Chapter II

Natural Resources

Chapter II

I. Water— abundant surface water: rivers, reservoirs in Welsh mountains, lakes in Lake District.

38% requirements are from underground sources.

Britain is rich in coal, iron, tin, copper, lead and silver

II. Fuels

1. Coal: Britain has some of great coalfields in the midland valley of Scotland & South Wales.

2. Natural gas: 1964-1966 discovered in North Sea

3. Oil: discovered in 1970 in North Sea

4. Nuclear Power Station: operated by Atomic Energy Authority, provided 10% of electricity

1. Iron ore: sedimentary deposits with self-fluxing prosperities

2. Tin ore: has been worked more than 3000 years

3. Lead ore: containing silver, has been worked since pre-Roman times, lies in limestone regions

4. Copper: North Wales, ancient volcanic rocks

III. Metal Ores

Chapter II

IV. Other Resources

1. Saline Deposits: brine-pumping of the thick salt series

2. Useful Rocks: rich in clays; limestone in England & Wales; hard rocks for road stones; sand & gravel for mortar

Chapter III

Economy

I. The characteristics of the Britain Economy

1. Britain was one of the world’s most advanced manufacturing and trade nations. The pound sterling is the exchange currency for about one third of the world’s foreign trade.

2. The British economy was the first to have been fully industrialized.

Industrial Revolution (1750-1850)

Chapter III

3. The agriculture does not produce enough food to meet the country’s basic needs and part of all vital foodstuffs has to be imported.

4. British labor force is homogeneous, with a high rate of labor mobility.

5. British industry is operated by different types of firms: small family business & great public corporation.

Chapter III

A. Privatization: the return of state enterprises to private ownership and control by small family business, usually organized as a private company.

B. Nationalization: the acquisition of private

companies by the public sector. In the1960’s,

concentration in industry as a whole increased,

especially in iron and steel and coal mining,

concentration not by market forces but by

political decision.

Chapter III

II. Industry

1. Before WWII, the industrial structure was based on export trade: cotton, wool, linen, ship building, iron and steel and chemicals.

2. Different industries

A. Coal mining :In 1960s, fuel economy diversified and coal industry withered.

B. Iron-ore mining: declined and steel producers depend on imported ores.

Chapter III

C. Textiles :difficulties: Cotton industry undergone a severe contraction; wool industry retains as a craft industry and most are in the hands of small, specialized firms.

D. Motor vehicles :major enterprise, Since late 1940s became chief exporting industry.

E. Iron and steel :grew rapidly after war, now wholly state-owned

Chapter III

F. Chemicals :grow faster , one of the most capital-intensive, the value of output per man is higher, production mostly from large firms

G. Shipbuilding :remained craft industry after the late 1950’s rapidly declined, no longer Britain’s major industry

Chapter III

III. Agriculture 1. British agricultural industry is one of the

most efficient in Europe. 2. Different branches A. Crops: 70% animal products; 30% cropsa. Wheat: exported to half imported (loaf)b. Barley: main ingredient of animal feed and

beer, export to the Continentc. Oats, rye and corn: Oats growth declined

though average yield increased; rye is grown in few quantities; corn is not grown commercially, so large quantities are imported for animal feeds.

Chapter III

B. Livestock: meat & poultry production has risen.

a. Cattle: beef cattle & dairy cattle has risen. Domestic dairy production is enough.

b. Sheep: Mutton and lamb meet less than half of nation’s requirements, wool meets small part of requirements.

c. Pigs and poultry: supply all pork & 1/3 bacon; import no significant amount of poultry meat or eggs

Chapter III

IV. Trade and finance

1. Trade: Foreign trade plays a major role in the British economy.

A. Imports and exports: import food & raw materials; export manufactures; Import grows faster than Exports.

B. Invisible trade: financial service such as banking, insurance, capital investment

Chapter III

2. Trade and finance

A. Finance: The Bank of England is the centre of British financial system.

a. It was found in 1694 and nationalized in 1946.b. Role: to protect the gold and currency reserve and

maintain the international value of pound.c. Two financial policies : bank rate and fiscal policy

B. Economic problems: adverse payment balance and inflation

Chapter III

Chapter IV

The People

1. Constitution: English(83.8%), Welsh(4.9%), Scottish(8.5%), Irish(2.9%)

2. Population: 60.2 million(2005)3. Formation: mixture of different races of

invaders from Europe and other immigrates, speaking several kinds of languages

Iberians---Celts---Romans---Anglo-Saxons---Danes---Normans

Chapter IV

I. Basic information

II. Features

Britain has a growing population. Britain has an ageing population. The formation of the British race is long and

complicated. The UK is one of the most populous countries of

Europe. Britain has a high degree of urbanization, because

80% live in cities or towns. British people take the national division very much

for granted.

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Main Cities

I. London

1. Function: capital of England and Great Britain, political center of the Commonwealth, major port

2. It consists of:A. the city of London (area 2.5 sq. km., pop

7185) —on the north bank of the Thames, is one of

the world’s leading banking and financial centers.

B. Greater London---metropolitan county (pop. 7 772 091) made up of 12 Inner & 20 outer London boroughs

Chapter V

3. Industries: printing, publishing, electrical and mechanical, engineering chemicals, clothing, food processing, plastics

4. Places of interests

Chapter V

Guildhall

St. Paul's Cathedral

The Tower of London

University of London

The British Museum

National Gallery

the Thames

Buckingham Palace

Westminster Abbey

Big Ben

II. Birmingham

1. Second largest city in England (pop. 977 087, 2001)

2. A metropolitan district and an industrial and manufacturing city and market centre.

3. Famous for metal goods, hardware, cars, electrical equipment, etc.

Chapter V

Birmingham University

III. Glasgow1. a manufacturing and shipping center In Scotland

2. Industries:

iron & steel

machinery

chemicals

textiles

clothing

George Square, Glasgow

University of Glasgow

IV. Liverpool 1. Second largest port of England

2.Industries:

shipping

engineering

food processing

sugar refining

University of Liverpool

V. Manchester1. Industrial and commercial center

Manchester Ship canal

2. Industries: machinery, aircraft, cotton textiles, clothing, paper, foodstuff, chemical

Manchester University

VI. Cardiffport in Wales, industries:

shipping, iron & steel

VII. Edinburgh Capital of Scotland

Scotland castle

Industries: banking, insurance, printing, publishing, shipping

XIII. Belfast Capital of North

Ireland Industries: shipping building & linen

The End

Bank rate The official rediscount rate charged by the

Bank of England. The bank rate tends to determine the general level of all interest rate in London.

Fiscal policy It is used for economic control and to

provide for a complex set of desiderata expected from the budge, including financing of the government activity and of the nationalized industries, tariff policy, the redistribution of incomes, welfare provisions. Back