VHAM - W2 - U2 - Script

Hi all. Welcome to Unit 2: The geography of England

Not only is London the capital city of the U.K., it's also the most urbanized.
Standing on the River Thames and located in South England, London covers
1,579 square km (610 sq. mi). The River Thames cuts London in half, creating
northern and southern halves. Because the city was built on the flood plain of
the River Thames, London resulted to being a lowland, meaning the city is
generally flat. Much of England's population is concentrated in London.

One of London's most awe-inspiring physical features is the River Thames. The
Thames cuts across southern England, London being one of the cities is passes
through. The Thames is the longest river in the country, stretching 215 miles
(346 km). Today it is used much more than it ever was, primarily for
transportation of goods such as coal and timber. Many streams and rivers also
flow into the Thames.

Another one of London's most popular features is the Elizabeth Tower, more
popularly known as the Big Ben. Located in at the north end of the Palace of
Westminster in Westminster, the 16-story (315 feet) high clock tower is one of
the most prominent symbols of the United Kingdom.

London is sorted into zones. Zone 1 is Central London and the zone number
gets higher as you get farther away from the center. London is the largest city
and metropolitan area London's buildings are too diverse to be characterized by
any particular architectural style.

West London: West London is known for its antique shops on almost many
corners, vintage fashions, and artistic feel.
East London: East London has many pleasant attractions to offer the public such
as gigantic shopping malls, parks, and Olympic structures.

Southwest London: Southwest London is the expensive side of the city with
high in boutiques and restaurants, and plenty of lovely architecture to admire.
Southwest London is also homes to several museums such as the Natural
History Museum and the Victoria And Albert Museum.

Southeast London: Home to the Borough Market, the largest food market in
London. You can find hand craft goods and enjoy lunch in one of the many
cafes

The tram system in London was the oldest in the world, going all the way back
into the early Victorian times and remains the largest system today. There is
also a night bus system that offers a 24-hour long service. The iconic black cab
still remains a pretty common sight in and around London. Boats on the canals
and Thames is also very common for tourists and locals.

Approximately 8.3 million people live in London. London is a multicultural city

and has been since Roman times. About a quarter of the inhabitants, also known
as Londoners, are members of ethnic minorities (a group that has different
national or cultural traditions from the main population).

There are many outdated stereotypes about the English people and their culture.
Because the villain in many shows and movies are British, people tend to think
that the English people are quite mean and snobby. Many people actually think
that people from England are extremely nice and helpful. People in other
countries think that the British are hostile and shy, but they just mind their own
business and are respectful of boundaries.

Modern London has a temperate oceanic, or marine climate. The winters are
mild and the summers are warm. July is the hottest summer month, averaging
66°F (19°C), and January is the coldest winter month, averaging 44°F (7°C).
London is a wonderful city to visit and tour at any time of the year, but most
visitors prefer to visit between April and October or Spring through Fall, when
the temperature is mostly warm with the days being long and the sun frequently
out. Snow occurs sometimes during the winter, but rarely more than a few
millimeters deep. Rainfall is fairly common and regular, occurring throughout
the entire year. A average of 594 mm (23.4 inches) of rain pour down onto
London annually. With the amount of rain London gets, a lot fog comes along
and earning the city it's nickname, "The Old Smoke".

The London Eye is on the symbols of the Britain’s capital. The giant Ferris
wheel can be admired on the south side of the Thames River, close to the
famous Big Ben. The wheel is also known as the Millennium Wheel. The
London Eye is 135 meters tall (443 ft.), and it has a diameter of 120 meters.
Making it the tallest Ferris Wheel in Europe. The London Eye offers the best
views over the city, it allows its passengers to see the city about 25 miles away

Buckingham Palace is the London residence and administrative headquarters of

the monarch of the United Kingdom.Located in the City of Westminster, the
palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a
focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning.

Originally known as Buckingham House, the building at the core of today's

palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703 on a
site that had been in private ownership for at least 150 years. It was acquired by
King George III in 1761as a private residence for Queen Charlotteand became
known as The Queen's House. During the 19th century it was enlarged,
principally by architects John Nash and Edward Blore, who constructed three
wings around a central courtyard. Buckingham Palace became the London
residence of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837.

Thus, Buckingham Palace is a symbol and home of the British monarchy, an art
gallery, and a tourist attraction. Behind the gilded railings and gates that were
completed by the Bromsgrove Guild in 1911 and Webb's famous façade, which
has been described in a book published by the Royal Collection Trust as looking
"like everybody's idea of a palace", is not only a weekday home of the Queen
and Prince Philip but also the London residence of the Duke of York and the
Earl and Countess of Wessex. The palace also houses their offices, as well as
those of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the Princess Royal and Princess
Alexandra, and is the workplace of more than 800 people.

