Geographic map of the British Isles. British Isles

- this is, first of all, the queen, Big Ben, stonehenge and crows on the Tower - this is what most people associate this country with!

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland- this is the full name of the state. The country is located on islands, is small in size, but strikes with a variety of relief forms: high hills, mountains alternate with plains and lowlands.

Of the most famous historical facts it is that this country became the first industrial power not only in Europe, but in the world in general, and gave birth to many of the most famous scientists, such as Henry Ford, Isaac Newton and others. There are many architectural monuments on the territory of the country, and it is not without reason that Great Britain is one of the most desirable countries for tourists in the world! And not only for tourists. Yes, it's worth a visit!

Great Britain on the world map

Shown below interactive map Great Britain in Russian from Google. You can move the map to the right and left, up and down with the mouse, as well as change the scale of the map with the "+" and "-" icons, which are located at the bottom of the right side of the map, or with the mouse wheel. In order to find out where Great Britain is located on the world map, use the same method to further reduce the scale of the map.

In addition to the map with the names of the objects, you can look at the UK from the satellite, if you click on the "Show satellite map»In the lower left corner of the map.

Another map of Great Britain is shown below. In order to see the map in full size, click on it and it will open in a new window. You can also print it out and take it with you on the road.

You were presented with the most basic and detailed maps Great Britain, which you can always use to find the object of interest to you or for any other purpose. Enjoy your travels!

British Virgin Islands- an area consisting of 60 small islands. Its area is 153 km2. The British Virgin Islands are the overseas lands of Great Britain. Located in the northeast The Caribbean, 1770 km south of Florida. They are the southeastern part of the archipelago of islands, which include the American Virgin Islands. Road Town, located on the island of Tortola, is the capital. The state language is English.

Currently, the Virgin Islands archipelago is divided by two states at once - Great Britain and the United States.

Historical reference

These lands in the 1st century BC. NS. inhabited by the Arawak Indians. In the XV century. the warlike tribes of the Caribbean, who lived in the Lesser Antilles, conquered the Indians.

The great Christopher Columbus discovered the Virgin Islands in 1493 during his second campaign. Spain declared them its possession, but did not begin to master them. The Dutch, British, Danes, and French showed interest in them. The Indian population was almost completely exterminated.

In 1672, the island of Tortola was captured by England. And eight years later (1680) the British captured the islands of Virgin Gorda and Anegarda. They began to cultivate sugar cane in the occupied territories. To do this, they brought here Negro slaves from Africa.

When slavery was abolished in England in 1834, workers from Portugal and India began to work on the plantations under contract.

Virgin Islands on world map

The United States acquired its part of the islands in 1917. They are mostly uninhabited. The US Virgin Islands (this is clearly visible on the map) are adjacent to the British Virgin Islands in the east and Puerto Rico in the west.

The largest of them are Saint Thomas, Santa Cruz, Saint John. The total area of ​​the entire territory is 346, 36 km2. The US Virgin Islands are geographically divided into two large counties. In addition, there are 20 small subdistricts. The population is 108 thousand people. These are mainly people from South America and African Americans. 30% of the population is employed in the tourism business.

Today it is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world. The capital of the islands - Charlotte Amalie is located on St. Thomas.

Holidays in the US Virgin Islands

The most suitable time to relax on the islands is from the second half of December to the very end of April. This is the peak season, so the cost of services is much higher than from May to August, despite the fact that weather excellent at this time.

The developed resorts of St. Thomas with its white beaches, picturesque bays, bays with turquoise water - all this is a vacation on the American Islands.

There are about 40 beaches here, most of which are well equipped. The quietest and most deserted of them is the snow-white Limetrie, located in the south of St. Thomas.

Hotels on the islands are classified according to the worldwide star system and comply with generally accepted standards.

What to see

On american islands you will be able to see the ancient Blackbird Castle and Fort Christian, where once lived (according to local residents) a prototype of the Bluebeard, those who wish can climb Mount St. Peter, take a walk in Charlotte Amalie Square.

