CHAPTER 15 SECTION 1The British Isles and Nordic

NationsEngland

British Isles

British Isles- islands clustered off north-west coast of Europe- largest island is Great Britain

Great Britain- England, Scotland, Wales

United Kingdom- England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland

England

England- the ‘core’ of the United Kingdom- 80 percent of region’s population lives here

England’s Physical Characteristicspage 305

English landscape- Highlands- Midlands- Lowlands

Rise of London as a Trade Center

London- capital city- most important trade center- one of the greatest commercial and shipping cities in the world

Rise of London as a Trade Centerpage 307

London’s Relative Location- Why isn’t the city of Dover the English capital of trade?

Global Trade Patterns- In 1400’s, Europeans pushed westward across the Atlantic Ocean for trade- Great Britain’s central location on Atlantic was ideal for trade

Economic Activitiespage 309

The Rise of Heavy Industry- major coal fields and reserves existed throughout Britain.- coal supplies made the area a center for manufacturing.

Challenges to British Industry- much of coal supply used up during Industrial Revolution- In 1970’s, Britain turned to oil and gas as sources for fuel

*What did Britain’s government encourage to offset the loss of heavy industry?