Galina Nikolaevna Toropkina
Presentation "Countries of the World"

Children presentation- one of the most effective ways help your child learn new information. She helps to effectively and in an accessible form to conduct a lesson in kindergarten.

Our students love to travel. Together with their parents, they travel to the memorable places of our homeland, but not everyone has the opportunity to visit foreign country... This presentation will allow you to make a fascinating journey in non-CIS countries: England, France, USA, India. She will acquaint children with the main sights, customs, national clothes of these countries.

Target:

Arouse interest in the life of other peoples countries;

To acquaint with the basic concepts of countries;

To foster respect for peoples of different countries, their customs, features.

Related publications:

Presentation “Big Atlas of the World. The result of the implementation of the project of the Geographical Community "Blue Planet on the Palms" Good day, dear colleagues. In December last year, I told you about the work on the joint project of the DOE "Blue Planet.

Presentation "What to tell children about the FIFA World Cup" A significant event is coming - the FIFA World Cup, it is especially significant that is taking place in our country. What to tell the children?

As part of the exchange of experience in the kindergarten, an open educational activity on the FTSKM “Countries of the world. France". Purpose of the lesson: To acquaint.

Presentation for senior preschool children "FIFA World Cup 2018" The FIFA World Cup is the premier international soccer competition for the men's national teams of member countries.

Presentation for children of the senior group of kindergarten "Unusual pets of the world" Love for animals is a great feeling. It helps a person to become more generous, fairer, kinder. If the child is not taught to regret, to love ,.

"Dolls of the World" presentation The presented presentation "Dolls of the World" can be used both in the continuous educational activities of the teacher when meeting the pupils.

Hot Countries presentation Program content: To acquaint children with climatic zones: savannas, deserts and semi-deserts, tropical forests, mainland Australia.

World environment project "Countries of the World" MBOU "Kozlovskaya Secondary School No. 2" PROJECT around the world

Interactive playground for children 8-12 years old "Games of the peoples of the world"

Description: The interactive platform is a journey through 5 countries: Belarus, Germany, the United States of America, Austria, Greece. Children get acquainted with national traditions, cuisine, outdoor games from different countries. Number of participants: 12 people, students age: 8-12 years old.
Target: the formation of a tolerant attitude among students towards people of other nationalities.
Tasks:
- to acquaint with the culture and national traditions of different countries of the world;
- develop the skills of interaction with peers;
- to cultivate a benevolent and responsive attitude towards people.
Equipment: laptop, image of a flower with petals, a ring, 2 toy cars, a scarf, a ball.

Event progress

Leading: The guys live on different continents and in different countries, but they are united by common interests and a desire to play outdoor games. Today we will join them and play the games of the peoples of the world.
A magic flower will help us travel to different countries.
In order for us to find ourselves in a particular country, we must say, the magic words of the spell:
Fly, fly petal
Through the North, through the South
Come back in a circle
As soon as you touch the ground
Be, in my opinion, lead
“Take us to Belarus”.

Leading: Guys, here we are in Belarus. Belarusians greet each other with the words: "Good Zen!"
Traditions: Belarusians are friendly and good-natured people, they are always glad to guests. The pride of the country is the preserved folklore - songs, dances, games, fairy tales, legends, riddles, floorboards and sayings of ancestors. The same can be said about folk crafts: pottery, wicker and straw weaving, weaving, embroidery, glass painting and other activities.
National dish: potato pancakes.

Leading: And now, you and I will play the national game of Belarusians "Parssenak".
Game progress: The players stand in a circle, keeping their hands in front of the boat. One presenter is selected. The host is holding a small shiny object (ring). The presenter walks in a circle and puts a ring in everyone's hands.
Leading:
Eight on a cruise I'm going,
Let's put it on
Matsney handles zatsiskayce
Yes, glyadzitse, not a son.
The leader quietly puts a ring on one of the children, and then goes out of the circle and says: "Parstsionachak, parstsionachak, go out to the ganachak!" The one who has a ring in his palms runs out, and the children must try to hold him back, not to let him out of the circle.
After the words: "Parstsionachak, parstsionachak, go out to the ganachak!" - all players must join hands in order not to let the player with the ring in hand out of the circle.
Leading:
Fly, fly petal
Through the North, through the South
Come back in a circle
As soon as you touch the ground
Be, in my opinion, lead (The presenter tears off the petal from the flower on which the country is written).
Take us to Germany.

