Chapter 15: The British Isles and Nordic Nations

• Section 1: England– Great Britain

• Largest island• England, Scotland and Wales• Add Northern Ireland and you get United Kingdom

– England• 80% of region’s population lives here.

Chapter 15: The British Isles and Nordic Nations

• Physical Characteristics– Highlands

• Hills running along west coast.• Older mountains worn over time• 3,000’ peak

– Midlands• SE of Highlands• Coal and Industry and smog and dense population

Chapter 15: The British Isles and Nordic Nations

–Lowlands• SE of Midlands

• Gentle sloping fertile land to English Channel.

• Farming–Wheat, vegetables, cattle, sheep and

milk

Chapter 15: The British Isles and Nordic Nations

• London– Most important trade center– Location

• Rising water level of Thames River allows ships to sail to London.

• Jumping off point from Europe to America

– Economic Activity• Fueled Industrial Revolution• “workshop of the World”

Chapter 15: The British Isles and Nordic Nations

• Water power to coal

• Coal mining changed landscape

• Challenged by Germany and United States

• Used up coal supply

• Oil and gas in North Sea (BP)

• Increase in tertiary activities.

Chapter 15: The British Isles and Nordic Nations

• Scotland– Keeps identity even located on North end of

Great Britain– Physical Characteristics

• Rugged—shows effects of glaciers• Separated from England by Cheviot Hills and

Tweed River• Three formal regions

Chapter 15: The British Isles and Nordic Nations

• Scotland’s Physical Characteristics– The Highlands

• High plateau with lochs• Grampian Mts.• Moors and bogs• Fishing and sheep herding• Tweed: handwoven, wool cloth

Chapter 15: The British Isles and Nordic Nations

• The Central Lowlands– 75 % live south of Highlands– Shipbuilders and Industry – Glasgow and Edinburgh– Losing industry and jobs

• The Southern Uplands– Next to English border– Tweed and Tourism

Chapter 15: The British Isles and Nordic Nations

• Culture– New businesses---Silicon Glen– Presbyterian– 1997 created new Scottish parliament

Chapter 15: The British Isles and Nordic Nations

• Wales– Own capital city, stamp, flag and language– Conquered by England in 1284– Highland in northern Wales; lowlands along

southern coast and Cambrian Mts. In central.– Marine West Coast climate– Closely tied with England but keep their

language– Economy—Cardiff is capital city