Kingdom. The United Kingdom includes Wales, Scotland,
England, and Northern Ireland, an area in the northwest
corner of the island of Ireland.
Great Britain used to be a huge power, with
many colonies in
its possession. The possessions that comprised
the British
Empire helped ensure Britain stable political
and economic strength. Over time that strength
has decreased, as colonies like Jamaica and Australia became
independent nations. There remain some British
dependencies, such as Gibraltar.
Geographically, the English
Channel separates the United Kingdom
from continental Europe. In 1926, Gertrude
Ederle, an American Olympic medalist
became the first woman to swim across the
channel. Today, it is much easier to cross
the channel. It is possible to take a ferry,
a hovercraft,
a train, or even your own car to the other
side of the channel. The newest way to
cross is through the Channel
Tunnel.
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy,
presided over by the British
monarchy. The present monarch is Queen
Elizabeth II, who acts as head of state.
A cabinet of senior officials actually governs
the country according to a parliamentary system,
headed by a prime
minister. The Houses of Parliament, the
seat of the British government, are in London
at the Palace
of Westminster. One of the towers on
the Palace of Westminster boasts the well-known
clock referred to as Big
Ben. As the capital city of England, London is
important politically, economically, and
culturally.
Britain joined the European
Union in 1973 when it was known as
the European Economic Community. As a member
of the European Union, Britain can trade
goods and skills freely with other members
of the Union.
Related
Links
There is a lot more to learn about Great Britain!
- Explore these sites for facts and figures
about England:
- London has many wonderful museums. View
some of the collections from the Museum
of London, the National
Gallery, and the Natural
History Museum.
- Use the Camelot site to visit the Tower
of London.
- Draw the Union
Jack accurately with instructions from
JDAWiseman.com.
- Learn about Guy Falkes and the history
behind the celebration of Bonfire
Night held annually on November 5.
- Access fast facts about important events
that happened during the Summer Olympic Games
in London
in 1908 or in 1948.
- Let Outside Online Guests introduce you
to Eddie "The
Eagle" Edwards, a British Olympic
ski jumper.
- Let Atlapedia's "Click-A-Map" show
you physical and political maps of the United
Kingdom.
More
Countries (past
hosts of Olympic Games)
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