Geography of England

Geography of England
Satellite image of England
Satellite image including England
Locational map of England in the United Kingdom
ContinentEurope
RegionBritish Isles
Area
 • Total132,932 km2 (51,325 sq mi)
Coastline3,200 km (2,000 mi)
Borders
Highest pointScafell Pike
978 m (3,209 ft)
Lowest pointHolme Fen, −2.75 m (−9 ft)
Longest riverRiver Severn (shared with Wales)
354 km (220 mi)
Longest river entirely within England is the River Thames.
346 km (215 mi)
Largest lakeWindermere
14.73 km2 (5.69 sq mi)
ClimateOceanic "British" climate
with small areas of Subarctic climate
TerrainMostly low hills and plains, especially in the south, Midlands and east. Upland or mountainous terrain prevails in the north and parts of the west.
Natural resourcesIron, zinc, potash, silica sand, fish, timber, wildlife, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower, wind power, lead, tin, copper, china clay, arable land, and coal
Natural hazardsEuropean windstorms, floods, few and small tornadoes
Environmental issuesclimate change, rising sea levels, renewable energy, waste disposal, water pollution, population density
References
[1][2]

England comprises most of the central and southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain, in addition to a number of small islands of which the largest is the Isle of Wight. England is bordered to the north by Scotland and to the west by Wales. It is closer to continental Europe than any other part of mainland Britain, divided from France only by a 33 km (21 mi) sea gap, the English Channel.[3] The 50 km (31 mi) Channel Tunnel,[4] near Folkestone, directly links England to mainland Europe. The English/French border is halfway along the tunnel.[5]

Most of England consists of low hills and plains, with upland and mountainous terrain in the north and west. Uplands in the north include the Pennines, an upland chain dividing east and west, the Lake District, containing the highest mountains in the country, the Cheviot Hills across the Anglo-Scottish border, and the North York Moors near the North Sea. Uplands in the west include Dartmoor and Exmoor in the south west and the Shropshire Hills near Wales. The approximate dividing line between terrain types is often indicated by the Tees–Exe line. To the south of that line, there are larger areas of flatter land, including East Anglia and the Fens, although hilly areas include the Cotswolds, the Chilterns, and the North and South Downs.

The largest natural harbour in England is at Poole, on the south-central coast. Some regard it as the second largest harbour in the world, after Sydney, Australia, although this fact is disputed (see harbours for a list of other large natural harbours).

  1. ^ "Standard Area Measurements for Administrative Areas (December 2023) in the UK". Open Geography Portal. Office for National Statistics. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  2. ^ "A Beginners Guide to UK Geography (2023)". Open Geography Portal. Office for National Statistics. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  3. ^ Dornbusch, U (October 2002). "CoastView – What happens offshore?". University of Sussex. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  4. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 17 July 2015. Retrieved 29 October 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^ "TravelBritain – Kent". Archived from the original on 7 September 2008.