Flag of Scotland
Royal Standard of Scotland
Scottish version of the Coat of Arms
– in the United Kingdom (light green)
Scotland is a country which is part of the United Kingdom, having previously been an independent, sovereign country prior to the 1707 union with England. Established in 843, this would make Scotland the second oldest country in Europe and the fifth oldest country in the world. It's monarchy is amongst the oldest in the world, and is the oldest recorded monarchy in Europe.
Occupying the northern third of the largest island, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the southwest. In addition to the mainland, Scotland consists of over 790 islands including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides.
The countries head of government is the First Minister who is the head of the Scottish Government and Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland. The First Minister chairs the Scottish cabinet and is accountable to the Scottish Parliament which is situated in the countries capital city, Edinburgh.
General reference
- Pronunciation: /ˈskɒtlənd/
- Etymology of "Scotland"
- Common English country name(s): Scotland
- Official English country name(s): Scotland
- Common endonym(s): Alba
- Official endonym(s):
- Adjectival(s): Scottish, Scots, Scotch
- Demonym(s): Scottish, Scots
Geography of Scotland
- Scotland is: a country of the United Kingdom.
- Scotland was: an independent, sovereign country until 1707 when it formed a union with England
- Population of Scotland: 5,436,600 (2022 census)
- Area of Scotland: 78 772 km (30,414 square miles), approximately 32% of the area of the United Kingdom (UK)
- Places in Scotland
- Atlas of Scotland
Location
- Scotland is situated within the following regions
- Atlantic Ocean
- Northern Hemisphere, on the Prime Meridian
- Eurasia (but not on the mainland)
- Europe (outline)
- Northern Europe
- British Isles
- Great Britain (the northern third of the island)
- Several hundred other Islands of Scotland
- British Isles
- Northern Europe
- Europe (outline)
- Extreme points of Scotland
- Northerly point: Out Stack, Shetland Islands 60°51′N 0°52′W / 60.850°N 0.867°W / 60.850; -0.867
- Highest peak: Ben Nevis, Lochaber at 1,343 m (4,406 ft) 56°47′49.150″N 5°0′17.22″W / 56.79698611°N 5.0047833°W / 56.79698611; -5.0047833
- Land boundaries:
England 154 km
Environment of Scotland
- Climate of Scotland
- Ecology of Scotland
- Geology of Scotland
- Protected areas of Scotland
- Wildlife of Scotland
- Domesticated breeds
Natural geographic features of Scotland
- Firths
- Demographic history of Scotland
- Islands of Scotland
- Lochs
- Mountains and hills of Scotland
- Rivers of Scotland
- Valleys of Scotland
- World Heritage Sites in Scotland
Regions of Scotland
- Central Belt
- Scottish Midlands
- Scottish Highlands
- Scottish Lowlands
- Scottish Borders
- Galloway
- Northern Isles
Ecoregions of Scotland
List of ecoregions in Scotland
Administrative divisions of Scotland
Administrative divisions of Scotland
Municipalities of Scotland
- Capital of Scotland: Edinburgh (outline)
- Largest city: Glasgow
- Largest Metropolitan area: Greater Glasgow
- Cities of Scotland
- Towns in Scotland
Demography of Scotland
- List of census localities in Scotland
- National Records of Scotland
- Black Scottish people
- Census (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2019
- New Scot
- Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Scotland) Act 1965
- List of Scottish council areas by number of Scottish Gaelic speakers
- Statistical Accounts of Scotland
- By place
Government and politics of Scotland
- Form of government: Devolved parliamentary legislature within a constitutional monarchy
- Capital of Scotland: Edinburgh
- Elections in Scotland
- List of political parties in Scotland
- Pressure Groups in Scotland
- Scottish independence
- Scotland Office (Department of UK Government)
The Scottish government
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Government
- Head of government: First Minister of Scotland (also the Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland)
- Scottish Government
- Scottish Cabinet
- Dewar government (1999–2000)
- McLeish government (2000–01)
- First McConnell government (2001–03)
- Second McConnell government (2003–07)
- First Salmond government (2007–11)
- Second Salmond government (2011–14)
- First Sturgeon government (2014–16)
- Second Sturgeon government (2016–21)
- Third Sturgeon government (2021–23)
- First Yousaf government (2023–2024)
- Second Yousaf government (2024)
- Swinney government (2024–)
- International relations of Scotland
- Scottish Cabinet
- St Andrew's House; main headquarters of the Scottish Government located in Edinburgh
- Bute House; the official residence and workplace of the First Minister
Legislative
Local government in Scotland
- Local government areas of Scotland
- Local Government (Gaelic Names) (Scotland) Act 1997
- Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004
- Accounts Commission for Scotland
- Armorial of local councils in Scotland
- Provost
- Lord provost
Legal system
- Capital punishment in Scotland: There has been a history of capital punishment but it is not used now.
