THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND

GREAT BRITAIN (PART II)

Britain can be divided into eight main land regions. Seven of these regions occupy the Island of Great Britain. They are the Scottish Highlands, the Central Lowlands, the Southern Uplands, the Pennines, Wales, the Southwest Peninsular, and the English Lowlands. Northern Ireland makes up the eighth region.

The Scottish Highlands cover the northern half of Scotland. They are a region of mountain ranges, plateaus, and deep valleys. The highest point in the British Isles, 4,406 - foot (1,343 - meter) Ben Nevis, rises in the Highlands. Many bays cut into the region's Atlantic Ocean and North Sea coasts. The soil of this region is thin and poor. Most of the Highlands is a moor - an area of coarse grasses, a few small trees, and low evergreen shrubs called heather. Few people live in this region. Most of them raise sheep or fish in the seas.

The Central Lowlands lie south of the Scottish Highlands, in the valleys of the Clyde, Forth, and Tay rivers. This region is a gently rolling plain. It has Scotland's best farmland and its richest coal deposits. Most of the Scottish people live there, and most of Scotland's industry is in the lowlands.

The Southern Uplands rise gently south of the Central Low­ lands. This is a region of rounded, rolling hills. Sheep graze on the short grass that covers much of the hills. In the south, the uplands rise to the Cheviot Hills , which form the border between Scotland and England .

The Pennines are a region of rounded uplands that extend from the Scottish border about halfway down the length of En­ gland. They are also known as the Pennine Chain or Pennine Hills, and are often called the backbone of England. Their flanks are rich in coal. West of the Pennines lies the Labe District, a scenic area of clear, quiet lakes and low mountains.

Wales lies southwest of the Pennines. It is separated from the Pennines by a narrow strip of the English Lowlands. The Cambrian Mountains cover most of Wales. Southern Wales is largely a plateau deeply cut by river valleys. Wales has large deposits of coal in the south. Most of the country's industry is near the coal fields.

The Southwest Peninsular lies south of Wales, across the Bristol Channel. It is a plateau whose surface is broken by great masses of granite. The peninsular was once famous for its tin and copper mines, but they have been nearly worked out. More important today is the region's fine white china clay, used to make pottery. The Southwest Peninsula's beauty and pleasant climate attract many artists and hundreds of thousands of vacationers every year.

The English Lowlands cover all England south of the Pennines and east of Wales and the Southwest Peninsula. This region has most of Great Britain's farmable land, industry, and people. A grassy plain called the Midlands lies in the center of the English Lowlands. The Midlands are the indus­ trial heart of Great Britain. Birmingham , one of the world's greatest manufacturing cities, and Wolver Hampton and other factory cities are near the center of the Midlands in what is called the Black Country . South of the Midlands lies the valley of the River Thames. London , Britain 's capital, stands on the Thames . Most of the land north of the Thames called The Wash is low and flat. A great plain called The Fens borders The Wash.

Northern Freeland is a region of low mountains, deep valleys, and fertile lowlands. The chief natural resources are rich fields and pastures, and most of the land is used for crop farming or grazing. About a fifth of the people of Northern Ireland live in Belfast, the capital and main industrial center.

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