Total area of ​​the British Isles. British Isles. Geography and history. Adjectives and other derived words

The British Isles are the only large archipelago off the coast of Western Europe. It consists of two large islands - Great Britain and Ireland - and a large number of smaller ones - Maine, Anglesey, Wight, Inner and Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland. The total area of ​​the archipelago is about 325 thousand km2, of which 230 thousand km2 is on the island of Great Britain and 84 thousand km2 on the island of Ireland.

The depth of the coastal waters of the British Isles almost nowhere exceeds 200 m. The shallow water area is limited by a pronounced ledge from which the oceanic depths begin. On the surface of the bottom of the continental shallows, preserved hollows of river valleys and areas with dune relief were discovered, indicating relatively recent subsidence of land below sea level in the area of ​​the British Isles. The final separation of the archipelago from the mainland and the formation of the modern outlines of its coasts occurred already in post-glacial times.

The island position and the pronounced influence of the Atlantic, the sharp dismemberment of the coasts, which further enhances this influence, the dissected relief and the wide distribution of anthropogenic landscapes determine the main features of the nature of the British Isles. It should also be added that the islands, which have recently lost contact with the mainland, are very similar in many natural features to its neighboring areas, but the island position has left a certain imprint on natural features, and on the living conditions of the population.

The folded Paleozoic structures of the British Isles underwent strong vertical dissection, which was especially intense at the end of the Neogene and the beginning of the Anthropocene. These processes created a mosaic topography with alternating blocky mountains and depressions filled with sediments of various ages and origins.

In the first half of the Anthropocene, almost the entire archipelago, with the exception of the southern part of the island of Great Britain, was covered with ice, which left powerful moraine accumulations and affected big influence to form the relief. The last glaciation had a local mountainous character with centers in Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

The coastline of the islands is very dissected by tectonic faults and repeated uplifts and subsidences. Large bays jut into the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland where the surface is flat. On the peninsulas, on the contrary, mountain ranges rise. The structure of the coasts in many places clearly shows a series of marine terraces formed as a result of repeated changes in sea level. The northwest coast of Great Britain and the west coast of Ireland are particularly rugged. In the first case, the fjord type is well expressed, in the second - the rias type. The east coast of Great Britain is less dissected, where a straight, low-lying coast predominates with several bays running deep into the land.

In the north of Great Britain the Scottish Highlands rise. The deep tectonic rift Glen More divides the highlands into two parts: the Northern Highlands and the Grampian Mountains, which contain the highest peak of the islands, the Ben Nevis massif (1343 m). The Caledonian Canal runs along the Glen More depression, connecting the Moray Firth on the north-east coast of Scotland with the Firth of Lorn on the west coast. The extreme northern part of the Highlands, as a result of recent faulting and fragmentation, separated from the island of Great Britain, forming two groups of islands - the Inner and Outer Hebrides.

The North Scottish Highlands as a whole are a horst massif with a leveled surface and individually prominent peaks. Its topography shows traces of the effects of glaciation: piles of boulders, “ram’s foreheads,” and numerous trough valleys. The northwestern fjord coast of Scotland is rocky and has many islands nearby. On the rocky shores of the islands, the surf has developed a variety of bizarre shapes. Particularly famous is Fingal's Grotto on the small island of Staffa, formed in the coastal basalt rocks. At high tide it is flooded with water, and at low tide you can enter it without getting your feet wet.

The South Scottish Upland, 500-600 m high, has a smoother relief, cut through by wide valleys; it contains tarns, accumulations of boulders and moraines. The northern edge of the upland, like the southern edge of the North Scottish Highlands, is formed by faults.

Between the Grampian Mountains and the South Scottish Highlands, in a wide graben lies the Mid-Scotland Plain. Its surface is composed of red sandstones, clays and limestones of the Devonian and Carboniferous, containing coal. These deposits are intruded by outcrops of volcanic rocks that form dome-shaped hills.

To the south of the Southern Highlands, in Northern England, there are highlands and rolling plains bordering the coast. Middle part Northern England is occupied by an anticlinal, meridionally elongated uplift of the Pennines, composed of Carboniferous rocks. The arch part of the anticline is eroded, and cuesta ledges have been developed in the slopes, gently descending to the east and west. Adjacent to the Pennines to the north-west is the ancient dome-shaped volcanic massif Cumberland, processed by glaciers. Its slopes are cut through by large cirques, trough valleys diverge in radial directions and form expansions occupied by lakes. Due to its many lakes, the Cumberland Massif received the name Lake District.

The hilly Midland plain adjoins the foothills of the Pennines to the south. Its hills are cut through by valleys and ravines, on the slopes of which strata of red-colored Jurassic and Triassic rocks are exposed.

In the west, far into the sea, the peninsula of Wales juts out, almost entirely occupied by the Cambrian Mountains. The relief of the mountains is smooth, the peaks are rounded, the slopes are gentle. Only the highest parts, like the Snowdon volcanic massif (1085 m), have mountainous terrain formed under the influence of ancient glaciation. The peninsula is separated from the rest of Great Britain by the wide valley of the River Severn.

The Bristol Bay Graben separates the Welsh peninsula from the Cornish peninsula, which forms the southwestern tip of Great Britain. The crystalline massifs of Dartmoor Forest and Exmoor Forest reach the highest heights (500-600 m) on the Cornish peninsula. Recent land subsidence has caused the dismemberment of the coast and the formation of ingression bays, as well as the separation of numerous rocky islands from the coast. The eastern part of the peninsula is occupied by the low-lying Somersetshire plain, composed of Mesozoic rocks.

