Northern Ireland

Introduction

Northern Ireland is a part of the U. Kingdom in the north-East of the island of Ireland.

Geography:

Northern Ireland shares bored with Republic of Ireland to the South and West.

    The centerpiece of Northern Ireland’s geography is Lough Neagh, (391 km2) the largest freshwater lake both on the island of Ireland and in the British Isles. A second extensive lake system in centered on Lower and Upper Lough Erne Fermanagh. None of the hills is especially high, with Slieve Donard in the dramatic Mourns reaching 849 meters (2,785ft), Northern Ireland’s highest point.

     The whole of Northern Ireland has temperate climate, rather wetter in the West than the East. Cloud cover is persistent across the region.

Politics:

Since 1998, Northern Ireland has developed government within the U. Kingdom. The UK Government and UK Parliament are responsible for reserved and excepted matters. On all other matters, the Northern Ireland Executive together with the 108-member Northern Ireland Assembly may legislate and govern for Northern Ireland

History:

Northern Ireland was for many years the site of a violent and bitter inter-communal conflict-the Troubles- which was caused by divisions between Nationalists, who see themselves as Irish and are predominantly Roman Catholic, and Unionists, who see themselves as British and are predominantly Protestant. (Additionally, people from both sides of the community may describe themselves as Northern Irish.) Unionists want Northern Ireland to remain as a part of the U. Kingdom, while nationalists want reunification with the rest of Ireland, independent of British rule.

The region that is now Northern Ireland was the bedrock of the Irish war of resistance against English programmes of colonialism in the late 16^th century. The English-controlled Kingdom of Ireland had been declared by the English king Henry VIII in 1542, but Irish resistance made Engilsh control fragmentary. Following Irish defeat at the Battle of Kinsale, though, the region´s Gaelic, Roman Catholic aristocracy fled to continental Eurpe in 1607 and the region became subject to major programmes of colonialism by Protestant English (mainly Anglican) and Scottish(mainly Presbyterian) settlers. There was a rebellion in 1641 by Irish aristocrats against English rule.

The Troubles:

The Troubles, starting in the late 1960s, consisted of about thirty years of recurring acts of intense violence between elements of Northern Ireland´s nationalist community (principally Roman Catholic) and unionist community(principally Protestant), during which 3,254 people were killed. The Irish Republican Army (IRA) and pro-British paramilitary forces participated in these attacks.

Peace process

The Troubles were brought to an end by a peace process which included the declaration of ceasefires by most paramilitary organisations and the complete decommissioning of their weapons, the reform of the police, and the corresponding withdrawal of army troops from the streets and from sensitive border areas; from 1998 and on.

Population:

The population in 2010 was estimated to be just under 1.8 million. It is almost entirely white (99.15%). The largest non-white ethnic groups are Asians with 0.4% (of which Chinese accounted for 60.7%, Indian for 23% and Pakistani for 9.8% of the total). Black people of various origins accounted for 0.06% of the population and people of mixed ethnicity accounted for 0.2%.

Language

English is spoken as a first language by almost all of the Northern Ireland population. Two all-island bodies for the promotion of local languages were created: the Ulster Scots Agency, which promotes the Ulster Scots dialect and culture, and Foras na Gaeilge, which promotes the Irish language.

Culture

Nothern Ireland’s reputation improved after the Peace Process, so high numbers of tourists visit it every year. Attractions include cultural festivals, musical and artistic traditions, countryside and geographical sites of interest, public houses, welcoming hospitality and sports (especially golf and fishing).

Sports

Popular sports include football, rugby, cricket, golf, Gaelic games (Gaelic football, hurling, handball and rounders) and snooker. Football is the most popular in Northern Ireland. The video shows a game of rounders.

Wales

Introduction

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain. Wales is regarded as of the modern Celtic nations.

Geography and Climate

Wales is bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish west. Wales is a generally mountainous country. It is about 274 km (170 mi) north _ south and 97 km (60 mi) east- west. Over 50 islands lie off the Welsh mainland; the largest being Anglesey, in the northwest. The highest mountain in Wales is Snowdon.

It has a changeable, maritime climate and is one of the wettest countries in Europe. Welsh weather is often cloudy, wet and windy, with warm summers and mild winters.

History

·         Roman Era: the Roman conquest of Wales began in AD 48 and took 30 years to complete.  Roman rule lasted over 300 years.

·         From 600 AD to 1277 AD Wales was governed by Welsh kings.

·         In 1277 the king of England (Edward I) invaded and conquered Wales.

