Hello my beloved readers.
What do you think of when you hear about Great Britain? Tea, the Queen and Big Ben? Oh, how neglected everything is!;) But I’m absolutely sure that somewhere on the shelves of your memory lies this little knowledge that you carefully hide.
So today I will remind you what Great Britain is famous for, besides tea and the Queen! I’ll also give you a topic in English with translation, where I’ll briefly tell you the most interesting things.
Great places
- Cities
Surprisingly, there is only one major city in the UK - London with a population of more than 7 million people. Other cities stopped at about half a million.
Every city in the country is beautiful, but there are famous places that everyone wants to visit.
Liverpool known for the group " Beatles"and the seaport, which was first built here and made the delivery of goods much faster.
By the way, the residents of Liverpool were given the nickname “ Scousers» after the same name of a popular dish in this area - potato stew. Moreover, the local dialect and accent also received this name.
Manchester famous for its football team - Manchester United. Hundreds of football fans come there every day.
The city also received a number of nicknames during the history of its existence. These were " Madchester" - from the word " mad" - crazy - and " Gunchester"in an era of rising youth crime. But, nevertheless, it still remains incredibly beautiful and popular.
- Universities
If you are asked which famous universities you know, you will immediately think about and. Well, maybe remember about London University. The merit of this is that Oxford and Cambridge universities are on everyone's lips. They take first place in the rankings, and almost everyone dreams of studying there.
- Attractions
Surely everyone knows Shakespeare, Dickens And Thomas Hardy. Everyone has heard about Jane Austen and her " Pride and Prejudice", about Lewis Carroll and an incredible journey " Alice in Wonderland"(this is still my favorite book!), about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes", which are becoming more and more popular every year.
And about Joanne Rowling and loved by many " Harry Potter“It’s not worth talking about.
Great scientists like Isaac Newton And Charles Darwin were born on this land. Famous politicians like Margaret Thatcher- the first woman in history Prime Minister And Winston Churchill significantly influenced the course of history not only of their country, but of the whole world.
And now in English
Remember, I promised at the very beginning to tell all this in English? Well, catch it.
Surprisingly, but the UK has only one big city - London, with its population over 7 million people. Other cities have on average half a million citizens.
Liverpool is famous for The Beatles and the seaport, which was the first to be built here and made the delivery of goods much faster.
By the way, the citizens of Liverpool were given the nickname “scousers” by the name of popular in this area dish - potato stew. Moreover, the local dialect and accent got this name too.
Manchester is famous for its football team - Manchester United. Hundreds of football fans arrive there every day.
Universities.
If you are asked what the most famous universities are, you instantly think about Oxford and Cambridge. Well, maybe, about the University of London too.
The reason for this is that everyone heard about Oxford and Cambridge universities. They took the first place in all rankings, and many people want to study there.
Sightseeing
We can write a three-volume book about the places to visit in the UK. From Big Ben to Loch ness lake, Tower of London, the Big Eye, hundreds of museums and galleries are all located here.
Great people.
It requires several days to name all famous people of the country. All the singers and actors, writers and poets, great political figures, and famous historical figures.
If the only famous musicians you can name are the Beatles, then you are far from the country’s music world. Mick Jagger and Sir Elton John, Tom Jones and John Lennon left a significant mark in musical history.
And as for JK Rowling and the extremely beloved “Harry Potter” it’s no use mentioning.
Great scientists like Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin were born in the country. Famous politicians like Margaret Thatcher - first female Prime Minister and the Whinstone Churchill greatly influenced the course of history of not only their country, but the whole world.
Useful expressions:
to have on average - to have on average
population over (5 million) - population more than (5 million)
popular dish - popular dish
the delivery of goods - delivery of goods
the reason for this - the reason for this
it requires - required
to influence the course of history - influence the course of history
not only... but also - not only... but also
To fully immerse yourself and feel the whole spirit of Great Britain, you need to either devote a significant part of your life to studying it, or go there on a long trip.
However, it will be interesting for children to visit Harry Potter's castle, and adults will enjoy the beautiful views of the castles and the historical spirit of the country, not just by looking at the photos.
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Until new interesting meetings!
