《英国概况》（英文版） Chapter 1 A General Survey of the United Kingdom.doc_大学文库

the 17th century), Oliver Cromwell invaded Ireland and from then on, many English protestant settlers began to immigrate to the island. Ireland became part of the United Kingdom in 1801. Ireland was added to great britain by the act of Union of 1801, the title United K ingdom of great Britain and Ireland was introduced England--- We know that England is very important in the UK. Because the importance is so great that English people tend to use the word when they mean Britain. Many foreigners are often confused, so they follow suit The names United Kingdom, Great Britain, and England are often confused even by U.K. inhabitants. England is just one country within the kingdom. Great Britain comprises England, Wales, and Scotland, while the United Kingdom also includes Northern Ireland(although the name Britain is sometimes used to refer to the United Kingdom as a whole). Wales and England were unified politically, administratively and legally by the acts of union of 1536 and 1542. In 1707 Scotland joined england and Wales in forming a single parliament for Great Britain, although the three countries had previously shared a monarch The United Kingdom is an insular country. a part from the land border with the Irish republic, the United Kingdom is surrounded by sea. To the south of England, and between the United Kingdom and france. is the english Channel. The north Sea lies to the east. Across the North Sea, Britain faces Holland, Germany, Denmark and Norway. To the west of Wales and northern England is the Irish Sea, while western Scotland and the northwestern coast of northern ireland face the atlantic Ocean America and Canad a lie on the West side of the atlantic ocean The area of the United Kingdom is 244, 820 sq km. At its widest the United Kingdom is 300 miles across. From the top of scotland to the southern coast of England it is about 600 miles. No part is more than 75 miles from the sea The United Kingdom is characterized by a long history and by political and cultural links with other areas of the world. In modern times the united Kingdom is perhaps best seen as a middle-sized, middle-ranking industrial country

7 the 17th century), Oliver Cromwell invaded Ireland and from then on, many English protestant settlers began to immigrate to the island. Ireland became part of the United Kingdom in 1801. Ireland was added to Great Britain by the Act of Union of 1801, the title United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was introduced. England--- We know that England is very important in the UK. Because the importance is so great that English people tend to use the word when they mean Britain. Many foreigners are often confused, so they follow suit. The names United Kingdom, Great Britain, and England are often confused, even by U.K. inhabitants. England is just one country within the kingdom. Great Britain comprises England, Wales, and Scotland, while the United Kingdom also includes Northern Ireland (although the name Britain is sometimes used to refer to the United Kingdom as a whole). Wales and England were unified politically, administratively, and legally by the acts of union of 1536 and 1542. In 1707 Scotland joined England and Wales in forming a single parliament for Great Britain, although the three countries had previously shared a monarch. The United Kingdom is an insular country. Apart from the land border with the Irish republic, the United Kingdom is surrounded by sea. To the south of England, and between the United Kingdom and France, is the English Channel. The North Sea lies to the east. Across the North Sea, Britain faces Holland, Germany, Denmark and Norway. To the west of Wales and northern England is the Irish Sea, while western Scotland and the northwestern coast of Northern Ireland face the Atlantic Ocean. America and Canada lie on the West Side of the Atlantic Ocean. The area of the United Kingdom is 244,820 sq km. At its widest the United Kingdom is 300 miles across. From the top of Scotland to the southern coast of England it is about 600 miles. No part is more than 75 miles from the sea. The United Kingdom is characterized by a long history and by political and cultural links with other areas of the world. In modern times the United Kingdom is perhaps best seen as a middle-sized, middle-ranking industrial country

population of about 360 million people, and with a civilization far older than that of Europe. As time went on, the isolation of China was threatened by the eastward extension of the European powers. In 1830s the English merchants began to smuggle opium into China for Chinas tea and silk. Every year, they exported to China 55,000 casks of opium, and they made a lot of profits in this opium trade. In 1839, the Qing government appointed a special commissioner Lin Ze-Xu to deal with the matter; in Canton he burned to ashes over two million jin of opium. and the Qing government tried to have the drug shipment to China stopped. In 1840, under the pretext of protecting her trade, Britain launched an aggressive war against China, known as the Opium War. The Qing government surrendered to the British invaders and was forced to sign the first unequal Treaty of Nanjing in 1842. By the treaty, China(1)paid a heavy indemnity of 5, 525,000 pounds, (2)ceded the island of Hong Kong to Britain as a base for her China trade, and (3)opened five treaty ports": Canton, Fuzhou Amoy, Ninpo and Shanghai where the British colonies could live, trade and carry out missionary activities without interference In 1860, the colonial possessions of Britain already covered about 2, 500,000 square miles with 145,000,000 inhabitants, and in 1899 11, 600,000 square miles with 345,000,000 inhabitants. At this highest point, Britain occupied about a quarter of the earths habitable area that was about 135 times of its own territory and about a quarter of the worlds population that was about ten times that of Britain. She had colonies all over the five continents: America, Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe So she boasted that she was a sun-never-setting empire Imperial ism is a stage of capitalism---the highest and last stage of capitalism. By 0, Britains capitalism had been transformed into imperialism However, Britain is no longer an imperial country now. Its important international role came to an end in the years following the Second World War. Yet the effect of the " empire"can still be felt in Britain and in the international field. 1)It has close relationships with those countries, which used to be a part of that empire (The relationship between Great Britain and Hong Kong). It maintains links through a voluntary organization called the Commonwealth of Nations. 2)It became a member

