Шотландия

Secondary school Zharkamys

Scotland ( / ˈskɒt.lənd / ; Scots :  [ˈskɔt.lənd] ; Scottish Gaelic : Alba [ˈal̪ˠapə listen )) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and covers the northern third of the island of Great Britain . [13] [14] [15] It shares a border with England to the south, and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean , with the North Sea to the east and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the south-west. In addition to the mainland, the country is made up of more than 790 islands, [16] including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides .

Edinburgh , the country's capital and second-largest city, was the hub of the Scottish Enlightenment of the 18th century, which transformed Scotland into one of the commercial, intellectual, and industrial powerhouses of Europe . Glasgow , Scotland's largest city, [17] was once one of the world's leading industrial cities and now lies at the centre of the Greater Glasgow conurbation. Scottish waters consist of a large sector of the North Atlantic and the North Sea, [18] containing the largest oil reserves in the European Union . This has given Aberdeen , the third-largest city in Scotland, the title of Europe's oil capital. [19]

The Kingdom of Scotland emerged as an independent sovereign state in the Early Middle Ages and continued to exist until 1707. By inheritance in 1603, King James VI of Scotland became King of England and King of Ireland , thus forming a personal union of the three kingdoms . Scotland subsequently entered into a political union with England on 1 May 1707 to create the new Kingdom of Great Britain . [20] [21] The union also created a new Parliament of Great Britain , which succeeded both the Parliament of Scotland and the Parliament of England . The Treaty of Union was agreed in 1706 and enacted by the twin Acts of Union 1707 passed by the Parliaments of both countries, despite some popular opposition and anti-union riots in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and elsewhere. [22] [23] Great Britain itself subsequently entered into a political union with Ireland on 1 January 1801 to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland .

Scotland's legal system has remained separate from those of England and Wales and Northern Ireland , and Scotland constitutes a distinct jurisdiction in public and private law. [24] The continued existence of legal, educational and religious institutions distinct from those in the remainder of the UK have all contributed to the continuation of Scottish culture and national identity since the 1707 union. [25] In 1999, a devolved legislature, the Scottish Parliament , was reconvened with authority over many areas of home affairs following a referendum in 1997. The Scottish National Party , which supports Scottish independence , won an overall majority in the 2011 general election . [26] An independence referendum was held on 18 September 2014, with independence being rejected by a majority of 55% to 45% on an 85% voter turnout . [27] [28]

Scotland is a member nation of the British–Irish Council , [29] and the British–Irish Parliamentary Assembly . Scotland is represented in the European Union and the European Parliament with six MEPs. [30]

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Location of  Scotland  (dark green)

–  in Europe   (green & dark grey) – in the United Kingdom   (green)

Etymology

M ain article: Etymology of Scotland

"Scotland" comes from Scoti , the Latin name for the Gaels . The Late Latin word Scotia ("land of the Gaels") was initially used to refer to Ireland. [31] By the 11th century at the latest, Scotia was being used to refer to (Gaelic-speaking) Scotland north of the river Forth , alongside Albania or Albany , both derived from the Gaelic Alba . [32] The use of the words Scots and Scotland to encompass all of what is now Scotland became common in the Late Middle Ages . [20]

History

Main article: History of Scotland

Early history

Main article: Prehistoric Scotland

See also: Timeline of prehistoric Scotland

Repeated glaciations, which covered the entire land mass of modern Scotland, destroyed any traces of human habitation that may have existed before the Mesolithic period . It is believed the first post-glacial groups of hunter-gatherers arrived in Scotland around 12,800 years ago, as the ice sheet retreated after the last glaciation . [33] [34]

Groups of settlers began building the first known permanent houses on Scottish soil around 9,500 years ago, and the first villages around 6,000 years ago. The well-preserved village of Skara Brae on the mainland of Orkney dates from this period. Neolithic habitation, burial and ritual sites are particularly common and well preserved in the Northern Isles and Western Isles , where a lack of trees led to most structures being built of local stone. [35]