The south-eastern part of Great Britain differs in geological structure and relief from all other parts of it. Folded structures do not come to the surface anywhere, and sedimentary deposits of Mesozoic and Cenozoic age are distributed throughout the area. The main feature of the relief of this area is the distribution of cuestas, stretching from southwest to northeast and facing the steep edges towards the ancient mountain uplifts of Wales. Composed of Jurassic limestone and chalk, the cuesta ridges are karstified. The first Jurassic limestone cuesta ridge from the north-west borders the Midland Plain. Its high dissected edge is a hill

Cutswold Hills - reaches a height of 300-350 m. From the south of this bush stretches a low strip filled with sandy-clay deposits of Jurassic and Cretaceous age. In the south, the depression gives way to the chalk cuesta plateau of the Chiltern Hills, reaching 250 m in height. It gently slopes south to an elongated depression of the Thames basin, or London basin, filled with thick Cenozoic marine sediments. To the south of the Thames basin, Cretaceous rocks again come to the surface, forming two ridges: the Northern and Southern Downs, steeply plunging to the north, towards the London Basin, and to the south, towards the English Channel. The South Downs forms a high, sparkling white chalk cliff along the coast of southern Great Britain, in the ingression bays of which the country's most important ports are located. The entire interior of the island of Ireland is occupied by the low-lying Central Irish Plain. The plain presents all forms of karst relief and karst hydrography: deep wells, caves and galleries, underground rivers and lakes formed in the Carboniferous limestone strata. On all sides, the Central Irish Plain is surrounded by mountain ranges no more than 1000 m high. In the north there is the Donegal massif, off the north-eastern coast there are the Antrim Mountains, composed of basaltic lavas, under which rocks of various ages are hidden. The northwestern promontory of the Irish coast is filled by the strongly dissected Connaught Mountains; in the southeast the Wicklow Mountains rise along the coast; in the southwest there is the highest part of Ireland - the Kerry Mountains with the peak of Carrantuil (1041 m).

In addition to strong tectonic and erosional dissection, the relief of the mountains of Ireland shows traces of ancient glaciation, which create a sharp, almost alpine relief at low altitudes. This is especially noticeable in the Kerry Mountains, composed of thick layers of ancient red sandstone. On their slopes, huge circuses occupied by lakes have been preserved. The Kerry Mountains drop in cliffs to a deeply dissected coastline. Many minerals have been found and are being developed in the depths of the British Isles: in the Cumberland massif and the mountains of Ireland - lead-zinc ores, and in Cornwall - copper and tin, and in the sedimentary rocks of the Midlands - iron ores. The main mineral wealth of the island of Great Britain is coal. Its deposits are concentrated in three areas: in the Lowlands of Scotland, along the outskirts of the Pennines and in South Wales. Rich oil and gas reserves on the North Sea shelf have already been mentioned. This is now the main oil production area for the UK. Ireland has large reserves of peat, deposits of which are widespread both on the plain and on the flat surfaces of mountain ranges.

The harsh and wet westerly winds that blow throughout the year bring large amounts of moisture to the British Isles. Particularly high precipitation falls on the western slopes of the mountains, where annual amounts exceed 1500 mm, and in some places even 2000 mm. Precipitation falls primarily in the form of light, drizzling rain, with some areas receiving rain almost daily during the winter. In the south-west of Ireland and Cornwall there is no snow throughout the winter, and in other places there are only 10-20 days with snow (in Greenwich about 14 days, and Edinburgh - 20). The eastern and southeastern regions receive 700-800 mm of precipitation per year.

There are less clouds there and the winds are not so harsh.

The annual amplitude of temperature fluctuations in the southwest of Ireland is approximately 7-8 ° C (with an average temperature of the coldest month -) -6, + 7 ° C), in the east of Ireland up to 10-11 ° C, in the southeast of England - 14° C. Almost frost-free winters and relatively cool summers are typical for the entire region, but in the east and southeast frosts are more frequent and summers are hotter than in the northwest. In the London area, temperatures up to +30°C are possible in summer; summer temperatures in the north of Scotland rarely rise to +20°C. The number of sunny days in the southeast reaches 40%, while in the west it is only 17-20%.

Some years there are sharp deviations from average weather conditions. In winter, they are caused by intrusions of arctic air, which are accompanied by frosts and snowfalls; in summer, they are caused by the spread of tropical air masses that cause drought. However, such anomalies are extremely rare.

One of the natural features of the British Isles is dense fogs, which are especially common in winter in the area of ​​large cities, where there is a lot of dust and smoke in the air, which serve as condensation nuclei. The main reason for their formation is the contact of relatively cold waters with the warmer waters of the North Atlantic Current and the air temperature contrasts created by this. Fogs in big cities sometimes reach such a density that they become impenetrable even to the most powerful lighting; they last for several days without interruption, impede traffic and cause many accidents.

Due to the peculiarities of the relief and climate, the river network of islands is very dense. Large rivers - the Severn (310 km), the Thames (334 km), the Shannon (368 km) - are significantly shorter in length than many rivers on the mainland, but they are full-flowing all year round, do not freeze and are therefore very convenient for navigation. Almost all rivers end in deep and wide estuaries, into which large ocean-going ships can freely enter during high tides. This favors the construction of ports at some distance from the sea, in convenient and well-protected places. In the lower reaches of the Thames, 60 km from the sea, is located one of the largest ports in the world - London. In the lower reaches of the Avon River, which flows into the Severn Estuary, there is Bristol, at the confluence of the Merey River into the Irish Sea - Liverpool, in the lower reaches of the Clyde River - the largest city and port of Scotland - Glasgow.