Great Britain has become famous for many people who, in one way or another, contributed to the life of the British. These are famous statesmen, experts, philosophers, researchers, musicians, writers, scientists and other people who are very famous, almost the whole world knows them.
Isaac Newton is very famous among those who contributed to the history of science. He comes from a small village, where he lived in the mid-17th century. He taught mathematical science at Cambridge University. His contribution to astronomy, physics, and mathematics is so great that he can safely be called the founder of modern mathematics and physics. With its help, we learned about the laws of motion and gravity. He learned and analyzed the nature of light and proved that white color consists of various colors. Then he called them spectrum. The scientist died in 84 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
A very famous person is Charles Darwin. He was born at the beginning of the 19th century. His vocation was biology. He invented a new theory of evolution. From his theory it follows that previously only simple organisms living in the seas existed. They lived for hundreds of millions of years, during which they constantly changed, developed and mutated. And now, thanks to them, we know the different variety of animals that exist today.
M. Faraday made a brilliant discovery in the field of electrical energy - electromagnetic induction. He understood and made important conclusions about the thermal conductivity of various materials. Already famous throughout the world, Faraday always remained a very modest man. He didn't need fame; he was able to refuse a high title. Michael Faraday was also born at the end of the 17th century. He was interested in electricity and spent many months studying it. He was able to understand how this strange force works. He discovered that electricity could move from a magnet to wires. When setting up the next experiment, the bell on the neck of the experimental cow became a strong electric discharge. He discovered many laws of electricity and attraction.
Ernest Rutherford was an English physicist who worked in the field of radioactivity. With the help of his research, the nature of radioactive transformations was established and recognized. He is considered one of the first to found the atomic theory of physics. He was also the first to create the first atomic model. Rutherford was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1908. If you follow his research, then the decay of chemical elements can produce substances that emit radiation.
Thomas More lived in the 15th century. He is known as an outstanding humanist, scientist and statesman. His main work, Utopia, brought him fame and worldwide recognition. A lot of famous people were influenced by the ideas of a free democratic state described in Utopia.
Alexander Fleming was born in Scotland. With his help, penicillin was discovered. He spent almost all his working time in hospitals and laboratories, where he simultaneously conducted research. His discovery did more than all others throughout the entire century. After his death in 1955, one of his friends said: “... with his work he cured more sufferers than any other person.”
Great Britain has made the greatest contribution among countries to science, music, and art. Only she was able to give humanity many outstanding scientists, writers and poets, musicians and artists. William Hogarth, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Thomas Gainsborough, John Constable contributed to the treasury of world painting.
All these people considered their hard work to be their passion. They loved humanity very much, which is why they did so much for it. And this is the main reason for their success.
King Arthur is chronologically the first British global celebrity. This is a mythical figure who gathered the glorious knights of the Round Table and infected all subsequent epics and knightly novels with the idea of searching for the Holy Grail and the idea of the importance of saving beautiful ladies.
Scotsman William Wallace is known to the world as a person who represents the absolute image of a fighter for the freedom of the people. He still inspires young fighters for the independence of his homeland around the world.
William Shakespeare. He is a semi-legendary person who created theater in the form that is known. His “Hamlet”, “Romeo and Juliet”, and other works confront the viewer with the most important tests that a person must go through in life, as well as the most important questions that he must answer.
Elizabeth I turned England into a major maritime power for many centuries. This queen marked the beginning of Britain's global dominion in the colonial world.
It would be a crime to ignore Sir Isaac Newton, one of the creators of classical physics and world progress. True, he was not particularly popular among his contemporaries, but Newton’s world celebrity was ensured by the discovery of the laws of mechanics, gravitation and many other breakthroughs in science.
Modern British celebrities
The most famous British writers today are J.R.R. Tolkien and JK Rowling. Their books about the War of the Ring and Harry Potter are published in millions of copies, exciting the minds of contemporaries with an interesting plot and an amazingly developed literary world.
The British, among other things, are also pioneers of cinema. They gave the world an amazing galaxy of wonderful film actors. Charlie Chaplin, Audrey Hepburn, Sean Connery and Hugh Laurie are rightfully considered the most famous. Chaplin is an amazing comedian who, by and large, revealed the beauty of cinema to the world. Hepburn was the ideal of femininity of her time, Connery - masculinity and charisma. And Hugh Laurie is known to the world as Dr. House, who showed that diagnoses are no less interesting than solving crimes.