Leading: And now we are in Germany. Greetings from the Germans: "Guten tag!"
Traditions: German first-graders at the end of summer walk with large multi-colored bags, and in the bags there are not flowers for the teacher, but sweets: marmalade, chocolate, dates, dried tangerines, waffles, gingerbread.
National dishes: Bavarian sausages, "Sauerkraut" - stewed sauerkraut.

Leading: German national game "Auto Racing".
Game progress: The game is attended by at least 2 people. You need to take 2 toy cars, two wooden sticks and two long cords.
Toy cars should be tied to cords, which in turn should be tied to sticks.
Wooden sticks should be held by two children. The essence of the game is to, on command, wind the cord around the stick as quickly as possible, thus pulling the car towards you.
Leading:
Fly, fly petal
Through the North, through the South
Come back in a circle
As soon as you touch the ground
Be, in my opinion, lead (The presenter tears off the petal from the flower on which the country is written).
Take us to the United States of America.

Leading: Guys, probably all of you would like some smiles. The culture of the United States is the culture of successful people. And a smile is just considered in this country a symbol of human well-being. If an American smiles, then everything is ok. The Americans greet their guests: "Welcom!"
Traditions: Americans of all ages love to send and receive valentines. Valentines are a symbol of love. Often soft toys are attached to valentines, mainly bears, sweets, jewelry. Children in primary schools make valentines for their classmates and put them in a large decorated box, like a letterbox. On February 14, the teacher opens the box and distributes valentines. After the students read the received valentines, they all celebrate the holiday together.
National American dishes: turkey, steak, Apple pie, Pizza.

Leading: The favorite game of American children "The most attentive".
Game progress: All participants sit in a circle. The presenter says: "Nose, nose, nose." And he grabs the nose with his hand, and at the fourth word "nose" he touches, for example, the ear. Seated people should do everything as the leader says, and not repeat his movements. Those who make mistakes are eliminated from the game. The last player, the most attentive, wins.
Leading:
Fly, fly petal
Through the North, through the South
Come back in a circle
As soon as you touch the ground
Be, in my opinion, lead (The presenter tears off the petal from the flower on which the country is written).
Take us to Austria.

Leading: Guys, you and I ended up in Austria. The greeting of the Austrians sounds "Servus".
Traditions: women love to open doors. But in public transport, only the elderly and pregnant women are allowed to give way. Calling by name is used extremely rarely - and only between well-known people. A characteristic feature of local life is a certain distance between people. Even well-known people rarely get closer to a distance less than an outstretched arm and sit at the table at a fair distance from each other by our standards.
National dish: Wiener Schnitzel.

Leading: National game of the Austrians "Find a headscarf!"
Game progress: The players choose the driver who hides the scarf, while the others close their eyes at this time. The scarf is hidden in a small area, which is marked in advance. Hiding the handkerchief, the player says: "The handkerchief is resting." Everyone begins to search, the search is directed by the one who hid the scarf. If he says “warm”, the walker knows that he is close to the place where the handkerchief is located, “hot” - in the immediate vicinity of him, “fire” - then the handkerchief must be taken. When the seeker moves away from the place where the scarf is hidden, the guide warns him with the words "cool", "cold". The one who finds the handkerchief does not talk about it, but quietly sneaks up on the player who is closest to him and hits him with the handkerchief. In the next round, he will hide the scarf.
Leading:
Fly, fly petal
Through the North, through the South
Come back in a circle
As soon as you touch the ground
Be, in my opinion, lead (The presenter tears off the petal from the flower on which the country is written).
Take us to Greece.

Leading: And the last country we will visit today is Greece. Greetings from the Greeks sounds like "Calimera".
Traditions: Greeks are open and hospitable people. They treat strangers friendly, try not to openly show that they do not like something. These people are not very punctual. Adults and children wear a turquoise bead as an amulet, sometimes with an eye painted on it. For the same reason, turquoise beads adorn the necks of horses and donkeys in villages and rear-view mirrors in cars.
National dishes: souvlaki - pieces of barbecue meat with potatoes, gyros - slices of fried meat with french fries, feta cheese.

Leading: And now the time has come for the Greeks to play "Ball in the Palm".
Game progress: The participants of the game line up 30-40 cm apart from each other. Outstretched arms with open palms are held behind the back. One of the players, walking along the line, pretends to lower the ball into someone's hand. Players shouldn't look back. Finally, he drops the ball into his hand, and the player who received it breaks out of the line. Neighbors in a row must grab him before he moves. But at the same time, they have no right to go off the line. If they fail to grab him, he can return to his seat and play continues. If captured, he swaps places with the leader, and the game continues.
Leading: Guys, our journey across countries is coming to an end. Thank you all for your active participation, your curiosity in the interactive platform. I hope that the knowledge gained will be useful to you in life!