On the island of Santa Cruz, you can visit sugarcane plantations. The city of Kristianstend was once the city of Danish colonialists. Here you will be offered to visit the Kruzan wineries. You can see all of the Virgin Islands by taking a twin-engined plane into the skies.

In the north of the island of St. Thomas is the amazingly beautiful Coca Bay and a unique aquarium with numerous tropical fish and other marine life.

Where to stay

There are a lot of hotels on the American islands. However, rest here is not cheap. Accommodation prices in resort hotels at least $ 300 per day per person. Moreover, this amount is considered minimal.

Many tourists are happy to stay in tent cities, but not all islands have them.

If you have the necessary amount, then you can rent a villa on the coast or an apartment.

Entertainment

The US Virgin Islands are just perfect for a relaxing and relaxing holiday.

Nature has created unique diving conditions here. Underwater caves and Coral reefs beckon to dive into the bright turquoise sea waters.

The most colorful entertainment here is undoubtedly carnivals. The brightest takes place on St. Thomas. Here you can see a masquerade, musical performances, dance competitions. Having seen this sight once, it is impossible to forget it.

In April, all famous yachtsmen gather for the International Regatta in St. Thomas Caribbean.

A similar event takes place in early June in St. John. The celebration flows smoothly into Fireworks Week.

At the beginning of the year, Santa Cruz hosts a fascinating and very cheerful holiday - the Crucian Carp Festival. Sport fishing is also a kind of active rest... Even a beginner can become a champion here - there are a lot of fish, equipment can be rented.

British Virgin Islands

As with the American Islands, tourism is thriving in these lands. This is one of best places for diving, yachting, windsurfing. In addition, the British Virgin Islands (you can see the photo in our article) is an abundance of historical and cultural attractions. You can visit unique art galleries and exhibits of gorgeous hand make samples from the locals. Fans of ecotourism will also find here a lot of interesting things. The islands have developed interesting hiking trails striking with unique vegetation.

It offers tourists comfortable hotels and hotels, wonderful cafes and restaurants, nightclubs. If you add to this the excellent level of service and hospitality of the local population, it becomes clear that a vacation on the islands can be unforgettable.

Climate

The average annual air temperature ranges from 23 to 28 degrees. Such a stable climate makes it possible to visit the Virgin Islands all year round. The peak season is between November and March. At this time, prices rise significantly here. Although in May - October holidays on the islands can hardly be called cheap.

sights

The most vivid impressions on the islands, in the opinion of our compatriots who have already visited here, are the excursions taking place in Road Town - the most large city and the main port in the south of the island of Tortola. Road Town is surrounded by the sea and three large hills.

Here you can see the post office of the 18th century, St. Phillips Cathedral, the former governor's residence, which eventually became the Public Museum. In the southwest of the city is Fort Carlotte, which in ancient times was a defensive structure, and then a prison.

The Virgin Islands (British) are rich and natural monuments... There are 15 national parks and reserves here.

Restaurants

The national cuisine of the Virgin Islands is a very bright and original mixture of culinary schools in the world. There are a lot of restaurants here that use various recipes, most often borrowed from the best chefs in Asia, Africa and Europe. It is interesting that they are so talented and original mixed that they form something of their own, unique, island menu. Most of the products are imported to the islands, but local fruits and seafood occupy a special, honorable place.

Security

Living standards in the Virgin Islands are the highest among the rest of the Caribbean. The banking and offshore sectors of the economy provide the island treasury with a steady flow of funds, so there is a low level of unemployment and crime. British Isles is rightfully considered the safest territory in the Western Hemisphere.

Ynysoedd Prydain, Maine. ny h-Ellanyn Goaldagh) is an archipelago in northwestern Europe, between the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The British Isles are home to the states of Great Britain and Ireland, as well as territories ruled by the British crown.

The area of ​​the islands is 315.1 thousand km². Separated from mainland Europe North Sea and the Pas-de-Calais and the English Channel.

