What economic transition defines industrialisation?
The transition from an agrarian and handicraft economy to one dominated by industry and machine manufacturing.
When did the first phase of the Industrial Revolution last?
From 1760 to 1840.
When did the second phase of the Industrial Revolution last?
From 1840 to 1914.
Which country industrialised first?
Britain.
When did Britain begin industrialising?
In the second half of the 18th century.
Where was cotton production concentrated in early industrial Britain?
Manchester and Glasgow.
Where was wool production concentrated in early industrial Britain?
Yorkshire, the East Midlands, and southeast Scotland.
What determined the locations of steel production in early industrial Britain?
Proximity to iron and coal deposits.
Which regions developed steel production in early industrial Britain?
Northeast England, Glasgow, Yorkshire, South Wales, Lancashire, and the Midlands.
By what percentage did the UK population rise from 1750 to 1801?
25%.
How did the UK population growth rate compare with European countries from 1750 to 1801?
It was 50% greater.
When did the UK’s urban population become the majority?
Around 1845.
What share of the world’s goods did the UK produce in 1900?
24%.
What share of world trade did the UK account for in 1900?
25%.
What share of the world’s ships did the UK fleet represent in 1900?
One-third.
Which 1856 process made steel production cheaper?
The Bessemer process.
What technologies expanded British shipbuilding and helped reduce freight costs?
Marine steam engines, screw propellers, and mass-produced steel.
What share of England and Wales’s population was urban by 1901?
80%.
How many English and Welsh towns had over 50,000 people in 1901?
74 towns.
What is a conurbation?
A continuous non-rural urban and industrial area formed by merging cities.
What share of the population belonged to the upper class?
5%.
What share of the population belonged to the middle class?
15%.
How many tonnes of coal did Britain produce in 1913?
287 million tonnes.
How many British workers were unemployed in 1932?
2.7 million workers.
How did British unemployment change during the interwar years?
It never fell below one million.
Which party won a large majority in Britain in July 1945?
The Labour Party.
Who was Prime Minister during Labour’s government from 1945 to 1951?
Clement Attlee.
What does the Welfare State combine with state intervention to provide social security and care?
A mixed economy combining full employment and individualism.
In which year did Labour nationalise the Bank of England and mines?
1946.
In which year did Labour nationalise transport?
1947.
In which year did Labour nationalise electricity and gas?
1948.
How many UK manufacturing jobs were lost between 1960 and 1998?
Five million jobs.
What share of the UK workforce worked in industry in 1998?
Fewer than 18%.
How much did British productivity increase between 1960 and 1974?
30%.
Which three factors drove British deindustrialisation?
Foreign competition, ageing infrastructure, and a lack of innovation and investment.
When was Margaret Thatcher prime minister of the United Kingdom?
From 1979 to 1990.
When did John Major serve as prime minister after Margaret Thatcher?
From 1990 to 1997.
Which economic approach did Thatcher favour over direct state intervention in business?
Meritocracy, neoliberalism, banking deregulation, and privatisation.
What triggered the 1984–85 miners' strike, and what was its outcome?
The announced closure of 20 pits and loss of 20,000 jobs triggered it; the miners lost.
When was the mining industry privatised after the miners' strike?
In 1994.
What drives knowledge-based industries in an emerging economy?
Information technologies, knowledge-intensive services, and ideas-based and creative activities.
What did the 1986 Big Bang change about the London Stock Market?
It deregulated the market, introduced computerisation, and ended fixed commissions.
What does Gross Domestic Product measure within a country’s borders?
The total value of goods and services produced there during a given period, regardless of ownership.
What does Gross National Product measure for a country’s residents and companies?
The total value of goods and services they produce at home or abroad during a given period.
What is the UK economy’s approximate annual value?
About £2.8 trillion.
How does the UK economy rank globally and in Europe?
It is the world’s sixth-largest economy and Europe’s second-largest, behind Germany.
What share of the UK economy comes from services?
About 80%.
What share of the UK economy comes from manufacturing, construction, and energy?
Around 18%.
What share of the UK economy comes from agriculture?
Less than 1%.
What factors supported the Industrial Revolution?
Political stability, interest in science and technology, natural resources, the agricultural revolution, and government support for trade and commerce.
What share of British exports by value was textiles in 1750?
Over 50%.
What share of British exports by value was textiles in 1800?
Over 60%.
Which industries developed in Newcastle-upon-Tyne?
Coal mining, shipbuilding, and armaments production at the Armstrong Gun Factory.
What goods did London’s small factories produce?
Clothing, luxury goods, and printed goods.
What major roles did London serve beyond manufacturing?
Trading and finance.
What was England’s population in 1801?
8.3 million.
What was Scotland’s population in 1801?
1.63 million.
How did the UK population change during the first half of the 19th century?
It doubled from about 8 million to 17 million.
How large was Ireland’s population by 1840, before the Great Famine?
8 million, after tripling.
How many inhabitants did London have in 1801?
One million.
How did the expanded railway network affect freight costs and goods prices?
It reduced both.
When did electricity use begin to grow?
From the 1880s.
In what year were the first power plants established?
1881.
What share of the world's ships were built in the UK in 1913?
58%.
Which products did the UK chemical industry focus on?
Soap, detergents, dyes, and fertilisers.
Where were UK soap production and chemical production concentrated?
Soap production was at Warrington and Port Sunlight; chemical production was around Cheshire and Teesside.
What did Dunlop design in 1888?
Pneumatic tyres for bicycles and later motor cars.
Who founded the Reynolds Tube Company, and in what year?
John Reynolds founded it in 1898.
What was London’s population in 1851?
2.3 million.
What share of English people lived in London?
One-fifth.
What was child mortality among miners?
160 per 1,000.
How many people worked in British electric and electronic industries in 1938?
340,000 people.
How many people worked in British automotive and aviation industries in 1938?
400,000 people.
What was Britain's annual national income growth from 1920 to 1938?
2.1% per year.
How much did productivity per British worker increase between 1924 and 1935?
By one-third.
How did population change across British regions between 1921 and 1937?
It rose 18% in London and 11% in the Midlands, while Northumberland-Durham lost 1% and South Wales lost 9%.
Until what year did rationing continue in Britain?
1954.
Which benefits did the National Insurance Act 1946 establish provisions for?
Maternity, unemployment and pensions.
What percentage of UK textile-industry employees were lost between 1979 and 2013?
90%.
How did shipbuilding's share of world new ships change from 1930 to 2013?
It fell from half to 4%.
How did the 1973–74 oil shock affect Middle Eastern oil prices?
It quadrupled them.
What two effects followed the 1973–74 oil shock in the UK?
It encouraged North Sea oil and gas exploitation and intensified inflation.
What happened to civil-service staffing under the government?
It was reduced.
How did the government reorganise administrative tasks?
It delegated them to more autonomous executive agencies.
What housing policy did local authorities face in 1980?
They were required to sell rental housing.
What triggers a multiplier effect after mine closures and plant shutdowns?
Reduced spending, long-term unemployment, and economic inactivity cause wider economic decline.
By what percentage did British manufacturing employment decline during Thatcher’s premiership?
30%.
How did the UK services sector’s share change between 2001 and 2024?
It rose from 75% to 81%.
What share of the world's coal did the UK produce in 1900?
Approximately 30%.
Who invented the telephone, and in what year?
Alexander Graham Bell invented it in 1876.
Answer 29 questions on UK Economic and Industrial Geography.
1. The two phases of the Industrial Revolution are dated as follows:
2. Regarding the beginnings of industrialisation:
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