- Human rights in Scotland
- Law enforcement in Scotland
- Manrent
- Marriage in Scotland
- Rights of way in Scotland
- Udal law
- College of Justice; includes the Supreme Courts of Scotland
- High Court of Justiciary; Scotland's supreme criminal court
- Court of Session; Scotland's supreme civil court
- Office of the Accountant of Court
- Lord President of the Court of Session
- Senator of the College of Justice
- Supreme Court of the United Kingdom; Scotland's supreme courts can appeal to the Supreme Court of the UK
- Sheriff Appeal Court
- Sheriff court
- Justice of the peace court
- Court of the Lord Lyon
- Scottish Land Court
- Lands Tribunal for Scotland
- Children's hearing
- Courts of Scotland
- Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
- Faculty of Advocates
- Lord Advocate
- Lord President of the Court of Session
- Procurator Fiscal
- Solicitor General for Scotland
Military
- Armed forces in Scotland
- Scotland had its own military until 1707. Scotland's military merged with the British Armed Forces, with the exception of the Atholl Highlanders.
- Scots Guards
- Royal Scots
- Royal Regiment of Scotland
- King's Own Scottish Borderers
- Royal Scots Borderers
- Royal Highland Fusiliers
- Black Watch
- Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons)
- Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
- 51st Highland Volunteers
- 52nd Lowland Volunteers
- Military history of Scotland
Census of Scotland
History of Scotland
Main articles: History of Scotland and History of the United KingdomBy period
- Timeline of Scottish history
- Prehistoric Scotland
- Timeline of prehistoric Scotland
- Declaration of Arbroath
- List of monarchs of Scotland
- Kingdom of Scotland
- Scotland in the High Middle Ages
- Wars of Scottish Independence
- Scotland in the Late Middle Ages
- Scottish Reformation
- Scottish colonization of the Americas
- Parliament of Scotland
- Treaty of Union 1707
- Jacobitism
- Scottish Enlightenment
- Highland Clearances
- Lowland Clearances
By region
- History of Angus
- History of Dundee
- History of Edinburgh
- History of Fife
- History of Glasgow
- History of Orkney
- History of the Outer Hebrides
By subject
- History of education in Scotland
- History of the Jews in Scotland
- History of local government in Scotland
- History of the Scots language
- History of universities in Scotland
- Military history of Scotland
Culture of Scotland
- Architecture of Scotland
- Architecture of Scotland in the Prehistoric era
- Architecture of Scotland in the Roman era
- Architecture of Scotland in the Middle Ages
- Architecture in early modern Scotland
- Architecture of Scotland in the Industrial Revolution
- Architecture in modern Scotland
- Baronial architecture in Scotland
- Church architecture in Scotland
- Castles in Scotland
- Hill forts in Scotland
- Historic houses in Scotland
- Housing in Scotland
- Cuisine of Scotland
- Ethnic minorities in Scotland
- Gardens in Scotland
- Festivals in Scotland
- Humour in Scotland
- Inventions and discoveries of Scottish origin
- Languages of Scotland
- Marriage in Scotland
- Media in Scotland
- Museums in Scotland
- Mythology of Scotland
- National symbols of Scotland
- Prostitution in Scotland
- Public holidays in Scotland
- Scottish national identity
- World Heritage Sites in Scotland
Art in Scotland
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- Scottish art
- Cinema of Scotland
- Comedy in Scotland
- Dance in Scotland
- Literature of Scotland
- Robert Burns; Scotland's national poet, best known for "Auld Lang Syne", written in the Scots language and commonly sung internationally at New Years
- Scottish writers
- Ossian
- Music of Scotland
- Scottish photography
- Theatre in Scotland
People of Scotland
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Religion in Scotland
- Religion in Scotland
Sports in Scotland
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- American football in Scotland
- Australian rules football in Scotland
- Basketball in Scotland
- Chess in Scotland
- Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland
- Cricket in Scotland
- Curling
- Field Hockey in Scotland
- Football in Scotland
- Scotland GAA
- Golf in Scotland
- Highland Games
- Lacrosse in Scotland
- National sports teams of Scotland
- Netball
- Campaign for a Scottish Olympic Team – Scotland does not compete at the Olympic Games, Scottish athletes compete as part of the Great Britain team instead. There is however a long running campaign to get a team.