The 2009 discovery in Scotland of a 4000-year-old tomb with burial treasures at Forteviot , near Perth , the capital of a Pictish Kingdom in the 8th and 9th centuries AD, is unrivalled anywhere in Britain. It contains the remains of an early Bronze Age ruler laid out on white quartz pebbles and birch bark. It was also discovered for the first time early Bronze Age people placed flowers in their graves. [36] [37]

Scotland may have been part of a Late Bronze Age maritime trading culture called the Atlantic Bronze Age , which included other Celtic nations , and the areas that became England, France, Spain, and Portugal. [38] [39] [40] [41]

In the winter of 1850, a severe storm hit Scotland, causing widespread damage and over 200 deaths. [42] In the Bay of Skaill, the storm stripped the earth from a large irregular knoll, known as "Skerrabra". When the storm cleared, local villagers found the outline of a village, consisting of a number of small houses without roofs. [42] [43] William Watt of Skaill, the local laird , began an amateur excavation of the site, but after uncovering four houses, the work was abandoned in 1868. [43] The site remained undisturbed until 1913, when during a single weekend the site was plundered by a party with shovels who took away an unknown quantity of artefacts. [42] In 1924, another storm swept away part of one of the houses and it was determined the site should be made secure and more seriously investigated. [42] The job was given to University of Edinburgh 's Professor Vere Gordon Childe who travelled to Skara Brae for the first time in mid-1927. [42]

Roman influence

Main article: Scotland during the Roman Empire

The written protohistory of Scotland began with the arrival of the Roman Empire in southern and central Great Britain, when the Romans occupied what is now England and Wales, administering it as a province called Britannia . Roman invasions and occupations of southern Scotland were a series of brief interludes.

Edinburgh Castle . Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of this early settlement is unclear.

According to the Roman historian Tacitus , the Caledonians "turned to armed resistance on a large scale", attacking Roman forts and skirmishing with their legions . In a surprise night-attack, the Caledonians very nearly wiped out the whole 9th Legion until it was saved by Agricola's cavalry. [44]

In AD 83–84, the General Gnaeus Julius Agricola defeated the Caledonians at the Battle of Mons Graupius . Tacitus wrote that, before the battle, the Caledonian leader, Calgacus , gave a rousing speech in which he called his people the "last of the free" and accused the Romans of "making the world a desert and calling it peace" (freely translated). [44] After the Roman victory, Roman forts were briefly set along the Gask Ridge close to the Highland line (only Cawdor near Inverness is known to have been constructed beyond that line). Three years after the battle, the Roman armies had withdrawn to the Southern Uplands . [45]

The Romans erected Hadrian's Wall to control tribes on both sides of the wall [46] so the Limes Britannicus became the northern border of the Roman Empire; although the army held the Antonine Wall in the Central Lowlands for two short periods – the last of these during the time of Emperor Septimius Severus from 208 until 210. [47]

The Roman military occupation of a significant part of what is now northern Scotland lasted only about 40 years; although their influence on the southern section of the country, occupied by Brythonic tribes such as the Votadini and Damnonii , would still have been considerable between the first and fifth centuries. The Welsh term Hen Ogledd ("Old North") is used by scholars to describe what is now the North of England and the South of Scotland during its habitation by Brittonic -speaking people around AD 500 to 800. [46] According to writings from the 9th and 10th centuries, the Gaelic kingdom of Dál Riata was founded in the 6th century in western Scotland. [48] [49] The 'traditional' view is that settlers from Ireland founded the kingdom, bringing Gaelic language and culture with them. However, recently some archaeologists have argued against this view, saying there is no archaeological or placename evidence for a migration or a takeover by a small group of elites. [50]

Medieval period

Main articles: Scotland in the Early Middle Ages , Scotland in the High Middle Ages and Scotland in the Late Middle Ages

The class I Pictish stone at Aberlemno known as Aberlemno 1 or the Serpent Stone.

