The full and official name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is situated on the group of islands lying just off the mainland of the north-western Europe. The total area оf the country is over 244,000 square kilometres.

Great Britain consists of England, Scotland and Wales. The southern part of Ireland is the Republic of Eire. The population of the UK is 57 million people. The largest and the most populated part of the UK is England. Its population is over 47 million people and its capital is London.

Great Britain is separated from the continent by the English Channel, the narrowest part of which is called the Strait of Dover. The rivers of the region are short and of no great importance as waterways. The longest of them is the "Father of London", the Thames, which is a little over 200 miles.

The winters are not severely cold, while summers are rarely hot so the climate is rather mild, temperate and humid. The average range of temperature (from winter to summer) is from 15 to 23 degrees above zero.

The UK is a highly developed industrial country. It is the world largest producer of marine navigational equipment as the main industrial branch of the country is shipbuilding.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a constitutional monarchy. The parliament consists of two chambers: House of Lords and House of Commons.

The flag of the United Kingdom, known as the Union Jack, is made up of three crosses.