The English Speaking Countries

The U.K.- the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

•            England
•            Scotland
•            Wales
•            Northern Ireland

- are parts of the United Kingdom

The population – 67 mil. (2023)

Flags of:

Northern Ireland Scotland

Wales England

United Kingdom

The flag – “Union Jack”

ENGLAND

capital - London the national flower–the

rose

patron Saint – St. George (April 23)

Wales

Capital – Cardiff The national flower – the daffodil Patron saint –

St. David (March 1)

There are many explanations of how the leek came to be adopted as the national emblem of Wales. One is that St David advised the Welsh, on the eve of the battle with the Saxons, to wear leeks in their caps to distinguish friend from foe. As Shakespeare records in Henry V the Welsh archers wore leeks at the battle of Agincourt in 1415.

Scotland

Capital – Edinburgh The national flower– the thistle and Scottish Bluebell

Patron saint – St. Andrew ( November 30)

There is a legend which relates how a sleeping party of Scots warriors was almost set upon by an invading band of Vikings and were only saved when one of the attackers trod on a wild thistle with his bare feet. His cries raised the alarm and the roused Scots duly defeated the Danes. In gratitude, the plant became known as the Guardian Thistle and was adopted as the symbol of Scotland.

Northern Ireland

Capital – Belfast The national flower - shamrock

Patron saint – St. Patrick ( March 17)

An Irish tale tells of how Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day.

The United States of America

The flag – Stars and Stripes

Anthem – Star Spangled Banner

capital - Washington The national bird -

the Bald Eagle (since 1782) Population – 335 mil (2023)

Great seal There are fifty of the US                            states

Symbols of the USA

Canada

capital - Ottawa

the national plant - maple leaf

Population – 39 mil Provinces - 10

Languages – English, French

Symbols of Canada

The population – 40 mil capital - Canberra Unique animals – kangaroo, crocodile,

koala, lizard, dingo,

echidna, ostrich emu, platypus, black swan

Australia

Most famous landmarks

New Zealand

The Coat of Arms -- capital - Wellington the symbols - the kiwi the Pohutukawa Tree the Kowhai Tree Population – 5,1 mil

Task for the students

Fill in the blanks:

The parts of the UK are …………………………….. The capital of the UK is………………………………… The symbol of England is …………………………… The symbol of the USA is ……………………………… The capital of the USA is ……………………………….. The symbol of Canada is ……………………………

The capital of Canada is ……………………………. The symbol of Australia is ………………………….. The capital of Australia is …………………………… The symbol of New Zealand is ………………………. The capital of New Zealand is ………………………..