Natural waterways are supplemented by a dense network of canals, the creation of which was favored by the low altitude and weak expression of watersheds between individual river systems. Most of them were built back in the 18th century; at present, many of them are outdated and are hardly used or are suitable only for small ships. Now there are projects to use canals for tourism purposes.

On the island of Ireland, karst processes play an important role in the formation of the river network. Many rivers disappear into underground voids and then reappear. They are largely fed by karst springs and lakes.

The water energy reserves of the rivers of Great Britain and Ireland are relatively small. Several hydroelectric power stations have been built in Scotland and Wales. In Ireland, a large hydroelectric power station has been created on the Shannon River.

There are no large lakes in the British Isles, but small ones are numerous and picturesque. The largest lake - Lough Neagh - is located in Ireland, its area is about 400 km 2. A significant part of the lakes in Ireland are of karst origin. There are many glacial lakes in the highlands of Scotland, the Cumberland Massif and Wales.

The British Isles are part of the range of broad-leaved forests, but, obviously, were never completely covered with them. In the north of Great Britain, pine and birch forests predominated on podzolic soils, in the southern regions - oak forests, and in some places beech-hornbeam forests on forest brown soils. Currently, forests occupy only 4-5% of the islands' area. In most cases they have been exterminated, but in some places the absence of forests should be considered the result of natural conditions.

A significant part of modern woody vegetation is secondary and, as a rule, consists of artificial plantings. Large areas are occupied by meadows, heaths and swamps. The upper limit of forest vegetation lies on average at an altitude of 200-300 m and nowhere rises above 600 m, since on the surface of mountain ranges strong winds and excess humidity make it difficult for trees to grow.

Currently, the most forests are in the eastern part of Great Britain and the south-east of Ireland. Pure oak forests predominate or with an admixture of other broad-leaved species (beech, ash). Conifers, including some North American and East Asian species, play a large role in artificial plantings. Scots pine groves are found mainly in the eastern part of Scotland.

In some areas, the landscape of the islands gives the impression of being wooded thanks to artificial plantings along roads, around fields and settlements. In many places, only isolated tall and spreading oaks, elms and beeches have survived from the former forests. Large areas are occupied by meadows that are green all year round. There are especially many of them in the southern part of Ireland, for which it received the name of the green island. In some cases they occupy areas that were once forested, in others they represent the original type of vegetation. There are also many sown meadows.

Along the western coasts and on the surface of mountain ranges above 200-300 m, heathlands dominate with a predominance of ordinary and Western European heather, with an admixture of ferns, blueberries and some cereals. In many places, heathlands are specifically preserved as hunting grounds.

In the past there were many sedge and especially peat bogs in the British Isles. Large wetlands existed on the island of Great Britain around the Wash (fen) and in the western part of the Central Irish Plain. In some areas of Ireland, peat bogs still dominate the landscape, giving it a characteristic dull brownish-brown color.

However, large, previously swampy areas have now been drained and used for arable land. The previously barren forests have been completely transformed into one of the largest wheat and sugar beet growing areas in the country. Thanks to the mild winters, some evergreens grow in the British Isles. The flora includes, for example, the evergreen holly shrub or holly in the undergrowth of oak forests (Jlex aquifolium). In the south and especially in the southwest, many cultivated Mediterranean plants planted in the ground tolerate winter well without losing foliage. The fauna of the British Isles is very poor. Large animals are now almost never found in their natural state. Only in some places are deer and fallow deer under special protection. Foxes, hedgehogs, and shrews are widespread. There are a lot of rodents everywhere. Wild rabbits and hares are especially common in dry meadows. There are a lot of squirrels in forests and parks.

The avifauna is still quite rich. In the less populated areas of Scotland there are wild pigeons and doves, several species of partridges, and black grouse. There are birds of prey: peregrine falcon, hawk, harrier, etc. On the banks of reservoirs there are many waterfowl - gulls, herons, ducks.

The main commercial species of coastal waters are herring, cod, and flounder.

In general, the British Isles are characterized by a very high degree of human modification of nature. Early industrial development, the abundance of cities, and the development of transport played a big role in this. Nature was especially hard hit in areas adjacent to the Pennines, in the Midlands (“Black Country”), and in South Wales. Suffering from air and water pollution, from overpopulation and other consequences of their activities, the population of the British Isles carefully protects those few corners in within Great Britain and Ireland, which have not yet lost Attractive features of its nature: the Lake District, the mountain ranges of Cornwall, North-West and South-West Ireland.

Chart illustrating terminology associated with the British Isles

Geographical realities

• British Isles- an archipelago that includes the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, as well as groups of the Hebrides, Orkney, Shetland Islands and the smaller islands of Anglesey, Maine, etc. Sometimes the Channel Islands are also included in the British Isles, as belonging to Great Britain, but located off the coast of France.

• UK (island)- the largest of the British Isles. "Great" simply means "greater" than Brittany (the historical region in northern France), not the "greatness" of the state. The latter was settled by the Britons (from Cornwall) around 500 and was called "Little Britain" by them. For example, in French "Brittany" would be Bretagne, and "Great Britain" - Grande-Bretagne.

