WELCOME to SCOTLAND

(Fàilte ort a dh'Albainn)

Welcome to Scotland and the "Gateway to Scotland", the definitive source of information about Scotland on the internet.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH

[NEW!] What's New on Gateway to Scotland [WHAT'S NEW!]
[NEW!] Updated information about the Royal Scottish Geographical Society
[NEW!] New section bringing together Scottish Places, Regions and Maps
[NEW!] Questionnaire Results and much more about the Gazetteer for Scotland Project
[NEW!] Information about the Scottish Flag(s) - click on the flag above or see section below

[IMAGE: View to River Forth]

Gateway to Scotland

We look to Scotland for all our ideas
of civilisation -- Voltaire

These pages are intended to provide a gateway to the country of Scotland; its geography, history, people, traditions and culture. No-one was providing this information, so we decided to take the initiative. Much information is provided locally by ourselves, but there are also links to other providers of Scottish information. Please tell us if you think there is other information out there which we have missed.

Scotland - Introduction

Scotland is one of four constituent nations which form the United Kingdom (the other three are England, Wales and Northern Ireland). Scotland forms the northern part of the island of Great Britain.

Scotland is 31,510 sq. miles in area; it is 274 miles long from North to South and varies in breadth between 24 and 154 miles. An active map of Scotland is available, which details Scotland's major cities.

Population statistics for Scotland (1811 - 1991) are available here. Other demographic and socio-economic statistics are also available.

The official language is English, although Gaelic is spoken, primarily in the North and West of Scotland. For your information, the local date and time are available in Gaelic.

The Scots language (which has many similarities to English, but also draws on French and Gaelic) is also spoken. Whereas Gaelic is the language of the Highlands & Islands, Scots is the language of the Lowlands.

Scotland - Physical Characteristics

[IMAGE: Highland Cow]

Scotland is divided into three main regions; the Highlands, the Midland Valley and the Southern Uplands. The cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee together with numerous towns, most of the population and the majority of Scotland's industry is located within the Midland Valley. This broad valley averages 50 miles across and runs WSW to ENE across the centre of the country. It is geologically distinct from the surrounding regions, being composed of Devonian Old Red Sandstone, peppered with ancient volcanoes, as against the older sedimentary rocks forming the Southern Uplands or the ancient metamorphic melange, comprising the Highlands to the north.

Scotland includes 787 islands, of which most belong to groups known as the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland. Only 62 exceed three sq. miles in area.

Of 26 rivers flowing directly into the sea, the most significant are:

(Further information is available here)

Of these, the Clyde, Forth and Tay open into significant estuaries and support three of the major cities of Scotland (Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee respectively).

Scotland is well known for its mountainous and beautiful scenery. Much of the upland within the UK is contained within the borders of Scotland, along with the highest peaks. The highest mountains in Scotland are:

(Further information is available here)

Scotland is also noted for its lochs (this name is generally used for lakes in Scotland). Much of the west coast of the country is intersected by Sea Lochs, the longest of which, Loch Fyne, penetrates more than 40 miles inland.

Notable fresh-water lochs include:

(Further information is available here)

Scotland - Government and Commerce

Government in Scotland is currently (1994) in three tiers. National goverment is via the UK parliament in London, through the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Scottish Office based in Edinburgh. A list of documents relating to government in Scotland is available here.

Local government is divided into 29 unitary authorities and three island authorities, having been subject to a major reorganisation in 1995.

Scotland has its own legal system, judiciary and an education system which, at all levels, differs from that found "south of the border" in England and Wales.

Scotland also has its own banking system and its own banknotes. Edinburgh is the second financial centre of the UK and one of the major financial centres of the world.

Scotland - Famous People

Scotland has given rise to many more famous people, notable in the arts, literature, the sciences and as inventors, philosophers, architects and so on, than would be expected for a country of such modest size and population. A list of some of these individuals is available here.

Scotland - History


Further Information about Scotland

o Scottish Maps, Regions & Places [NEW!]
o Discovering Scotland through Tourist Portraits and Media & Film
o The Arts in Scotland and Scottish Literature [NEW!]
o Traditional Scottish Food and Drink
o Scottish Music, Song and Dance
o The Scottish Weather (forecasts, images, snow conditions)
o Sport in Scotland
o Scottish Dress and Tartans
o A miscellany of questions answered about Scotland
o A collection of culture from the Gaelic Cultural Centre (Canada)
o Indexes of Scottish Web Server and some of the main WWW Servers
o Scottish Events near to you
o Tourist Information Contact Points
o Tracing your Scottish Ancestry
o All about the Scottish Flag(s) [NEW!]
o What the Reviewers say about Gateway to Scotland

[ SEND COMMENTS ] We welcome your comments and suggestions on the "Gateway to Scotland". We are also grateful for any additions which you may suggest.
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Supported by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society


© 1996, Bruce M. Gittings.

URL: http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/home/scotland/scotland.html
If you wish to use information which forms part of the "Gateway to Scotland", please look here first. Please read our Aims & Disclaimer.


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