- Rugby in Scotland
- Shinty
Economy and infrastructure of Scotland
- Economy of Scotland
- Economic rank (by nominal GDP): (6th; 2023), as a country of the United Kingdom
- Agriculture in Scotland
- Banking in Scotland
- Communications in Scotland
- Scottish media
- List of newspapers in Scotland
- Television in Scotland
- Internet in Scotland
- Companies of Scotland
- Currency of the United Kingdom: Pound Sterling
- Economic history of Scotland
- Energy in Scotland
- Fire services in Scotland
- Health care in Scotland
- Mining in Scotland
- Tourism in Scotland
- Transport in Scotland
- Water supply and sanitation in Scotland
- Wild Scotland
Education in Scotland
- Education in Scotland
- Curriculum for Excellence, the national 3–18 school curriculum
- Education Scotland
- Care Inspectorate
- General Teaching Council for Scotland
- Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills
- List of universities in Scotland
- List of schools in Scotland
- Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)
Specific schools
- State schools in Scotland
- Private schools in Scotland
- Gaelic medium schools in Scotland
- Catholic schools in Scotland
- Universities
Notes
See also
References
- The Countries of the UK statistics.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 October 2008.
- "Countries within a country". 10 Downing Street. Archived from the original on 16 September 2008. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- "ISO 3166-2 Newsletter Date: 2007-11-28 No I-9. "Changes in the list of subdivision names and code elements" (Page 11)" (PDF). International Organization for Standardization codes for the representation of names of countries and their subdivisions -- Part 2: Country subdivision codes. Retrieved 31 May 2008.
SCT Scotland country
- "Oldest Country in Europe 2024". worldpopulationreview.com. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- "How does the UK's Royal Family compare with others around the world?". Sky News. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- "Scottish Executive Resources" (PDF). Scotland in Short. Scottish Executive. 17 February 2006. Retrieved 14 September 2006.
- McSherry, Mark. "Edinburgh 4th in Europe in new Financial Centres index – Scottish Financial Review".
External links
- Scotland.org – the official online gateway to Scotland, managed by the Scottish Government
- Scottish Government – official site of the Scottish Government
- Scottish Parliament – official site of the Scottish Parliament
- National Archives of Scotland – official site of the National Archives of Scotland
- Homecoming Scotland 2009
- Maps and digital collections at the National Library of Scotland
- Gazetteer for Scotland – Extensive guide to the places and people of Scotland, by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society and University of Edinburgh
- Scottish economic statistics 2005 (pdf) – from the Scottish Executive
- Scottish Census Results On Line – official government site for Scotland's census results
- Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics – Scottish Government's programme of small area statistics in Scotland
- Visit Scotland – official site of Scotland's national tourist board
- ScotlandsPeople – official government resource for Scottish genealogy
- Scotlandpictures.net Scotland in photos
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