Southern England, or the South of England, also known as the South, refers
roughly to the southern counties of England. The extent of this area can take a
number of different interpretations depending on the context, including
geographical, cultural, political and economic

Geographically, the south of England covers about one-third of the country. The
South is often considered a principal cultural area of England, along with the
Midlands and Northern England. Many consider the area to have a distinct
identity from the rest of England, however without universal agreement on what
cultural, political, and economic characteristics of the South are.

For statistical purposes, Southern England is divided into four regions: South
West England, South East England, London, and the East of England.
Combined, these have a total area of 62,042 square kilometres (23,955 sq mi),
and a population of 28 million.

Cambridge (/ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ/[3] KAYM-brij) is a university city and the county

town of Cambridgeshire, England, on the River Cam approximately 50 miles
(80 km) north of London. At the United Kingdom Census 2011, its population
was 123,867 including 24,506 students.[2][4] Cambridge became an important
trading centre during the Roman and Viking ages, and there is archaeological
evidence of settlement in the area as early as the Bronze Age. The first town
charters were granted in the 12th century, although modern city status was not
officially conferred until 1951

The world-renowned University of Cambridge was founded in 1209.[5] The

buildings of the university include King's College Chapel, Cavendish
Laboratory, and the Cambridge University Library, one of the largest legal
deposit libraries in the world. The city's skyline is dominated by several college
buildings, along with the spire of the Our Lady and the English Martyrs Church,
the chimney of Addenbrooke's Hospital and St John's College Chapel tower.
Anglia Ruskin University, which evolved from the Cambridge School of Art
and the Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology, also has its main
campus in the city.

Brighton (/ˈbraɪtən/) is a seaside resort on the south coast of England that is part
of the City of Brighton and Hove, located 47 miles (76 km) south of London.

Brighton's location has made it a popular destination for tourists, renowned for
its diverse communities, quirky shopping areas, large cultural, music and arts
scene and its large LGBT population, leading to its recognition as the
"unofficial gay capital of the UK". Brighton attracted 7.5 million day visitors in
2015/16 and 4.9 million overnight visitors, and is the most popular seaside
destination in the UK for overseas tourists. Brighton has also been called the
UK's "hippest city", and "the happiest place to live in the UK".

Northern England, also known as the North of England or simply the North, is
the northern part of England, considered as a single cultural area. It extends
from the Scottish border in the north to near the River Trent in the south,
although precise definitions of its southern extent vary. Northern England
approximately comprises three statistical regions: the North East, North West
and Yorkshire and the Humber. These have a combined population of around
14.9 million as of the 2011 Census and an area of 37,331 km2
(14,414 sq mi). Northern England contains much of England's national parkland
but also has large areas of urbanisation, including the conurbations of Greater
Manchester, Merseyside, Teesside, Tyneside, Wearside, and South and West
Yorkshire.

Liverpool, with a population of around half a million, was the English city that
suffered most during the crisis of deindustrialization; but it has also perhaps had
the most successful regeneration. Today, with its dock area classed as a
UNESCO world heritage site, and more museums than any English city outside
London, it is the big English city that attracts the greatest number of tourists.
Even when it was at its lowest, this port city on the estuary of the Mersey, in
northwest England, was already a tourist mecca, drawing in visitors from
around the world... twentieth century pilgrims journeying to the home city of
their idols, the Beatles. And still today 50 years after the Beatles played in the
Cavern Club (now rebuilt as a tourist attraction), Liverpool still attracts
thousands of tourists coming to visit the city where the world's greatest pop
group lived and played. The story of the Beatles is brought to life in the
"Beatles Story" attraction, in the Albert Dock area; and Beatles "Magical
Mystery Tours" of Liverpool start from the Albert Dock.

Liverpool was once the largest port in the United Kingdom after London, the
gateway to the world of the industrial north of England , through which imports
and exports of textiles and manufactured goods passed, and from which millions
of emigrants from Britain, Ireland and Europe, set sail in search of a new life in
North America or the colonies.

That time has passed , and now Liverpool - on the wrong side of England for
trade with Europe - has lost most of its importance as a seaport. Yet the closure
of most of the old docks turned out to be a fantastic opportunity for Liverpool,
and the most famous part of the old port area - the Albert Dock - is now a major
tourist hub, and classed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO .

The dock area offers visitors a choice of museums, the Tate Liverpool gallery,
the Liverpool Maritime Museum, the Museum of Slavery, and the Beatles Story
– as well as historic ships , and malls.

Well, that’s all about England. Thank you for your attention.