Svetlana Gladushchenko
Summary of the lesson "Such different peoples of the world"

Today we will get to know you peoples of the world... We will talk about peoples in the past tense, because in our time the life of many people, especially in cities, is little different from different nations ... Of course, there are national differences, but they are less than many years ago.

We will begin our acquaintance with Japan. The traditional Japanese dwelling is called a minka. It was made of wood and paper, and the roof was covered with straw or tiles. The main roof in it rests on supports made of wooden beams. All Japanese people wore a national dress called kimono. It was made from one whole piece of fabric and fastened at the waist with a special obi belt. And they put wooden shoes on their feet - geta. The Japanese love to eat fresh, raw food. The basis of Japanese cuisine is rice, seafood (shrimp, fish, hot spices are also used. The Japanese take food not with forks and spoons, but with special chopsticks. One of the main holidays in Japan is Hinamatsuri (Holiday of the dolls)... On this day, girls, dressed in beautiful kimonos, lower boats with paper dolls down the river. These dolls should carry away all troubles and misfortunes. Blooming sakura is one of the symbols of Japan.

Next, let's go to India. The Indians lived in mud-brick huts with a roof covered with thatched or barrel-shaped dwellings of stone, wood, bamboo without windows. The Indian woman's costume is called a sari and consists of a very long piece of cloth that is wrapped around the body. All Indian women wear jewelry (rings, bracelets, earrings, necklaces) and love bright colors in clothes. Indian men wear a white long or short loincloth-dhoti, some also wear a shirt. A long piece of cloth is tied on the head - a turban, it protects from the heat, because it is moistened with water. Indian food distinguished by great variety of spices... Hindus eat a lot of grains, vegetables and fruits, many of them do not eat meat at all. India has interesting holidays "Monkey Feast"... In one of the regions of India, a round table is laid every year with all sorts of delicacies for monkeys in honor of God Rama and his monkey troops. "Festival of colors"... New Delhi celebrates the arrival of spring by pouring rainbow colored water on each other. And also India is the birthplace of yogis. These people, after long special training, can do things that others cannot - walk on broken glass, lie on a board with nails driven in without any harm to the body, and incredible postures and even sleep upside down.

Now we will visit Africa and find out how they lived, and even now local tribes live. In southern Africa, villagers build a rondavel dwelling of stone with a conical cane roof. And in the hottest regions of Africa, locals rest in clay and straw huts. The clothes of the African people differ in different tribes... For example, women in East Africa wear a kanga, a piece of fabric with a variegated pattern wrapped around the body. And often the inhabitants of Africa, due to the intense heat, are limited to one loincloth. The usual food of Africans is porridge made from corn, barley, millet; hunting meat, fruits, bananas, papaya. One of the important traditions of African tribes is ritual dances. There are warrior dances, fertility dances, etc. every November in Mambasa (Kenya) a musical carnival is held, where representatives of all tribes of Kenya come, they walk in a motley procession through the city, play their musical instruments, then ride national dhow boats and ride donkeys.

Then we will go to America. Indians have been living there for a long time. Their dwelling wigwam or chibi is a hut made of long and thin wooden sticks, which are covered with bison skins on top. Indian men wore a loincloth made of leather or fabric, sometimes leather trousers, and wore a cape decorated with patterns on top. Women in Indian tribes wore leggings and long tunics or dresses and decorated them with beaded embroidery, fringes and patterns. Both men and women wore leather loafers on their feet. The most popular hairstyle among the Indians was braiding. The main men of the tribe wore a headdress made of eagle feathers. American Indians ate bison meat, cereals (rice, corn, vegetables (pumpkin, zucchini)... For example, their typical succotash dish consists of beans, tomatoes, and corn. About tomatoes, potatoes, all kinds of peppers, cocoa beans (of which chocolate is made) people of all the world learned thanks to the Indians. Each tribe of Indians chose their own totem (one of the species of animals or a natural phenomenon) and believed that it was protecting the tribe from harm. Indians different tribes gather every year all together for the Pau-Wow festival. They dress in traditional clothes, play games, dance, and compete.

