Scotland

The country
Three main regions: 1) Nort-west and Central Highlands (Grampians)together with the large number of islands off the west and north-east coast; with innland lochs and fiord coastlines 2) The Central Lowlands one fifth of the land , but threequarters of the Scottish population, industrial and commercial centres, and the majority of the cultivated land 3) The Southern Uplands hill ranges stretching towards the border with England The highest point in the central highlands is BEN NAVIS (4, 406 feet, 1342 m), the highest place in britain

Population
Just over 5 million people has changed relativelly little in the last 50 years The main Scottish population (concentrations are today around Edinburgh - the administrative centre and capital Glasgow - the commercial and industrial area The regional centres Aberdeen an oil industry Dundee

Isolation, physical conditions and the harsh climate in many parts of Scotland have made conquest, settlement and agriculture difficult

Early history
In the Time of the Roman invasion, Scotland was mainly inhabited by the Picts- Roman rule never permanantly extended to most of Scotland In the 6th century the S cots from Ireland settled in what is now Argyll giving their name to the present-day Scotland War between the kingdoms of England and Scotland was frequent in the Middle Ages Defeat of William Wallace7s uprising in 1298 Robert Bruce`s victory over Edward II of Englandat Bannockburn in 1314 ensured the survival of a separate kingdom of Scotland

Early history
The two crowns were eventually united when Elizabeth I of England was succeeded in 1603 by James VI of Scotlend (James I of England), who was her nearest heir Even so, England and Scotland remained separate political entitries during the 17th century apart from an enforced period of unification under Oliver Cromwell in the 1650s

In 1707 the English and Scottish Parliaments agreed on a single Psarliament for Great Britain

Scottish Parliament and the Executive

The Scotland Act 1998 provided the necessary statutory framework to establish a Scottish Parliament and Executive In the referendum in 1997 - 74 per cent of Scottish people supported the devolution proposition In May 1999 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) were elected for a fixed fouryear term The Labour Party, which has traditionally done well in elections in Scotland is the largest single party The Scottish National Party is the second largest party

The Scottish Parliament `s resposibilities

Health Education and training Local government Housing Economic development Many aspects of home afairs and civil and criminal law Transport the environment Agriculture, fisheries and forestry Sports and the arts

UK Government and Parliament

Overseas affairs Defence and national security Overall economic andmonetary policy Employment legislation Social security The position of Secretary of State for Scotland, with a Seat in the Cabinet, continues and carries responsibilities for representing Scottish interests within the UK Government through the Scotland Office

The Economy
In the last 50 years the economy has moved away from the traditional industries of coal, steel and shipbuilding With the establishment of the offshore oil and gas industry Growth in services More recently developments in hightechnology industries chemicals, electronic engineering and information technology Manufacting remains important

The Economy
ELECTRONICS Scotland has one of the biggest concentrations of the electronics industry in Western Europe- more than 50 percent of Scotland`s manufacturing exports OIL AND GAS offshore oil and gas production ; in the last 30 years, 125 UK`s offshore fields are located to the east of Shetland, Orkney or the east coast of Scotland WHISKY continues to be one of Scotland`s most important industries. 100 whisky distelleries in operation in the north-east; it dominates exportsby the drink industry TOURISM is a major industry, supporting 161 000 jobs; with 12,4 million tourist trips, including those originating in Scotland

The Economy
FINANCIAL SERVICES - several financial institutions are based in Scotland, insurance companiesfund managers, unit trusts, investment trusts with four Scottish-based clearing banks in Scotland in 1999 financial institutions were worth 277 billion FORESTRY Scotland accounts for just under half of the UK`s timber production FISHING remains significant, in the northeast and the Highlands and Islands Fish farming, particularly of salmon The largest amount of farmed salmon in the EU

Legal System
The principles and procedures of the Scottish legal system differ in many respects from those of England and Wales Adoption of elements from medieval cannon law And selective borrowings from other European legal systems, based on Roman law, during the 16th century Preservation of Scots law and the Scottish Courts was provided for in the 1707 Treaty of Union Separate courts Separate legal profession Own preosecution Prison Police services

Language
Gaelic, a language of ancient Celtic origin Spoken by 70 000 people Many oh whom live in the Hebrides Broadcasting is supported by the Scottish executive Children in Gaelic medium education 59 primary 13 secondary schools Extra resources are being allocatedto supporting Gaelic education and cultural organisations

