不列顛（Britain）是什麼? - What is Britain?

英國是由包含大不列顛（英格蘭、蘇格蘭和威爾斯）和北愛爾蘭所組成，為歐盟(EU)25 個會員國之一。全名是大不列顛聯合王國和北愛爾蘭。

Britain comprises Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland, and is one of the 15 member states of the European Union (EU). Its full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

英國涵蓋不列顛群島的大部分，其中最大的島為大不列顛，第二大的是北愛爾蘭和愛爾蘭共和國。西蘇格蘭在大群島Hebrides的邊緣。蘇格蘭本土的東北邊有Orkney島和Shetland島。以上這些加上 Wight群島、Anglesey和Scilly群島都是英國的行政區。不過愛爾蘭海上的Man群島和位於大不列顛和法國之間的Channel群島是自治區，不受英國政府管轄。

Britain constitutes the greater part of the British Isles. The largest of the islands is Great Britain. The next largest comprises Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. Western Scotland is fringed by the large island chain known as the Hebrides, and to the north east of the Scottish mainland are the Orkney and Shetland Islands. All these, along with the Isle of Wight, Anglesey and the Isles of Scilly have administrative ties with the mainland, but the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea and the Channel Islands, between Great Britain and France, are largely self-governing and are not part of the United Kingdom.

雖然Channel群島和Man群島不是英國領土，但它們與英國有特殊的關係。10和11世紀期間Channel群島是諾曼地公爵領地，在15世紀諾曼地變成法國領土後仍然屬於英國。 Man群島在名義上由挪威管轄 直至1266年 ，到了1765年才由英國管轄。目前它們有自己的立法機構和法令規章，Man群島並有自己的稅制。英國政府負責它們的國際關係和對外防禦。

Although the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not part of the United Kingdom they have a special relationship with it. The Channel Islands were part of the Duchy of Normandy in the 10th and 11th centuries and remained subject to the English Crown after the final loss of Normandy to the French in the 15th century. The Isle of Man was under the nominal sovereignty of Norway until 1266 and eventually came under the direct administration of the British Crown in 1765. Today the territories have their own legislative assemblies and systems of law, the Isle of Man also has its own system of taxation. The British Government is responsible for their international relations and external defense.

總面積242,000平方公里（93,000 平方英里），由南部海濱到蘇格蘭的極北點總長約一千公里（約600英里），東西長約500公里（約300英里）。包括英格蘭和威爾斯，大不列顛的海岸線總長14,549 公里 (9,040 英里)，若加上各島嶼，則有9,335 公里（5,800 英里）。英國本土的北端是蘇格蘭東北的Dunnet Head，南端是Cornwall的Lizard Point 。

With an area of about 242,000 sq km (93,000 sq miles), Britain is just under 1,000 km (about 600 miles) from the south coast to the extreme north of Scotland and just under 500 km (around 300 miles) across at the widest point. The coastline of Great Britain is 14,549 kms (9,040 miles) with England and Wales, including islands taking up 5,214 kms (8,389 miles) of this figure and Scotland, including islands 9,335 kms (5,800 miles). The most northerly point on the British mainland is Dunnet Head, north-east Scotland and the most southerly, Lizard Point, Cornwall.

國會和君主制

Parliament and the Monarchy

國會

Parliament

國會主要由女王、上議院和下議院所組成。它們只有在國家重要儀式時聚會，像是國會開幕儀式，女王會召集下議院議員至上議院。立法須經過國會決議，不過女王享有一定的優先權。國會的主要機能有:

• 法案的通過
• 提供、表決使政府能夠運作的稅制
• 審查政府法令和行政以及預算
• 辯論當日的重要議題

The three elements which make up Parliament are the Queen, the House of Lords and the elected House of Commons. They meet together only on occasions of symbolic significance such as the State Opening of Parliament, when the Commons are summoned by the Queen to the House of Lords. The agreement of all three elements is normally required for legislation, but that of the Queen is given as a matter of course. The main functions of Parliament are:

• to pass laws
• to provide, by voting for taxation, the means of carrying on the work of government
• to scrutinise government policy and administration, including proposals for expenditure
• to debate the major issues of the day

蘇格蘭有自治國會，威爾斯有分別代表愛丁堡和卡地夫的議會。威爾斯和蘇格蘭都屬不列顛聯合王國的領土，在倫敦的西敏寺也都有國會代表。

Scotland has its own parliament, and Wales an elected Assembly, which sit in Edinburgh and Cardiff respectively. Both Scotland and Wales remain part of the United Kingdom and have continued representation in the Parliament at Westminster in London.

君主制

The Monarchy

君主制是歷史最悠久的政體。伊麗沙白二世是西元829年統一英國的愛格柏國王的嫡傳後裔。歷史上唯的共和國時期是1649到1660之間。

The Monarchy is the oldest institution of government. Queen Elizabeth II is directly descended from King Egbert, who united England under his rule in 829. The only interruption in the history of the Monarchy was the republic, which lasted from 1649 to 1660.