The Kingdom of the Picts (based in Fortriu by the 6th century) was the state that eventually became known as "Alba" or "Scotland". The development of "Pictland", according to the historical model developed by Peter Heather , was a natural response to Roman imperialism. [51] Another view places emphasis on the Battle of Dun Nechtain , and the reign of Bridei m. Beli (671–693), with another period of consolidation in the reign of Óengus mac Fergusa (732–761). [52]

The Kingdom of the Picts as it was in the early 8th century, when Bede was writing, was largely the same as the kingdom of the Scots in the reign of Alexander I (1107–1124). However, by the tenth century, the Pictish kingdom was dominated by what we can recognise as Gaelic culture, and had developed a traditional story of an Irish conquest around the ancestor of the contemporary royal dynasty, Cináed mac Ailpín (Kenneth MacAlpin). [53] [54] [55]

From a base of territory in eastern Scotland north of the River Forth and south of the River Oykel , the kingdom acquired control of the lands lying to the north and south. By the 12th century, the kings of Alba had added to their territories the English -speaking land in the south-east and attained overlordship of Gaelic -speaking Galloway and Norse -speaking Caithness ; by the end of the 13th century, the kingdom had assumed approximately its modern borders. However, processes of cultural and economic change beginning in the 12th century ensured Scotland looked very different in the later Middle Ages.

The push for this change was the reign of David I and the Davidian Revolution . Feudalism, government reorganisation and the first legally recognised towns (called burghs ) began in this period. These institutions and the immigration of French and Anglo-French knights and churchmen facilitated cultural osmosis, whereby the culture and language of the low-lying and coastal parts of the kingdom's original territory in the east became, like the newly acquired south-east, English-speaking, while the rest of the country retained the Gaelic language, apart from the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland, which remained under Norse rule until 1468. [56] [57] [58] The Scottish state entered a largely successful and stable period between the 12th and 14th centuries, there was relative peace with England, trade and educational links were well developed with the Continent and at the height of this cultural flowering John Duns Scotus was one of Europe's most important and influential philosophers.

The Wallace Monument commemorates William Wallace , the 13th-century Scottish hero.

The death of Alexander III in March 1286, followed by that of his granddaughter Margaret, Maid of Norway , broke the centuries-old succession line of Scotland's kings and shattered the 200-year golden age that began with David I. Edward I of England was asked to arbitrate between claimants for the Scottish crown, and he organised a process known as the Great Cause to identify the most legitimate claimant. John Balliol was pronounced king in the Great Hall of Berwick Castle on 17 November 1292 and inaugurated at Scone on 30 November, St. Andrew's Day . Edward I, who had coerced recognition as Lord Paramount of Scotland , the feudal superior of the realm, steadily undermined John's authority. In 1294, Balliol and other Scottish lords refused Edward's demands to serve in his army against the French. Instead the Scottish parliament sent envoys to France to negotiate an alliance. Scotland and France sealed a treaty on 23 October 1295, known as the Auld Alliance (1295–1560). War ensued and King John was deposed by Edward who took personal control of Scotland. Andrew Moray and William Wallace initially emerged as the principal leaders of the resistance to English rule in what became known as the Wars of Scottish Independence (1296–1328).

The nature of the struggle changed significantly when Robert the Bruce, Earl of Carrick , killed his rival John Comyn on 10 February 1306 at Greyfriars Kirk in Dumfries . [61] He was crowned king (as Robert I) less than seven weeks later. Robert I battled to restore Scottish Independence as King for over 20 years, beginning by winning Scotland back from the Norman English invaders piece by piece. Victory at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 proved the Scots had regained control of their kingdom. In 1315, Edward Bruce , brother of the King, was briefly appointed High King of Ireland during an ultimately unsuccessful Scottish invasion of Ireland aimed at strengthening Scotland's position in its wars against England. In 1320 the world's first documented declaration of independence, the Declaration of Arbroath , won the support of Pope John XXII , leading to the legal recognition of Scottish sovereignty by the English Crown.

However, war with England continued for several decades after the death of Bruce. A civil war between the Bruce dynasty and their long-term Comyn-Balliol rivals lasted until the middle of the 14th century. Although the Bruce dynasty was successful, David II's lack of an heir allowed his half-nephew Robert II to come to the throne and establish the Stewart Dynasty . ] The Stewarts ruled Scotland for the remainder of the Middle Ages . The country they ruled experienced greater prosperity from the end of the 14th century through the Scottish Renaissance to the Reformation . This was despite continual warfare with England, the increasing division between Highlands and Lowlands , and a large number of royal minorities.