Now let's head to the very north of America, where the Eskimos live. Snow lies in their homeland for most of the year, so the Eskimos have learned to build their own dwellings from snow. The snow house is called an igloo. It consists of snow blocks in the form of half a ball and is lined with animal skins from the inside. The entrance to the igloo is below floor level. To keep warm, a bowl of fat is lit inside the snow house. Traditional clothing of the Eskimos - kuhlyanka. This fur coat with a hood is sewn from animal skins in two layers. They wore fur pants and high boots on their feet (fur boots)... The woman's hair was braided in two braids, and the men shaved. The main part of the Eskimo food is raw, frozen, jerky meat of northern animals and inhabitants of the seas (seal, walrus, deer, whale) and fish. They also eat the roots, stems and leaves of northern plants, algae and berries. Every year at the end of spring, the Eskimos celebrate Atygak (holiday of the beginning of spring hunting or launching the canoe)... Baidara is a boat on which the Eskimos hunt in the sea. All the men in the settlement put on the baydara, then put on white clothes, paint their faces with graphite lines for good luck in the hunt and sacrifice pieces of meat to the spirits, throwing them into the sea and into the air. When members of the Eskimo family greet each other, they press their nose and upper lip against the face of a relative. (because they only have their face open).

Now let's go to Europe. There are many peoples with their own traditions and way of life. For example, the national Greek men's costume is called fustanella and consists of a white skirt with folds (there should be exactly 400 of them, a white shirt with wide sleeves, a vest and a belt. a vest, an apron, decorated with embroidery and coins.A traditional dwelling in one of the regions of Spain is called palyaso.It was round in shape, made of stone, and the roof on thatched frame and wood.

One of the best cuisines the world Italian cuisine is recognized. Italians love to eat pasta dough products (pasta, ravioli (like our dumplings, lasagne and pizza. Also in Italy they eat a lot of vegetables (tomatoes, eggplants, cheese, olives. In Germany, parents give their children who go to school for the first time) with sweets, toys and gifts, but they can only be opened at home after returning from school. In Scotland, thousands of people gather for the fire festival every year. They dress in national costumes, play traditional music and parade with lighted torches.

Let's end our acquaintance in the peoples of the world the Russian people... Russians lived in wooden log huts (hewn tree trunks)... The costume of a Russian girl consisted of a shirt and a long sundress to the floor, a kokoshnik was worn on the head, and bast shoes on the legs. The Russian young man wore a long shirt-shirt, trousers (pants, they put bast shoes on their feet, and a jacket (cap)... Most often, Russians ate cabbage soup, porridge, pies with different fillings, vegetables (cabbage, turnips, peas, berries, mushrooms, they drank kvass. Holidays in Russia were associated with religion - Christmas, Shrovetide, Easter. For example, pancakes were prepared for Shrovetide and the whole village burned a scarecrow of winter, rejoicing in the imminent arrival of spring. Hospitality was always one of the main Russian traditions, the guest was greeted with bread and salt, and then treated to everything that was in the house.

Today we visited we visited different countries the world and learned a lot about their peoples... We realized that between people different nations there are big differences in customs, holidays, and Everyday life... But they also have a lot in common, because all people live on the same planet and have the same origin. Each people unique and has its own value.

Our Earth is a truly extraordinary place. This is probably why interesting facts about the countries of the world you can find a great many. The most "musical" state on the planet, a city where it is officially forbidden to die and a small American village, the mayor of which is a cat - read about this and much more later in our article.

• The American city of Yuma, located in the southern state of Arizona, is officially the hottest city on earth.

In some of its suburbs, daylight hours reach 11 (!) Hours, and 90 percent of weather forecasts speak of dry and clear weather. In total, the sun shines over Yuma for more than 4000 hours during the year. And the average annual temperature reaches 32 degrees Celsius.

• But the coldest place on our planet is the Polar Plateau, located in Antarctica.

In this place, the temperature often drops to -90 degrees!

• The most popular country among tourists is sunny and romantic France.

According to the UNWTO (World Tourism Organization), over 85 million people visit the country every year. The second and third places are taken by the United States (70 million) and (61 million). Rounding out the ten most popular tourist countries are Thailand (27 million) and Russia (28 million). Iran is at the very tail of the rating. Only 15 percent of tourists who visited this ancient state rated their trip positively. Although recently the trend has begun to change.

• A lot interesting facts about countries can be found in our native Europe.

