Status of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Great Britain is a state consisting of England and a number of other territories. The main ones are Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Historically, Great Britain has developed as a union (hence its full name - the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland). Its modern state structure is closest to a unitary state with autonomies.

The status of the territories that make up the UK is different. In recent years, there has been a trend towards granting them autonomy. These decisions were made in referendums. There were additional (to a long time and to a fairly large extent developed local self-government, which will be discussed below) grounds for calling the UK a decentralized unitary state. The content of autonomy in these territories, at the same time, is different.

Scotland has always had its own legal and judicial system, but for several centuries did not have autonomy in matters of public administration. But on September 11, 1997, a referendum was held in Scotland, during which the majority voted in favor of expanding the independence of Scotland. As a result, elections were held for the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Parliament consists of 129 deputies elected for 4 years: 73 - by majoritarian system, 56 people - by proportional system. It has legislative powers for economic development, taxes, housing, agriculture and forestry, fisheries, the environment, health care, education, social welfare, and so on. Other powers remain with the British Parliament. Executive power is exercised by the Scottish Government, formed on the same principles as the British Government and in the same relationship with Parliament.

Wales has much less legal and judicial autonomy than Scotland. Nevertheless, in a referendum on September 18, 1997, the idea of ​​​​introducing a certain (albeit less than Scotland) autonomy was supported. The Assembly of Wales functions as the main body providing autonomy, to which 60 deputies are elected, 40 of them by the majority system, and 20 by party lists. It is not endowed with legislative powers, but has the right to broadly interpret the laws adopted by the British Parliament, in relation to the peculiarities of the regional development of Wales on health, housing, education and a number of others.

Until 1972, Northern Ireland had its own Parliament, and a Government responsible to it was formed. Then autonomy was abolished due to the aggravation of the political conflict until 1998, when, as a result of the approval of the restoration of autonomy in Northern Ireland in a referendum, the Assembly was elected and an executive body was formed with powers, respectively, for legislative regulation and implementation of executive activities for a number of socio-economic issues. At the same time, significant prerogatives of the central government are preserved. In particular, it has the right to suspend activities authorities Northern Ireland, which has already been implemented once. Constitutional (state) law of foreign countries: Textbook / Ed. L.L.S. A.S. Avtonomova - M.: Jurisprudence, 2003, p.285

The UK Government provides for the position of Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. On the one hand, they ensure that the interests of the respective territories are taken into account, on the other hand, they exercise administrative supervision over their authorities.

Territories with special status. Territories with special status are insular territories (the Isle of Man and a number of other islands in close proximity to Great Britain) and dependent territories or "overseas possessions" (Gibraltar, Saint Helena, the Falkland Islands, Bermuda, and so on). The differences between them are, firstly, in the history and grounds for falling under British sovereignty, and secondly, in the degree of unification of the system of power (for example, island territories have their own judicial systems, while dependent territories do not; in each dependent territory there is a representative of the monarch governor - although he occupies a different position, the very presence of the post of governor unifies the system of power to a certain extent - and power is not unified in the island territories). However, these differences are very small.

Territorial units in the UK. The entire territory of England, Wales and Northern Ireland is divided into counties. There are 45 counties in England. The counties, in turn, consist of 296 districts. in the countryside and small towns In England, the lower administrative-territorial unit is the parish. In a separate administrative-territorial unit, not included in the system of counties, allocated Greater London. It consists of 32 metropolitan areas and the City.

The territory of Wales also consists of 22 counties (of which 11 are city-counties). In rural areas, counties are divided into communities. The territory of Northern Ireland consists of 6 counties, which, in turn, are divided into 26 districts.

In Scotland, the top-level territorial units are 32 local government units (as they are called), including three island territories. The lower territorial unit is the community.

The United Kingdom is divided into 2 administrative and political parts: Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Great Britain, in turn, consists of England, Scotland and Wales.