·         During the industrial revolution, Wales developed important coal and iron manufacturing industries.

·         The 20^th century saw a revival in Welsh national feeling. Plaid Cymru was formed in 1925, seeking greater autonomy or independence from the rest of the UK.

Politics

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. The national assembly for Wales was set up in 1999 and possesses the power to determine how the central government budget for Wales is spent and administered, although the UK parliament reserves the right to set limits on the powers of the Welsh assembly.

Languages

  Everyone speaks English, the country has retained a distinct identity and is officially bilingual.

English and Welsh languages are treated on a basis of equality. English is spoken by almost all people in Wales and is the main language. Wenglish is the Welsh English language dialect. It has been influenced significantly by Welsh grammar and includes words derived from Welsh.

Population

Wales’ population is approximately 3.064.000.

96% of the people are white. The rest is Asian, African and other.

Cuisine

There are many famous traditional welsh dishes: laverbread (made from laver, and edible seawed).bara brith (fruit bread) Cawl (a lamb stew); and cawl cennin (leek soup).

Sports

The most important sports in Wales are: football, rugby and cricket.

Individual sports are also important. There were many Welsh champions in international competitions of snooker, boxing and racing.

Scotland

Introduction

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom.

Geography

 Scotland is one third (1/3) of the island of Great Britain. The total area is 78,772 km². Scotland's only land border is with England. The Atlantic Ocean borders the west coast and the North Sea is to the east.
Scotland's highest point is the summit of Ben Nevis, in Lochaber (1,344 metres above sea level), while the longest river, the River Tay, flows for a distance of 190 kilometres.

Climate
The climate of Scotland is temperate and oceanic, and tends to be very changeable. Temperatures are generally lower than in the rest of the UK. In general, the west of Scotland is usually warmer than the east. The western highlands are the wettest place, with annual rainfall exceeding 3,000 mm.

History

The written protohistory of Scotland began with the arrival of the Roman Empire in southern and central Great Britain, when the Romans occupied what is now England and Wales, administering it as a province called Britannia. The roman soldiers’ occupation of a significant part of northern Scotland only lasted about 40 years.

Medieval period

The kingdom of the picts (based in Fortriu by the 6th century) was the state that eventually became known as “alba” or “Scotland”. However, by the tenth century, the pictish kingdom was dominated by what we can recognize as Gaelic culture.

Early modern era

On 22 July 1706, the treaty of union was agreed between representatives of the Scots parliament and the parliament of England and the following year twin acts of union were passed by both parliaments to create the united kingdom of Great Britain with effect from 1 may 1707.

18^th century

With trade tariffs with England now abolished, trade blossomed and especially with colonial America. The clippers belonging to the Glasgow tobacco lords were the fastest ships on the route to Virginia. The Scottish enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution made Scotland into an intellectual, commercial and industrial powerhouse.

19^th century

Scotland became known across the world for its excellence in engineering.

20^th century

Scotland played a major role in the British effort in the First World War. The Second World War brought renewed prosperity.

Since 1945

After 1945, Scotland economic situation became progressively worse. Only in recent decades has the country enjoyed something of a cultural and economic boom.

Politics

Scotland's head of state is the monarch of the United Kingdom, currently Queen Elizabeth II.

Scotland has partial self-government in the United Kingdom as well as representation in the UK Parliament. The United Kingdom Parliament has power over levels of UK taxes, social security, defence, international relations and broadcasting. The Scottish Parliament has authority for all other areas relating to Scotland, as well as a limited power to change income tax. 

Currency

Three Scottish clearing banks still issue their own banknotes of the national currency the Sterling pound.

Demography

The population of Scotland is 5,222,100.

Music and Culture

Scottish music is a significant aspect of the nation's culture, with both traditional and modern influences. A famous traditional Scottish instrument is the Great Highland Bagpipe. The clàrsach (harp), fiddle and accordion are also traditional Scottish instruments.
Today, there are many successful Scottish bands and individual artists in varying styles including Runrig, Susan Boyle, Simple Minds, Amy Macdonald, KT Tunstall, Emeli Sande and Texas.
As one of the Celtic nations, Scotland and Scottish culture is represented at interceltic events at home and over the world. Scotland hosts several music festivals including Celtic Connections (Glasgow), and the Hebridean Celtic Festival (Stornoway). Festivals celebrating Celtic culture, such as Festival Interceltique de Lorient (Brittany), the Pan Celtic Festival (Ireland), and the National Celtic Festival (Portarlington, Australia), feature elements of Scottish culture such as language, music and dance.

