Madeline Donaldson - United Kingdom

Copyright 2011 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Donaldson, Madeline.
United Kingdom / by Madeline Donaldson.
p. cm. (Country explorers)
Includes index.
ISBN 9780761353157 (lib. bdg. : alk. paper)
1. Great BritainJuvenile literature. 2. Northern Ireland
Juvenile literature. I. Title.
DA27.5.D66 2011
941dc22 2009023178
Manufactured in the United States of America
1 VI 7/15/10

Biscuits and Bonnets,
Lorries and Loos

The Flag of the United
Kingdom

Welcome!

Youve made it to the United Kingdom!
The United Kingdom is part of the British
Isles. These islands lie northwest of Europe.
The United Kingdoms largest island is
called Great Britain. Another large island is
Ireland. Smaller islands dot the seas around
Great Britain and Ireland.

Waves crash on
the rocky cliffs
that line the coast
of Great Britain.

Parts of the Kingdom

The United Kingdoms full name is the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland. People often call it Britain
for short. The country has four parts. England, Scotland, and
Wales are on the island of Great Britain. Northern Ireland sits
on the island of Ireland.

The rocky Orkney
Islands lie off
the northern
coast of Scotland.
delay

No part of the United Kingdom is very
far from water. Seas lie to the north,
east, and west. Rivers and lakes are
common in the four parts too.

Waters of the
Bristol Channel
wash the shores of
Wales near Cardiff.

Map Whiz Quiz

Take a look at the map on page
five. A map is a drawing or chart
of a place. Trace the outline of
the United Kingdom on a sheet
of paper. Dont forget Northern
Ireland! See if you can find the
North Sea. Mark this part of your
map with an E for east. Find the
Irish Sea. Mark it with a W for
west. The English Channel sits to
the south. Mark it with an S. In
the far north, near Scotland, is the
North Atlantic Ocean. Mark it
with an N. With a green crayon,
color the United Kingdom. Color
Northern Ireland yellow to show
where it ends and the rest of
Ireland begins.

Mountains and Valleys

All four parts of the United Kingdom have mountains and
valleys. Ben Nevis is the United Kingdoms highest peak. Its
part of Scotlands Highlands. The Pennines range runs from
north to south in England. The Cambrian Mountains cover
most of Wales. The low Sperrin and Mourne ranges and the
Antrim Hills lie in Northern Ireland.

Ben Nevis in Scotlands Highlands
is the highest mountain in the
United Kingdom. It is 4,409 feet
(1,344 meters) above sea level.
delay

Between the
mountains are rolling,
green valleys. These
give way to coastal
lowlands. Most of
Britains people live
in the lowlands. The
lowlands also hold
many of the United
Kingdoms major cities.

Giants Causeway

The Giants Causeway ( right ) is
a landform in Northern Ireland.
Millions of years ago, movements
took place deep inside Earth.
They formed thousands of rock
blocks. A legend says a giant
used the causeway as a path from
Ireland to Scotland.

Cool and Mild

Warm ocean breezes blow inland from Britains long
coastline. These breezes keep the United Kingdoms
weather mostly cool and mild. But close to the coasts,
the winds can be strong and gusty.

Waves wash the beaches
of Wales in the southern
United Kingdom.
delay

Rain falls all through the year. Sometimes it rains hard.
But often, a light mist or steady drizzle falls. The frequent
rain gives the valleys a lush, green look. Britain rarely has
long stretches of hot, sunny days.

Gray clouds and
drizzle pass over
this farmhouse in
Scotland.

Long- Ago Britain

People have lived in the modern- day United Kingdom for
thousands of years. The Celts and other groups came to the
islands from Europe. They set up clans and kingdoms. At
times, outsiders took over parts of the country. The Romans
came from Italy. Angles and Saxons attacked from Germany.
Lastly, the Normans from France entered.

A famous tapestry (decoratively
woven fabric) shows a war scene
from British history.
delay

In the 1500s, England ruled Wales and
Ireland. Scotland ruled itself. Scottish
and English forces often fought each
other. But neither kingdom was able
to take over the other at least not
for long.

Bamburgh Castle was built on
the shores of northern England.
It was used for protection against
Englands invaders for centuries.

Boudicca

Boudicca was a Celtic queen. She
lived about two thousand years
ago. After her husband died,
the powerful Romans claimed his
kingdom. Boudicca and her forces
attacked the Romans. But the
Celts lost their fight. Boudicca
came to stand for being brave
while facing a powerful enemy.