The biggest names in British music don't even need an introduction. John Lennon, Paul Macartney from The Beatles, Freddie Mercury from Queen took music to unprecedented heights.
Scientists revere the British Alexander Fleming and Stephen Hawking. The first saved millions of lives by creating penicillin. The second is the most famous modern theoretical physicist, the founder of quantum cosmology.
The most famous British politicians of the 20th century are Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher and Princess Diana. Churchill was a man of titanic intelligence, Prime Minister of Britain, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature and one of the victors of Nazism. Thatcher became famous as the “Iron Lady”, the first female prime minister, who led Britain out of the crisis and returned her country to the reputation of one of the strongest states in the world. And Princess Diana, heir to the British crown, was a popular favorite, a fighter against poverty and AIDS. Her sudden death shocked the whole world.
For many centuries, the British continue to enrich world culture with the products of their activities. Each generation nurtured by the British Isles brings a new breakthrough, a new masterpiece to the world. This allows British celebrities to maintain the primacy of the most famous celebrities on the European continent.
Any country, as you know, is famous, first of all, not for its mineral resources, rich deposits of gold and diamonds, but for its inhabitants. “Who are the most famous - you ask. As for this country, it has made a huge contribution to the treasury of world culture, history, economics, politics and other spheres of society. Therefore, the list will be very extensive.
Every year, based on the results of a traditional survey carried out in the country, a special list is compiled, which includes the most famous people in England. Only the most worthy of them, who have made the greatest contribution to the development of this country, are included in it. So who are they, the great and famous people of England? In this article we present to your attention only some of them.
Sir Cliff Richard
Let's start talking about the most famous personalities of the country of Foggy Albion with a person unfamiliar to most of our fellow citizens. Just like other famous people in England, in particular his colleague Paul McCartney, Cliff Richard bears the title “sir” before his name. These two distinguished people have common rock and roll roots.
In the late 50s of the last century, Cliff instantly became the king of rock and roll and the idol of many British teenagers. As part of the great band The Shadows, which accompanied the musician, he reached the pinnacle of his career. At that time, Cliff Richard's group was put on a par with the American The Ventures, noting their enormous contribution to the popularization of rock and roll. By the mid-60s, Richard's fame seemed to know no bounds. Many famous people in England came to his concerts.
Revenge
However, the new fashion that emerged pushed the great musician far and long away from the top of the charts. Only in 1976 did he manage to take revenge with his song "Devil Woman", which became his first hit in America. In the 80s, Cliff Richard's career continued successfully; he managed to stay afloat in the 90s, and entered the new millennium as a legend.
In the UK, this performer is ranked on a par with “The Beatles”. To date, more than 250 million albums of this musician have been sold worldwide. He became the real king of the British hit parade, taking first place 25 times.
Charles Darwin
To the list of “Famous Englishmen” we will add Charles Darwin, who needs no introduction. He is known throughout the world as a great naturalist, the creator of the famous book "The Origin of Species", the founder of the hypothesis that the human race descended from monkeys.
Charles Darwin scientifically substantiated the idea that in the course of evolution, which took place over centuries and millennia, not only humans, but also all living organisms evolved. Moreover, they all had common ancestors. Scientists are still arguing about whether this theory should be considered reliable. Famous and famous people from Great Britain and other countries spoke out and debated about it, but never came to a consensus.
The main driving force through which this process occurs, as Charles Darwin believed, is natural selection. In his ingenious assumptions, the scientist relied on artificial selection, which received significant development in the agricultural sector of Great Britain at the end of the 19th century, that is, during the lifetime of the researcher.
His hypotheses and ideas became a solid basis for modern biology; there is a whole doctrine based on the idea of natural selection, called Darwinism. Many famous Englishmen and representatives of other countries are his followers and are called Darwinists.
David Beckham
The list of "Famous People of England" includes David Beckham. He won world fame as a member of the Manchester United team. David's parents were simple people. His father worked and moonlighted as a coach for a local team, his mother was a hairdresser. They were very fans of Manchester United and attended all the matches with the participation of this team, which took place on their home field.