Geographical position

Extreme points
  • northern - Cape Herma-Ness - 61 , 1 61 ° N NS. 1 ° east etc. /  61 ° N NS. 1 ° east etc.(G) (O)
  • eastern - Lowestoft - 52.5 , 1.5 52 ° 30 ′ N NS. 1 ° 30 ′ east etc. /  52.5 ° N NS. 1.5 ° East etc.(G) (O)
  • southern - Cape Lizard - 50 , -5 50 ° N NS. 5 ° W etc. /  50 ° N NS. 5 ° W etc.(G) (O)
  • western - Cape Sline Head - 53.5 , 10 53 ° 30 ′ N NS. 10 ° 00 ′ east etc. /  53.5 ° N NS. 10 ° East etc.(G) (O)

The length from north to south is 1000 km, and from west to east - 820 km.

Large landforms that make up the physical-geographical country: the Scottish Highlands, the Pennine Mountains, the London Basin.

Coastline it is highly dissected - numerous bays protrude into the land, the largest of which are Bristol, Cardigan, Liverpool, Firth of Clyde, Marie Firth, Firth of Forth, as well as the Thames and Severn estuaries.

Physical and geographical characteristics

Rocks

The territory of the archipelago can be divided into the following areas, differing in geological structure:

The central part of about. Great Britain lies on a slab of ancient platforms. The rocks of the Mesozoic are characteristic: clays, limestones, coal rocks.
The southeastern part of about. Great Britain is confined to the syneclise of the epigercyn platforms. Thick sedimentary deposits of Meso-Cenozoic and Cenozoic age, Jurassic deposits of limestone, chalk and sandstone are characteristic.

Loch Derg is a lake in the southwest of Ireland. Height at sea level is 33 m. The area is 118 km², length 40 km, width 4 km. Average depth 7.6 m, the maximum is 36 m. The hollow is of glacial origin, the eastern and northern coasts are low, but in the south and south-west the coasts are steep and rocky. The lake is fresh. It is located in the bed of the Shannon River, therefore it has an elongated shape and is wastewater.

The lakes of the British Isles play an important role in transport issue... They also have hydroelectric power plants.

Soil

General factors of soil formation

The territory of the physico-geographical country is under the influence of the ocean. The climate is oceanic with mild, not cold winters (January temperature from +0.3 ° C to +8 ° C), moderate warm summer(temperatures in July from +15 ° C to +23 ° C), a rather high average annual temperature (from +9 ° C to +15 ° C), a significant amount of precipitation (mainly from 600 to 1500 mm per year). Broadleaved forests.

Lessive soils

distributed in the center and north of Great Britain, on west bank Islands of Ireland (in moraine relief). Absolute heights predominantly 300-500 m. (They are shown as luvisols on the FAO / UNESCO soil map) Soils are formed mainly on leveled surfaces in conditions of atmospheric precipitation seeping into the depth of the profile on loose rocks that do not contain carbonates.
Vegetation - oak, oak-beech forests, more or less lightened.

Lessivage (mechanical removal of colloids) in a slightly humus, biologically active, slightly acidic environment. The removal of iron colloids and clay minerals is expressed. Lessive soils are considered as climax on sandy and acidic soil-forming rocks or as secondary as a result of degradation of brown forest soils. This was facilitated by human activity (replacing deciduous forests with conifers) and leaching of absorbed cations from the soil with age.

Soil profile

There is no coarse-humus horizon due to the rather rapid decomposition of the forest litter. Horizon A1 (more often less than 10 cm thick) is brownish-dark gray or grayish brown, fine lumpy, indistinctly granular, with numerous small roots, with a clear border. The humus-eluvial (dehydrated) horizon A1 is beige, light brown or yellowish-brown, lumpy, porous, sometimes with horizontal layering, dense, sandy or silty-loamy, with a rare transition to the illuvial horizon B (clogged). This horizon is highly clayey, dense, dark brown, prismatic in the upper part and prismatic-platy in the lower part, with clearly pronounced illusion tiles. The thickness of the soils is 150-200 cm and more. In the “pseudo-gleyed” loessivated soils in horizon B, nodules and manganese-ferruginous films are noted due to the poor permeability of the accumulation horizon. The soils are under broad-leaved or under secondary coniferous forests, meadows, pastures, and are also widely developed for cereals, flax, potatoes ... They respond well to the introduction of organo-mineral fertilizers.