• Ireland (island)- the second largest of the British Isles.
• Channel Islands- a group of islands in the English Channel off the coast of France. They are not directly part of Great Britain and do not represent a political unity, being divided into two crown lands: Jersey and Guernsey. Geographically, they do not belong to the British Isles, but may be included in them for political reasons.

Political realities

4 constituent parts of Great Britain

• Great Britain- the short name of the state that occupies the island of Great Britain and the north of the island of Ireland, exercises guardianship over the Channel Islands and about. Maine, which are not formally part of the country.
  • - full name of the same state
  • Britannia- in modern meaning - an unofficial synonym for the concepts of “Great Britain” and “British Empire”; historically Roman province (lat. Britannia), approximately corresponding to the territory of England and Wales.
  • United Kingdom- tracing paper from English The United Kingdom- abbreviation of the term The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), rarely used in Russian and corresponding in Russian to the term “Great Britain”.
  • England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - composite administrative and political parts(Constituent countries) Great Britain.
    • England- the historical core of Great Britain, in colloquial speech it can be used as a synonym for the latter.
  • Crown lands- the name of three possessions of Great Britain that are not directly part of it, but are not overseas territories. These include: Bailiwicks Jersey And Guernsey(Channel Islands) and Isle Of Man in the Irish Sea.

• • In addition, in Russian there are no generally accepted terms for the following concepts:
    • England, Wales and Scotland as one - en:Great Britain(lit. Great Britain). In most European languages, as well as in Russian (but with the exception of English), everything is called Great Britain United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland entirely (for example, German. Großbritannien, fr. Grande-Bretagne).
    • Great Britain + crown lands in the British Isles (Mane, Jersey and Guernsey) - en:British Islands(≠ British Isles in a geographical sense). When used loosely in this sense, the term "Great Britain" is usually used.

• Ireland(full title - Republic of Ireland listen)) is another sovereign state in the British Isles, occupying most of the island of Ireland.
  • Northern Ireland(Ulster) is one of the four administrative and political parts of Great Britain (see above).
• Brittany- the name of a peninsula in France, once inhabited by Britons from the south of Britain and giving it its name.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	Scotland	Northern Ireland	Republic of Ireland
	Adjectives and other derived words British- adjective to the words "Great Britain" and "Britain" Names of residents British(British, British) - citizens (or rather subjects) of Great Britain. Includes the following main ethno-linguistic groups: English- residents of England and/or speakers of English. Welsh- residents of Wales and/or speakers of Welsh. Scots- residents of Scotland and/or speakers of either Gaelic (Highland Scots) or English-Scottish language. Irish- residents of Ireland, including Northern Ireland, only a minority of whom speak Irish, the rest only English. Britons(Briton, Briton) - a group of Celtic tribes, until the 5th century. n. e. making up the main population of Britain except for the northernmost regions inhabited by the Picts. They spoke a (common) Brythonic language, from which others later developed Brythonic languages: Cumbrian, Welsh, Cornish and Breton. Bretons- people in Brittany. Historical aspects The Greeks called the British Isles Pretanike. The Romans called Great Britain Britannias or Alba, and Ireland and other islands Britanniae. After landing in 41, they called the territory close to modern England and Wales Britain, Scotland Caledonia, and Hibernia- Ireland. At first there were kingdoms of the Celts, Saxons and Vikings (Rheged, Strathclyde and Wessex) in the British Isles. 843 - the establishment of the Kingdom of Scotland. 927 - the emergence of the Kingdom of England. 1541 - the emergence of the Kingdom of Ireland (originally a lordship). 1283 - Principality of Wales. 1536 - First merger: the Principality of Wales joins the Kingdom of England. 1707 - Second merger: England and Scotland unite to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. 1801 - Third merger: Great Britain and Ireland unite to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1922 - split into two independent states: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Free State of Ireland (later Republic of Ireland). Numbering of monarchs In 1603, the Scottish king James VI inherited the throne of England as James I of England (and called himself James I of Great Britain, despite the fact that there was no Kingdoms of Great Britain until 1707), but the countries retained independent parliaments and sovereignty. Scottish historians often call this monarch James VI and I, English historians prefer - James I and VI. Many Scots (and not just nationalists) were upset in 1953 when, at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, she was given a second number, even though neither the former Kingdom of Great Britain (1707-1801) nor the present United Kingdom (since 1801) had an Elizabeth I However, Elizabeth I was already in kingdom of england (927-1707). The current rule is that when a monarch takes a name previously used by both English and Scottish monarchs, the serial number will be the highest of the two. If there is a King James, he will be James VIII, not III (following James VII of Scotland and James II of England). Translation agency Lingvotek carries out translation from/to 85 languages peace

The British Isles are located in northwestern Europe. The following states are located on them: Ireland, Great Britain and the Virgin Islands, which are subordinate to the British crown and are not part of the state.

The largest of the above is the island of Great Britain. It is located in England, Wales and here it is very polite, but prim. Many holidays take place throughout England throughout the year.

Great Britain has rich vegetation. This is due to the humid and warm climate.

The British Isles (Virgin) are different in area. There are 36 of them in total. The largest of them are the following: Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, Anegada.

These lands are located near the Caribbean and belong to the overseas territory of the islands with barely 25 thousand people. Most of them live in Tortola. The British Isles also have their own capital - Road Town.