Culture
Edinburgh Festival the largest arts festival in the UK the annual festival One of world`s leading cultural events Held in August and September Brings 100 million into the Scottish economy each year The International Festival, Jazz Festival, Festival Fringe, Book Festival, Film Festival, Military Tattoo

Collections of the fine and applied arts The Burell Collection in Glasgow The Scottish national Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh National Museum`s Scottish Collection in the Museum Of Scotland in Edinburgh

Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and its second largest city. The view here is of the city with the hills south of the Firth of Forth (an estuary).
Arvind Garg Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Edinburgh Castle and Balmoral Hotel

Edinburgh, situated a few kilometers inland from the Firth of Forth, an inlet of the North Sea, is built on a series of hills that are actually extinct volcanoes. Edinburgh Castle sits on one of the capital city's many hilltops, and Balmoral Hotel shines below.
Catherine Karnow/Corbis Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

George Square, Glasgow

George Square lies at the heart of Glasgow, Scotland, a bustling seaport and industrial center. The City Chambers building, shown in the background, is constructed in the Italian Renaissance style, which was popular in the 19th century. In the foreground is a column topped by a statue of novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott.
Adam Woolfitt/Robert Harding Picture Library Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

World Pipe Band Championships, Glasgow

Every August, the city of Glasgow, Scotland, hosts the World Pipe Band Championships. The prestigious competition, sponsored by the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, draws thousands of pipers and drummers from bagpipe bands around the world.
Courtesy of Greater Glasgow & Clyde Valley Tourist Board Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Scottish Highlands

More than half of the surface of Scotland is occupied by the Scottish Highlands, the most rugged region in Great Britain. They consist of parallel mountain chains with a general northeast-to-southwest trend, broken by deep ravines and valleys.
Grard/Hutchison Library Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Loch Ness
Loch Ness is the largest of a series of interlinked lochs, or lakes, located in northern Scotlands Great Glen. Loch Ness is one of Scotlands top tourist attractions.
Jason Hawkes/Corbis Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Ben Nevis, Scotland

Ben Nevis, in western Scotlands Grampian Mountains, is the tallest mountain in the British Isles and a popular tourist destination. More than 300 million years of erosion have rounded the top of the mountain, once a lofty volcano. Loch Linnhe can be seen here in the foreground, with the town of Fort William on its south shore, at the foot of Ben Nevis.
David Robertson/Still Moving Picture Company Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Scottish Oil Pipeline

A pipeline under construction near Strathclyde is designed to transport oil produced from Scotlands vast North Sea oil fields. The oil and natural gas industry is a major source of employment in Scotland.
Anthony Howarth/Woodfin Camp and Associates, Inc. Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Forth Bridge, Scotland

The Forth Bridge, a steel railway bridge across the Firth of Forth near Edinburgh, Scotland, was built between 1882 and 1890. It is one of the longest cantilever bridges in the world.
Tony Waltham/Robert Harding Picture Library Microsoft Encarta 2009. 19932008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

National Gallery of Scotland

The National Gallery of Scotland, founded in 1859 in Edinburgh, is housed in a neoclassical building designed by Scottish architect William Playfair. The museum has an outstanding collection of paintings, prints, and drawings by European artists from the Renaissance to the late 19th century. The gallerys collection of Scottish paintings is especially strong.
Eddie Mole/Collections Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Aberdeen's Union Street

Aberdeen sits astride the Dee and Don rivers, facing the North Sea. For centuries a major trading port and center of the Scottish fishing industry, Aberdeen has, since the 1970s, emerged as the principal center of Great Britain's North Sea oil industry. Union Street cuts through the heart of the city and is the site of Aberdeen's main shopping district and the town hall. The nearby harbor is the chief outlet for trade between Scotland and the Baltic region of Northern Europe and Scandinavia.
Charles Bowman/Scope Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Kings College Chapel

Kings College Chapel is on the campus of the . University of Aberdeen in Aberdeen, Scotland
Charles Bowman/Scope Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Whiskey Distillery in Scotland

Scotland is the largest whiskey producer in the world. Many small distilleries continue to produce their own unique interpretation of Scotch whisky. Strathisla, shown here, was founded in 1786 and is the oldest operating distillery in the Scottish Highlands.
Macduff Everton/Corbis Microsoft Encarta 2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.