This article is about the country. For other uses, see Scotland (disambiguation).

Scotland (English / Scots)

Alba (Gaelic)

Flag Royal Coat o Arms

!otto
"emo me im#une lacessit ($atin)
%"o one #ro&o'es me (ith im#unity%
%Cha togar m)hearg gun dioladh% (Scottish Gaelic)
%*ha daur meddle (i me+% (Scots),
Anthem
(!ulti#le unoicial anthems)

$ocation o Scotland (orange) on the Euro#ean continent ((hite)

Ca#ital Edinburgh
--.-/0", 1.,20*
$argest city Glasgo(
3icial languages English (de acto)
Recognised regional languages Gaelic, Scots,
4emonym Scot, Scots and Scottish5
Go&ernment Constitutional monarchy
6 !onarch 7ueen Eli8abeth 99
6 :; <rime !inister Gordon =ro(n !<
6 First !inister Ale> Salmond !S<
:niication
6 $ands north o Forth united under =ridei m. =eli c. ?@-
6 4Al Riata incor#orated by Bengus m. Fergusa c. /C,
6 $othian and Strathclyde inally incor#orated on accession o 4a&id 9 ,,2C (conirmed Treaty o
Dor', ,21/)
6 Gallo(ay incor#orated ,21C/-
6 3r'ney and Shetland anne>ed ,C/2
Area
6 Total /@,//2 'm5
1E,C,C sF mi
6 *ater (G) ,.H
<o#ulation
6 2EE- estimate -,,,?,HEE
6 2EE, census -,E?2,E,,
6 4ensity ?-/'m5
,?@.2/sF mi
G4< (<<<) 2EE? estimate
6 Total :SI,/2 billion
6 <er ca#ita :SI11,?@E
J49 (2EE1) E.H1H (high)
Currency <ound sterling (G=<)
Time 8one G!T (:TCE)
6 Summer (4ST) =ST (:TCK,)
9nternet T$4 .u'L
Calling code KCC
<atron saint St. Andre(
, =oth Scots and Scottish Gaelic are oicially recognised as autochthonous languages under the
Euro#ean Charter or Regional or !inority $anguagesMN,O the =Prd na GQidhlig is tas'ed, under
the Gaelic $anguage (Scotland) Act 2EE-, (ith securing Gaelic as an oicial language o
Scotland, commanding %eFual res#ect% (ith English.N2O
2 Jistorically, the use o %Scotch% as an adRecti&e com#arable to %Scottish% (as common#lace,
#articularly out(ith Scotland. Jo(e&er, the modern use o the term describes only #roducts o
Scotland, usually ood or drin' related.
1 Also .eu, as #art o the Euro#ean :nion. 9S3 1,??6, is G=, but .gb is unused.
Scotland (GaelicS Alba, ScotsS Scotland) is a nation in north(est Euro#e and one o the our
constituent countriesN1O o the :nited ;ingdom. 9t occu#ies the northern third o the island o
Great =ritain and shares a land border to the south (ith England. 9t is bounded by the "orth Sea
to the east, the Atlantic 3cean to the north and (est, and the "orth Channel and 9rish Sea to the
south(est. A#art rom the mainland, Scotland consists o o&er /HE islands.NCO
Edinburgh, the country)s ca#ital and second largest city, is one o Euro#e)s largest inancial
centres.N-O Scotland)s largest city is Glasgo(, (hich is the centre o the Greater Glasgo(
conurbation. Greater Glasgo( is home to a##ro>imately C,G o Scotland)s #o#ulation. Scottish
(aters consist o a large sectorN?O o the "orth Atlantic and the "orth Sea, containing the largest
oil reser&es in the Euro#ean :nion.
The ;ingdom o Scotland (as an inde#endent state until , !ay ,/E/, (hen the Acts o :nion
(des#ite (ides#read #rotest across Scotland)N/O resulted in a union (ith the ;ingdom o England
to create the ;ingdom o Great =ritain.N@ONHO Scotland)s legal system continues to be se#arate
rom those o England, *ales, and "orthern 9relandM and Scotland still constitutes a discrete
Rurisdiction in #ublic and in #ri&ate la(.N,EO The continued inde#endence o Scots la(, the Scottish
education system, and the Church o Scotland ha&e all contributed to the continuation o Scottish
culture and Scottish national identity since the :nion.N,,O Jo(e&er, Scotland is no longer a
se#arate so&ereign state and does not ha&e inde#endent membershi# o either the :nited
"ations or the Euro#ean :nion.
Contents NhideO
, Etymology
2 Jistory
2., Early Scotland
2.2 !edie&al Scotland
2.1 !odern Scotland
1 <olitics
C $a(
- Administrati&e subdi&isions
? Geogra#hy and natural history
?., Geology and geomor#hology
?.2 Climate
?.1 Flora and auna
/ Economy
/., Currency
@ 4emogra#hics
H Religion
,E !ilitary
,, Education
,2 Culture
,1 Trans#ort
,C "ational symbols
,- See also
,? Reerences
,/ E>ternal lin's

NeditO Etymology

The ounders o Scotland o late medie&al legend, Scota (ith GoTdel Glas, &oyaging rom Egy#t,
as de#icted in a ,-th century manuscri#t o the Scotichronicon o *alter =o(er.Some o the
earliest sur&i&ing documents to mention the (ord Scotland include the Anglo6Sa>on Chronicles o
Abingdon, *orcester and $aud, (ritten during the ,,th Century, (hich state that #rior to the
=attle o Stamord =ridge in ,E??, Earl Tostig had sought reuge in Scotland under the #rotection
o !alcolm 999, ;ing o Scots.N,2ON,1O The (ord Scotland (as deri&ed rom the $atin Scoti, o
uncertain origin, a##lied to Gaels o Jibernia, the Roman name or modern 9reland. The $ate
$atin (ord Scotia (land o the Gaels) (as e&entually used only o Gaelic6s#ea'ing Scotland. This
name (as em#loyed alongside Albania or Albany, rom the Gaelic Alba.N,CO The use o the (ords
Scots and Scotland to encom#ass all o Scotland became common only in the $ate !iddle Ages.
N@O 9n a modern #olitical conte>t, the (ord Scot is a##lied eFually to all inhabitants o Scotland,
regardless o their ancestral ethnicity. Jo(e&er, a 2EE? study #ublished by the :ni&ersity o
Edinburgh suggest that segments o Scottish society continue to distinguish bet(een those (ho
claim to be Scots on ethnic grounds and those (ho claim to be Scots on the grounds o ci&ic
commitment.N,-O %Scots% is also used to reer to the Scots language, (hich a large #ro#ortion o
the Scottish #o#ulation s#ea' to a greater or lesser degree.N,?O
NeditO Jistory
!ain articleS Jistory o Scotland
NeditO Early Scotland
!ain articleS <rehistoric Scotland

