The Tower of London is one of the most imposing and popular of London's historical sites. It comprises not one, but 20 towers. The oldest of which, the White Tower, dates back to the llth century and the time of William the Conqueror. Nowadays a lot of tourists visit the Tower of London, because of the Tower's evil reputation as a prison. The Tower is famous as home of the Crown Jewels. Today they can be viewed in their new jewel house. They include the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother which contains the celebrated Indian diamond.
Many stories associated with British history come from the Tower. In 1483 King Edward IV's two sons were murdered in the so-called Bloody Tower. Over two centuries later the skeletons of two little boys were found buried beneath steps in the White Tower...
In the 1880s a young doctor sat waiting for new patients who never came. To pass the time, he wrote stories about a man who was very good at solving crimes. These stories were so popular that the doctor decided to give up medicine and become a writer instead. The doctor was Arthur Conan Doyle and his' creation was Sherlock Holmes.
Holmes and his famous friend Doctor Watson shared rooms at 221b Baker Street.
Their landlady was the long-suffering Mrs. Hudson. She had to put up with strange visitors, revolver practice indoors, chemical experiments and late-time violin playing.
In 1990, a museum was at last opened at 221b Baker Street, though it should have happened long ago. After all, 221b Baker Street is the worlds most famous address and people have been writing to it for more than 100 years...
At present the British royal family is headed by Queen Elizabeth. When the Queen was born on the 21st of April 1926, her grandfather, King George V, was on the throne and her uncle was his heir. The death of her grandfather and the abdication of her uncle brought her father to the throne as King George VI.
As a child she studied constitutional history and law as well as art and music. In addition she learned to ride and acquired her enthusiasm for horses. As she grew older she began to take part in public life, making her first broadcast at the age of 14.
The marriage of the young Princess Elizabeth to Philip, Duke of Edinburgh took place in November 1947. She came to the throne after her father's death in 1952 and was crowned in Westminster Abbey in June 1953.
The Problem of Environmental Protection in Great Britain
Environmental protection is an international issue of great importance and Great Britain pays much attention to it. There are nearly 500 000 protected buildings and 7000 conservation areas of architecture of historical interest in Britain. The Government supports the work of the voluntary sector in preserving the national heritage.
Total emissions of smoke in the air have fallen by 85 per cent since 1960. Most petrol stations in Britain stock unleaded petrol. The Government is committed to the control of gases emission, which damage the ozone layer.
They also contribute to the greenhouse effect, which leads to global warming and a rise in sea levels. Britain stresses the need for studying the science of climate change....
The Problem of Environmental Protection in Great Britain
Environmental protection is an international issue of great importance and Great Britain pays much attention to it. There are nearly 500 000 protected buildings and 7000 conservation areas of architecture of historical interest in Britain. The Government supports the work of the voluntary sector in preserving the national heritage.
Total emissions of smoke in the air have fallen by 85 per cent since 1960. Most petrol stations in Britain stock unleaded petrol. The Government is committed to the control of gases emission, which damage the ozone layer.
They also contribute to the greenhouse effect, which leads to global warming and a rise in sea levels. Britain stresses the need for studying the science of climate change....
The British Isles are the home of four nations — English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish. Even though foreigners often call all British people "English", and sometimes have difficulty in appreciating the distinctions, the component nations of the United Kingdom are well aware of their own individual characteristics.
The Scots, Welsh and Irish regard themselves as largely Celtic peoples, while the English are mainly AngloSaxon in origin.
British society as a whole does not have a uniform cultural identity.
In 1993 the population of the United Kingdom was about 58 million inhabitants. This figure gives a population density of 600 persons per square mile (284 per square km)....
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland covers an area of some 244 thousand square miles. It is situated on the British Isles. The British Isles are separated from Europe by the Strait of Dover and the English Channel. The British Isles are washed by the North Sea in the east and the Atlantic Ocean in the west.
The population of Great Britain is about 60 million. The largest cities of the country are London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The territory of Great Britain is divided into four parts: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
England is in the southern and central part of Great Britain. Scotland is in the north of the island. Wales is in the west. Northern Ireland is situated in the north-eastern part of Ireland.
England is the richest, the most fertile and most populated part in the country. There are mountains in the north and in the west of England, but all the rest of the territory is a vast plain. In the northwestern part of England there are many beautiful lakes. This part of the country is called Lake District...
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on the British Isles. The British Isles are separated from Europe by the English Channel. The British Isles are washed by the North Sea in the East and the Atlantic Ocean in the West.
The territory of Great Britain is divided into four parts: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
England is the richest, the most populated part in the country. There are mountains in the north and in the west of England, but all the rest of the territory is a plain.
Scotland is a land of mountains. Its highest peak is Ben Nevis...
There are two large islands and several smaller ones, which lie in the north-west coast of Europe. Collectively they are known as the British Isles. The largest island is called Great Britain. The smaller one is called Ireland. Great Britain is separated from the continent by the English Channel. The country is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Great Britain is separated from Belgium and Holland by the North Sea, and from Ireland - by the Irish Sea.
In the British Isles there are two states. One of them governs of the most of the island of Ireland. This state is usually called the Republic of Ireland. The other state has authority over the rest of the territory. The official name of this country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. But it is usually known by a shorter name - "The United Kingdom". ..
Until the 18th century the economy of England was mainly agricultural.
With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, however, England gradually evolved into industrial region.
During the late 18th and the 19th centuries, the growth of heavy industries (iron and steel, textiles and shipbuilding) in the northeastern counties was based on the proximity of coal and iron-ore deposits.
During the 1930s the Depression and foreign competition contributed to a decrease in the production of manufactured goods and an increase in unemployment in the factories of Lancashire, Cheshire and Staffordshire....