Throughout its existence, the islands were captured by the Spaniards, Dutch, French and even pirates. However, the British achieved the greatest success in this. In 1072 they captured this territory. Since 1680, the British began to develop sugar cane plantations here.

The islands are mostly flat and hilly. There are no lakes or rivers. There are some problems with drinking water. They are solved with the help of desalination plants. The flora and fauna are not very diverse. Over the centuries, it was gradually destroyed by people, and today the islanders cannot boast of rich flora and fauna.

One of the most developed sectors of the economy is tourism. About 800,000 tourists from different countries visit the islands every year. The British Isles attract them with a hot, tropical climate. It's warm here all year round. From July to October there are often hurricanes, which can ruin your holiday a little. It is worth remembering that it definitely rains 5-7 days a month. The most favorable time for relaxation is from December to April. At this time there is the largest influx of tourists. Accordingly, prices will be relatively higher than, for example, in the summer.

Many tourists come here to look at the magnificent residences of English aristocrats. These fabulous buildings have not lost their grandeur over time and, as before, captivate at first sight. When it comes to entertainment, the British Isles offer it in abundance.

Fans of nightlife will enjoy visiting local bars, restaurants and clubs. Dancing and celebration here continues all night. No one will be left disappointed.

Very popular on the islands. Since 1972, the seven-day Spring Regatta has been held here. This stunning spectacle will be remembered for a long time. Endless peaks, amazing underwater caves with lava tunnels, grottos and countless sea ​​creatures makes these places incredibly attractive for divers. There are more than a hundred such zones here. The most popular of them are located near the islands of Green Cay, Little Yost Van Dyke and Sandy Cay. And, of course, what vacation would be complete without beaches and gentle waves? There are plenty of them in the British Isles, the most different forms and sizes. Calm, flat beaches with snow-white sand are perfect for couples with children. And for surfing lovers, it’s better to go where the endless waves are raging.

Those who want to go shopping should head to Road Town. Here you can find beautiful leather goods, as well as many different souvenirs.

It is worth noting that the cost of service in hotels and restaurants is usually included in the bill and amounts to 10% of the total amount. The hospitality and high qualifications of the staff make your stay easy and enjoyable. Once you come here, you will want to come back again.

Éire agus an Bhreatain Mhór 54° N. w. 5° W d. HGIOL

The area of ​​the islands is 315.159 thousand km². They are separated from the European mainland by the North Sea and the Pas de Calais and English Channel straits.

The name "British Isles" is avoided in Ireland as it may be perceived as implying that Ireland belongs to the state of Great Britain. In Ireland, the archipelago is commonly referred to as "Britain and Ireland", an expression used in other English-speaking countries; The term "Atlantic Archipelago" is rarely used.

Geographical position

Extreme points

• northern - Cape Herma Ness - 61° N. w. 1° W d. HGIOL
• eastern - Lowestoft - 52°30′ N. w. 1°30′ E. d. HGIOL
• southern - Cape Lizard - 50° N. w. 5° W d. HGIOL
• western - Sline Head - 53°30′ N. w. 10°00′ W d. HGIOL

The length from north to south is 1000 km, and from west to east - 820 km.

Large landforms that make up the physical-geographical country: the Northern Scottish Highlands, the Pennines, the London Basin.

The coastline is highly dissected - numerous bays jut into the land, the largest of which are Bristol, Cardigan, Liverpool, Firth of Clyde, Moray Firth, Firth of Forth, as well as the Thames and Severn estuaries.

Physiographic characteristics

Rocks

The territory of the archipelago can be divided into the following areas, differing in geological structure:

The central part of the island of Great Britain lies on a slab of ancient platforms. Mesozoic rocks are typical: clays, limestones, coal rocks. The southeastern part of the island is confined to the syneclise of the epihercynian platforms. Characterized by thick sedimentary deposits of Mesozoic and Cenozoic age, Jurassic deposits of limestone, chalk and sandstone.

Widespread, as in mountainous Scandinavia, is the northeastern (Caledonian) direction of ridges, longitudinal river valleys, bays, lake basins, etc. On the island of Great Britain, the mountainous northwest and flat southeast are clearly distinguished. The north-west of the island is dominated by low and medium-altitude mountains, dissected by fault valleys into a number of highlands, dome-shaped and blocky massifs. Generally, the western edges of the UK mountains are higher than the eastern edges.
Long-term denudation transformed both the Caledonian and Hercynian folded uplifts of the mountains of the north-west into a system of peneplainized massifs. Movements of the Alpine age recreated the ancient system of tectonic faults, broke and raised these massifs to various heights.
In the development of the relief of the coastal strip of mountains, a major role was played by marine abrasion, which occurred under conditions of uneven land uplift, due to which a series of terraces up to 40 m high above modern sea level, caves, grottoes (for example, Fingal Grotto in the basalts of the island of Staffa) was formed. The dominant type. The relief is upland with remnant and blocky ridges of small relative height. The Scottish Highlands are distinguished by their highest altitude, which is divided by the longitudinal fault Central Scottish Lowlands into the Northern Scottish Highlands with the Grampian Mountains (Ben Nevis 1346 m) and the lower and flattened Southern Scottish Highlands (up to 840 m high). Only a few of the North Scottish Highlands are inferior in height to the Cambrian Mountains on the Welsh Peninsula (Snowdon 1085 m).
The south-west of Great Britain, Cornwall, is a hilly plain with a number of hills confined to elevated crystalline areas of the Hercynian basement (Dartmoor Forest 621 m, Axlgear Forest). The south-east of Great Britain is occupied by rolling, stepped plains, often collectively called the London Basin.

