Australia
Australia, or the Commonwealth of Australia, as it is officially called, is situated on the island continent. It also occupies the Island of Tasmania and some minor islands round the coast of the continent. Australia is a large country lying between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
It is a highly developed industrial-agrarian country. Its area is about 8 million km2. It is the only state in the world that occupies the territory of a whole continent. The population of Australia is about 18 mln. Most of Australia is semi-desert. People cannot live where there is no water, and so most of people in Australia live in the richer south-east.The capital of Australia is Canberra, which became the capital only in 1927. The largest cities are Sidney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.From 1787 to 1867 Australia was a place where criminals were sent from Britain. That is why the official language of Australia is English.For almost a century the production and export of sheep wool was the basis of the economy of the country. Now the most important industries are oil, chemical, ore mining, radio electronics, and food industry. The country exports agricultural products and raw materials.As for the nature, the commonest trees of Australia are the eucalyptus and the Australian acacia or mimosa, the national emblem of the country. Such unusual animals as a kangaroo or a koala-bear originate from Australia.The national holiday, Australia Day, is now celebrated on or near January 26th in memory of landing of the British in 1788. The young country grew very fast. Today Australia is an independent federative state consisting of 6 states and 2 territories. It is a member of the Commonwealth headed by the British Queen.
Answer the questions
- Where is Australia situated?
- What is the population of Australia?
- When did Canberra become the capital?
- Why is English the official language?
- Can you tell the commonest trees of the country?
- How many states and territories is the continent consisting of?
- When is the national holiday celebrated on?
- What are the most important industries?
- Who is the president of Australia?
The UK (United Kingdom)
The UK is situated north-west of the European continent between the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. It has a total land area of 244,100 square kilometres, of which nearly 99 % is land and the reminder inland water. From north to south it is about 1,000 kilometres long.The official name of the UK is the “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”. The name refers to the union of what were once four separate nations: England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
The United Kingdom is made up of:
- England — the capital is London
- Wales — the capital is Cardiff
- Scotland — the capital is Edinburgh
- Northern Ireland — the capital is Belfast
What is the capital city of the UK? The capital of the UK is London.
When was the UK formed?
The United Kingdom (UK) was formed in on January 1, 1801 and constitutes the greater part of the British Isles.
What are people called in the UK?
People in the UK are called British although they have different nationalities. Its population is over 57 million. About 80% of the population is urban. There are a lot of rivers in Great Britain, but they are not very long. The Severn is the longest river, while the Thames is the deepest one.The UK is a highly developed industrial country. It is known as one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of machinery, electronics, textile, aircrafts. One of the chief industries of the country is shipbuilding.The UK is constitutional monarchy. In law, Head of the State is Queen. In practice, Queen reigns, but doesn’t rule. The country is ruled by the elected government with the Prime Minister at the head. The British Parliament consists of two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.There are three main political parties in Great Britain: the Labour, the Conservative, and the Liberal parties.
The USA
The United States of America is the fourth largest country in the world (after Russia, Canada, and China). It occupies (occupy) the southern part of North America and stretches from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. It also includes Alaska in the north and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The total area of the country is about nine and a half million square kilometres. The USA borders on Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south. It also has a sea boarder with Russia.The USA is made up of 50 states and the District of Columbia where the capital of the country, Washington, is situated. The population of the country is about 250 million.If we look at the map of the USA, we can see lowlands and mountains. The highest mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera, and the Sierra Nevada. The highest peak is Mount McKinley, which is located in Alaska.America’s largest rivers are the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Rio Grande, and the Columbia. The Great Lakes on the border with Canada are the largest and deepest in the USA.The climate of the country varies (vary) greatly. The coldest regions are in the north. The climate of Alaska is arctic. The climate of the central part of the country is continental. The south has subtropical climate. Hot winds blowing from the Gulf of Mexico often bring typhoons. The climate along the Pacific coast is much warmer than that of the Atlantic coast.The USA is a highly developed industrial country. It is the leading producer of copper and oil and the world’s second producer of iron ore and coal. On the industrial enterprises of the country they produce aircrafts, cars, textiles, radio and television sets, weapon, furniture, and paper.Though mainly European and African in origin, the Americans are made up from nearly all races and nations, including the Chinese and the native Americans — Indians.The largest cities are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, San Francisco, and others.The United States is a federal republic consisting of 50 states, each of which has its own government. The seat of the central (federal) government is Washington, D. C. There are two main political parties in the USA: the Republican and the Democratic.