For example, Iceland is considered the cleanest and most environmentally friendly state on the planet, and the Dutch city of Groningen is the city with the highest number of bicycles per capita. In addition, Prague Castle, located in the center of the Czech capital, is the largest presidential residence in the world, as well as the largest castle on the planet.

In addition to this, the Czech Republic holds another record - the inhabitants of this country drink more beer than any other nation in the world. On average, one adult resident of the Czech Republic drinks over 165 liters of beer per calendar year. Russia, traditionally considered a very drinking country, occupies only the fifth place in the general list.

• A prosperous and in every sense successful Sweden is known as the most musical country on the planet.

Despite the fact that the population of the kingdom is relatively small - only 9.7 million people - it is here that the largest number of world pop stars per capita is accounted for. Abba, Europe, Ace of Base, Loreen, Arash, Doctor Alban, Army of Lovers, E-Type, The Cardigans, Basshunter - all these are just a few of the wonderful performers that this northern country has given the world.

• However, interesting facts about European countries this does not end there.

For example, Greece is the country with the highest sex rates (at least this is where the largest number of condoms per capita is sold each year). But the most "happy" countries on the planet, according to the UN, are Norway and Denmark.

In addition, Norway is known for the fact that it is on its territory that the small town of Longyearbyen is located, in which it is officially forbidden to die. However, so interesting fact it is by no means explained by superstition or by the fact that the total number of inhabitants in the city barely reaches 1000 people. The reason is the frozen ground that Longyearbyen is on. Because of high degree bodies buried in the vicinity of the city do not decompose, thereby creating bad smell and attracting wild animals to the surroundings. Therefore, all people who are near death or have recently passed away are sent to the more southern regions of the country, where they are buried with all due honors.

• Interesting Facts about countries can be found outside the Old World. For example, South Sudan is known as the youngest state on the planet (officially recognized by all UN members). But Canada can boast of the fact that it is in its vast expanses that the largest number of people with higher education live.

In addition, this North American state has the largest number of lakes in the world.

• A considerable amount interesting facts Canada's neighbor, the United States, may also please us.

Just what is the fact that it is in America that the largest number of the rich on the planet live. The number of dollar millionaires in this country exceeds seven million people, which is the largest population, and Estonia combined. But that's not all. It is estimated that it is the Americans who are the most voracious nation in the world. Every year, US residents eat 18 hectares of pizza and 20 billion hot dogs.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that over 68 percent of Americans are overweight.

• Another interesting fact lies in the fact that it is in the United States that the city of Sharon is located, the mayor of which is not a man, but a cat.

The "political career" of a cat named Freddie began in a rather banal way: every day he came to the building of the city administration, where he spent most of his free time. Soon everyone fell in love with the cute cat and began to feed him. At first, only one woman was engaged in this - the city treasurer, but later almost the whole city joined in taking care of the "four-legged politics". They began to bring food, toys and even personal savings to the mayor's office of a small town to buy things necessary for Freddie. Thus, the charming cat became everyone's favorite, and at the same time one of the most popular residents of the city. As a result, very soon the cat became a symbol and a kind of mascot of the city of Sharon, and some time later was officially appointed its mayor. However, of course, Freddie has no special responsibilities. After all, the real governor of the city is not the mayor, but the municipal president. Therefore, the position of the mayor itself is, in fact, ceremonial.

• The Nepalese city of Kathmandu, famous for the fact that there are practically no cats here, became famous for a completely opposite achievement. So interesting fact, however, the explanation is rather banal: the thing is that there are a lot of monkeys in the capital of Nepal.

As a result, over the centuries, cats have actually been driven out of the city by constant attacks from lively and unfriendly macaques. Today cats in Kathmandu are found only in local temples. Surprisingly, rare and unusual creatures for the city are officially recognized as sacred in Nepal.

What interesting facts about countries and cities do you know?

© Boris Yasny, 2018

ISBN 978-5-4493-1782-7

Powered by Ridero Intelligent Publishing System

OUR ASTRONOMIC ADDRESS

Each of us knows our address. House, street, city, country, finally, planet Earth. Our planet rotates at a distance of one astronomical unit, equal to 149,597,870 km. around the sun star in the solar system.

Light covers this distance in 8 minutes and 20 seconds. During the year, light flies by 63 241 126 astronomical units or ≈ 9 460 528 447 488 km. In the vast universe solar system is in the galaxy Milky Way in the Orion arm at an enormous distance of 26 thousand light years from the center. And together with another 200 billion stars, it revolves around the center of the galaxy.

