Scotland

The northern part of the island of Great Britain is Scotland. Rugged uplands separate it from England to the south. Within this border territory north of England the Scots fought many wars to keep their independence. In 1707 Scotland joined with England, and the entire island became a single kingdom, Great Britain. The Scots, however, remain a distinct people, and they have a long history different from that of England.

Scotland has long been characterized as a land of romance. It contains ruins of many ancient castles and abbeys, and there is a haunting beauty in its windswept mountains, long deep valleys, and ribbon lakes. It attracts many tourists, particularly from the United States and England.

The coast of Scotland is deeply pierced by inlets from the sea. The larger inlets are called firths. Long, narrow inlets are called sea lochs (lakes). On the rugged west coast the sea lochs are framed by great cliffs and resemble the fjords of Norway.

Area: 78,772 sq km (30,414 sq mi)
Population: 5.1 million
Capital city: Edinburgh (pop 408,000)
People: Celts, Anglo-Saxons
Language: English, Gaelic
Religion: Presbyterian Church of Scotland, other Presbyterian churches, Anglicans, Catholics
Government: Parliamentary Democracy
Head of State: Queen Elizabeth
Prime Minister: Tony Blair

GDP: US$90 billion
GDP per head: US$18,000
Annual growth: 3%
Inflation: 3%
Major industries: Banking and finance, steel, transport equipment, oil and gas, whisky, tourism
Major trading partners: EU & USA Member of EU: yes