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Untamed and beautiful, Scotland is located in northern Europe and is bounded by the North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and England. It is around half the size of England, but most of its landmass is comprised of moorlands, mountains and about 800 islands.
Capital: Edinburgh There are just over 5 million Scots. They are part of the United Kingdom, but they have our own devolved parliament based in the capital, Edinburgh, and their own distinct culture. From majestic glens and tranquil lochs to exciting concerts and pulsing city nightlife, Scotland offers an unrivalled range of things to see and do. For the more energetic there are exceptional leisure facilities, including the some of the world�s greatest golf courses, stunning mountain walks and thrilling watersports centers. For those who simply want to relax, one can enjoy countless historic castles, monuments and museums, or perhaps take a relaxing canal trip across the country on either the Caledonian or Forth & Clyde Canal. In southern Scotland, the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th century brought flourishing towns, expanding populations, and the creation of industries such as cotton and shipbuilding, as well as booming trade. Cities grew even bigger following one of the bleakest historical events - the Highland Clearances - when thousands were evicted from their rented crofts and the mass migration of Scots to other parts of the world began. Scots emigrated to North America, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, taking with them their reputation for prudence and hard work. In time this reputation meant that Scots were increasingly recruited to spearhead industrial development in the new world. In more recent times, technology has led Scotland's growth with companies such as IBM and Hewlett Packard based in "Silicon Glen" since just after the Second World War. Biotechnology, too, has been a key industry based on expertise in the whisky industry and the international reputation of medical schools such as the University of Edinburgh. Their engineering heritage is still strong, and has led to innovations in industries such as optoelectronics, microelectronics, and more recently communications technologies, nanotechnology and computer platform convergence. Food and drink is another key area with whisky vying for top place in the exporting league. And Oil and Gas has been a key engine for growth in the north of the country, leading to Aberdeen's recognition as a centre of expertise in drilling technology.
School attendance has been compulsory since 1496 (almost 400 years longer than in England). As a result, Scotland today excels in the fields of biotechnology, astrophysics, micro- and optoelectronics and artificial intelligence, alongside its traditional strengths. And, as the country that gave the world television, the telephone, the fax, the photocopier, the first 3D computer game and Dolly the Sheep, Scotland continues to make an outstanding contribution to the world at large.
Scotland Animals Lucky Cats by Jude |