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1、A General Survey of the United KingdomTeaching Material:The Society and Culture of Major English-Speaking CountriesAn Introduction (By Higher Education Press)Teaching Objectives: This course is mainly to make known to the students the British politics, culture as well as society at large, and its po
2、sition in the world as far as its long history is concerned.(It might be difficult for the students to understand the British political system, its people and its cultural differences because of religious reasons. Thus, some emphasis should be laid on its religious background.)Introduction: The Unit
3、ed KingdomTime Allocation: 4 periodsFocal Points: The Country of today, Understanding of Different NamesI. General IntroductionGreat Britain, the dominant industrial and maritime power of the 19th century, played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and sc
4、ience. At its zenith (极盛时期), the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earths surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UKs strength seriously depleted in two World Wars. The second half witnessed the dismantling (瓦解) of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and p
5、rosperous European nation. (Read the first paragraph on P2)As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council (China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and United States), a founding member of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a glob
6、al approach to foreign policy; it currently is weighing the degree of its integration with continental Europe. A member of the EU (European Union), it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union for the time being. Constitutional reform is also a significant issue in the UK. The Scottish
7、 Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999, but the latter is suspended due to bickering (argue) over the peace process. GeographyUnited KingdomLocation:Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland bet
8、ween the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of FranceArea:total: 244,820 sq km land: 241,590 sq km water: 3,230 sq km Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Ireland 360 kmPeopleUnited KingdomPopulation: 60,441,457 (July 2005) Age Structure:0-14 years: 17.7% (male 5,490,592/f
9、emale 5,229,691) 15-64 years: 66.5% (male 20,329,272/female 19,855,862) 65 years and over: 15.8% (male 4,063,357/female 5,472,683) (2005)Population growth rate: 0.28% (2005)Population Density:250 persons per sq km (2004 estimate)646 persons per sq mi (2004 estimate)Birth rate: 10.78 births/1,000 pop
10、ulation (2005)Death rate: 10.18 deaths/1,000 population (2005)Life expectancy: total population: 78.38 years male: 75.94 years female: 80.96 years (2005)Urban-rural: urban 89.5%; rural 10.5%. Sex distribution: male 49.09%; female 50.91%. Ethnic groups: white 92.1%, black 2%, Indian 1.8%, Pakistani 1
11、.3%, mixed 1.2%, other 1.6% (2001 census)Official language: English. Languages: English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)Official religion: Churches of England (Protestantism) and Scotland established(Protected by the state, but not off
12、icial) in their respectivecountries; no established church in Northern Ireland or Wales. Religions:Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified or none 23.1% (2001 census)GovernmentUnited KingdomOfficial name: The United Kingdom
13、of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Form of government: Constitutional monarchy Legislature: Bicameral legislature with two legislative houses 1. House of Lords 675 members (consisting of approximately 500 life peers, 92 hereditary peers and 26 clergy);2. House of Commons (646 seats since 2005 el
14、ections; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms unless the House is dissolved earlier) Note:1)Elections: House of Lords - no elections; House of Commons - last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by May 2010) 2)Election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Labor
15、35.2%, Conservative 32.3%, Liberal Democrats 22%, other 10.5%; seats by party - Labor 356, Conservative 197, Liberal Democrat 62, other 31 Capital: London, England.National holiday: the UK does not celebrate one particular national holidayConstitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practiceChief of state: Sovereign (君主). Present Queen:Elizabeth II (since February 1952);Head of government:Prime Minister. Present Prime Minister: Anthony (Tony) Blair (since 2 May 1997) (Labor Party)Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister;National Anthem:God Save the Ki