River erosion divided the plain into systems of cuesta ridges extended to the northeast and clayey lowlands between them. The Jurassic cuesta hills of the Cotswolds (up to 326 m) and the chalk ridges of the Chiltern Hills and Whitehorse Hills are well defined. Cuesta relief is also characteristic of the extreme south of Great Britain, the uplands of the northern and southern Downs. Ireland shares many geomorphological features with Great Britain. The middle part of the island is occupied by a low (about 100 m) Central Plain, composed of horizontally occurring Carboniferous limestones, overlain by moraine clays. The plain is poorly drained, characterized by high groundwater levels and severe swampiness, which is associated not only with clayey soils, but also with underlying thin, fractured limestones that prevent the formation of surface runoff. The remaining areas of Ireland are occupied by low and medium-altitude mountains, strongly dissected by erosion and ancient glaciers: Kerry (up to 1041 m high), Wicklow, Donegal, Morne. These mountains are most often a tectonic and orographic continuation of the mountains of Great Britain, from which Ireland separated already in Late Glacial times. In the northeast of Ireland (as well as in neighboring areas of Scotland), low basalt plateaus (Antrim, etc.) with abrasive surfaces developed in them are developed.

Climate

In the climate zoning system, the British Isles are located in the temperate zone, in the maritime climate area. Summers are cool, winters are warm with moderate precipitation and without stable snow cover.

The amount of total solar radiation is 3200 MJ/(m²·year). In January, the indicator is zero, due to the loss of snow cover and an increase in reflected radiation. In July - 500 MJ/(m² year). Compared to winter, there is an increase due to the longer duration of sunny days. But a small figure due to high cloudiness.

The annual value of the radiation balance is 2500 MJ/(m²·year). This is due to the high total solar radiation and high cloudiness, which reduces effective radiation.

Moderate air mass takes part in climate formation in all seasons of the year. In winter, the northern part of the islands is under the influence of the Icelandic Low, and the southern part is under the influence of the North Atlantic High. The prevailing winds in the territory are Western transport of temperate latitudes with a southwestern direction. During the summer, the entire British Isles is in the high pressure region of the North Atlantic High. At this time, the Western transport of temperate latitudes also dominates in the territory, but the wind speed decreases. A polar front with cyclones passes through Iceland, the British Isles and Scandinavia.

The British Isles experience temperature variations across the seasons. In summer the temperature is +16°C, in winter it is +8°C. In summer, temperatures can rise to +30°C.

The amount of annual precipitation in the territory varies. On the western coasts it is 1500 mm/year, and on the eastern coasts - 700 mm/year. This distribution depends on natural factors - these are the Pennines and the Cambrian Mountains. Precipitation falls in all seasons with an even distribution over them. But in winter, an increase is possible due to the intensification of cyclones.

Water

Lough Derg is a lake in the southwest of Ireland. The height at sea level is 33 m. The area is 118 km², length 40 km, width 4 km. The average depth is 7.6 m, the maximum is 36 m. The basin is of glacial origin, the eastern and northern coasts are low, but in the south and southwest the shores are steep and rocky. The lake is fresh. It is located in the river Shannon, so it has an elongated shape and is a wastewater.

The lakes of the British Isles play an important role in transport issues. They also have hydroelectric power stations.

Soils

General factors of soil formation

The territory of the physical-geographical country is under the influence of the ocean. The climate is oceanic with mild, not cold winters (January temperatures from +0.3°C to +8°C), moderately warm summers (July temperatures from +15°C to +23°C), fairly high average annual temperatures (from +9°C to +15°C), significant amounts of precipitation (mostly from 600 to 1500 mm per year). Broad-leaved forests.

Lessivated soils

distributed in the center and north of Great Britain, on the western coast of the island of Ireland (in moraine relief). Absolute heights are predominantly 300-500 m. (On the FAO/UNESCO soil map they are shown as Luvisols)

Soils are formed mainly on leveled surfaces under conditions of precipitation seeping deep into the profile on loose rocks that do not contain carbonates.

Vegetation - oak, oak-beech forests, more or less lightened.

Elementary soil processes

The soil is characterized by processes leading to the release of iron oxide hydrates and clayification, intrasoil formation of secondary clay minerals of hydromica-montmorilonite composition as a result of weak hydrolysis of primary minerals.

Lessivage (mechanical removal of colloids) in a slightly humified, biologically active slightly acidic environment. The removal of iron colloids and clay minerals is pronounced.

Lessivated soils are considered as climax soils on sandy and acidic soil-forming rocks or as secondary soils resulting from the degradation of brown forest soils. This was facilitated by human activity (replacement of deciduous forests with coniferous ones) and leaching of absorbed cations from soils with age.

Brown forest typical soils

They are confined mainly to areas of distribution of carbonate moraines and loess-like loams.

Soil profile

The soils have a poorly differentiated profile. There is no coarse humus horizon. A layer of litter of low thickness. The litter decomposes during the growing season as a result of significant microbiological activity. Horizon A1 (15-30 cm thick) is brown-gray, with a strong fine-lumpy (caprolite) structure, with numerous earthworm tunnels and a mass of roots; the build is loose or slightly dense. Transitional horizon A1B (to approximately a depth of 30-40 cm) with a larger lumpy or nut-lumpy structure. The metamorphic horizon Bt is brown or bright brown, heavier in mechanical composition, dense, with a nutty structure, sometimes with a tendency to prismaticity, with passages of roots and earthworms; its thickness ranges from 30 to 130 cm.