S'ara =rae, a neolithic settlement, located in the =ay o S'aill, 3r'ney.Re#eated glaciations,
(hich co&ered the entire land6mass o modern Scotland, ha&e destroyed any traces o human
habitation beore the mesolithic #eriod. 9t is belie&ed that the irst #ost6glacial grou#(s) o hunter6
gatherers arri&ed in Scotland around ,,,EEE years ago, as the ice sheet retreated ater the last
ice age. Grou#s o settlers began building the irst #ermanent houses on Scottish soil around
H,-EE years ago, and the irst &illages around ?,EEE years ago. A site rom this #eriod is the (ell6
#reser&ed &illage o S'ara =rae on the !ainland o 3r'ney. "eolithic habitation, burial and ritual
sites are #articularly common and (ell6#reser&ed in the "orthern 9sles and *estern 9sles, (here
lac' o trees led to most structures being built o local stone.N,/O
The (ritten history o Scotland began (ith the arri&al o the Roman Em#ire in southern and
central Great =ritain, (hen the Romans occu#ied (hat is no( England and *ales, administering
it as a #ro&ince called =ritannia. Roman occu#ation o Scotland (as a series o brie interludes. 9n
@1/C A4 the general Gnaeus Uulius Agricola deeated the Caledonians at the battle o !ons
Grau#ius, and Roman orts (ere briely set along the Gas' Ridge close to the Jighland $ine
(none are 'no(n to ha&e e&er been constructed beyond that line). Three years ater the battle the
Roman armies had (ithdra(n to the Southern :#lands.N,@O They erected Jadrian)s *all to
control tribes on both sides o the (all,N,HO but it eecti&ely became the main northern border or
the Romans throughout much o the later occu#ation o =ritain, although they held the Antonine
*all in the Central $o(lands or t(o short #eriods. The last o these (as during the time o
Em#eror Se#timius Se&erus rom 2E@ until 2,E.N2EO The e>tent o Roman occu#ation o any
signiicant #art o Scotland (as limited to a total o about CE years, although their inluence on the
southern section o the country occu#ied by =rythonic tribes such as the Votadini and 4amnonii
(ould still ha&e been considerable.N,HO

A re#lica o the <ictish Jilton o Cadboll Stone.
NeditO !edie&al Scotland
!ain articlesS <icts, Scotland in the Jigh !iddle Ages, and Scotland in the $ate !iddle Ages
The ;ingdom o the <icts (based in Fortriu by the ?th century) (as the state (hich e&entually
became 'no(n as %Alba% or %Scotland%. The de&elo#ment o %<ictland%, according to the historical
model de&elo#ed by <eter Jeather, (as a natural res#onse to Roman im#erialism.N2,O Another
&ie( #laces em#hasis on the =attle o 4unnichen, and the reign o =ridei m. =eli (?/,W?H1), (ith
another #eriod o consolidation in the reign o Bengus mac Fergusa (/12W/?,).N22O The ;ingdom
o the <icts as it (as in the early @th century, (hen =ede (as (riting, (as largely the same as the
'ingdom o the Scots in the reign o Ale>ander (,,E/W,,2C). Jo(e&er, by the tenth century, the
<ictish 'ingdom (as dominated by (hat (e can recognise as Gaelic culture, and had de&elo#ed
an 9rish conFuest myth around the ancestor o the contem#orary royal dynasty, CinAed mac Ail#Tn
(;enneth !acAl#in).N21O

Robert the =ruce, &ictor o the =attle o =annoc'burn.From a base o territory in eastern Scotland
north o the Ri&er Forth and south o the Ri&er 3y'el, the 'ingdom acFuired control o the lands
lying to the north and south. =y the ,2th century, the 'ings o Alba had added to their territories
the English6s#ea'ing land in south6east and attained o&erlordshi# o Gallo(ay and "orse6
s#ea'ing CaithnessM by the end o the ,1th century, the 'ingdom had assumed a##ro>imately its
modern borders. Jo(e&er, #rocesses o cultural and economic change beginning in the ,2th
century ensured Scotland loo'ed &ery dierent in the later !iddle Ages. The stimulus or this (as
the reign o ;ing 4a&id 9 and the so6called 4a&idian Re&olution. Feudalism, go&ernment
reorganisation and the irst legally deined to(ns, called burghs, began in this #eriod. These
institutions and the immigration o French and Anglo6French 'nights and churchmen acilitated a
#rocess o cultural osmosis, (hereby the culture and language o the lo(6lying and coastal #arts
o the 'ingdom)s original territory in the east became, li'e the ne(ly6acFuired south6east, English6
s#ea'ing, (hile the rest o the country retained the Gaelic language.N2CO
The death o Ale>ander 999 in ,2@?, ollo(ed by the death o his grand6daughter !argaret, !aid o
"or(ay, bro'e the succession line o Scotland)s 'ings. This led to the inter&ention o Ed(ard 9 o
England. Ed(ard established Uohn =alliol as a sub6'ing, but this relationshi# bro'e do(n, leading
to an ultimately unsuccessul attem#t at total ta'eo&er by the English cro(n. This (as amously
o##osed by *illiam *allace and others in the *ars o Scottish 9nde#endence, and in the di&ided
country Robert de =rus, Earl o Carric', became 'ing (as Robert 9). *ar (ith England continued
or se&eral decades, and a ci&il (ar bet(een the =ruce dynasty and the English6bac'ed =alliols
lasted until the middle o the ,Cth century. Although the =ruce dynasty (as successul, 4a&id 99)s
lac' o an heir allo(ed his ne#he( Robert 99 to come to the throne and establish the Ste(art
4ynasty.N2-O The Ste(arts ruled Scotland or the remainder o the !iddle Ages. The country they
ruled e>#erienced greater #ros#erity rom the end o the ,Cth century through the Scottish
Renaissance to the Reormation. This (as des#ite continual (arare (ith England, the increasing
di&ision bet(een Jighlands and $o(lands, and a large number o royal minorities.N2?O
NeditO !odern Scotland