Therefore, one might say, fate itself prepared Beckham a chance to become famous, and he took advantage of it by attending a training session of the Barcelona club, and at the age of 14, signing a contract with his beloved Manchester United. The footballer first attracted attention when he scored the decisive goal against Crystal Palace, which allowed his beloved club to take the British Youth Cup in 1992.
Since then, David Beckham has been invited to play in various teams that include some of England's biggest names in the football world. Thus, he worked in the clubs Real Madrid, Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and other strong and famous teams. Despite the fact that he has now completed his career, David continues to hold the record for the most matches played in the Great Britain national team, which he captained for six years.
With his good looks, David Beckham was also voted the highest paid player in football in 2011 and is now a global brand name.
A year after the divorce, Diana was killed in a car accident in Paris. Then, in 1997, a remake of the song “Candle in the Wind” by Elton John was dedicated to her; earlier, in 1973, dedicated to Marilyn Monroe.
In 2007, this hit became the best-selling single in the world. In addition to music, the name of the great Lady Di was immortalized in cinema and literature, and in 2002 people recognized her as the third of the hundred great citizens of Great Britain. Not only ordinary residents, but also many famous people of England and other countries were inspired by her example.
Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin's fame was also very great. This representative of London inherited his talent from his parents, who worked as artists in the music hall. The image of the tramp Charlie brought him the greatest fame. Actively starring in short comedies that combined slapstick comedy and pantomime, he achieved maximum fame. At that time, namely in 1910, such comedies were the most popular silent film genre.
Mature period of creativity
Then, in the next decade, Charlie Chaplin began to address serious social issues in his work, being simultaneously a producer, director, scriptwriter and composer. But it was the early image of the extravagant vagabond that people in Britain and the world remember most. At the end of this decade, Charlie Chaplin moved to the United States, where he founded United Artists with three other artists."
This great man began his career at the age of just 13 when he first appeared on the music hall stage, and was active for 75 years, almost until his death. At the turn of the millennium, the people of Great Britain named him tenth of the hundred great stars of world cinema.
Many books have been dedicated to the brilliant comedian, and dozens of different films, feature films and documentaries, have been made about him. The name Charlie Chaplin has become a household name, which indicates enormous popularity, which has not diminished to this day.
James Cook
Let's add to the list of "Famous People of England" the brave navigator, James Cook, who truly glorified his country. Since the time of Vladimir Vysotsky, he has been haunted by the incorrect stamp that he was allegedly eaten by cannibals. In fact, the great captain fell in a battle with the Hawaiians, famous for their thieving antics, for the property belonging to his ship. At that time he was already making his third voyage around the world.
James was very brave and famously went through his life's journey from a cabin boy of a Hercules coal miner to a world-famous navigator. On the spot where he was struck down by the Hawaiian spear, there is now a monument built by their descendants in recognition of the great merits of this explorer.
The legacy of the great navigator
As a legacy, James Cook left behind many carefully compiled maps, which served as guides for posterity for a long time.
Despite the fact that the navigator had to leave home for a long time on long expeditions, Cook was married and had six children. Even as a cabin boy, he showed a penchant for studying maritime affairs, reaching the point of fanaticism. James Cook was thirsty for knowledge, and this made him go further and further in his voyages.
The captain is also responsible for the discovery of a remedy for the treatment of scurvy, a terrible disease that claimed the lives of many sailors at that time. James Cook became famous for his tolerance and friendliness towards the Aborigines.
Later, in our time, the spacecraft on which the fourth American landing on the Moon was named after the ship Endeavor, the first ship whose commander was Cook. Together with Ivan Kruzenshtern and Francois de La Perouse, this Englishman is the greatest navigator in the world.
William Shakespeare
It is simply impossible to avoid this writer when creating an article on the topic “Famous people of Great Britain”. He is the author of truly immortal literary masterpieces, which to this day are staged on the stages of world theaters.
Each of us is familiar with the famous saying “To be or not to be?” This author created an impressive and significant legacy of tragedies, comedies, chronicles, poems, and three epitaphs. His most popular and beloved creation is Romeo and Juliet. The stories of Hamlet, Othello and Macbeth are also very famous.
