Guide to Geography: Chapter 8 - The British Isles

Terms	Definitions
Celts	This Indo-European people was the earliest known inhabitant of Great Britian.
Queen Victoria	During the reign of what monarch did Great Britain reach the height of its power and its greatest extent as a world empire?
Ireland	With the exception of six northeastern counties which remained British, what country gained its independence from Britain in 1921 in the aftermath of World War I?
China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States	Name the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
pound	the basic unit of money in the United Kingdom
Great Britain	This refers to the larger more easterly of the British Isles, including England, Scotland, and Wales.
Eire	Another name for the Republic of Ireland. What they call themselves.
United Kingdom	This refers to the country, which includes England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Ulster	Another name for the 6 counties that make up Northern Ireland.
Scotland	This was once an independent kingdom and now occupies the northernmost third of the island of Great Britain.
Wales	Situated on the southwestern portion of the island of Great Britain, this area was conquered by Edward I in 1284, but it still retains its distinctive language, culture, and sense of nationhood.
Northern Ireland	All of Ireland was united constitutionally with Great Britain in 1801, but in 1928 much of Ireland gained independence from Great Britain with the exception of these six northern counties.
Bermuda	This island in the North Atlantic is the oldest and most populous of the remaining British overseas possessions.
British Virgin Islands	This British possession contains over 60 islands and is located in the Caribbean just east of Puerto Rico.
Cayman Islands	Located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica, this British overseas territory contains 3 islands and is a major offshore financial center.
Falkland Islands	This British territory is a group of over 100 islands in the southern Atlantic off the coast of Argentina. In 1982 Argentina invaded these islands, but they were defeated in a 2 month long undeclared war by the British and had to withdraw.
Gibraltar	Tiny peninsula off the coast of Spain where the Iberian Peninsula is closest to Morocco. This British colony controls the strait that connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean.
Pitcairn Islands	A group of four British controlled volcanic islands in the South Pacific. The current inhabitants are best known as the descendents of the mutineers from the HMS Bounty who settled here in the late 1700s. Only around 50 people live here today.
St. Helena	This remote British island is located in the South Atlantic and is most famous as Napoleon's final home after the Battle of Waterloo until his death in 1821.
Black Towns	The 19th century saw massive industrial growth in the British Isles, making them the world leaders in the production of steel and other manufactured goods. Some British industrial areas were literally covered in thick coal residue from the many blast furnaces and were called what as a result?
lochs	These are long narrow inlets of the sea in Scotland (especially when it is nearly landlocked). They were created by glaciers and some of them are quite deep.
tartan	a traditional Scottish pattern of coloured squares and crossed lines, or cloth, especially wool cloth, with this pattern (sometimes referred to as plaid)
Catholic	The religion of most of the Republic of Ireland, but only about a third of the population of Northern Ireland.
Hadrian's Wall	This wall can be found in northern England and was built by the Roman emperor for whom it was named to keep barbarian invaders from Roman Britain. Punctuated with forts, customs stops, signal posts and on either side, a 30 foot moat for added protection.
Cambrian Mountains	This mountain range spans much of central and western Wales.
Pennine Mountains	Often described as the backbone of England, these low mountains extend from the south of Scotland through Yorkshire to Manchester.
Thames	This largest river in England runs through London and empties into the North Sea.
Orkney Islands	This is an archipelago of about 70 islands in the North Atlantic and North Sea off the northeastern coast of Scotland.
Shannon River	The longest river in the British Isles, this river runs from Cuilcagh mountain to the city of Limerick where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean.
Hebrides Islands	These Islands lie northwest of Scotland and contain the largest concentration of Scottish Gaelic speakers in Scotland.
Gaelic	The traditional language of the Scots, it is still spoken in Scotland by some of the more remote inhabitants.
Isle of Man	This island lies in the Irish Sea between Britain and Ireland. The island's parliament is Tynwald, which dates from at least AD 979 and is the oldest continuously existing ruling body in the world.
Protestant	The primary religion of the United Kingdom.
Strait of Dover	The strait that connects the English Channel with the North Sea.
English Channel	an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that forms a channel between France and Britain
Saint George's Channel	This connects the Irish Sea to the Atlantic Ocean.
Irish Sea	Body of water between Britain and Ireland
Gulf Stream	This current keeps the British Isles much warmer than they would otherwise be considering how far north they are.
Highlanders	People from the mountainous region of Northern Scotland.
Manchester	This city was a leader during the industrial revolution and was known for it's textiles. This is one of England's largest cities and is a major air transportation hub and commercial center.
Liverpool	This is a major port and one of the largest cities in Britain. It's inhabitants are known as Liverpudlians or Scousers. The Beatles rock group made it big here.
Birmingham	England's second largest city, this city was a powerhouse during the industrial revolution and became known as the "Workhouse of the World" and "the City of a Thousand Trades." It was badly damaged by bombing during WWII, but it is becoming greener and more enjoyable than in the recent past.
London	The capital and largest city of the United Kingdom is one of the world's largest and most cosmopolitan cities. It straddles the Thames river, and it is a global center of finance, publishing, communications, and retailing, and tourism.
Glasgow	This old industrial city is the largest in Scotland and benefits from oil and gas exploration, industrial research, and electronics.
Edinburgh	This is the capital and cultural center of Scotland.
Belfast	This city in Northern Ireland has been plagued by sectarian violence between Catholics and Protestants, but in spite of that it has a lively economy and a vibrant nightlife.
Cardiff	This Welsh capital was largely rebuilt after WWII bombings. It's location on the Severn river is allowing it to develop rapidly into one of Europe's finest maritime cities, famous for its parks, choirs, and an ancient castle.
Dublin	The capital of Ireland and in recent years the "Celtic Silicon Valley," and the hub of Irelands recent economic boom.
United Kingdom	What country does this flag, known as the Union Jack, represent?
England	What country does this flag represent?
Scotland	What country does this flag represent?
Republic of Ireland	What country does this flag represent?