Our neighbors, the Andromeda galaxy, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, together with our galaxy, are part of the Virgo Supercluster of galaxies, covering a space of about 200 million light years, and numbering about thirty thousand galaxies.

Planet Earth - the third planet from the Sun has 6 continents: Eurasia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, North and South America. On 5 of them (except Antarctica) there are 251 countries and a population of more than 7.55 billion people.

World map

EUROPE

GREAT BRITAIN

Territory (78 in the world) - 243,809 km2. Population (22 in the world) - 63 395 000 people. The official language is English.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - located on the islands of the British archipelago of northern Europe. And also: in the northeastern part of the island of Ireland, on the Hebrides, Shetland, Orkney Islands and Anglesey, Arran, Wyatt in the Atlantic Ocean.

The United Kingdom is washed by the North, Irish, Celtic and Hebrides seas. In the southeast, the English Channel (35 km.) Separates it from France. We often call Great Britain England, but England is only part of the United Kingdom. It also includes Scotland in the north, Wales in the west of the British Archipelago and Northern Ireland.

The form of government is a parliamentary monarchy. The queen hosts parades, arranges balls, is a symbol of the state. The country is ruled by a prime minister and parliament. Great Britain is a big country. There are high mountains (Ben Nevis 1344m), Ben - Macdi (1309m), and large rivers: Severn, Thames, Trent, and large lakes: Doh Nei, Loch Nes (which is said to be home to the dinosaur Nessie). There are Royal forests with huge old trees, oaks, birches and other deciduous species. There are pine groves and plantations, grassy pastures and heather hills. It is home to roe deer and deer, raccoons and foxes, otters, ermines and weasels, many birds and fish in the coastal waters. But most of all in the Kingdom of rabbits and gray hares. The weather in the UK is foggy and rainy, but warm thanks to the ocean current of the Gulf Stream.

Since ancient times, people have settled on this land and built cities. But the legions of the Roman Empire came and took over Britain, making it their province. Rome ruled her for a long 400 years, but fell after the invasion of the Germanic and Anglo-Saxon tribes. Then the British lands united and formed the Kingdom of England. The British built a mighty fleet and set out across all seas and oceans to populate new lands and conquer colonies for themselves. They began to rule India and Australia, America and South Africa... This is how the British Empire came into being. Then England and Scotland united and called themselves Great Britain. Ireland joined them. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was formed. The British Empire owned many overseas colonies and fought many countries. By our time, many colonies have become independent states, but Great Britain is still one of the most powerful countries in the world.

Its capital is London

For many centuries London has stood on the River Thames. Neither fires nor plague epidemics could destroy it. He was never captured by enemies. London has many ancient castles, palaces and cathedrals. Among them: Westminster Palace - for over 900 years is the home of the British government, Buckingham Palace - the residence of monarchs, Westminster Abbey - a Gothic church, built intermittently for about 500 years since 1245, St. Paul's Cathedral - the seat of the bishop, Tower Bridge - drawbridge the bridge - the symbol of London, Trafalgar Square - was built in honor of the victory over France in 1805, Piccadilly Circus - the center of London. There are a lot of museums, beautiful modern buildings, parks and squares.

Great Britain is the birthplace of great scientists: Newton, Darwin, Faraday. Writers: Swift (author of stories about Gulliver), Dafoe (who wrote a book about Robinson Crusoe), Shakespeare (Hamlet) Composers: Bird, Purcell, Sullivan. Artists: Constable, Blake, Palmer.

Did you know that the UK has had the largest number of queens ruling the country? That "Big Ben" This is not the name of the tall clock tower, but the name of the huge bell inside it. That snow rarely falls in London in winter? This is a whole event. Residents quit all business and run outside to make snowmen and ride down slides on inflatable mattresses. That all the swans on the River Thames are legally the property of the Queen?

G E R M A N I

Territory (62 in the world) - 357,021 km2. Population (16 in the world) - 80,523,000 people. The official language is German.

In the center of Europe is the Federal Republic of Germany. This is a big country. It is ruled by parliament and the chancellor. In the north of Germany there is a plain, and in the south there are the Alps mountains. The highest mountain is called the Zugspitze. Its height is 2962 meters. Many rivers flow through the territory of Germany. The largest of them are the Rhine, Danube, Elbe and Oder. There are lakes. The largest is Constance. The weather changes frequently. A sunny day can suddenly turn cold. In the north of the country the climate is maritime, in the south it is moderately continental. But there are no severe frosts and heat. Forests are found only on the slopes of the mountains. Fir-trees, pines, beech grow in the forests. There are a lot of flowers and cultivated plants on the plains.