Brown forest typical soils

They are confined mainly to the areas of distribution of carbonate moraines and loesslike loams.

Elementary soil processes

The soil is characterized by processes leading to the release of hydrates of iron oxides and clay, intra-soil formation of secondary clay minerals of hydromica-montmorillonite composition as a result of weak hydrolysis of primary minerals.

Soil profile

The soils are characterized by a poorly differentiated profile. There is no coarse humus horizon. Low thickness litter layer. Litter decomposes during the growing season as a result of significant microbiological activity. Horizon A1 (15-30 cm thick) is brown-gray, with a strong, fine-lumpy (caprolite) structure, with numerous earthworm tunnels and a mass of roots; the constitution is loose or slightly dense. Transitional horizon A1B (approximately to a depth of 30-40 cm) with a larger lumpy or nutty lumpy structure. The metamorphic horizon Вt is brown or bright brown, heavier in texture, dense, with a nut structure, sometimes with a tendency to prismaticity, with roots and earthworms; its thickness ranges from 30 to 130 cm. The soils have high biological activity. They have a great biological value in forestry and agriculture, as they are suitable for growing forest crops that are demanding in terms of soil quality, and in agriculture for growing a wide range of crops. With the introduction of organic and mineral fertilizers, stable high yields are obtained.

Vegetation

The British Isles are located in two natural areas the north of the island of Great Britain, up to about 56 ° N, lies in coniferous forests; the rest of the territory, including the island of Ireland, is broad-leaved forests.
The peculiarities of the orographic structure of the British Isles significantly affect the distribution of precipitation, the hydrographic network and determine the vegetation and soil cover. The mildness of winters and the absence of stable snow cover on the plains explain the presence of evergreen shrubs (for example, holly) in the undergrowth of deciduous forests. Meadows are the most common type of vegetation in Ireland. Heather heaths are composed of common and European heather, blueberry, juniper. They are located on rough, highly podzolized sandy and gravelly soils. Heathers are often interspersed with meadows. Meadows are one of the important natural resources... On their basis, the animal husbandry of England and Ireland grew. In terms of forest area (about 4% of the UK territory), the region is in last place in Western Europe(excluding Iceland and arctic islands). Affects, undoubtedly, the centuries-old economic activity man, a high degree of development of intensive agriculture, animal husbandry and industry. Natural reforestation is very slow. Artificial plantings of forests take root well and in the form of small groves, parks, plantings along roads and rivers often create a false impression of good afforestation of the islands.
About 92% of forests are privately owned, which makes it difficult to carry out new plantations and forest reclamation works on a national scale. The existing small tracts of forest parks are confined to the less humid regions of the southeast of Great Britain. But here, too, excessive soil moisture prevents the development of beech forests (they are confined to the hillsides). Dominated by forests of summer and winter oaks, ash with an admixture of birch, larch, pine, hazel. In Scotland, pine and birch forests are developed on podzolic soils of a coarse texture. The upper altitude boundary of forests in the British Isles is the lowest in the temperate zone of Europe (the influence of high humidity, strong winds and grazing in the mountains). Broad-leaved forests reach a height of 300-400 m, coniferous and birch forests up to 500-600 m. The forest fauna characteristic of the islands previously has not survived. At the moment, the share of the protected area on the islands is about 22%.

Animal world

The fauna of the British Isles has declined markedly. The largest mammals: deer, roe deer, wild goats. Of the smaller animals, martens, weasels, foxes, rabbits, wild cats, ferrets, and ermines are common. Currently, only 56 species of mammals remain, the largest of which is the red deer. The British Isles are home to 130 bird species, including national symbol England is a red-breasted robin. Millions of birds migrate along the coast of Great Britain from south to north and vice versa. In the autumn in London, late at night, you can observe huge flocks of white-browed thrushes and curlews flying south. Many species are able to adapt to changing conditions, and it is believed that there are more birds in suburban gardens than in any forest. The most common are sparrows, finches, starlings, crows, kingfishers, robins, tits. Various types of fish are found in the waters off the British Isles: in the surface layers sea ​​waters coal fish is found, from May to October there is a lot of herring, sprat feeds in bays and estuaries of rivers, and sardines and mackerel appear off the coast of the Cornwall Peninsula. Of the bottom fish feeding on mollusks, worms and crustaceans, the most common is the flounder. The most important commercial species are cod, haddock and marlan.