England includes 9 regions, 6 metropolitan counties, 28 non-metropolitan counties, 55 unitary units, Greater London with 32 boroughs, the City of London and the Celia Islands, combined into 48 ceremonial counties. The capital of both the region and the whole country is London.

The territory of Wales is divided into 9 counties, 3 cities and 10 city-counties. Despite the fact that unitary units have different names, they are all equal. The regional capital is Cardiff.

Scotland is divided into 32 regions with Edinburgh as its capital, while Northern Ireland is represented by 6 counties and 26 districts with Belfast as its capital.

Since 1801, the territorial Administrative division The United Kingdom was a little different, then it also included Ireland, which announced its withdrawal from the British Crown in 1922.

Separately, it is worth noting such regions as the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, which, although formally not part of the Kingdom, have sovereignty, their own legislative systems, and on the Isle of Man even a taxation system, the British Crown guarantees the security of these regions and represents their interests in the international arena.

If we approach the intrastate division of the United Kingdom with historical point view, the territory of the island state is divided into the following large parts: Northern Ireland, Northern Scotland, Southern Scotland, North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber region, East Midlands, West Midlands, Wales, East Anglia, South East, South -West and Greater London area.

Scotland

There is another division of Britain into counties in the amount of 72 pieces. It is noteworthy that the name of the county must be indicated in the postal address in an abbreviated form. A list of common abbreviations is available at any post office.

Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation

Moscow State University for the Humanities named after M.A. Sholokhov

ABSTRACT

On the topic “The administrative-territorial structure of Great Britain”.

Completed by a 2nd year student, 23 groups

full-time department

Faculty of FL and MK

Specialties tourism

Aristova Anastasia

Moscow 2012

1.Introduction………………………………………………………………………..3с

2. Administrative and territorial structure of Great Britain……..…4c

3.Administrative division of England……………...………………………..…6c

4. Administrative division of Scotland……………………………….….11c

5. Administrative division of Wales…...………………………………………………………………………………………………11

6. Administrative division of Ireland………………………………….….12s

7.Dependent territories……………………………………..………… …..….15с

8.Conclusion………………………………………………………..……………..17s

Introduction

Great Britain - the island on which England, Scotland and Wales are located, forms, together with many small islands, an irregularly shaped archipelago with a very diverse landscape and nature. The latter is a consequence of the fact that the British Isles were once part of Europe, but were cut off from the mainland after the flooding of the lowlands that are now the bottom of the North Sea and the English Channel. Northern Ireland, which politically complements the United Kingdom, is located on the second largest island, Ireland, and is the western extension of the Scottish mountains. These mountainous areas are separated from each other by a narrow Northern Canal.

Administrative and territorial structure of Great Britain.

The United Kingdom is a unitary state. Historically, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland consists of four regions: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

From 1801, when the union of Great Britain and Ireland took place, until 1922, when the Irish Independent State was founded, the country was officially called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is located on five thousand islands. The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not formally part of the United Kingdom, but they have a special relationship with it. Channel Islands in the tenth century. were part of the Duchy of Normandy and remained subject to the English crown after its final subordination to France in the 15th century. The Isle of Mando was under the nominal sovereignty of Norway in 1266, and came under the direct rule of the British Crown in 1765. Today, these territories have their own legislative assemblies and systems of laws, and the Isle of Man also has its own system of taxation. The British government is only responsible for their representation in the international arena and external protection.

The UK has historically developed several levels of local government, from county council to parish councils to rural island councils. Within 30 recent years serious structural changes took place in local governments; some councils were abolished, new ones appeared. According to the law on local government 1972 and 1985 England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well as the British capital under some in general terms are managed differently.

Each country in the United Kingdom has its own system of administrative and geographical divisions, which often date back to pre-Great Britain. Accordingly, "there is no standard level of administrative division linking the whole of Great Britain". Until the 19th century, there were practically no changes in the old divisions, but then a constant evolution of roles and functions began. However, these changes were not universal, and the further transfer of opportunities to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland means that they are unlikely to be universal in the future.