Soils have high biological activity. They have great biological value in forestry and agriculture, as they are suitable for growing forest crops that require soil quality, and in agriculture for growing a wide range of crops. When applying organic and mineral fertilizers, stable high yields are obtained.

There is no coarse humus horizon due to the fairly rapid decomposition of the forest litter. Horizon A1 (usually less than 10 cm thick) is brownish-dark gray or grayish-brown, finely lumpy, vaguely granular, with numerous small roots, with a clear boundary. The humus-eluvial (silt-free) horizon A1 is beige, light brown or yellowish-brown, lumpy, porous, sometimes with horizontal layering, dense, sandy or silty-loamy, with a rare transition into the illuvial horizon B (colmatized). This horizon is highly clayey, dense, dark brown, prismatic in the upper part and prismatic-platy in the lower part, with clearly defined illuviation tiles. Soil thickness is 150-200 cm or more. In “pseudo-gleyed” loessified soils in horizon B, nodules and manganese-iron films are noted due to the poor water permeability of the accumulation horizon.

Ynysoedd Prydain, Mansk. ny h-Ellanyn Goaldagh) is an archipelago in northwestern Europe, between the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The British Isles contain the states of Great Britain and Ireland, as well as territories under the rule of the British Crown.

The area of ​​the islands is 315.1 thousand km². They are separated from the European mainland by the North Sea and the Pas de Calais and English Channel straits.

Geographical position

Extreme points

• northern - Cape Herma Ness - 61 , 1 61° N. w. 1° E. d. /  61° N. w. 1° E. d.(G) (O)
• eastern - Lowestoft - 52.5 , 1.5 52°30′ N. w. 1°30′ E. d. /  52.5° N. w. 1.5° E. d.(G) (O)
• southern - Cape Lizard - 50 , -5 50° N. w. 5° W d. /  50° N. w. 5° W d.(G) (O)
• western - Sline Head - 53.5 , 10 53°30′ N. w. 10°00′ E. d. /  53.5° N. w. 10° E. d.(G) (O)

The length from north to south is 1000 km, and from west to east - 820 km.

Large landforms that make up the physical-geographical country: the Northern Scottish Highlands, the Pennines, the London Basin.

The coastline is highly dissected - numerous bays jut into the land, the largest of which are Bristol, Cardigan, Liverpool, Firth of Clyde, Mary Firth, Firth of Forth, as well as the Thames and Severn estuaries.

Physiographic characteristics

Rocks

The territory of the archipelago can be divided into the following areas, differing in geological structure:

The central part of the island. Great Britain lies on a slab of ancient platforms. Mesozoic rocks are typical: clays, limestones, coal rocks.
South-eastern part of the island. Great Britain is confined to the syneclise of the epihercynian platforms. Characterized by thick sedimentary deposits of Mesozoic and Cenozoic age, Jurassic deposits of limestone, chalk and sandstone.

Lough Derg is a lake in the southwest of Ireland. The height at sea level is 33 m. The area is 118 km², length 40 km, width 4 km. The average depth is 7.6 m, the maximum is 36 m. The basin is of glacial origin, the eastern and northern coasts are low, but in the south and southwest the shores are steep and rocky. The lake is fresh. It is located in the river Shannon, so it has an elongated shape and is a wastewater.

The lakes of the British Isles play an important role in transport issues. They also have hydroelectric power stations.

Soils

General factors of soil formation

The territory of the physical-geographical country is under the influence of the ocean. The climate is oceanic with mild, not cold winters (January temperatures from +0.3 °C to +8 °C), moderately warm summers (July temperatures from +15 °C to +23 °C), fairly high average annual temperatures (from + 9 °C to +15 °C), significant amounts of precipitation (mostly from 600 to 1500 mm per year). Broad-leaved forests.

Lessivated soils

distributed in the center and north of Great Britain, on the western coast of the island of Ireland (in moraine relief). Absolute heights are predominantly 300-500 m. (On the FAO / UNESCO soil map they are shown as Luvisols) Soils are formed mainly on leveled surfaces under conditions of precipitation seeping deep into the profile on loose rocks that do not contain carbonates.
Vegetation - oak, oak-beech forests, more or less lightened.

Lessivage (mechanical removal of colloids) in a slightly humified, biologically active slightly acidic environment. The removal of iron colloids and clay minerals is pronounced. Lessivated soils are considered as climax soils on sandy and acidic soil-forming rocks or as secondary soils resulting from the degradation of brown forest soils. This was facilitated by human activity (replacement of deciduous forests with coniferous ones) and leaching of absorbed cations from soils with age.

Soil profile

There is no coarse humus horizon due to the fairly rapid decomposition of the forest litter. Horizon A1 (usually less than 10 cm thick) is brownish-dark gray or grayish-brown, finely lumpy, vaguely granular, with numerous small roots, with a clear boundary. The humus-eluvial (silt-free) horizon A1 is beige, light brown or yellowish-brown, lumpy, porous, sometimes with horizontal layering, dense, sandy or silty-loamy, with a rare transition into the illuvial horizon B (colmatized). This horizon is highly clayey, dense, dark brown, prismatic in the upper part and prismatic-platy in the lower part, with clearly defined illuviation slabs. Soil thickness is 150-200 cm or more. In “pseudo-gleyed” loessified soils in horizon B, nodules and manganese-iron films are noted due to the poor water permeability of the accumulation horizon. The soils are under broad-leaved or secondary coniferous forests, meadows, pastures, and are also widely cultivated for grains, flax, potatoes... They respond well to the application of organo-mineral fertilizers.