Early modern era

Main article: Scotland in the Early Modern Era

James VI succeeded to the throne of England and Ireland (as James I) in 1603.

In 1502, James IV of Scotland signed the Treaty of Perpetual Peace with Henry VII of England . He also married Henry's daughter, Margaret Tudor , setting the stage for the Union of the Crowns . For Henry, the marriage into one of Europe's most established monarchies gave legitimacy to the new Tudor royal line. [66] A decade later, James made the fateful decision to invade England in support of France under the terms of the Auld Alliance . He was the last British monarch to die in battle, at the Battle of Flodden . [67] Within a generation the Auld Alliance was ended by the Treaty of Edinburgh . France agreed to withdraw all land and naval forces. In the same year, 1560, John Knox realised his goal of seeing Scotland become a Protestant nation and the Scottish parliament revoke papal authority in Scotland. [68] Mary, Queen of Scots , a Catholic and former queen of France, was forced to abdicate in 1567. [69]

In 1603, James VI, King of Scots inherited the thrones of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Ireland , and became King James I of England and Ireland, and left Edinburgh for London. [70] With the exception of a short period under the Protectorate , Scotland remained a separate state, but there was considerable conflict between the crown and the Covenanters over the form of church government . The Glorious Revolution of 1688–89 saw the overthrow of the King James VII of Scotland and II of England by the English Parliament in favour of William and Mary . As late as the 1690s, Scotland experienced famine, which reduced the population of parts of the country by at least 20 per cent. [71]

In 1698, the Scots attempted an ambitious project to secure a trading colony on the Isthmus of Panama . Almost every Scottish landowner who had money to spare is said to have invested in the Darien scheme . Its failure bankrupted these landowners, but not the burghs. Nevertheless, the nobles' bankruptcy, along with the threat of an English invasion, played a leading role in convincing the Scots elite to back a union with England. [72] [73]

On 22 July 1706, the Treaty of Union was agreed between representatives of the Scots Parliament and the Parliament of England and the following year twin Acts of Union were passed by both parliaments to create the united Kingdom of Great Britain with effect from 1 May 1707. [21]

Government and politics

Main articles: Politics of Scotland , Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government

The debating chamber of the Scottish Parliament building (left) and the Scottish Parliament building itself (right)

Scotland's head of state is the monarch of the United Kingdom, currently Queen Elizabeth II (since 1952). The regnal numbering "Elizabeth II" caused controversy around the time of the Queen's coronation because there had never been an Elizabeth I in Scotland. A legal action, MacCormick v. Lord Advocate (1953 SC 396), was brought to contest the right of the Queen to entitle herself Elizabeth II within Scotland, arguing that this was a breach of Article 1 of the Treaty of Union. The Crown won the case. It was decided that future British monarchs would be numbered according to either their English or their Scottish predecessors, whichever number is higher. [119] For instance any future King James would be styled James VIII—since the last Scottish King James was James VII (also James II of England, etc.)—while the next King Henry would be King Henry IX throughout the UK even though there have been no Scottish kings of that name.

Scotland has limited self-government within the United Kingdom, as well as representation in the UK Parliament. Executive and legislative powers respectively have been devolved to the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood in Edinburgh since 1999. The UK Parliament retains control over reserved matters specified in the Scotland Act 1998 , including UK taxes, social security, defence, international relations and broadcasting. [120] The Scottish Parliament has legislative authority for all other areas relating to Scotland, as well as a limited power to vary income tax . [121]

The Scottish Parliament can give legislative consent over devolved matters back to the UK Parliament by passing a Legislative Consent Motion if United Kingdom-wide legislation is considered more appropriate for a certain issue. The programmes of legislation enacted by the Scottish Parliament have seen a divergence in the provision of public services compared to the rest of the UK. For instance, university education and care services for the elderly are free at point of use in Scotland, while fees are paid in the rest of the UK. Scotland was the first country in the UK to ban smoking in enclosed public places. [122]

Constitutional changes

A policy of devolution had been advocated by the three main UK parties with varying enthusiasm during recent history. The late Labour leader John Smith described the revival of a Scottish parliament as the "settled will of the Scottish people". [125] The devolved Scottish Parliament was created after a referendum in 1997 found majority support for both creating the Parliament and granting it limited powers to vary income tax . The constitutional status of Scotland is nonetheless subject to ongoing debate.