All administrative territories are governed by councils, which are legal entities. Parishes and communities without councils are governed by assemblies of electors. County, county and city councils are elected to 4-year terms.

The head of the executive power is the chairman of the council, who is elected annually by the council from among its members and who manages the staff of the municipality's salaried employees.

The jurisdiction of the county councils laws on local self-government include: police, fire protection, land use, roads, social services. The competence of the councils of districts and city districts includes: taxation, urban and rural land use, factories and institutions, etc.

The capital of the United Kingdom, London, has a special status. Together with the surrounding suburbs, it forms a single conglomerate called Greater London. At present, the governing bodies of Greater London are the Assembly and the Mayor, consisting of 25 deputies, directly elected by the population of the capital.

Administrative divisions of England.

The administrative-territorial division of England has a rather complex structure. The entire territory of the country is divided into 9 regions and 48 ceremonial counties. The ceremonial counties are divided into territories with two-tier administration (counties and districts) and one-tier administration (unitary entities). Finally, at the last level are communities. The modern administrative system has developed as a result of successive reforms, originating from the legislative acts of 1965 and 1974.

The legislative framework for the English government is set by the Parliament and the government of Great Britain, as England does not have its own parliament. The highest level of division of England is made up of nine government regions or government regions of the European Union. One region, Greater London, has had its own elected assembly and mayor since 2000 after supporting the issue in a referendum in 1998. It was assumed that other regions would also get their own regional assemblies, but the refusal of one in North East England in a referendum in 2004 stopped this idea. Below regional level there is either a county council, and then district councils, or unitary councils, while London has its own system of 32 London boroughs. Council members are elected by majority system.

Regions of England

Regions are top-level administrative-territorial units in England. Each region includes one or more county-level units. The division into regions was introduced in 1994 by the government of John Major. List:

1. Greater London

1. South East England

1. South West England

1. West Midlands

1. North West England

1. North East England

1. Yorkshire and the Humber

1. East Midlands

1. East England

vicegerent level

Ceremonial counties - the common name of the British vicegerents in England (this name is not officially fixed anywhere). A viceroy is a territory for which a Lord Lieutenant, an honorary representative of the British monarch, is appointed. Ceremonial counties do not perform administrative functions. However, the number and boundaries of these counties are quite stable, and therefore this level is often used for georeferencing (and the counties themselves may be called geographic), for example, in determining the boundaries of constituencies. There are currently 48 ceremonial counties in England. Although the borders of ceremonial counties almost always follow the borders of regions, there are some inconsistencies.

County level

Administrative counties are divided into several types, depending on the predominant type of settlements (only urban or not) and on the presence of further division into districts (with two-level (counties and districts) and one-level administration (unitary formations). Based on the ratio of these parameters, four types are distinguished county level units.

• 6 city-counties (metropolitan counties) - mostly urban areas without their own authorities, most of the powers are delegated to district councils;

• 27 rural counties (shires, two-level non-metropolitan counties) - two-level territories with authorities both at the county level and at the district level;

• 56 unitary entities (unitary units, UO) - territories with a single-level administration, combining the administration of the county and the district;

• including the Isles of Scilly - a special unitary entity that shares some of its powers with the MA of Cornwall;

• Greater London is a special entity, divided into 32 districts of London (baro) and the City of London (is a separate ceremonial county).

Rural counties and unitaries are collectively referred to as non-metropolitan counties.

The number of unitary entities is gradually increasing, either by separating individual districts from the county, or by combining all districts of the county into one.

District level.

At the district level, England is divided into 326 administrative divisions of the following types:

• 68 urban areas (municipal/metropolitan areas);

• 32 boroughs of London

• 36 districts of other city-counties

• 201 rural areas

• city ​​of london

• 56 unitary entities (unitary units, UA), which are also counties.

