21. General survey of the national economy ofGb Industry

As a pioneer of the industrial revolution, B's traditional strength has been manufacturing. B is a leading manufacturer of mechanical equipment, metal goods, motor vehicles and components, electrical and electronic goods, chemicals and office equipment. Productivity in steel manufacture and vehicle building has been increased as a result of modernization. The use of advanced technology, especially microelectronics, is steadily increasing in many industries. Steel and Mining Processing.

B is the world's 1 Oth largest steel producer; has one of Europe's largest non-ferrous metal industries, is a major producer of specialized alloys (cnjiaBbi) used by aerospace, electronic, petrochemical and other industries. Other mineral products - glass, bricks, cement and ceramics B is the world's main manufacturer of fine bone china, much of it exported, and the world's largest exporter of china clay, the 5th largest oil producer.

Mechanical engineering is an important source of export earning. Major products - machine tolls, agricultural tractors machinery, construction and mining equipment, and process plant for large-scale industries such as iron and steel manufacture, oil refining and nuclear power generation. The Br aerospace industry is 1 of the largest in the Western world, its products - civil and military aircraft, helicopters, aero-engines, guided weapon satellites. Rolls-Royce (An automobile brand, named after Charles Rolls (motorist and aviator) and Henry Royce (engineer) in 1906. In 1971 it was bought by Volkswagen) is 1 of the world's 3 leading aeroengine manufacturers Shipbuilding specializes in ferries and offshore technologies, support vessels, an advanced production capacity in optical fibres (hair-thin strand of glass) used in modem telecommunications systems.

The chemical industry is the 3d largest in Europe and the 5th largest in the Western World. ~12% of the world's research in Pharmaceuticals takes place in B. Many of the basic discoveries in plastics, including polyethylene, have been British. Textiles and Footwear.

The clothing industry, one of the largest in Europe, meets ~2/3 of domestic demands. The wool industry is one of the world's largest; B is a leading producer of woven carpets. Footwear factories supply more than 40% of the Br market and 1/3 of leather production is exported. Other manufactures.

Other major manufacturing industries -food and drink, timber and furniture, pointing and publishing, paper and board, and rubber. Jewellery and gold and silverware are exports enjoying a high reputation.

Construction, financial and business services, health and education, and leisure services have been major growth sectors. Computing services are of great importance. Tourism continues to be a major and growing source of employment. Trade.

B is the 4th largest trading nation in the world. About 60% of B's trade is with Western Europe; 6 out of top 10 Br export markets are members of the European Community B is the largest exporter of agricultural tractors and motor and railway vehicles and related components and equipment and also off-shore technologies and medicines.

21 B's main imports and exports

Despite having only 1% of the world's population, B is the 5th largest trading nation in the work The chemical industry is B's largest export earner, and the 3rd largest in Western Europe. Britisi Petroleum (BP) is B's biggest and Europe's 2nd biggest industrial company. U. K. pharmaceuti cal companies make 3 of the world's best selling medicines "Lantac" ulcer treatment. "Tenor min", a beta blocker for high blood pressure; and "AZT", a drug used in the treatment of AIDS B is a major supplier of machinery, vehicles, aerospace products, electrical and electroni equipment. B is responsible for 10% of the world's export of services, including banking, insui ance, stock broking, consultancy and computer programming B imports food, beverages, chemi cals, fuels, clothing, footwear.

The most important London industries - electrical engineering, instrument production, radio engineering aircraft production, manufacture of electronic equipment and car industry These high technology industries ar also located in the satellite towns within Greater L. L is a great center of the service industries. The main industries of England - the wool (Leeds and Bradford), heavy machinery, shipbuilding, the cottoi industry (Manchester).

B is the world's 9th largest oil producer and the 5th largest gas producer. Developing North Sea oil and gas ha created a huge support industry offering equipment and services to oil and gas companies at home and abroad. Important industries in Scotland - high technology industries: chemicals, electronic engineering and lighter forms o mechanical and instrument engineering. Shipbuilding - leading industry. Iron and steel engineering and coal-mining an also highly developed.

"Silicon Glen" is situated in southern Scotland Many of the American and Japanese electronic companies have sat u| factories, and where even many smaller Scottish companies have started to specialize in producing computer equipment. The main flourishing industries in Belfast - shipbuilding (Titanic), engineering, linen, rope-making and tobacco. AGRICULTURE. FORESTRY AND FISHERIES

About 3/4 of B's markedly varied landscape are used for arable agriculture and for pasturf and grazing. Employing less than 3 % of the working population, agriculture has a very high productivity. 3/5 of full-time farms are devoted mainly to dairy or beef cattle or sheep Many British livestock breeds are world famous semen and embryos from high-quality donor animals are exported. The main field vegetables and plants are wheat, barley, potatoes, sugar beet and oilseed. A high degree of mechanization and a long tradition of efficient farming based on technological progress and research. There is also an advisory service foi farmers and horticulturists (caaoBOflbi).

Woodland covers over 2 mln hectares in GB. Most of this area consists of commercially planted, fast growing coniferous forests in Wales and northern Scotland. The amount of woodland fails to meet the demand for wood and wood products, B importing ~ 90% of its requirements.

The fishing industry —70 % of the country's supplies. Br fishermen depend on waters within B's 200-mile limit, which contain a sizeable proportion of the total catch taken within the limits of EC member states. The Community operates a common fisheries policy. What are the largest manufacturing concerns of Britain?

- British - American Tobacco Co LTD ( BAT), 1902 ;- Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI), 1926 - the 4th largest chemical company in the world and is the 3d largest in Western Europe;- British Aerospace - civil and military aircraft, satellites, space systems, guided weapons and components, the 3d largest in the world; - British Steel Corporation, 1967, the 4th biggest steel company in the Western world;- British Petroleum is the eleventh largest grouping in the world and the second largest in Europe, 1909;- General Electric Company ( GEC- electronics), 1886;- Unilever ( Chemicals), 1894;