The British Isles

The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include Great Britain and
Ireland, and numerous smaller islands.
"British Isles", as a geographical term, includes Great Britain, Ireland and the Isle of Man. However, in practice,
the British-owned Channel Islands are often included because of their political associations with and relative
proximity to Britain. Also included are the thousands of small islands off the coast of both the larger islands such as
Shetland and Orkney.
There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland. The British Isles also includes the crown dependencies of the Isle of Man and the
Channel Islands. These are not sovereign states, but possessions of the Crown in Right of the United Kingdom.

Ireland
Ireland became part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801, but after signing the AngloIrish Treaty in 1921 the Irish Free State was created. It had effective internal independence but it was still
constitutionally linked with the British Crown. In 1949 the free state left the British Commonwealth (= Brit
Nemzetkzssg) and became a republic.

The United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is an island country located on the islands of Great Britain, Ireland and many smaller
islands.
The island of Ireland is separated into two parts: the southern part of the island is a sovereign state and only
Northern Ireland belongs to the UK. This is one of the four countries of the UK.
The other three countries (England, Wales and Scotland) lie on the island of Great Britain. It is the largest of the
British Isles.
The total area of the UK is 244,820 km2, its population is about 61 and a half million. The capital is London.
The flag of the UK is the Union Jack.

England
With its 130,395 km2 England is the largest country of the United Kingdom. Its population is about 51 million.
The national flower of England is the rose. It is used as an emblem since the Wars of the Roses civil wars between
the Lancaster (red rose) and the York House (white rose). The patron saint of England is St. George. He is celebrated
on 23 April.
Even the whole period wouldnt be enough to talk about just a few important attractions of England, so lets just see
some pictures. (Stonehenge; Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeares birthplace; London Eye; Royal Observatory,
Greenwich)

Wales
Wales lies in the West of Great Britain. Its area is nearly 21 thousand km2, its population is 3 million.
The Welsh national flower is the daffodil, which is traditionally worn on St. Davids Day on 1 March. The leek (=
prhagyma) is also considered to be the emblem of Wales. The capital is Cardiff.
One of the most interesting places in Wales can be found on the island of Anglesey. The little town of
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is one of the places with the longest names in the
world. The name is Welsh for "St Mary's church in the hollow of the white hazel near to the rapid whirlpool and the
church of St Tysilio of the red cave".

Scotland
Scotland is situated in the North of Great Britain. Its area is about 79 thousand km2 and its population is more than 5
million.
The floral emblem of Scotland is the thistle (= bogncs), which was first used in the 15th century as a symbol of
defence. The national day is St. Andrews Day (30 November). The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh.
Edinburgh has a colourful culture, thats why it is so popular with tourists. Edinburgh Festival is a collective term
for several simultaneous arts and cultural festivals that take place during August each year in Edinburgh, Scotland.
One of the best known among these festivals is the Military Tattoo. The original meaning of military tattoo is a
military drum performance, but nowadays it sometimes means army displays more generally.

Shetland
The main cultural influences on Shetland are Scandinavian (especially Norwegian) and British (especially Scottish).
Up Helly Aa is one of a variety of fire festivals held in Shetland annually in the middle of winter celebrating the isles
heritage and includes a procession of men dressed as Vikings, the burning of a replica longship and copious amounts
of alcohol.

Orkney
Orkney comprises over 70 islands, around 20 are inhabited. The islands are rich in natural beauties such as the Old
Man of Hoy, a 137-meter-high stack (= a column of rock in the sea) of red stone. It is probably fewer than 400 years
old and may not get much older as there are indications that it will soon collapse due to erosion.

Northern Ireland
The area of Northern Ireland is nearly 14 thousand km2, its population is more than 1 and a half million. The
national floral emblem is the shamrock, which is said to have been used by St. Patrick to illustrate the Holy Trinity.
He is the patron saint of Northern Ireland and is celebrated on 17 March. The Capital of Northern Ireland is Belfast.
The most famous of the stunning natural wonders of Ireland is the Giants Causeway. It is an area of about 40,000
interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. Most of the columns are hexagonal, although
there are also some with four, five, seven and eight sides. The tallest are about 12 m high, and the solidified lava in
the cliffs is 28 m thick in places. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986.

Isle of Man
The Isle of Man is a self-governing crown dependency, located in the Irish Sea at the geographical centre of the
British Isles. Its area is 572 km2, the population is 76 and a half thousand. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II,
who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Crown is represented by a Lieutenant Governor. The island is not part of
the United Kingdom but foreign relations and defence are the responsibility of the government of the United
Kingdom.
Peel Castle is a castle in Peel, Isle of Man originally constructed by Vikings. The castle stands on St Patrick's Isle
which is connected to the town by causeway. The Castle is said to be haunted by the Black Dog ghost.

Channel Islands
The French poet and novelist, Victor Hugo, wrote some of his best-known works while in exile in Guernsey,
including Les Misrables. His home in St Peter Port is now a museum. In 1866, he published a novel set in the
island, Toilers of the Sea, which he dedicated to the island of Guernsey.
On the island of Jersey the Battle of Flowers is held annually in August. This carnival includes a parade of floral
decorated floats. Originally, these floats were torn apart to provide floral ammunition for a battle of flowers between
participants and spectators, but this aspect has long been abandoned.