現今，女王不但是一國元首也是國家統一的表徵。女王的頭銜是伊麗沙白二世，她是大英國協之首、捍衛國教之人。在Channel群島和Man群島則有上尉總督為其代理人。

Today, the Queen is not only Head of State, but also an important symbol of national unity. The Queen's title in Britain is 'Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith'. In the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, the Queen is represented by a Lieutenant-Governor.

雖然君主制的所在地位於不列顛，女王同時也是許多大英國協會員國的元首。在這些地方女王的代理人是由女王和首相任命的總督將軍 ，他們的皇室頭銜不盡相同。其他大英國協會員國有些是共和國有些有自己的君主體系。隸屬英國的領土，多有總督代理行政職務。

Although the seat of the Monarchy is in Britain, the Queen is also head of state of a number of Commonwealth states. In each state, the Queen is represented by a Governor-General, appointed by her on the advice of the ministers of the country concerned and completely independent of the British Government. In each case the form of the royal title varies. Other Commonwealth states are republics or have their own monarchies. In British-dependent territories the Queen is usually represented by governors, who are responsible to the British Government for the administration of the countries concerned.

英國的語言

Languages spoken in Britain

英國有兩種官方語言，英語和威爾斯語。在蘇格蘭的某些地區則使用英語和蓋爾方言。

There are two official languages in Britain: English and Welsh. Although not an official language, Scottish Gaelic is spoken in some parts of Scotland, as well as English.

英語

English Language

英語是不列顛的語言也是全球通用的語言。大約有三億一千萬人以英語為母語，少數人以英國為第二語言。現代的英語來自盎格魯薩克遜的一種方言，不過也深受其它語言（如：法語）的影響。英語也有許多方言和變異語言。

English is the main language spoken in Britain and is also one of the most widely used languages in the world. Approximately 310 million people speak English as their first language, with a similar number speaking it as a second language. Modern English derives primarily from one of the dialects of Anglo-Saxon but has also been greatly influenced by other languages, such as French. There are many regional dialects and variations in the English language.

威爾斯語

Welsh Language

在威爾斯北部和西部的鄉間盛行威爾斯語，由於學校推廣雙語教育，會說威爾斯語的人口逐漸增加。威爾斯語目前更普遍為官方和廣播使用，也有更多的雙語的出版品和交通號誌。政府更誓言將增進威爾斯文化和倡導威爾斯語。

In much of the rural north and west of Wales, Welsh remains the first language of most of the population. The number of people able to speak Welsh is increasing with bilingual education in schools being encouraged. Welsh is also now more widely used for official purposes and in broadcasting. There are also many more bilingual publications and most road signs are bilingual. The Government has also reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing Welsh culture and developing greater use of the Welsh language.

人口數據

Population Figures

英國的人口總數約五千九百六十萬人（英格蘭 49,855,700人; 威爾斯 2,938,00人; 蘇格蘭 5,057,400人; 北愛爾蘭 1,702,600人）

The approximate population of the United Kingdom is 59.6 million people (England 49,855,700; Wales 2,938,00; Scotland 5,057,400; Northern Ireland 1,702,600).

環境

The Environment

雖然都市化程度和人口密度皆高，但在鄉間和海濱仍有不少天然風景區。有10個國家公園（註）、六個森林公園、36個風景區、22個自然保護區、近200個公立公園、長800公里（500英里）的海岸沿線有著許多的歷史古蹟遺址以及約兩千多棟代表英國歷史和傳統的建築和三千六百多個戶外花園。

Despite the relatively high population density and degree of urbanisation, there are still many unspoilt rural and coastal areas. There are ten National Parks*, six forest parks, 36 designated areas of outstanding natural beauty, 22 environmentally sensitive areas, almost 200 country parks approved by the Countryside Commission, 800 km (500 miles) of designated heritage coastline and about 2,000 historic buildings and some 3,600 gardens open to the public.

英國也有許多野生動植物，包括三萬多種動物、海洋生物與微生物，兩千八百多種植物和數千種苔蘚、真菌類和海藻。

Britain is also home to a great variety of wildlife, with an estimated 30,000 animal species as well as marine and microscopic life, about 2,800 species of 'higher' plants and many thousands of mosses, fungi and algae.

註： 七個位於英格蘭（達特磨爾, 愛克斯磨爾, 湖區, 皮克區, 諾桑柏倫、北約克摩爾斯和約克夏戴爾斯）、三個位於威爾斯（布來肯、潘布洛克夏海岸線和斯諾多尼雅）其他如諾福克自然風景區也受到國家公園級的保護。

* Seven in England (Dartmoor, Exmoor, the Lake District, the Peak District, Northumberland, the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales) and three in Wales (the Brecon Beacons, the Pembrokeshire Coastline and Snowdonia). Note that the Broads of Norfolk enjoy protection equivalent to that of a National Park.