The Scottish <arliament =uilding9n ,?E1, Uames V9 ;ing o Scots inherited the throne o the
;ingdom o England, and became also ;ing Uames 9 o England. *ith the e>ce#tion o a short
#eriod under The <rotectorate, Scotland remained a se#arate state, but there (as considerable
conlict bet(een the cro(n and the Co&enanters o&er the orm o church go&ernment. Ater the
Glorious Re&olution and the o&erthro( o the Roman Catholic Uames V99 by *illiam and !ary,
Scotland briely threatened to select a dierent <rotestant monarch rom England.N2/O 9n ,/E/,
ho(e&er, ollo(ing English threats to end trade and ree mo&ement across the border, 'no(n as
the Alien Act, the Scots <arliament and the <arliament o England enacted the t(in Acts o :nion,
(hich created the ;ingdom o Great =ritain.NHO
The de#osed Uacobite Stuart claimants had remained #o#ular in the Jighlands and north6east,
#articularly amongst non6<resbyterians. Jo(e&er, t(o maRor Uacobite risings launched rom the
Jighlands in ,/,- and ,/C- ailed to remo&e the Jouse o Jano&er rom the =ritish throne. This
#a&ed the (ay or large scale remo&als o the indigenous #o#ulations o the Jighlands and
9slands, 'no(n as the Jighland Clearances.NHO
Follo(ing the Scottish Enlightenment and the 9ndustrial Re&olution, Scotland became one o the
commercial, intellectual and industrial #o(erhouses o Euro#e. Ater *orld *ar 99, Scotland
e>#erienced an industrial decline (hich (as #articularly se&ere.N2@O 3nly in recent decades has
the country enRoyed something o a cultural and economic renaissance. Factors (hich ha&e
contributed to this reco&ery include a resurgent inancial ser&ices and electronics sector (see
Silicon Glen), and the #roceeds o "orth Sea oil and gas.N2HO The Scottish <arliament (as
established by the :; go&ernment under the Scotland Act ,HH@.
NeditO <olitics

The Arms o 7ueen Eli8abeth 99 as used in Scotland, a &ersion o (hich is used by the Scotland
3ice.!ain articlesS <olitics o Scotland, Scottish <arliament, and Scottish Go&ernment
Further inormationS Scottish <arliament general election, 2EE/
As one o the constituent countries o the :nited ;ingdom, the head o state in Scotland is the
=ritish monarch, currently 7ueen Eli8abeth 99 (since ,H-2). (9n Scotland, the title 7ueen Eli8abeth
99 is contro&ersial, as there has ne&er been an Eli8abeth 9 in Scotland.)N1EO Constitutionally the
:nited ;ingdom is a unitary state (ith one so&ereign #arliament and go&ernment. :nder a
system o de&olution (or home rule) Scotland (as granted limited sel6go&ernment ater a
reerendum on de&olution #ro#osals in ,HH/. The =ritish <arliament in *estminster retains the
ability to amend, change, broaden or abolish the de&ol&ed go&ernment system at (ill. As such the
Scottish <arliament is not so&ereign.
E>ecuti&e #o(er in the :nited ;ingdom is &ested in the 7ueen6in6Council, (hile legislati&e #o(er
is &ested in the 7ueen6in6<arliament (the Cro(n and the <arliament o the :nited ;ingdom at
*estminster in $ondon). :nder de&olution e>ecuti&e and legislati&e #o(ers in certain areas ha&e
been constitutionally delegated to the Scottish Go&ernment and the Scottish <arliament at
Jolyrood in Edinburgh res#ecti&ely. The :nited ;ingdom <arliament retains acti&e #o(er o&er
Scotland)s ta>es, social security system, the military, international relations, broadcasting, and
some other areas e>#licitly s#eciied in the Scotland Act ,HH@ as reser&ed matters.N1,O

The debating chamber o the Scottish <arliament =uildingThe Scottish <arliament has legislati&e
authority or all other areas relating to Scotland, and has limited #o(er to &ary income ta> but has
ne&er e>ercised this #o(er. The Scottish <arliament can reer de&ol&ed matters bac' to
*estminster to be considered as #art o :nited ;ingdom6(ide legislation by #assing a $egislati&e
Consent !otion i :nited ;ingdom6(ide legislation is considered to be more a##ro#riate or
certain issues. The #rogrammes o legislation enacted by the Scottish <arliament ha&e seen a
di&ergence in the #ro&ision o #ublic ser&ices com#ared to the rest o the :nited ;ingdom. For
instance, the costs o a uni&ersity education, and care ser&ices or the elderly are ree at #oint o
use in Scotland, (hile ees are #aid in the rest o the :;. Scotland (as the irst country in the :;
to ban smo'ing in #ublic #laces.N12O
The Scottish <arliament is a unicameral legislature com#rising ,2H !embers, /1 o (hom
re#resent indi&idual constituencies and are elected on a irst #ast the #ost systemM -? are elected
in eight dierent electoral regions by the additional member system, irst elected on the !ay ?,
,HHH and ser&ing or a our year #eriod. The 7ueen a##oints one !ember o the Scottish
<arliament, (!S<), on the nomination o the <arliament, to be First !inister. 3ther !inisters are
also a##ointed by the 7ueen on the nomination o the <arliament and together (ith the First
!inister they ma'e u# the Scottish Go&ernment, the e>ecuti&e arm o go&ernment.N11O
9n the 2EE/ election, the Scottish "ational <arty (S"<), (hich cam#aigns or Scottish
inde#endence, (on the greatest number seats o any single #arty. The leader o the S"<, Ale>
Salmond, (as elected as First !inister o a minority go&ernment on !ay ,?, 2EE/. 9n addition to
the S"<, the $abour <arty, led by *endy Ale>ander, the Conser&ati&e <arty, led by Annabelle
Goldie, the $iberal 4emocrats, led by "icol Ste#hen and the Green <arty, co6led by Robin
Jar#er, are also re#resented in the <arliament. 9n addition !argo !ac4onald is the only
inde#endent !S< sitting in <arliament.N1CO
Scotland is re#resented in the =ritish Jouse o Commons by -H !<s elected rom territory6based
Scottish constituencies. The Scotland 3ice, a de#artment o the :nited ;ingdom go&ernment
led by The Secretary o State or Scotland, is res#onsible or reser&ed matters. The Secretary o
State or Scotland sits in the Cabinet o the :nited ;ingdom, the current incumbent being 4es
=ro(ne.N1,O
NeditO $a(