The Scottish National Party (SNP), which supports Scottish independence , was first elected to form the Scottish Government in 2007 . The new government established a " National Conversation " on constitutional issues, proposing a number of options such as increasing the powers of the Scottish Parliament, federalism , or a referendum on Scottish independence from the United Kingdom. In rejecting the last option, the three main opposition parties in the Scottish Parliament created a commission to investigate the distribution of powers between devolved Scottish and UK-wide bodies. [126] The Scotland Act 2012 , based on proposals by the commission, is currently in the process of devolving additional powers to the Scottish Parliament. [127]

In August 2009 the SNP proposed a bill to hold a referendum on independence in November 2010. Opposition from all other major parties led to an expected defeat. [128] [129] [130] After the 2011 elections gave the SNP an overall majority in the Scottish Parliament, a referendum on independence for Scotland was held on 18 September 2014. [131] The referendum rejected independence by a majority of 55% to 45%. [132] [133] During the campaign, the three main parties in the UK Parliament pledged to extend the powers of the Scottish Parliament; an all-party commission chaired by Lord Smith of Kelvin has been formed. [134] [135]

Geography and natural history

Main article: Geography of Scotland

The island of Little Cumbrae with Isle of Arran in the background (left). Traigh Seilebost Beach on the Isle of Harris (right)

The mainland of Scotland comprises the northern third of the land mass of the island of Great Britain, which lies off the north-west coast of Continental Europe . The total area is 78,772 km 2 (30,414 sq mi), [145] comparable to the size of the Czech Republic. Scotland's only land border is with England, and runs for 96 kilometres (60 mi) between the basin of the River Tweed on the east coast and the Solway Firth in the west. The Atlantic Ocean borders the west coast and the North Sea is to the east. The island of Ireland lies only 30 kilometres (19 mi) from the south-western peninsula of Kintyre ; [146] Norway is 305 kilometres (190 mi) to the east and the Faroes , 270 kilometres (168 mi) to the north.

The territorial extent of Scotland is generally that established by the 1237 Treaty of York between Scotland and the Kingdom of England [147] and the 1266 Treaty of Perth between Scotland and Norway. [21] Important exceptions include the Isle of Man , which having been lost to England in the 14th century is now a crown dependency outside of the United Kingdom; the island groups Orkney and Shetland , which were acquired from Norway in 1472; [145] and Berwick-upon-Tweed , lost to England in 1482.

The geographical centre of Scotland lies a few miles from the village of Newtonmore in Badenoch . [148] Rising to 1,344 metres (4,409 ft) above sea level, Scotland's highest point is the summit of Ben Nevis , in Lochaber , while Scotland's longest river, the River Tay , flows for a distance of 190 kilometres (118 mi). [149] [150]

Geology and geomorphology

Main article: Geology of Scotland

Relief map of Scotland

The whole of Scotland was covered by ice sheets during the Pleistocene ice ages and the landscape is much affected by glaciation. From a geological perspective, the country has three main sub-divisions.

The Highlands and Islands lie to the north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault , which runs from Arran to Stonehaven . This part of Scotland largely comprises ancient rocks from the Cambrian and Precambrian , which were uplifted during the later Caledonian Orogeny . It is interspersed with igneous intrusions of a more recent age, remnants of which formed mountain massifs such as the Cairngorms and Skye Cuillins .

A significant exception to the above are the fossil-bearing beds of Old Red Sandstones found principally along the Moray Firth coast. The Highlands are generally mountainous and the highest elevations in the British Isles are found here. Scotland has over 790 islands divided into four main groups: Shetland, Orkney, and the Inner Hebrides and Outer Hebrides . There are numerous bodies of freshwater including Loch Lomond and Loch Ness . Some parts of the coastline consist of machair , a low lying dune pasture land.

The Central Lowlands is a rift valley mainly comprising Paleozoic formations. Many of these sediments have economic significance for it is here that the coal and iron bearing rocks that fuelled Scotland's industrial revolution are found. This area has also experienced intense volcanism, Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh being the remnant of a once much larger volcano. This area is relatively low-lying, although even here hills such as the Ochils and Campsie Fells are rarely far from view.