Doubt about the identity of the author
There are legends about William Shakespeare; sometimes they say that he was not one person, but a pseudonym behind which a whole group of writers was hiding. This was due to the fact that history has not left us information about what kind of education this author received. However, William Shakespeare's vocabulary was about 30 thousand words!
In addition, the works of this man reveal his deep knowledge of history and literature. Another reason for doubt is that none of his manuscripts have reached us. The orientation of the great playwright and poet is also disputed.
A number of researchers believe that the basis for this opinion is the sonnets of William Shakespeare, supposedly of an autobiographical nature. However, despite all the rumors, William Shakespeare (or other famous people of Great Britain under his pseudonym - this question has not yet been resolved) remains a classic of English literature. He died at the beginning of the 17th century, but his creations are still alive.
At the end of 2002, the BBC invited all residents of the United Kingdom to determine "the greatest Briton in history." By voting, it was determined that the British consider Winston Churchill to be their most outstanding fellow citizen.
However, the overall list of “finalists” consisted of 10 people:
Elizabeth I (1533-1603)
The reign of Elizabeth I, considered one of Britain's most popular monarchs, is called the "Golden Age". During her years on the throne, she strengthened the Protestant faith, ended religious strife, and raised the prestige of the kingdom to an all-time high. English Protestant radicals (Puritans) were dissatisfied with her reforms and left the country.
Two Queen Marys played a fatal role in the life of Elizabeth I. The first, her half-sister, ascended the throne with the goal of returning England to Catholicism. The second, Mary Stuart, had serious claims to the English throne. She was captured, spent 19 years in the Tower and was executed. The main foreign policy victory of Elizabeth I was the defeat of the Great Armada of the Spanish King Philip II.
William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
The greatest English playwright and one of the best poets in Britain. Born in Startford-upon-Avon in the family of a glover. The exact date of birth is unknown - it is generally accepted that it happened on April 23. Researchers cannot say exactly how Shakespeare became an actor and playwright. His works were very popular both among the people and at court. To this day, theaters all over the world stage Shakespeare’s comedies, tragedies and dramas more often than works by other authors. Shakespeare's contribution to British history is not limited to the stage and sonnets. The British Museum houses a manuscript of the play Sir Thomas More. It is believed that this is the only manuscript of the Bard that has survived to this day.
Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658)
The most prominent figure of the civil war in England in the mid-17th century (cavaliers against “roundheads”). Despite his Puritan upbringing, Cromwell drank, danced, hunted, and appreciated music and theater (even though he banned the latter). Cromwell was not only an excellent parliamentary speaker, but also, as the war showed, a brilliant commander. During the war he received the nickname "Ironside". In 1649, Charles I was executed (“cruel necessity,” according to Cromwell). Repression and war with Charles II began in the country. Cromwell subsequently awarded himself the title of Lord Protector. In fact, he acted as king while England was a republic called the Commonwealth. Cromwell's despotism was meekly tolerated by the people. After his death, the title of Lord Protector passed to his son, who did not possess his father's talents. The monarchy was restored. Charles II ascended the throne in 1661.
Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727)
English mathematician and natural scientist, mechanic, astronomer and physicist. It is generally accepted that the impetus for his thoughts about gravity was an apple that fell before his eyes. The apple gave him the idea that it was falling because the Moon revolves around the Earth - they are affected by the force of universal gravity. However, this thought did not come to his mind as inspiration, but matured over time. Newton studied optics and laid the foundations of differential calculus. In 1688, he was the first to construct a reflecting telescope. Newton also wrote numerous works on theology, chronology, alchemy and chemistry.
Newton's two major works are Principia and Optics. His discoveries were so great that in 1705 he was knighted.
Horatio Nelson (1758-1805)
"England expects everyone to do their duty." These were the words of Admiral Nelson, Britain's most revered military leader, addressed to the army and navy before the Battle of Trafalgar. It is still considered the most important victory of British weapons.
