Если у вас возникли сложности с курсовой, контрольной, дипломной, рефератом, отчетом по практике, научно-исследовательской и любой другой работой - мы готовы помочь.
Предоплата всего
Подписываем
The UK: country and people
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain) is a sovereign state located on the north-western coast of continental Europe. The country includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the Ireland and many smaller islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with another sovereign state —the Republic of Ireland. Apart from this land border the UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Irish Sea.
The United Kingdom is a unitary state governed under a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary system, with its seat of government in the capital city of London. It is a country in its own right and consists of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales (national administrations, each with varying powers, situated in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh).
It has a long history as a major player in international affairs and fulfills an important role in the EU, the UN and NATO. The twentieth century saw Britain having to redefine its place in the world. At the beginning of the century it commanded a world-wide empire as the foremost global power. Two world wars and the end of empire diminished its role, but the UK remains a major economic and military power, with considerable political and cultural influence around the world.
The United Kingdom has the sixth-largest economy in the world, has the second-largest economy in the European Union, and is a major international trading power. A highly developed, diversified, market-based economy with extensive social welfare services provides most residents with a high standard of living.
The United Kingdom does not have a constitutionally defined official language. However, about 90% of citizens in UK communicate in English. Hence, English is considered as the official language. The English language has spread across the world, largely because of the British Empire, and has become the international language of business as well as the most widely taught second language. Individual countries in United Kingdom prefer their indigenous (local) languages; so Welsh, Irish and Scottish are also commonly spoken along with English.
The UK is one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in Europe. It is blessed not only with a treasure of spectacular landscapes including serene lakes and beautiful beaches but also has castles, mansions and cathedrals. United Kingdom has a number of other tourist attractions such as art galleries, royal palaces, national parks and museums; all of which add to the fascination that prompt people from all over the world to visit, every year. But, these are not the only attractions for the tourists. Many people visit United Kingdom to experience its interesting and distinctive culture.
The UK is home to 62 million people. The majority of the population is English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish. However, the UK is an extremely diverse nation that has always welcomed migrants from around the world. Overall, ethnic minority groups represent 7.9% of the UK population.
Majority of the people in United Kingdom follow Christianity; most of whom are Protestant Christians. While in United Kingdom, you will come across a number of world-famous churches and cathedrals. Other communities in UK are Roman Catholics, Jews, Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists.
Speaking about national British character, we can’t help saying that it is very stable and is less influenced by the spirit of the times. British people remain loyal to their country, their home and their traditions. Basically, there are two key features of the British character: traditions and uniqueness. All the people living in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland consider themselves to be unique and different from the whole world.
British people are famous for their sense of humor. Humor is the cornerstone of the British society. It is used in numerous ways: to establish a positive atmosphere, to create a sense of togetherness, to bridge differences, to introduce risky ideas, to criticize, to show appreciation or contempt of a person. British people joke about everything including the queen, politicians, religion, themselves and you.
Politeness is a bright feature of the British. They often say "Thank you", "Sorry" and "Beg your pardon".
British people are known to be reserved. But it doesn't mean that they are boring, lifeless and unemotional. They are very individualistic and have a strong sense of personal freedom. They value privacy greatly and they do not offer information about themselves easily.
The English are also considered great tea drinkers.
The Scots have a strong sense of national identify of their own distinct, values and traditions. Scotland is a country with its dancers, its own songs, its poetry, national food and drink. To many foreigners, the image of Scotland is associated with kilts, tartans, bagpipes.
The Welsh are proud of their culture, traditions and their language. They are gifted in the art of self-expression in words, they are not afraid of being poetic in speech. There is much literary, musical and dramatic activity in Wales. Special festivals are held to encourage Welsh literature and music. Wales is called “the land of song”.
The Irish are known as heavy drinkers, hot-tempered but friendly, believing in lepracauns and pot with gold and having a good sense of humor.
These are the main stereotypes but it goes without saying that they are not completely true. On the whole, the best way to know people is to visit the country and to meet them in their own homes. And the UK is definitely worth visiting.