Sport

Sport is an important element in Scottish culture, with the country hosting many of its own national sporting competitions.
Important sports in Scotland include: rugby, football, golf, and many traditional Scottish games like hammer throwing.

England

Introduction:

        England is a country that is part of the U.K.

 Geography:

          England shares borders with Scotland to the North and Wales to the West, The Irish Sea to the Northwest, the Celtic Sea to the Southwest; while the North Sea to the East and the English Channel to the south separate it from continental Europe.

           The highest point in England, at 978 metres (3,209 ft), is Scafell Pike in Cumbria.

           The English Lowlands are to the south. Green rolling hills, they meet the sea with white rock exposures such as the cliffs of Dover.     

   

 Climate:

          England has a temperate maritime climate: It’s mild with temperatures not much lower than 0º C in winter and not much higher than 32º C in summer.  The weather is damp relatively frequently and is changeable. The coldest months are January and February.  Months with mild to warm weather are May, June, September and October.

  History:

   England was inhabited by different tribes during the Prehistoric period.

   The Romans invaded Britain in AD 43 during the reign of Emperor Claudius, conquering much of it, and the area was incorporated into the Roman Empire as Britannia province.

After the Romans left Britannia, warriors from north-western continental Europe, chiefly (the Angles, Saxons and Jutes) invaded the island and began to settle, initially in the eastern part of the country.

In 1066, the Normans (from France) invaded and conquered Britain.

In 1534 Henry VIII created the Church of England.

After the parliaments of England and Scotland agreed, the two countries joined to create the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707.

With the 18^th century came the Industrial Revolution, a period of profound change in the socioeconomic and cultural conditions of England.

London became the largest and most populous metropolitan area in the world during the Victorian era, and trade within the British Empire, the British military and the navy were prestigious.

Since the 20th century there has been significant population movement to England, mostly from other parts of the British Isles, but also from the Commonwealth, particularly the Indian subcontinent.

Politics:

As part of the United Kingdom, the basic political system in England is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary system.

Today England is governed directly by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. In the House of Commons, which is the lower house of the British Parliament, there are 532 Members of Parliament (MPs) for England, out of the 650 total.

Currency

England’s currency, as in the rest of the UK, is the sterling pound (£).

Population

England has more than 53 million inhabitants. Most of the population is white and with British origins, but 6% of people living in England have family origins in India and Pakistan. 2.90% of the population is black, from the Caribbean and Africa. There is a significant number of Chinese and British Chinese.

Language

Millions of people all around the world speak English, a language which, of course, originated in England. It is still the main language in that country. Cornish (a Celtic language from the Southwest) is spoken by 0.1% of the population in the region of Cornwall.

Folklore

English folklore developed for many centuries. Common folkloric beings include pixies, giants, elves, bogeymen, trolls, goblins and dwarves. England was also the origin of many famous legends, including King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and Robin Hood.

Cuisine

The most famous English dishes are: Sunday roast, (roasted beef, lamb or chicken, served with boiled vegetables), Yorkshire pudding and gravy, fish and chips and the full English breakfast (consisting of bacon, grilled tomatoes, fried bread, black pudding, baked beans, fried mushrooms, sausages and eggs). Also, the English consume various meat pies like steak and kidney pie, cottage pie, Cornish pasty and pork pie (which is eaten cold). Sausages are common, to make “bangers and mash” or also “toad in the hole”.

Music

The traditional folk music of England is many centuries old. It consisted of sea shanties, jigs, hornpipes, dance music, etc.

In popular music many English bands and solo artists are the most influential and best-selling musicians of all time. We can name The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Elton John, Queen, Rod Stewart and The Rolling Stones. Many musical genres have origins or strong associations with England, such as British invasion, hard rock, glam rock, heavy metal, mod, britpop, drum and bass, progressive rock, punk rock, indie rock, gothic rock, shoegazing, acid house, UK garage, trip hop and dubstep. There are a few large outdoor music festivals in the summer and autumn which are popular, such as Glastonbury, V Festival, Reading and Leeds Festivals.

Sports

England’s sports are very important for its people, and during the 19th many sports that are now played around the world were born there. Sports originating in England include association football, rugby, tennis, badminton, squash, rounders, hockey, boxing, snooker, billiards, darts, table tennis, bowls, netball, thoroughbred horseracing and fox hunting. It has helped the development of sailing and Formula One. Football is the most popular of these sports.