The animals of Germany are wild boars, foxes, red deer, roe deer, fallow deer, squirrels and hares, marmots and otters. There are many ducks, geese, marsh and small birds near the water, storks are found. In the reservoirs of Germany there are about 70 species of fish. These are mainly carp, as well as eel, salmon and herring.

Even in ancient times, warlike tribes lived on the territory of Germany. The Romans called them barbarians. In 476, the barbarians conquered the Roman Empire and created the Frankish Empire, led by Charlemagne. Germany, together with Italy, became part of it. In 962, the Holy Roman Empire was founded by King Otto I the Great. She was to become the successor of the Ancient Roman Empire and the Frankish Empire of Charlemagne. For many centuries, the Holy Roman Empire was the center of Western Christendom. From 1512 it became known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation.

Germany went from medieval fragmentation and peasant wars, through the Renaissance to the rise of the Kingdom of Prussia. As a result of the wars with the French emperor Napoleon in 1806, the Holy Roman Empire fell. The Confederation of the Rhine was formed in its place. Germany became an ally of Napoleon. After the defeat of Napoleon and the Rhine Union ceased to exist. In the XIX, the German lands were united into the German Empire.

The German Empire began to seize the colonies. By the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Germany had the most powerful army in the world. But in 1918 she was defeated by Russia, England, France and America. Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated the throne, after which the Weimar Republic was proclaimed. After revolutionary uprisings and a change of government in 1933, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi National Socialist Party came to power.

The Nazi regime was called the Third Reich. Year after year, Hitler intensified terror and dictatorship. Physically destroyed all his opponents. In 1939, Germany unleashed World War II. The second World War is a tremendous tragedy for all mankind. It was attended by 61 states. Thousands of cities and villages were destroyed. 54 million people died. 90 million - were crippled. At the cost of tremendous efforts and sacrifices, the alliance of Russia, England and the United States managed to defeat fascism. On May 9, 1945 Germany surrendered. On May 23, 1945, the German Empire ceased to exist. The history of the formation and unification of post-war Germany is the history of democratic transformations and an amazing economic recovery. Germany again took the leading place among the countries of the world. All cities in Germany are stunningly beautiful, but Berlin is officially the capital.

Berlin is the second largest city in Europe after London. Berlin is a very green city. It contains a huge number of parks, squares, groves, rivers and canals. The Tiergarten Park and the Botanical Gardens are Berliners' favorite vacation spots. Magnificent buildings adorn Berlin. These are the Reichstag on Republic Square, the German State Opera, the Humboldt University, the Museum of German History, Bebelplatz Square and St. Hedwig's Cathedral. Many theaters, art galleries. Interesting fact. There are more than a hundred settlements in the world with the name Berlin!

Germany is a country that gave the world great thinkers: Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer. Brilliant writers: Sebastian Brunt, Bertolt Brecht, Goethe, Schieler, Feuchtwanger. Composers: Bach, Wagner, Abel, Beethoven, Brahms, Handel. Scientists and inventors: Gaus, Geiger, Heisinberg, Kepler, Leibniz, Ohm, Plnck, Roentgen, Schliemann, Einstein. Artists: Altdorfer Albrecht, Grunewald Matthias, Dürer, Rubens.

FRANCE

Territory (48th in the world) - 674 685 km2. Population (21 in the world) - 65 951 000 people. The official language is French.

The head of the French Republic is the President. The head of government is the prime minister. Laws are approved by Parliament. Most of France is located in Western Europe... The state also includes the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea and more than 20 dependent territories.

France is washed by the La Manche, the North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. In the north and west of the country, there are plains and low mountains. Plains occupy 2/3 of the country's territory. The rest is mountain ranges: Alps, Pyrenees, Jura, Ardennes, Massif Central and Vosges. The highest mountain is Mont Blanc (4807m.).

The largest rivers of the country: Seine and its tributaries, Garonne, Rhone, Loire. There are not many lakes. The largest are Bourget, Annecy and Lake Geneva. The climate in the European territory of France is moderately maritime, changing in the east to moderately continental, and on the southern coast to subtropical. Summer is hot and dry +25 degrees C, in winter it rains +7 -8 degrees C.