<arliament Jouse, in Edinburgh, is the home o the Su#reme Courts o Scotland.!ain articleS
Scots la(
Scots la( has a basis deri&ed rom Roman la(,Ncitation neededO combining eatures o both
uncodiied ci&il la(, dating bac' to the Cor#us Uuris Ci&ilis, and common la( (ith mediae&al
sources. The terms o the Treaty o :nion (ith England in ,/E/ guaranteed the continued
e>istence o a se#arate legal system in Scotland rom that o England and *ales.Ncitation
neededO <rior to ,?,,, there (ere se&eral regional la( systems in Scotland, most notably :dal
la( in 3r'ney and Shetland, based on old "orse la(. Various other systems deri&ed rom
common Celtic or =rehon la(s sur&i&ed in the Jighlands until the ,@EEs.N1-O
Scots la( #ro&ides or three ty#es o courts res#onsible or the administration o RusticeS ci&il,
criminal and heraldic. The su#reme ci&il court is the Court o Session, although ci&il a##eals can
be ta'en to the Jouse o $ords. The Jigh Court o Uusticiary is the su#reme criminal court. =oth
courts are housed at <arliament Jouse, in Edinburgh, (hich (as the home o the #re6:nion
<arliament o Scotland. The sheri court is the main criminal and ci&il court. There are CH sheri
courts throughout the country.N1?O 4istrict courts (ere introduced in ,H/- or minor oences. The
Court o the $ord $yon regulates heraldry.
Scots la( is also uniFue in that it allo(s three &erdicts in criminal cases including the
contro&ersial )not #ro&en) &erdict.N1/ON1@O
NeditO Administrati&e subdi&isions

The Glasgo( City Chambers in George SFuare!ain articleS Subdi&isions o Scotland
Jistorical subdi&isions o Scotland include the mormaerdom, ste(artry, earldom, burgh, #arish,
county and regions and districts. The names o these areas are still sometimes used as
geogra#hical descri#tors.
!odern Scotland is subdi&ided in &arious (ays de#ending on the #ur#ose. For local go&ernment,
12 council areas (ere set u# in ,HH?,N1HO (hich are administered by unitary authorities
res#onsible or the #ro&ision o all local go&ernment ser&ices. Community councils are inormal
organisations that re#resent s#eciic sub6di&isions o a council area.
For the Scottish <arliament, there are /1 constituencies and eight regions. For the <arliament o
the :nited ;ingdom there are -H constituencies. The Scottish ire brigades and #olice orces are
still based on the system o regions introduced in ,H/-. For health6care and #ostal districts, and a
number o other go&ernmental and non6go&ernmental organisations such as the churches, there
are other long6standing methods o subdi&iding Scotland or the #ur#oses o administration.
City status in the :nited ;ingdom is determined by letters #atent.NCEO There are si> cities in
ScotlandS Aberdeen, 4undee, Edinburgh, Glasgo( and more recently 9n&erness, and Stirling.NC,O
NeditO Geogra#hy and natural history

!a# o Scotland!ain articleS Geogra#hy o Scotland
Scotland com#rises the northern third o the island o Great =ritain, (hich lies o the coast o
north (est Euro#e. The total land mass is /@,//2 'm5 (1E,C,C mi5).NC2O Scotland)s only land
border is (ith England, and runs or H? 'ilometres (?E miles) bet(een the Ri&er T(eed on the
east coast and the Sol(ay Firth in the (est. The Atlantic 3cean borders the (est coast and the
"orth Sea is to the east. The island o 9reland lies only 1E 'ilometres (2E mi) rom the south
(estern #eninsula o ;intyre, "or(ay is CEE 'ilometres (2-E mi) to the north east, the Faroes 1,E
'ilometres (,H1 mi) and 9celand /H@ 'm (CH? mi) to the north (est. The geogra#hical centre o
Scotland lies a e( miles rom the &illage o "e(tonmore in =adenoch, ar to the north o the
modern #o#ulation heartlands.NC1O
The territorial e>tent o Scotland is generally that established by the ,21/ Treaty o Dor' bet(een
Scotland and EnglandNCCO and the ,2?? Treaty o <erth bet(een Scotland and "or(ay.NHO
E>ce#tions includeS the 9sle o !an, (hich is no( a cro(n de#endency outside the :nited
;ingdom, the ,-th century acFuisitions o 3r'ney and Shetland rom "or(ayMNC2O and Roc'all, a
small roc'y islet in the "orth Atlantic (hich (as anne>ed by the :; in ,H-- and later declared
#art o Scotland by the 9sland o Roc'all Act ,H/2.NC-ONC?O Jo(e&er, the legality o the claim is
dis#uted by the Re#ublic o 9reland, 4enmar' and 9celand and it is #robably unenorceable in
international la(.NC/ONC@O
NeditO Geology and geomor#hology

