The UK's Physical Landscape (AQA GCSE Geography) : Revision Note

The UK's Physical Landscape

• A landscape is defined as:

The character of an area, resulting from the action and interaction of natural and human elements

• A landscape's character will depend on its initial geology, which gives a landscape its relief, which in turn attracts human action/interaction, for example:

  • Slate, (a type of resistant rock) found in the mountains of North Wales, attracted people to quarry for roofing material and generated over four-fifths of all British slate during the Industrial Revolution

• The UK has a varied landscape with uplands, lowlands and important rivers 

• The uplands are found mostly in the north and west of the country: Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and north England (e.g. Lake District, Grampian Mountains and Snowdonia etc.)

• The lowlands are in the south and east of the UK: Central and southern England (e.g. Cotswolds, Norfolk and South Downs)

• Most cities are in lowland areas and often on main river courses such as Liverpool on the Mersey, Bristol on the Severn estuary and River Avon etc.