In addition, some districts (both urban and non-urban) may have the following honorary statuses:

• city ​​- in England 50;

• royal borough - 3;

• boro - about 190.

Community level

A significant part of the districts and unitary entities of England is divided into communities - the most lowest level administrative division. As of December 2009, there were 10473 communities in England and their number is gradually increasing.

Short description

Great Britain - the island on which England, Scotland and Wales are located, forms, together with many small islands, an archipelago irregular shape with a very diverse landscape and nature. The latter is a consequence of the fact that the British Isles were once part of Europe, but were cut off from the mainland after the flooding of the lowlands that are now the bottom of the North Sea and the English Channel. Northern Ireland, which politically complements the United Kingdom, is located on the second largest island, Ireland, and is the western extension of the Scottish mountains. These mountainous areas are separated from each other by a narrow Northern Canal.

Content

1.Introduction………………………………………………………………………..3s
2. Administrative-territorial structure of Great Britain……..…4c
3.Administrative division of England……………...………………………..…6c
4. Administrative division of Scotland……………………………….….11c
5. Administrative division of Wales…...………………………………………………………………………………………………11
6. Administrative division of Ireland………………………………….….12s
7. Dependent territories………………………………………..……………..….15s
8.Conclusion……………………………………………………..……………..17s

Political maps of Great Britain

The administrative-territorial division of Great Britain is rather complicated.

Let's start with the fact that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland consists of four large administrative parts or countries: England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland, combined into two historical provinces: Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Each of the countries, in turn, is divided into smaller territorial units.

So, England is divided into 9 regions, which consist of 6 metropolitan counties (the urbanized areas of Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Merseyside, Tyne and Wear, the West Midlands and South Yorkshire), 28 shires (non-metropolitan counties having several administrative regions and counties), 55 unitary units (non-metropolitan counties not internally divided into districts), Greater London and the Isles of Scilly.

Wales is divided into 22 regions, including 9 counties, 3 cities and 10 city-counties.

Scotland has been subdivided since 1996 into 32 areas or municipalities.

Finally, the territory of Northern Ireland is divided into 26 districts, united in 6 counties.

UK political map

Which shows the division of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland into administrative divisions of the first and second levels.

Download detailed political map Great Britain. Map size 1.66 MB Download map

Map of the division of Northern Ireland into counties

Download a map of the division of Northern Ireland into counties. Map size 251 KB Download map

Map of the division of Northern Ireland into districts

Download a map of the division of Northern Ireland into regions. Map size 273 KB Download map

Map of the traditional counties of Wales

Download a map of the traditional counties of Wales. Map size 117 KB Download map

Map of the division of Scotland into regions

Download a map of the division of Scotland into regions. Map size 93.2 KB

UK is one of the most major countries European Union, a member of the United Nations. The capital of the country is London, the sights of which every schoolchild knows. Formerly known as the British Empire.

Prominent personalities of Great Britain

It was in England that the television was invented. Great Britain is the birthplace of many outstanding people. Winston Churchill, Shakespeare, Newton, Margaret Thatcher, Paul McCartney, writer Charles Dickens, musician Freddie Mercury, the greatest modern physicist Stephen Hawking, actress Emma Watson, Charles Darwin, the founder of the world-famous theory of evolution, were born here.

What areas does the UK consist of?

The generally accepted administrative division of Great Britain currently includes four historical regions, or, as the British call them, countries. They include England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The UK has an extremely high population density: there are 230 inhabitants per 1 sq. km. At the same time, the population is distributed unevenly throughout the territory. Most of the British live in no wonder, because this territory occupies the most convenient geographical position. Also, it is in England that the political and economic center of the entire state is located. In addition, here are the most favorable natural conditions.

