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lecture 02

The British Isles consist of Great Britain, Ireland, and smaller islands, divided into the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. The UK features varied geography with low-lying areas in the south and mountainous regions in the north, while Ireland is characterized by a central plain surrounded by mountains. Both regions have temperate climates, with Ireland known for its mild weather and green landscapes, earning it the nickname 'The Emerald Isle.'

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5 views

lecture 02

The British Isles consist of Great Britain, Ireland, and smaller islands, divided into the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. The UK features varied geography with low-lying areas in the south and mountainous regions in the north, while Ireland is characterized by a central plain surrounded by mountains. Both regions have temperate climates, with Ireland known for its mild weather and green landscapes, earning it the nickname 'The Emerald Isle.'

Uploaded by

Lachache Abderrahmane
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Lecture 02

THE BRITISH ISLES

LOCATION

The British Isles are a group of islands off the north-west coast of
CONTINENTAL EUROPE, consisting of Great Britain, Ireland and many
smaller islands (for example, the Isle of Wight or the Isle of Man). It is
important to remember that there are two completely different STATES in these
islands: 1.The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (a
monarchy) and 2.The Republic of Ireland (Éire).
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM (England, Wales, Scotland
and Northern Ireland)

The south and east is LOW-LYING, with flat PLAINS and rolling HILLS.
There are MOUNTAINOUS areas in the north (the Pennines, the Scottish
Highlands) and in the west (the Cambrian Mountains). The ten tallest
mountains in the UK are all found in Scotland. The highest peaks in each part of
the UK are:

 Scotland: Ben Nevis (Nevis Range, 1,344 metres)


 Wales: Snowdon (Cambrian Mountains, 1,085 metres)
 England: Scafell Pike (Cumbrian Mountains, 977 metres)
 Northern Ireland: Slieve Donard (Mourne Mountains, 852 metres)

Human influence is very extensive. The FORESTS that covered the land
have disappeared. There is the biggest proportion of GRASSLAND than
in any part of Europe. One distinctive human influence (especially in
southern England) is the ENCLOSURE of FIELDS with HEDGEROWS, which
support a large variety of BIRDLIFE.The longest river in the U.K. is the River
Severn, which flows throughWales and England. Other rivers include:

 England: River Thames (215 miles, 346 km)


 Scotland: River Tay (117 miles, 188 km)
 N. Ireland: River Bann (76 miles, 122 km)
 Wales: River Tywi (64 miles, 103 km)

1
The largest lakes in the U.K. are:
 N. Ireland: Lough Neagh (147.39 sq mi, 381.74 km2 )
 Scotland: Loch Lomond (27.46 sq mi, 71.12 km2)
 England: Windermere (5.69 sq mi, 14.74 km2)
 Wales: Lake Vyrnwy (3.18 sq mi, 8.24 km2)

The deepest lake in the U.K. is Loch Morar in Scotland (309 metres
deep). The famous Loch Ness, also in Scotland, is the second deepest.

Climate of the United Kingdom:

The climate of the U.K. is very VARIABLE, but it is generallyTEMPERATE.In


general the south is warmer and drier than the north.The prevailing winds are
from the south-west – from the Atlantic Ocean.More than 50% of the days are
OVERCAST.The annual AVERAGE RAINFALL is also very variable – from
about 3,000mm. in the Highlands of Scotland, to about 550 mm. in Cambridge
(England).
The temperature is usually very MILD. The south is warmer than the
north. The highest temperature recorded was 38.5ÉC in Kent (the south
of England) in the summer of 2003. The lowest temperature recorded
was -27.2ÉC in Braemar in the Grampian Mountains, Scotland in 1895.

IRELAND

The Republic of Ireland (éire) is a separate state from the United Kingdom. Its
capital is Dublin, on the east coast.

A ring of mountains around the coasts surrounds a low central PLAIN.The


highest mountain (Carrauntuohill in County Kerry) is only 1,041 m. high.The
island is BISECTED by the River Shannon (see map below) which, at386 km.,
is Ireland’s longest river.

Ireland has a very MILD climate, with frequent, but soft rainfall. As aresult its
landscape is very green and many people call it “The Emerald Isle”.The
temperatures are also very mild and they vary from -4ÉC (min.) to11ÉC (max.)
in January and from 9 É C to 23 É C in July.

Ireland has fewer animal and plant species than in Britain or mainland Europe
because it became an island soon after the last Ice Age (8,000 years ago)

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