Forests cover one third of the country's territory. Hazel, birch, oak grow in the north. spruce and cork. On the Mediterranean coast there are palms and citrus fruits. There are many vineyards in France. Deer, fox, roe deer, wild boar stand out among the animal world. There are a lot of birds, including migratory ones. Reptiles are rare, among the snakes there is one venomous viper. Many types of fish in the waters of the seas and rivers. Mackerel, hake, flounder, herring, tuna, cod, sardine.

In ancient times, Celtic Gauls tribes lived in France. As a result of the Gallic War of Julius Caesar, in the 1st century BC, France became part of the Roman Empire as a province of Gaul. In 486, Gaul was conquered by the Germanic tribes of the Franks. The Frankish state was formed. In the 10th century, the country began to be called France.

The following times were notable for the Crusades, Religious Wars and the Hundred Years War with England. It began in 1337 and ended, with the participation of Joan of Arc, with the surrender of the British. By the reign of Louis XI in 1461-1483, France turns into an absolute monarchy. Subsequently, France fought with Spain for control of Italy. In 1572, religious wars between Catholics and Protestants resulted in the St. Bartholomew's night of the massacre of Protestants in Paris. Then the Protestants were made equal. Thirty Years War with the Swedes. When the country was ruled by the minister of King Louis XIII, Cardinal Richelieu (familiar to us from the book "The Three Musketeers"). Then the reign of the king - the sun of Louis XIV, the uprising of the urban lower classes - the Fronde, against Mazarin and Queen Mother Anne of Austria. The war with Spain, the Dutch war, Again the persecution of Protestants. The reign of Louis XV from 1715 to 1774. In 1789 - the Great French Revolution. Overthrow of the monarchy. First republic. Jacobin terror. Capture of the Netherlands, Venice and a campaign in Egypt. In 1799, Napoleon became emperor. Militarily conquers Europe. Hike to Russia. The defeat and flight of Napoleon to France. 1815 - The Battle of Waterloo, the defeat of Napoleon and his capture on the island of St. Helena. Then the restoration of royal power. Second republic. Second Empire - Napoleon III. Third republic. 1870 - 1871 years of war with Prussia. Paris commune. 1914 - the First World War. 1939-1945-World War II. France fought against Germany in both wars. Fourth republic. And in 1958 the Fifth Republic. Charles de Gaulle was elected President. The French colonies declared independence. And finally, joining the European Union. The capital of France is Paris.

Paris was founded in the 3rd century BC by the Celtic tribe of the Parisians. From the III - IV century. known as the Gallo-Roman city of Parisia. Since the end of the 10th century, with interruptions, it has been the capital of France. Paris is home to a huge number of attractions. These include not only architectural buildings, but squares, streets, bridges and parks. Paris has 1,800 historical sites and 130 museums. The symbol of Paris is the Eiffel Tower. Also the Tour Montparnasse tower, the Sacre-Coeur Basilica, the Louvre Museum, the Tuileries Gardens, the Champs Elysees Avenue, the Arc de Triomphe, the Square of the Star. Great Arch of Defense, War Museum - House of Invalids, Pantheon. The historic center is the Ile de la Cité, Notre-Dame Cathedral and Sainte-Chapelle. In the suburbs of the royal palace of Versailles. And many modern buildings, sports and science centers.

Did you know that the only Disneyland in Europe is located in Paris? And what magnificent sculpture of the Statue of Liberty did France give the Americans? The whole world knows the names of the great French writers and poets: Balzac, Dumas, Hugo, Moliere, La Fontaine. Scientists and inventors: Eiffel, Louis Pasteur, Blaise Pascal, Brothers Montgolfier, Ampere, Laplace, Lagrange. Artists: Gauguin, Degas, Monet, Renoir, Rodin. Musicians and composers: Bizet, Gounod, Debussy, Ravel. Singers and performer: Joe Dassin, Charles Aznavour, Edith Piaf, Patricia Kaas. Cinema actors: Jean Mare, Jean Reno, Michel Mercier, Mylene de Mongeau, Louis De Funes, Depardieu, Gabin, Bourville. Athletes: figure skaters Natalie Neshalet and Fabienne Bourzat, biathlete Simon Fourcade, skater Alexis Contein, football players Zinedine Zidane, Raymond Domenech, Lilian Thuram. All the names simply cannot be enumerated. It is impossible to exaggerate the contribution of France to world culture, science and industrial production of perfumery, wine, mechanical engineering.