Relie !a# o Scotland!ain articleS Geology o Scotland
The (hole o Scotland (as co&ered by ice sheets during the <leistocene ice ages and the
landsca#e is much aected by glaciation. From a geological #ers#ecti&e the country has three
main sub6di&isions. The Jighlands and 9slands lie to the north and (est o the Jighland =oundary
Fault, (hich runs rom Arran to Stoneha&en. This #art o Scotland largely com#rises ancient roc's
rom the Cambrian and <recambrian (hich (ere u#lited during the later Caledonian 3rogeny.
These oundations are inters#ersed (ith many igneous intrusions o a more recent age, the
remnants o (hich ha&e ormed mountain massis such as the Cairngorms and S'ye Cuillins. A
signiicant e>ce#tion to the abo&e are the ossil6bearing beds o 3ld Red Sandstones ound
#rinci#ally along the !oray Firth coast. The Jighlands are generally mountainous and are
bisected by the Great Glen. The highest ele&ations in the =ritish 9sles are ound here, including
=en "e&is, the highest #ea' at ,,1CC metres (C,CEH t). Scotland has o&er /HE islands, di&ided
into our main grou#sS Shetland, 3r'ney, and the Jebrides, sub6di&ided into the 9nner Jebrides
and 3uter Jebrides. There are numerous bodies o resh(ater including $och $omond and $och
"ess. Some #arts o the coastline consist o machair, a lo( lying dune #asture land.
The Central $o(lands is a rit &alley mainly com#rising <aleo8oic ormations. !any o these
sediments ha&e economic signiicance or it is here that the coal and iron bearing roc's that
uelled Scotland)s industrial re&olution are to be ound. This area has also e>#erienced intense
&olcanism, ArthurXs Seat in Edinburgh being the remnant o a once much larger &olcano acti&e in
the Carbonierous #eriod some 1EE million years ago. Also 'no(n as the !idland Valley, this area
is relati&ely lo(6lying, although e&en here hills such as the 3chils and Cam#sie Fells are rarely ar
rom &ie(.
The Southern :#lands are a range o hills almost 2EE 'm (,2- miles) long, inters#ersed (ith
broad &alleys. They lie south o a second ault line running rom Stranraer to(ards 4unbar. The
geological oundations largely com#rise Silurian de#osits laid do(n some CW-EE million years
ago.N@ONCHON-EO
NeditO Climate

=en "e&is, the highest #ea' in the =ritish 9sles!ain articleS Climate o Scotland
The climate o Scotland is tem#erate and oceanic, and tends to be &ery changeable. 9t is (armed
by the Gul Stream rom the Atlantic, and as such has much milder (inters (but cooler, (etter
summers) than areas on similar latitudes, or e>am#le 3slo or !osco(. Jo(e&er, tem#eratures
are generally lo(er than in the rest o the :;, (ith the coldest e&er :; tem#erature o 62/.2 .C (6
,?.H? .F) recorded at =raemar in the Gram#ian !ountains, on ,, February ,@H- and ,E Uanuary
,H@2 and also at Altnaharra, Jighland, on 1E 4ecember ,HH-.N-,O *inter ma>imums a&erage ?
.C (C2.@ .F) in the lo(lands, (ith summer ma>imums a&eraging ,@ .C (?C.C .F). The highest
tem#erature recorded (as 12.H .C (H,.22 .F) at Greycroo', Scottish =orders on H August 2EE1.
N-2O
9n general, the (est o Scotland is usually (armer than the east, due to the inluence o the
Atlantic ocean currents, and the colder surace tem#eratures o the "orth Sea. Tiree, in the 9nner
Jebrides, is one o the sunniest #laces in the countryS it had 1EE days o sunshine in ,H/-.
Rainall &aries (idely across Scotland. The (estern highlands o Scotland are the (ettest #lace,
(ith annual rainall e>ceeding 1,EEE mm (,2E inches).N-2O 9n com#arison, much o lo(land
Scotland recei&es less than @EE mm (1, inches) annually.N-2O Jea&y sno(all is not common in
the lo(lands, but becomes more common (ith altitude. =raemar e>#eriences an a&erage o -H
sno( days #er year,N-1O (hile coastal areas ha&e an a&erage o e(er than ,E days.N-2O
NeditO Flora and auna

!ale Ca#ercaillie courtshi# dis#lay!ain articleS Fauna o Scotland
Scotland)s (ildlie is ty#ical o the north (est o Euro#e, although se&eral o the larger mammals
such as the =ro(n =ear, *ol, Eurasian $yn>, =ea&er, Reindeer, El' and *alrus (ere hunted to
e>tinction in historic times. There are im#ortant #o#ulations o seals and internationally signiicant
nesting grounds or a &ariety o seabirds such as "orthern Gannets.N-CO The Golden Eagle is
something o a national icon, (ith *hite6tailed Eagles, 3s#reys and Red ;ites being recent re6
introductions ollo(ing #ersecution to the #oint o e>tinction.
A #o#ulation o Sno( =unting summers on the high mountain to#s and at such ele&ations s#ecies
including <tarmigan, !ountain Jare and Stoat can be seen in their (hite colour #hase during
(inter months.N--O Remnants o nati&e Scots <ine orest e>istN-?O and (ithin these areas the
Scottish Crossbill, =ritain)s only endemic bird, can be ound alongside Ca#ercaillie and =lac'
Grouse.N-/O The *ildcat, Red SFuirrel and <ine !arten also a&our this habitat.N-@O
The lora o the country is &aried incor#orating both deciduous and conierous (oodland and
moorland and tundra s#ecies. Jo(e&er, large scale commercial #lanting o non6nati&e conierous
tree s#ecies and the management o u#land moorland habitat or the gra8ing o shee# and
commercial ield s#ort acti&ities, (#rinci#ally the stal'ing o Red 4eer and shooting o Red
Grouse),N-HO im#acts u#on the distribution o indigenous #lants and animals. The Fortingall De(
may be -,EEE years old and is #robably the oldest li&ing thing in Euro#e.N?EO
NeditO Economy