Brown forest typical soils

They are confined mainly to areas of distribution of carbonate moraines and loess-like loams.

Elementary soil processes

The soil is characterized by processes leading to the release of iron oxide hydrates and clayification, intrasoil formation of secondary clay minerals of hydromica-montmorilonite composition as a result of weak hydrolysis of primary minerals.

Soil profile

The soils have a poorly differentiated profile. There is no coarse humus horizon. A layer of litter of low thickness. The litter decomposes during the growing season as a result of significant microbiological activity. Horizon A1 (15-30 cm thick) is brown-gray, with a strong fine-lumpy (caprolite) structure, with numerous earthworm tunnels and a mass of roots; the build is loose or slightly dense. Transitional horizon A1B (to approximately a depth of 30-40 cm) with a larger lumpy or nutty lumpy structure. The metamorphic horizon Bt is brown or bright brown, heavier in mechanical composition, dense, with a nutty structure, sometimes with a tendency to prismaticity, with passages of roots and earthworms; its thickness ranges from 30 to 130 cm. The soils have high biological activity. They have great biological value in forestry and agriculture, as they are suitable for growing forest crops that require soil quality, and in agriculture for growing a wide range of crops. When applying organic and mineral fertilizers, stable high yields are obtained.

Vegetation

The British Isles are located in two natural zones; the north of the island of Great Britain, up to approximately 56°N, lies in coniferous forests; the rest of the territory, including the island of Ireland, is deciduous forest.
Features of the orographic structure of the British Isles significantly influence the distribution of precipitation, hydrographic network and determine plant and soil cover. The mildness of winters and the absence of stable snow cover on the plains explain the presence of evergreen shrubs (for example, holly) in the undergrowth of broad-leaved forests. Grasslands are the most common type of vegetation in Ireland. Heathland consists of common and European heather, bilberry, and juniper. They are located on coarse, highly podzolized sandy and gravelly soils. Often heathlands alternate with meadows. Meadows are one of the important natural resources. On their basis, livestock farming in England and Ireland grew. In terms of forest area (about 4% of the UK's territory), the region ranks last in Western Europe (excluding Iceland and the Arctic islands). Undoubtedly, centuries-old economic activity people, a high degree of development of intensive agriculture, animal husbandry and industry. Natural regeneration of forests occurs very slowly. Artificial forest plantings take root well and in the form of small groves, parks, plantings along roads and rivers often create a false impression of good forest cover on the islands.
About 92% of forests are privately owned, which makes it difficult to carry out new forest plantings and forest reclamation work on a national scale. The existing small tracts of forest parks are confined to less humid areas of the south-east of Great Britain. But even here, excessive soil moisture prevents the development of beech forests (they are confined to the hillsides). The forests are dominated by summer and winter oaks, ash with an admixture of birch, larch, pine, and hazel. In Scotland, pine and birch forests are developed on podzolic soils of coarse mechanical composition. The altitudinal limit of forests in the British Isles is the lowest in temperate Europe (influenced by high humidity, strong winds and mountain grazing). Broad-leaved forests reach a height of 300-400 m, coniferous and birch forests up to 500-600 m. The forest fauna previously characteristic of the islands has hardly been preserved. At the moment, the share of protected area on the islands is about 22%.

Animal world

The fauna of the British Isles has noticeably declined. The largest mammals: deer, roe deer, wild goats. Smaller animals include martens, weasels, foxes, rabbits, wild cats, ferrets, and stoats. Currently, there are only 56 species of mammals left, the largest of which is the red deer. The British Isles are home to 130 bird species, including England's national symbol, the red-breasted robin. Millions of birds migrate along the coast of Great Britain from south to north and back. In autumn in London, late at night you can see huge flocks of white-browed thrushes and curlews flying south. Many species are able to adapt to changing conditions, and it is believed that there are more birds in suburban gardens than in any forest. The most common species are sparrows, finches, starlings, crows, kingfishers, robins, and tits. In the waters off the British Isles there are different kinds fish: sablefish are found in the surface layers of sea waters, there are a lot of herring from May to October, sprat feed in the bays and estuaries of rivers, and sardines and mackerel appear off the coast of the Cornish Peninsula. Of the bottom fish that feed on bottom mollusks, worms and crustaceans, the most common is flounder. The most important fisheries are cod, haddock and marlan.

Literature

• Lobova E.V., Khabarov, A.V. Soils of Eurasia // Soils / Reviewers: Kovda V.A., Aderikhin P.G. - M.: “Mysl”, 1983. - P. 53, 59-61. - 303 s. - 40,000 copies.
• Ermakova Yu.G., Ignatiev M.G., Kurakova L.I. and etc. Europe // Physical geography of continents and oceans / Ed. Ryabchikova A.M.. - M.: “ graduate School", 1988. - pp. 84-85, 129-132. - 592 s. - 30,000 copies. - ISBN 5-06-001354-5

Links

see also

• List of UK islands (English) Russian

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