The most important region

England - in which most of the cultural and historical attractions of the entire Kingdom are located. For example, it is here that the well-known Westminster Abbey is located. The date of its foundation is the 9th century. Buckingham Palace has also become famous. Lives here to this day The Royal Family. The date of its construction is 1703. Every schoolboy has heard of Trafalgar Square. It is from her in England that the distance from London to other cities is measured.

The most important district of the country

The leading position among the cities of Great Britain is occupied by London. Apart from the fact that London has a dominant position both politically, economically and culturally, it is the main seaport England. Not far from the capital are the largest recreational areas of the country - the resorts of Brighton and Margate.

In addition to London, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland also includes other cities that function as regional centers. There are ten in total, and this number includes Edinburgh (the capital of Scotland), Cardiff (the capital of Wales) and Belfast (the capital of Northern Ireland), Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds and Bradford.

Scotland: nature and population

Despite the fact that the administrative division of Great Britain includes Scotland, the British often refer to it as a separate country. In everything the Scots show waywardness. They have their own church, their own banks and currency. These features of Scotland originate from the times when it was still a separate state. Throughout history there have been aggressive attempts by England to seize its territory.

The areas of Scotland are among the least populated. This is due to a more severe climate compared to other regions, as well as economic indicators. The capital is Edinburgh.

Scotland is the northern part of the island of Great Britain, as well as the adjacent islands. The area is 78772 sq. km. If we compare Scotland with other areas of Great Britain, then its climate is more changeable. This is due to uneven terrain.

In the process of the stubborn struggle of the Scots with the conquerors, their national identity increased more and more. In 1603, after the death of Queen Elizabeth I, VI ascended the throne. Then the two territories were in the possession of one monarch. In 1707, documents were signed, according to which England and Scotland became a single state.

A little about Wales

The areas of Wales are located on the western side of England. In the north, its shores are washed in the south by Bristol Bay, in the west is the Strait of St. George. Despite the fact that Wales is politically connected with England, it has retained its traditions until today. The main and largest city in Wales is Cardiff. About 3 million people live on its territory.

By natural features Wales can be divided into three districts. In its central part there are mountains over 600 meters high, which cross vast valleys. Lowlands - in the coastal part. There are many river valleys along which enemy troops easily penetrated here in the past. The climate is temperate. Vegetation is very sparse in the elevated areas, but on the plains you can see a lot rare species plants.

One of the most famous sights of this district are the stalactite and stalagmite caves. Everyone who visits Wales, first of all, seeks to visit these mysterious places. The cave called Dan-Ir-Ogof is attractive with stalactites and stalagmites. And in the Way of the Nile cave you can admire unusual waterfalls.

UK administrative divisions: other criteria

There are other ways of dividing the territory of the country, for example, into counties, as well as into regions. At the same time, the name of the county (in full or abbreviated) must be indicated in any mail. History has been such that modern UK can be conditionally divided into several broad areas.

The administrative division of Great Britain according to them is as follows:

1. Northern Ireland. The capital is Belfast.
2. Northern Scotland, Southern Scotland. The administrative center is Edinburgh.
3. Northeast. Consists of 4 counties. The main city is Newcastle upon Time.
4. North West - consists of five counties, the main cities are Liverpool and Manchester.
5. Yorkshire and the Humber region. Yorkshire is the largest county in all of England. Included in the administrative unit of Yorkshire and the Humber.
6. East Midlands. The capital of the region is Nottingham.
7. West Midlands with Birmingham as its capital.
8. Wales.
9. East of England, with Cambridge as its main city.
10. Southeast with administrative center in Guildford.
11. Southwest. The largest population center is Bristol.
12. Greater London area.

There are about 100 in the UK major cities. At the same time, 44 of them are located major ports. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been trading through sea ​​routes, mainly with the countries of the Baltic basin. and Liverpool throughout history have been a kind of gateway to the "New World".

Localities in the UK are known for their long and sometimes difficult to pronounce names. However, generally accepted toponyms are also used here. For example, the UK has about 1500 settlements called Newtown.