Лингвострановедение: англо-говорящие страны

CANADA
Official name: Canada
Status: Independent Federative State, a member of Commonwealth headed by the Queen of Great Britain.
Capital: Ottawa
Population: 26,6 mln.
Nationality: Canadian
History:
French explorer Jacques Cartier is regarded as the founder of Canada. But English seaman John Cabot sighted Newfoundland 37 years earlier, in 1497 and Vikings are believed to have reached the Atlantic coast centuries before other explorers. Cartier and Champlain explored the interior. Champlain established the first permanent settlements of Quebec (1608) and Montreal (1642) and declared New France a colony in 1663. The French through the Quebec act of 1774 retained the rights to their own language and religion. In 1791 Canada was divided into Upper Canada (English-speaking) and Lower Canada (French-speaking).
Ethnic composition: 40% of British origin, 30% of French origin, 1% of Indians, Eskimos and other minorities. The “Open door” policy of immigration which began in the 1890 has meant that Canada`s population is varied.
Languages: English and French are both official languages.
20% speak only French, 13% speak both French and English.
NEW ZEALAND
Official name: New Zealand
Status: Independent State within the Commonwealth.
Capital: Wellington
Population: 3,4 mln.
Nationality: New Zealander.
History:
Polynesians settled on these islands in the X-XIV centuries. In 1642 the islands were discovered by Abel Janszoon Tasman, the famous Dutch navigator, but Maoris refused to allow him to land and in 1796 they were discovered by captain James Cook. This was allowed by the British colonization. The colony became the dominion in 1907 and as an independent member of the Commonwealth. Before 1642 the islands have been discovered by Cupper. James Cook was the first man who made a map of New Zealand. In the 19th century there appeared European people.
Ethnic composition: European (mostly British)- 87%
Polynesian- 9%
Languages: English is the official and predominant language.
Religion: Anglicans- 29%, Presbyterians- 18%, Roman Catholics- 15%.
THE USA
Official name: The United States of America.
Status: a Federal republic, a union of 50 states.
Capital: Washington
Population: 284.700.000.
Nationality: American of the United States.
History:
North America was discovered about 1.000. A.D. by Vikings, but Europeans didn`t know of its existence, until Columbus sailed there in 1492. The first permanent English settlement in America was Jamestown. Effective colonization in New England began in 1620, when the Pilgrim Fathers landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts. In 1775 the 13 colonies rebelled against the British Government and the United States of America was proclaimed (1776). Nowadays there are 50 states and one independent district- the district of Columbia in the USA. Also there are two main political parties: The democratic Party ( a donkey) and the Republican Party ( an elephant).
Ethnic composition:
The nation ethnic diversity is chiefly due to large scale of immigration, most of which took place before 1920. Through mainly European and American in origin, Americans are derived from nearly all races and nations, including Chinese, Arab, Polynesian, Eskimos and etc.
Languages: American English. Spanish is spoken in New York city. Other minority languages include Italian, German, polish, Yiddish, Russian, Chinese, Japanese.
Religion: about 2/3 of population- Protestants;
About ¼ of population- Roman Catholics and Jewish
AUSTRALIA
Official name: Commonwealth of Australia
Status: Independent Federative State within the Commonwealth.
Capital: Canberra
Population: 17 mln.
Nationality: Australian
History:
Australia was discovered by the Portuguese in the 16th century. The Northern and Western coasts of Australia were discovered by the Dutch in the early 17th century and named New Holland. Yanson was the first man, who opened this land at the beginning of the 17th century. Dampier was the first Englishman, who visited Australia in 1688 and 1699. The land was unattractive until 1770. The captain James Cook chartered the entire coast, named region around it New South Wales and claimed it for Great Britain. Flinder gave a new name to the continent- Australia. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901. It comprises the six federative states and two internal territories: the Australian Capital territory and the Northern territory.
State Capital
New South Wales (1788) Sydney
Tasmania (1826) Hobart
Western Australia (1829) Perth
South Australia (1836) Adelaide
Victoria (1851) Melbourne
Queensland (1859) BrisboneEthnic composition: the population is mainly of British origin. There were a lot of immigrants since the World War II, most of them from Greece and Italy. Aboriginal people didn`t practice agriculture or keep domestic animals other than a dog. They believed that the land was granted to the by God.
Languages: English, Aboriginal.
Religion: Anglicans- 36%, Roman Catholics- 25%, Protestants- 25%.
GREAT BRITAIN
Official name: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Status: A sovereign state.
Capital: London
Population: 57,2 mln.
Nationality: British
History:
Great Britain is situated on the British Isles and consists of three parts: England, Scotland and Wales; together with the Northern Ireland it forms the UK. Celts arrived to Britain 2.500 years ago. Their language survived in Welsh and Cornish. England was added to the Roman Empire in 43 A.D. Church was separated from the authority of the Pope in 1534. Under Queen Elizabeth I England became founding the colonies in the New World. Later, most of these colonies got independence. Nowadays Great Britain is the powerful industrial and cultural State.
Ethnic composition: the population is mainly of British origin, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Ulster.
Languages: English- 81.5%, Scottish- 9.6%, Irish- 2.4%, Welsh- 1.9%, Ulster- 1.8%.
Religion: Church of England- 19%
Roman Catholics- 8%.