Literature

  • Lobova E.V., Khabarov, A.V. Soils of Eurasia // Soils / Reviewers: Kovda V.A., Aderikhin P.G .. - M.: "Mysl", 1983. - pp. 53, 59-61. - 303 p. - 40,000 copies
  • Ermakova Yu.G., Ignatiev M.G., Kurakova L.I. and etc. Europe // physical geography continents and oceans / Ed. Ryabchikova A.M .. - M .: "High School", 1988. - S. 84-85, 129-132. - 592 p. - 30,000 copies. - ISBN 5-06-001354-5

Links

see also

  • List of islands in Great Britain (English) Russian

The group of islands located in the northeast of the Caribbean Sea is designated on the world map as the Virgin Islands. After his memorable trip, H. Columbus marked the Virgin Islands on the map. Now on the world map you can see that this island group is located to the east of. Today these islands are one of the coziest places in the world, where both single tourists and families with children strive.

Panoramic view of the British Virgin Islands

The Virgin Islands belong to two countries: Great Britain and the United States. Therefore, to visit them, you will need or.

The British Virgin Islands are composed of sixty elements. The most large island considered Tortola.

The location of the Virgin Islands on the world map

As the name suggests, the main ruler in this beautiful corner of the world is one country - Great Britain. It is for this reason that many of the customs and traditions of the British are reflected in the culture of the inhabitants of these islands.

When to plan your trip

The British Virgin Islands are always glad to see tourists, but the winter-spring off-season is considered the most attractive time to visit. A person who wants not only to swim in the gentle waters of the Caribbean Sea, but also to have fun, should come to the Virgin Islands in December - April.

It is important to bear in mind that this period is considered a real peak in the influx of tourists, therefore, prices do not differ in democracy.

Detailed map of Virgin Islands showing all islands

So, if you want to save money and relax in a relaxed atmosphere, then you need to go to the Virgin Islands in May - August.

sights

The British Virgin Islands have many interesting natural attractions. The richest in this regard should be called the city of Road Town and the island of Tortola.

The most notable place here is the island of Tortola. Translated from Spanish, the name of the island sounds like "Land of the Turtle Dove". Tortola is the largest island in this group. The nature of the island is very romantic and picturesque. "Purely English" green hills are harmoniously combined with ancient volcanoes, cozy coves and pristine bays. North Tortola is an incredibly attractive beach destination.

Hotel on the Caribbean Sea in the Virgin Islands

The sand is surprisingly soft, white and clean. South Tortola is famous for its valleys and slightly gloomy shores. There are also many luxurious places for a serene relaxation here. Coral sand is of volcanic origin here.
According to tourists visiting the Virgin Islands, a place like Tortola is great for a meditative or romantic getaway.

In Road Town, tourists will appreciate the abundance of various shops, boutiques and restaurants, where for very little money you can have a good time and buy both souvenirs and clothes.

In the vicinity of the city, you can admire the old chapel and the Thornton plantation. In Carrot Bay, you can find a huge collection of sea shells, among which the most unusual and bizarre specimens are often found. V national park Sage Mountain can be taken on an eco-walk.

Panoramic view of national park Sage Mountain

Nutrition

The British Virgin Islands have a fairly rich, in the truest sense of the word, cuisine. Here you can find "potpourri" from a variety of world culinary trends.

You can have a good and inexpensive lunch, enjoying the excellent service, anywhere in this place. The restaurants and cafes serve both classic and island dishes, which are an insane but incredibly tasty mix of Caribbean flavor and European restraint.

Virgin Islands grocery store

Sports recreation

Also, the British Virgin Islands are extremely popular among fans of sports recreation. There are many schools for yachting, diving and windsurfing.

