Реферат: География и окружающая среда Англии, Уэльса, Северной Ирландии и Шотландии (на английском языке)
<span Arial",«sans-serif»;mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»">Geographyof Northern Ireland.
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<span Arial",«sans-serif»; mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»"> Northern Ireland is at its nearest point only 21km (13 miles) fromScotland. It has 488-km (303-mile) border in the south and vest with the IrishRepublic. At its centre lies Lough Neagh, Britain’s largest freshwater lake(381sq km, 147sq miles). Many of the principal towns lie in valleys leadingfrom the lough, including the capital, Belfast, which stands at the mouth ofthe river Lagan. The Mourne Mountains, rising sharply in the south-east,include Slieve Donard, Northern Ireland’s highest peak (852 m, 2,796 ft).
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<span Arial",«sans-serif»;mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»">Environmentof Scotland.
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<span Arial",«sans-serif»; mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»"> Scotland’s countryside contains rich variety of wildlife, with somespecies not found elsewhere in Britain. There are 71 national nature reservesand over 1,300 Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Four regional parks and 40national scenic areas have been designated, covering 13 per cent of the landsurface. Four of the 11 forest parks in Great Britain are in Scotland, and afifth spans the border between Scotland and England.
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Environment of Whales<span Arial",«sans-serif»; mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»">
<span Arial",«sans-serif»; mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»"> There are extensive areas of picturesque hill, lake and mountaincountry, and the countryside supports a variety of plants and wildlife. Thereare three National Parks (Snowdonia, the Brecon Becons and the PembrokeshireCoast), five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and two national trails aswell as 31 country parks and large stretches of heritage coast. There are about50 National Nature Reserves and over 800 Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Nearly all of the rivers and canals are classifiedas having water of good or fair quality, and a significant improvement has beenachieved in the quality of bathing waters.
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<span Arial",«sans-serif»;mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»">GeographicalPosition of Great Britain
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<span Arial",«sans-serif»; mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»"> The United Kingdom is situated on the British Isles. The British Islesconsist of two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland, and a great number ofsmall islands. Their total area is over 244,000 sq. km.
<span Arial",«sans-serif»; mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»"> The British Isles are separated from the European continent by the NorthSea and the English Channel. The western coast of Great Britain is washed bythe Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea.
Northern Ireland occupies one third ofthe island of Ireland. It borders on the Irish Republic in the south. Theisland of Great Britain consists of three main parts: England (the southern andmiddle part of the island), Wales (a mountainous peninsula in the west) andScotland (the northern part of the island).
<span Arial",«sans-serif»; mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»"> There are no high mountains in Great Britain. In the north the Cheviots(the Cheviot Hills) separate England almost along its middle, the Cambrianmountains occupy the greater part of Wales and the Highlands of Scotland arethe tallest of the British mountains. Ben Nevis, the tallest peak of theHighlands, is only 1,343 m high.
<span Arial",«sans-serif»; mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»">There is very little country except inthe region known as East Anglia.
<span Arial",«sans-serif»; mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»"> Most of the rivers flow into the North Sea. The Thames is the deepestand the longest of the British rivers, it is over 300 km long. Some of theBritish greatest ports are situated in the estuaries of the Thames, Mersey,Tyne, Clyde and Bristol Avon.
<span Arial",«sans-serif»; mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»"> Great Britain is not very rich in mineral resources, it has somedeposits of coal, and iron ore and vast deposits of oil and gas that werediscovered in the North Sea. The warm currents in the Atlantic Ocean influencethe climate of Great Britain.
<span Arial",«sans-serif»; mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»"> Britain forms the greater part of the British Isles, which lie off thenorth-west coast of mainland Europe. Its weather is changeable, but there are fewextremes of temperature. Britain is major world producer of oil, natural gas and coal. Since 1980 it has beenself-sufficient in energy in net terms.
<span Arial",«sans-serif»; mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»"> Woodland covers nearly 2-4 hectares in Britain: about 13 per cent ofScotland, 12 per cent of Wales, 73 per cent of England, and 52 per cent ofNorthern Ireland. British woodlands meet 12 per cent of the country’sconsumption of wood and wood products.
<span Arial",«sans-serif»; mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»"> Over three-quarters of Britain’s varied landscape is used foragriculture.
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<span Arial",«sans-serif»;mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»">EnvironmentalProtection.
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<span Arial",«sans-serif»; mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»"> Responsibility for pollution control rests with local and centralgovernment. Integrated pollution control restricts emissions to air, land andwater from the most harmful processes. Recycling of waste will be a duty oflocal government.
<span Arial",«sans-serif»; mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»">The National Rivers Authority protectsinland waters in England and Wales. In Scotland the river purificationauthorities are responsible for water pollution control.
<span Arial",«sans-serif»; mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»">Total emissions of smoke in the air havefallen by over 85 per cent since 1960. Sulphur dioxide emissions have fallen byabout 40 per cent since 1970. Britain has adopted a phased programme of reductions in sulphur dioxide emissions form existing large combustion plants of upto 60 per cent by 2003. It has also agreed to reduce nitrogen oxide emissionsby up to 30 per cent by 1998. Over 95 per cent of petrol stations in Britainstock unleaded petrol. Strict controls have reduced carbon monoxide,hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide emissions.
<span Arial",«sans-serif»; mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»">The Government is committed to theelimination of chlorofluorocarbons, which damage the ozone layer. They alsocontribute to the greenhouse effect, which leads to global warming and rise insea levels.
<span Arial",«sans-serif»; mso-bidi-font-family:«Times New Roman»"> Britain stresses the need forimprovement in understanding the science of climate change.
There are nearly 500,000protected buildings, and 7,000 conservation areas of architectural orhistorical interest, in Britain. The Government supports the work of thevoluntary sector in preserving the national heritage. Green belts are whereland should be left open and free from urban sprawl. The Government attachesgreat importance to their protection. National parks cover 9 per cent of thetotal land area of England and Wales. Some 38 areas of outstanding naturalbeauty have been designed — 13 per centof the same land area. Three regional parks and 40 national scenic areas cover13 per cent of Scotland. Care is taken to control development on parts of thecoastline.
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