E>>on !obil)s =eryl Al#ha <latorm, 1,-'m ".East o Aberdeen!ain articleS Economy o Scotland
Scotland has a (estern style o#en mi>ed economy (hich is closely lin'ed (ith that o the rest o
Euro#e and the (ider (orld. Traditionally, the Scottish economy has been dominated by hea&y
industry under#inned by the shi#building, coal mining and steel industries. <etroleum related
industries associated (ith the e>traction o "orth Sea oil ha&e also been im#ortant em#loyers
rom the ,H/Es, es#ecially in the north east o Scotland. 4e6industrialisation during the ,H/Es and
,H@Es sa( a shit rom a manuacturing ocus to(ards a more ser&ices orientated economy.
Edinburgh is the inancial ser&ices centre o Scotland and the si>th largest inancial centre in
Euro#e in terms o unds under management, behind $ondon, <aris, Fran'urt, Yurich and
Amsterdam,N?,O (ith many large inance irms based there, includingS the Royal =an' o Scotland
(the second largest ban' in Euro#e)M J=3S (o(ners o the =an' o Scotland)M and Standard $ie.
9n 2EE-, total Scottish e>#orts (e>cluding intra6:; trade) (ere #ro&isionally estimated to be Z,/.-
billion, o (hich /EG (Z,2.2 billion) (ere attributable to manuacturing.N?2O Scotland)s #rimary
e>#orts include (his'y, electronics and inancial ser&ices. The :nited States, The "etherlands,
Germany, France and S#ain constitute the country)s maRor e>#ort mar'ets.N?2O 9n 2EE?, the Gross
4omestic <roduct (G4<) o Scotland (as Rust o&er Z@? billion, gi&ing a #er ca#ita G4< o Z,?
HEE. N?1ON?CO
As o 2EE?, the unem#loyment rate in Scotland stood at -.,G 6 marginally abo&e the :; a&erage,
but lo(er than in the maRority o E: countries.N?-O
NeditO Currency

Z,E notes eature historical igures such as Sir *alter Scott, the 4u'e o Argyll and !ary
Slessor.Although the =an' o England is the central ban' or the :;, three Scottish clearing
ban's still issue their o(n Sterling ban'notesS the =an' o ScotlandM the Royal =an' o ScotlandM
and the Clydesdale =an'. These notes ha&e no status as legal tender any(here in the :nited
;ingdom, although they are ungible (ith the =an' o England ban'notes.N??O 4es#ite this,
Scottish6issued notes are sometimes reused in England and are not al(ays acce#ted by ban's
and e>change bureaus outside the :;. The Royal =an' o Scotland still #roduces a Z, note.N?/O
The current &alue o the Scottish ban'notes in circulation is Z,.- billion.N??O
For more details on this to#ic, see =an'notes o the #ound sterling.
NeditO 4emogra#hics
!ain articleS 4emogra#hics o Scotland
See alsoS $anguage in Scotland and Religion in Scotland
The #o#ulation o Scotland in the 2EE, census (as -,E?2,E,,. This has risen to -,,,?,HEE
according to Uune 2EE? estimates.N?@O This (ould ma'e Scotland the ,,2th largest country by
#o#ulation i it (ere a so&ereign state. Although Edinburgh is the ca#ital o Scotland it is not the
largest city. *ith a #o#ulation o Rust o&er ?EE,EEE this honour alls to Glasgo(. 9ndeed, the
Greater Glasgo( conurbation, (ith a #o#ulation o o&er ,., million, is home to o&er a ith o
Scotland)s #o#ulation.N?HON/EO
The Central =elt is (here most o the main to(ns and cities are located. Glasgo( is to the (est
(hilst the other three main cities o Edinburgh, Aberdeen and 4undee lie on the east coast. The
Jighlands are s#arsely #o#ulated although the city o 9n&erness has e>#erienced ra#id gro(th in
recent years. 9n general only the more accessible and larger islands retain human #o#ulations
and e(er than HE are currently inhabited. The Southern :#lands are essentially rural in nature
and dominated by agriculture and orestry.N/,ON/2O =ecause o housing #roblems in Glasgo( and
Edinburgh, i&e ne( to(ns (ere created bet(een ,HC/ and ,H??. They are East ;ilbride,
Glenrothes, $i&ingston, Cumbernauld, and 9r&ine.N/1O
4ue to immigration since *orld *ar 99, Glasgo(, Edinburgh and 4undee ha&e signiicant
ethnically Asian #o#ulations.N/CO Since the recent Enlargement o the Euro#ean :nion there has
been an increased number o #eo#le rom Central and Eastern Euro#e mo&ing to Scotland, and it
is estimated that bet(een CE,EEE and -E,EEE <oles are no( in li&ing in the country.N/-O As o
2EE,, there are ,?,1,E ethnic Chinese residents in Scotland.N/?O
Scotland has three oicially recognised languagesS English, Scots and Scottish Gaelic. Almost all
Scots s#ea' Scottish Standard English, and in ,HH? the General Register 3ice or Scotland
estimated that 1EG o the #o#ulation are luent in Scots.N//O Gaelic is mostly s#o'en in the
*estern 9sles, (here a maRority o #eo#le still s#ea' it, ho(e&er nationally its use is conined to
Rust ,G o the #o#ulation.N/@O
NeditO Religion

The ruins o St Andre()s Cathedral in Fie!ain articleS Religion in Scotland
Since her distincti&e <rotestant reormation, the Church o Scotland, also sometimes #o#ularly
'no(n as The ;ir', has been Scotland)s national church. :nli'e the Church o England, the ;ir'
has a <resbyterian system o church go&ernment, and enRoys inde#endence rom the state.N@O
Scotland also has a signiicant Roman Catholic #o#ulation, #articularly in the (est. Ater the
Reormation, Roman Catholicism continued on in the Jighlands and some (estern islands li'e
:ist and =arra, and (as strengthened, during the ,Hth century by immigration rom 9reland. 3ther
Christian denominations in Scotland include the Free Church o Scotland, and the Scottish
E#isco#al Church. 9slam is the largest non6Christian religion (estimated at -E,EEE, this is less
than ,G o the #o#ulation),N/HO and there are also signiicant Ue(ish, Jindu and Si'h
communities, es#ecially in Glasgo(. 2@G o the #o#ulation ollo( )no religion) (hatsoe&er.N/HO
The Samy[ $ing monastery near Es'dalemuir, (hich celebrated its CEth anni&ersary in 2EE/,
includes the largest =uddhist tem#le in (estern Euro#e.N@EO
NeditO !ilitary