The British Virgin Islands is not only a paradise for fans of active and passive recreation, but also a recognized offshore background. It is here that there is an extensive range of international financial services.
Thus, the offshore zone allows you to invest in the economy, accumulate construction savings and protect your assets.
The offshore background is relevant because in the current, hyper-variable economic conditions, the need for strict control over their capital is increasing. In the British Virgin Islands, a person can be confident that he will be able to significantly save on taxes and preserve his business assets outside his country of residence.

The British Virgin Islands are economically stable. The standard of living here is considered the highest among other countries in this region. Due to the offshore sector, an uninterrupted flow of finance to the state treasury is ensured. As a result, the unemployment rate is extremely low here.

Against this background, the crime rate is also quite low and there are almost no violent offenses. It is important to bear in mind that the abuse of nicotine in public places is considered a serious offense in the British Virgin Islands.

American dream

The US Virgin Islands were discovered by H. Columbus at the end of the fifteenth century. Over the years, this corner of the world passed to a variety of owners, and only at the dawn of the twentieth century, the islands were bought by the United States.

The US Virgin Islands are rightfully considered a real paradise for tourists of all stripes. You can have a great rest here both in splendid isolation, and with your family or a noisy company.

Climate features

The US Virgin Islands are able to delight lovers of the sun and gentle sea with a mild tropical climate. Conventionally, 2 dry and the same number of wet seasons can be distinguished here. The dry seasons include winter and summer. The spring-autumn season is the season of heavy rains.
In July - October, it is undesirable to visit the Virgin Islands, since the likelihood of hurricanes is very high.

Natural conditions

The US Virgin Islands boasts more than six dozen reefs and a variety of islands. The world of fauna here today, unfortunately, is very poor.

What to visit

The US Virgin Islands is rich in historical and natural attractions. So, on the island of St. Thomas vacationers are attracted by Fort Kristjan. Particular attention should be paid here to Blackburn Castle and the old market square. Climbing Mount St. Peter's Greathouse, you can visit the luxurious botanical gardens and distilleries. Numerous souvenir shops offer many interesting gifts.

Connoisseurs of marine fauna will probably be interested in visiting Coca Bay.

It is there that there is an aquarium with a wide variety of tropical animals. The one who values ​​most beach vacation must pay attention to Kristiansted, a cozy town that still retains the medieval Danish spirit. Here you can visit local beaches and enjoy a great vacation.

The Virgin Islands has many real natural gems. One of these gems is the small island of Buck. It is uninhabited and attracts all fans of exciting adventures.

The British Virgin Islands are located in the Caribbean. British Virgin Islands annually receive about a million tourists from all over the world. They have one of the most stable economies in the region.

British Virgin Islands on the map
The map can be enlarged or reduced

British Virgin Islands. Satellite map

Once, the islands were inhabited by tribes of peaceful Indian-farmers - the Arawaks, but they were destroyed by the Caribbean, also Indians, but warlike and bloodthirsty. It is their famous custom to bite the fluttering hearts ripped out of the enemy's chest during the battle. This continued until the arrival of Europeans, who put an end to this innocent entertainment, corny cutting out the locals.

Columbus discovered these islands, but was not interested, and subsequently the British settled them. Of course, they were settled mainly not by themselves, but by black slaves, to work on sugarcane plantations. They continue to grow cane to this day, despite the fact that the price of cane sugar has long and hopelessly fallen. It is now used to make rum, which has been supplied to all the islands of the Caribbean since the time of pirates.
The population is mostly blacks 80%, official language- English, and the religion is Protestant.

There is little fresh water on the islands and what is there is very deep, therefore they use the ancient method of collecting rainwater. For this, several desalination stations operate on the islands.
They are also famous in financial circles, here is one of the largest centers for registration of offshore companies. More than 650 thousand registered.
_________________________________________________________________________
Virgin Islands is one of the centers of tourism Caribbean... Especially popular with English speaking tourists. Unfortunately, these islands are not included in the list of visa-free countries for Russians, but the regret is not too great, since a tourist can freely live and take pictures for up to 6 months, if he has a return ticket.

Similar articles