At the age of 12, Nelson joined the Navy. By the age of 20 he became a captain. During the capture of Corsica in 1793, he lost an eye, and 4 years later during the battle in Tenerife he lost his right hand. In 1798, he defeated Napoleon's front on the Nile. He met Emma, Lady Hamilton in Naples. Horatio had a wife, Emma had a husband, but this did not prevent the lovers from having a daughter, Horatio, in 1801. That same year, Nelson became a vice admiral. Under Nelson's leadership, the British fleet had superiority over the French. Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar saved Britain from a French invasion, but cost Nelson his life: he was killed by a sniper on the first day of the battle - October 21, 1805.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859)
Outstanding engineer and inventor. Brunel's first achievement was his participation in his father's project, which completed the construction of the first tunnel under the Thames in 1843. Together with John Scott Russell, he created the Great Britain, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Brunel is also known for improving the workings of the English docks. In Britain, he is revered for the construction of the Great Western railway network, one of the branches of which connected London with Bristol. It was he who proposed introducing a broad gauge railway, replacing the standard one. Brunel also invented power-driven saws, a knitting machine for knitting stockings, a machine for copying drawings, and a nailing machine. He was involved in the construction of bridges and crossings.
Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
English scientist, author of the theory of the origin of species under the influence of natural selection. The emergence of the theory was given impetus by a trip around the world in the early 1830s, where Darwin was taken as a naturalist.
Darwin was prompted to adopt the formula “survival of the fittest” by the Galapagos finches, which differed from each other in body size and beak size. Those with larger beaks got the best food. They produced healthier offspring. Darwin's conclusions were stunning: it turned out that everything on Earth was created as a result of evolution. Darwin published a number of his studies in 1859 in the book “The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.” The book was met with mixed reactions: few people wanted to believe that homo sapiens is no different from other animals, and that perhaps humans descended from monkeys.
Prime Minister of Great Britain, who successfully led the country through the Second World War.
He entered the government in 1917, became Minister of Finance in 1924, and headed the cabinet in 1940. His invincible spirit and unshakable will during the war evoked a response throughout the country, although, in his own words, only “blood, toil, tears and sweat” could be expected from the war.
After the war, the people of Britain decided that Churchill was unfit to be a peacetime leader. The charismatic leader of the Conservatives, whose famous radio addresses to the nation, which supported the spirit of the British in the fight against Hitler, were known throughout the world (as, indeed, his passion for whiskey and cigars), lost in the first post-war elections to the leader of the Labor Party - his own deputy prime minister in coalition war cabinet. Churchill remained a prominent member of Parliament almost until his death.
John Lennon (1941-1980)
In just 10 years, John Lennon went from being a teenage rebel in Liverpool to one of the most famous people on the planet.
Musician, poet, artist, hippie, pacifist, drug addict, loving husband - there were many roles in his life. There were two main women in Lennon's life: his mother and Yoko Ono. The Beatles began to form back in 1956, during joint performances between Lennon and McCartney. After the Beatles' concert at the London Palladium in 1963, they became famous throughout the country, and their sensational success on American television a year later brought them international fame.
Disillusioned with the Beatles, Lennon delved into avant-gardeism. The last recording made in Britain was the song Imagine. In New York, where he left some time later, he plunged headlong into political radicalism. His last album, Double Fantasy, was released in 1980. He was killed by Mark Chapman at the entrance of his own house. This was a real tragedy for millions of fans, but turned out to be a success for record companies, which still successfully sell John Le'non's music.
Princess Diana (1961-1997)
The only one of the ten great Britons who died relatively recently. Former wife of Prince Charles, heir to the British throne. She married the Prince of Wales at the age of 20, he was 12 years older than her. She soon became the most popular member of the royal family. Diana was even called the “Queen of Hearts.” In 1982, the couple had a son, William, and two years later, Henry. After some time, it turned out that Britain's beloved princess was unhappy in her marriage. Their union with Charles broke up in 1996. She retained the title of Princess of Wales. Diana devoted the last years of her life to charitable activities. She fought to ban landmines and helped AIDS patients. Diana died in a car accident in Paris on August 31, 1997. Her death caused a wide response in the hearts of people all over the world - and made them think about the role and place of the monarchy in British society.
In 1997, Prince William invited his mother to put up 79 of her dresses for auction, with proceeds going to charity. Diana's funeral was watched on television by 31 million Britons and 2.5 billion people around the world.