Soldiers o the i&e regular battalions o the Royal Regiment o Scotland!ain articleS !ilitary o
Scotland
Although Scotland has a long military tradition that #redates the Act o :nion (ith England, its
armed orces no( orm #art o the =ritish Armed Forces, (ith the notable e>ce#tion o the Atholl
Jighlanders, Euro#e)s only legal #ri&ate army. 9n 2EE?, the regiments o the Scottish 4i&ision
(ere amalgamated to orm the Royal Regiment o Scotland.
4ue to their to#ogra#hy and #ercei&ed remoteness, #arts o Scotland ha&e housed many
sensiti&e deence establishments, (ith mi>ed #ublic eelings.N@,ON@2O =et(een ,H?E and ,HH,,
the Joly $och (as a base or the :.S. leet o <olaris ballistic missile submarines.N@1O Today, Jer
!aResty)s "a&al =ase Clyde, 2- miles (CE 'm) (est o Glasgo(, is the base or the our Trident6
armed Vanguard class ballistic missile submarines that com#rise the :;)s nuclear deterrent. J!S
Caledonia at Rosyth in Fie is the su##ort base or na&y o#erations in Scotland and also ser&es
as the "a&al Regional 3ice ("R3 Scotland and "orthern 9reland). The Royal "a&y)s submarine
nuclear reactor de&elo#ment establishment is located at 4ounreay, (hich (as also the site o the
:;)s ast breeder nuclear reactor #rogramme. J!S Gannet is a search and rescue station based
at <rest(ic' Air#ort in Ayrshire and o#erates three Sea ;ing !' - helico#ters. R! Condor at
Arbroath, Angus is home to C- Commando, Royal !arines.N@CO
Three im#ortant Royal Air Force bases are in Scotland today. These are RAF $ossiemouth, the
RAF)s #rimary base or the <ana&ia Tornado GRC stri'e aircrat, RAF ;inloss, home to the
"imrod maritime #atrol aircrat and RAF $euchars, the most northerly air deence ighter base in
the :nited ;ingdom. The only o#en air li&e de#leted uranium (ea#ons test range in the =ritish
9sles is located near 4undrennan.N@-O As a result, o&er /EEE radioacti&e munitions lie on the
seabed o the Sol(ay Firth.N@?O The large number o military bases in Scotland has led some to
use the eu#hemism %Fortress Scotland%.N@/O 9n 2EE-, the !o4 land holdings in Scotland (o(ned,
leased or (ith legal rights) (as ,,-,1EE hectares re#resenting 1,.-G o the !o4)s :; estate.N@@O
NeditO Education

Coat o Arms o the :ni&ersity o Edinburgh ounded ,-@2!ain articleS Education in Scotland
The Scottish education system has al(ays remained distinct rom education in the rest o :nited
;ingdom, (ith a characteristic em#hasis on a broad education.N@HO Scotland (as the irst country
since S#arta in classical Greece to im#lement a system o general #ublic education.NHEO
Schooling (as made com#ulsory or the irst time in Scotland (ith the Education Act o ,CH?,
then, in ,-?,, the ;ir' set out a national #rogramme or s#iritual reorm, including a school in
e&ery #arish. Education continued to be a matter or the church rather than the state until the
Education Act o ,@/2.NH,O
All 1 and C year old children in Scotland are entitled to a ree nursery #lace (ith %a curriculum
rame(or' or children 16-%NH2O #ro&iding the curricular guidelines. Formal #rimary education
begins at a##ro>imately - years old and lasts or / years (<,6</)M The %-6,C guidelines% #ro&ides
the curricular rame(or'.NH1O Today, children in Scotland sit Standard Grade e>ams at
a##ro>imately ,- or ,?. The school lea&ing age is ,?, ater (hich students may choose to remain
at school and study or Access, 9ntermediate or Jigher Grade and Ad&anced Jigher e>ams. A
small number o students at certain #ri&ate, inde#endent schools may ollo( the English system
and study to(ards GCSEs instead o Standard Grades, and to(ards A and AS6$e&els instead o
Jigher Grade and Ad&anced Jigher e>ams.NHCO
There are ,C Scottish uni&ersities, some o (hich are amongst the oldest in the (orld.NH-ONH?O
The country #roduces ,G o the (orld)s #ublished research (ith less than E.,G o the (orld)s
#o#ulation, and higher education institutions account or nine #er cent o Scotland)s ser&ice sector
e>#orts.NH/ONH@O
NeditO Culture
!ain articleS Culture o Scotland
See alsoS !usic in Scotland, Scottish $iterature, !edia in Scotland, Cuisine o Scotland, and
S#ort in Scotland

A #i#er #laying the Great Jighland =ag#i#e.3&er the course o many centuries, an amalgamation
o &arious traditions has moulded the culture o Scotland. There is a robust arts scene, (ith both
music and literature hea&ily inluenced by Scottish sources and a &ariety o national media
outlets. Se&eral Scottish s#orting traditions are uniFue to the =ritish 9sles, and co6e>ist (ith more
#o#ular games such as Football and Rugby.
The Scottish music scene is a signiicant as#ect o Scottish culture, (ith both traditional and
modern inluences. An e>am#le o a traditional Scottish instrument is the Great Jighland =ag#i#e,
a (ind instrument consisting o one or more musical #i#es (hich are ed continuously by a
reser&oir o air in a bag. The ClQrsach, iddle and accordion are also traditional Scottish
instruments, the latter t(o hea&ily eatured in Scottish country dance bands. Scottish emigrants
too' traditional Scottish music (ith them and it inluenced early local styles such as country music
in "orth America. Today, there are many successul Scottish bands and indi&idual artists in
&arying styles.NHHO
Scottish literature includes te>t (ritten in English, Scottish Gaelic, Scots, French, and $atin. The
#oet and song(riter Robert =urns (rote in the Scots language, although much o his (riting is
also in English and in a %light% Scots dialect (hich is more accessible to a (ider audience.
Similarly, the (ritings o Sir *alter Scott and Arthur Conan 4oyle (ere internationally successul
during the late ,Hth and early 2Eth Centuries.N,EEO U. !. =arrie introduced the mo&ement 'no(n
as the %'ailyard tradition% at the end o the ,Hth century, (hich brought elements o antasy and
ol'lore bac' into ashion.N,E,O This tradition has been &ie(ed as a maRor stumbling bloc' or
Scottish literature, as it ocused on an idealised, #astoral #icture o Scottish culture.N,E,O Some
modern no&elists, such as 9r&ine *elsh (o Trains#otting ame), (rite in a distinctly Scottish
English that relects the harsher realities o contem#orary lie.N,E2O
The national broadcaster is ==C Scotland (==C Alba in Gaelic), a constituent #art o the =ritish
=roadcasting Cor#oration, the #ublicly6unded broadcaster o the :nited ;ingdom. 9t runs t(o
national tele&ision stations and the national radio stations, ==C Radio Scotland and ==C Radio
nan Gaidheal amongst others. The main Scottish commercial tele&ision stations are STV and
=order Tele&ision. "ational ne(s#a#ers such as the 4aily Record, The Jerald, and The
Scotsman are all #roduced in Scotland.N,E1O 9m#ortant regional dailies include The Courier in
4undee in the east, and The <ress and Uournal ser&ing Aberdeen and the north.N,E1O