9 population of about 360 million people, and with a civilization far older than that of Europe. As time went on, the isolation of China was threatened by the eastward extension of the European powers. In 1830s the English merchants began to smuggle opium into China for China’s tea and silk. Every year, they exported to China 55,000 casks of opium, and they made a lot of profits in this opium trade. In 1839, the Qing government appointed a special commissioner Lin Ze-Xu to deal with the matter; in Canton he burned to ashes over two million jin of opium. And the Qing government tried to have the drug shipment to China stopped. In 1840, under the pretext of protecting her trade, Britain launched an aggressive war against China, known as the Opium War. The Qing government surrendered to the British invaders and was forced to sign the first unequal Treaty of Nanjing in 1842. By the treaty, China (1) paid a heavy indemnity of 5,525,000 pounds, (2) ceded the island of Hong Kong to Britain as a base for her China trade, and (3) opened five “treaty ports”: Canton, Fuzhou, Amoy, Ninpo and Shanghai where the British colonies could live, trade and carry out missionary activities without interference. In 1860, the colonial possessions of Britain already covered about 2,500,000 square miles with 145,000,000 inhabitants, and in 1899 11,600,000 square miles with 345,000,000 inhabitants. At this highest point, Britain occupied about a quarter of the earth’s habitable area that was about 135 times of its own territory and about a quarter of the world’s population that was about ten times that of Britain. She had colonies all over the five continents: America, Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe. So she boasted that she was a sun-never-setting empire. Imperialism is a stage of capitalism--- the highest and last stage of capitalism. By 1900, Britain’s capitalism had been transformed into imperialism. However, Britain is no longer an imperial country now. Its important international role came to an end in the years following the Second World War. Yet, the effect of the “empire” can still be felt in Britain and in the international field. 1) It has close relationships with those countries, which used to be a part of that empire (The relationship between Great Britain and Hong Kong). It maintains links through a voluntary organization called the Commonwealth of Nations. 2) It became a member

of the European Union in 1973. 3) It remains one of the 7 large developed economies (the UK, the United States, Italy, Germany, Japan, France and Canada) in the world (Read p2, the second paragraph) What is“ Commonwealth”? Commonwealth of Nations world wide association of nations and their dependencies, whose members share a common commitment to promoting human rights, democracy, and economic development. All members accept the British monarch as the symbol ic head of the Commonwealth. All but one, Mozambique, were once associated in some constitutional way with e ither the former British empire or with another member country. The association was formerly known as the british Commonwealth of Nations, but today is referred to simply as the Commonwealth About 1.7 billion people live in the 54 independent nations and the more than 20 dependencies that make up the Commonwealth. Only independent nations can be considered full members; they are all fully sovereign and in no way subord inate to Britain. Dependencies of Commonwealth nations are also included in the Commonwealth, although not as full members, and can participate in many Commonwealth activities. Commonwealth members share many customs and traditions as a result of their assoc iation with Britain. Many have parliamentary systems of government on the British model, and their judicial and educational institutions are often similar to those in Britain. English is an official language of many members of the Commonwealth. Since 1977 the second monday in March has been celebrated as Commonwealth Day; on that day the British monarch, as the head of the Commonwealth, presents an annual message to all member countries Almost all members of the Commonwealth were once ruled by britain as part of the British Empire. Some of them, such as Australia and Canada, were largely settled by British people. Others, such as Ind ia and Nigeria, were areas where British administrators governed a large non-British population The Commonwealth is a flexible and often informal association its main function is to encourage communication and cooperation among its diverse members, with their different needs and concerns. In 1965 the Commonwealth secretariat was

10 of the European Union in 1973. 3) It remains one of the 7 large developed economies (the UK, the United States, Italy, Germany, Japan, France and Canada) in the world. (Read P2, the second paragraph) ---What is “Commonwealth”? Commonwealth of Nations, worldwide association of nations and their dependencies, whose members share a common commitment to promoting human rights, democracy, and economic development. All members accept the British monarch as the symbolic head of the Commonwealth. All but one, Mozambique, were once associated in some constitutional way with either the former British Empire or with another member country. The association was formerly known as the British Commonwealth of Nations, but today is referred to simply as the Commonwealth. About 1.7 billion people live in the 54 independent nations and the more than 20 dependencies that make up the Commonwealth. Only independent nations can be considered full members; they are all fully sovereign and in no way subordinate to Britain. Dependencies of Commonwealth nations are also included in the Commonwealth, although not as full members, and can participate in many Commonwealth activities. Commonwealth members share many customs and traditions as a result of their association with Britain. Many have parliamentary systems of government on the British model, and their judicial and educational institutions are often similar to those in Britain. English is an official language of many members of the Commonwealth. Since 1977 the second Monday in March has been celebrated as Commonwealth Day; on that day the British monarch, as the head of the Commonwealth, presents an annual message to all member countries. Almost all members of the Commonwealth were once ruled by Britain as part of the British Empire. Some of them, such as Australia and Canada, were largely settled by British people. Others, such as India and Nigeria, were areas where British administrators governed a large non-British population. The Commonwealth is a flexible and often informal association. Its main function is to encourage communication and cooperation among its diverse members, with their different needs and concerns. In 1965 the Commonwealth Secretariat was