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The Mystery of the British Isles: How did this amazing North Atlantic archipelago come to be?
The British Islands, an archipelago located in the North Atlantic, has a total area of approximately 315,159 square kilometers and a population of nearly 72 million, including the two sovereign states of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Over time, the formation process of this island is full of mysterious and wonderful geological evolution, cultural interweaving and social changes. Their formation is not only the result of natural forces, but also an important witness to human history.
As we all know, the British Islands covers the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Isle of Man and thousands of surrounding islands. These islands not only have rich ecological resources, but also contain profound historical and cultural heritage.
Geologically, the formation of the British Islands can be traced back to billions of years ago. The oldest rocks are found in Ireland, Wales and northwest Scotland and are about 2.7 billion years old. These land layers collided in the northwest and southeastern regions of the Paleozoic, and over time formed the terrain we see today. Even on a global scale, the terrain of the British Islands is relatively mild, with the highest peak, Ben Nevis, only 1,345 meters.
The climate of the British Islands is a temperate maritime climate and is affected by the North Atlantic Warm Current throughout the year, making the climate here 11°C warmer than in areas at the same latitude. This climatic condition once gave birth to dense temperate rainforests. However, with human activities, most of the forests have been cut down, and the ecological environment has undergone significant changes.
This land has been gradually occupied by humans since 12,000 BC, when Britain was still part of the European continent. This evolutionary process has established a close connection between the culture and the land.
According to research by archaeologists, Britain had become an isolated island as early as 7000 BC. With the changes of multiple ice ages and the elevation of the terrain, the boundaries of the islands gradually became clearer. The early inhabitants were broadly divided into Celts, Picts and Brunses, and together they shaped the culture and language of this land. In AD 43, the expansion of the Roman Empire brought the areas inhabited by the Brunsians under its rule.
Over time, the powers of England and Ireland alternated, ultimately forming the political structure we recognize today.
According to historical records, the Norman Conquest in 1066 incorporated England into the emerging Norman Empire, and a series of political changes followed, especially between England and Ireland. However, the use of the place name "British Isles" is controversial in Ireland, and not everyone agrees with it. The Irish government usually prefers to use "Ireland and the United Kingdom" to describe this region, reflecting the delicate geopolitical relationship.
Archaeologists and geographers point out that the terrain changes here are particularly special. The formation and evolution of the islands can be traced back to multiple orogeny movements. These activities formed the mountain range called "Calledoni". The influence of natural forces on the formation of the archipelago, as well as the ethnic migration, commercial trade and cultural blending of this land, also invisibly promoted the historical process.
This series of geological and cultural evolution makes us think: In such a changeable history, how will the future of the British Islands develop?