The 3ld Course at St Andre(sS#ort is an im#ortant element in Scottish culture, (ith the country
hosting many o its o(n national s#orting com#etitions, and enRoying inde#endent re#resentation
at many international s#orting e&ents such as the F9FA *orld Cu#, the Rugby *orld Cu# and the
Common(ealth Games (although not the 3lym#ic Games). Scotland has its o(n national
go&erning bodies, such as the Scottish Football Association (the second oldest national ootball
association in the (orld)N,ECO and the Scottish Rugby :nion. Variations o ootball ha&e been
#layed in Scotland or centuries (ith the earliest reerence being in ,C2C.N,E-O Association
ootball is no( the national s#ort and the Scottish Cu# is the (orld)s oldest national tro#hy.N,E?O
The Fie to(n o St. Andre(s is 'no(n internationally as the Jome o GolN,E/Oand to many
golers the 3ld Course, an ancient lin's course dating to beore ,-/C, is considered to be a site o
#ilgrimage.N,E@O There are many other amous gol courses in Scotland, including Carnoustie,
Gleneagles, !uirield and Royal Troon. 3ther distincti&e eatures o the national s#orting culture
include the Jighland games, curling and shinty. Scotland #layed host to the Common(ealth
Games in ,H/E and ,H@?.
NeditO Trans#ort
!ain articleS Trans#ort in Scotland

A $oganair aircrat at =arra Air#ort, the only air#ort in the (orld (here scheduled air ser&ices land
on a beach run(ay.Scotland has i&e main international air#orts (Glasgo(, Edinburgh, Aberdeen,
<rest(ic' and 9n&erness Air#ort) (hich together ser&e ,-E international destinations (ith a (ide
&ariety o scheduled and chartered lights.N,EHO Jighland and 9slands Air#orts o#erate ,E regional
air#orts ser&ing the more remote locations o Scotland.N,,EO There is technically no national
airline, ho(e&er &arious airlines ha&e their base in Scotland including $oganair (o#erates as a
ranchise o =ritish Air(ays), bmi regionalN,,,O Flyglobes#an, City Star Airlines, and ScotAir(ays.
Scotland has a large and e>#anding rail net(or', (hich, ollo(ing the Rail(ays Act o 2EE-, is
no( managed inde#endently rom the rest o the :; by Trans#ort Scotland.N,,2O The East Coast
and *est Coast !ain Rail(ay lines and the Cross Country $ine connect the maRor cities and
to(ns o Scotland (ith the English net(or'. First ScotRail o#erate ser&ices (ithin Scotland. The
Scottish E>ecuti&e has #ursued a #olicy o building ne( rail(ay lines, and reo#ening closed ones.
3#erators to English destinations include First ScotRail, G"ER and Virgin Trains.
The Scottish motor(ays and maRor trun' roads are managed by Trans#ort Scotland. The rest o
the road net(or' is managed by the Scottish local authorities in each o their areas. The country)s
busiest motor(ay is the !@ (hich runs rom the outs'irts o Edinburgh to central Glasgo(, and on
to Renre(shire.N,,1O
Regular erry ser&ices o#erate bet(een the Scottish mainland and island communities. These
ser&ices are mostly run by Caledonian !ac=rayne, but some are o#erated by local councils.
3ther erry routes, ser&ed by multi#le com#anies, connect to "orthern 9reland, =elgium, "or(ay,
the Faroe 9slands and also 9celand.
NeditO "ational symbols
!ain articleS "ational symbols o Scotland

The SaltireThe Flag o Scotland, 'no(n as the Saltire or St. Andre()s Cross, dates (at least in
legend) rom the Hth century, and is thus the oldest national lag still in use. The Saltire no( also
orms #art o the design o the :nion Flag. There are numerous other symbols and symbolic
arteacts, both oicial and unoicial, including the thistle, the nation)s loral emblem, the ,12E
statement o #olitical inde#endence the 4eclaration o Arbroath, the te>tile #attern tartan that
oten signiies a #articular Scottish clan, and the $ion Ram#ant lag.N,,CON,,-ON,,?O
Flo(er o Scotland is #o#ularly held to be the "ational Anthem o Scotland, and is #layed at
international e&ents such as ootball or rugby matches in&ol&ing the Scotland national team.
Jo(e&er, since de&olution, more serious discussion o a national anthem has led to this being
dis#uted. 3ther candidates include Scots *ha Jae, Scotland the =ra&e and A !an)s A !an or A)
That.N,,/O
St Andre()s 4ay, the 1Eth o "o&ember, is the national day, although =urns) "ight tends to be
more (idely obser&ed. Tartan 4ay is a recent inno&ation rom Canada. 9n 2EE?, the Scottish
<arliament #assed the St. Andre()s 4ay =an' Joliday (Scotland) Act 2EE/, designating the day
to be an oicial ban' holiday.