The Southern Uplands are a range of hills almost 200 kilometres (124 mi) long, interspersed with broad valleys. They lie south of a second fault line (the Southern Uplands fault) that runs from Girvan to Dunbar . [151] [152] [153] The geological foundations largely comprise Silurian deposits laid down some 4–500 million years ago. The high point of the Southern Uplands is Merrick with an elevation of 843 m (2,766 ft). [20] [154] [155] [156] The Southern Uplands is home to the UK's highest village, Wanlockhead (430 m or 1,411 ft above sea level

Climate

Tiree , one of the sunniest locations in Scotland

Main article: Climate of Scotland

The climate of Scotland is temperate and oceanic , and tends to be very changeable. As it is warmed by the Gulf Stream from the Atlantic , it has much milder winters (but cooler, wetter summers) than areas on similar latitudes, such as Labrador , southern Scandinavia , the Moscow region in Russia, and the Kamchatka Peninsula on the opposite side of Eurasia . However, temperatures are generally lower than in the rest of the UK, with the coldest ever UK temperature of −27.2 °C (−17.0 °F) recorded at Braemar in the Grampian Mountains , on 11 February 1895. [157] Winter maxima average 6 °C (42.8 °F) in the Lowlands, with summer maxima averaging 18 °C (64.4 °F). The highest temperature recorded was 32.9 °C (91.2 °F) at Greycrook , Scottish Borders on 9 August 2003. [158]

The west of Scotland is usually warmer than the east, owing to the influence of Atlantic ocean currents and the colder surface temperatures of the North Sea . Tiree , in the Inner Hebrides, is one of the sunniest places in the country: it had more than 300 hours of sunshine in May 1975. [158] Rainfall varies widely across Scotland. The western highlands of Scotland are the wettest, with annual rainfall in a few places exceeding 3,000 mm (118.1 in). [159] In comparison, much of lowland Scotland receives less than 800 mm (31.5 in) annually. [160] Heavy snowfall is not common in the lowlands, but becomes more common with altitude. Braemar has an average of 59 snow days per year, [161] while many coastal areas average fewer than 10 days of lying snow per year. [160]

Economy and infrastructure

Main article: Economy of Scotland

A drilling rig located in the North Sea .

Scotland has a western style open mixed economy closely linked with the rest of Europe and the wider world. Traditionally, the Scottish economy has been dominated by heavy industry underpinned by shipbuilding in Glasgow, coal mining and steel industries . Petroleum related industries associated with the extraction of North Sea oil have also been important employers from the 1970s, especially in the north east of Scotland.

De-industrialisation during the 1970s and 1980s saw a shift from a manufacturing focus towards a more service -oriented economy. Edinburgh is the financial services centre of Scotland, with many large finance firms based there, including: Lloyds Banking Group (owners of HBOS ); the Government owned Royal Bank of Scotland and Standard Life . Edinburgh was ranked 15th in the list of world financial centres in 2007, but fell to 37th in 2012, following damage to its reputation, [179] and in 2014 was ranked 64th. [180]

In 2012, total Scottish exports (excluding intra-UK trade) were estimated to be £26 billion, of which 59% (£15.4 billion) were attributable to manufacturing. [181] Scotland's primary exports include whisky , electronics and financial services. The United States, Netherlands, Germany, France and Norway constitute the country's major export markets. [181] Scotland's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), including oil and gas produced in Scottish waters, was estimated at £150 billion for the calendar year 2012. [6] If Scotland became independent, it would hold 95% of the UK's current oil and gas reserves if they were split geographically using a median line from the English-Scottish border. [ citation needed ] If the reserves were split by population, that figure would be reduced to 9%. [182] Scotland also has renewable energy potential , especially in tidal energy and offshore wind. [183]

Scotland was, and still is, famous for its shipbuilding industry, which has produced world-class ships such as the RMS Queen Elizabeth II (pictured)

Whisky is probably the best known of Scotland's manufactured products. Exports increased by 87% in the decade to 2012 [184] and were valued at £4.3 billion in 2013, which was 85% of Scotland's food and drink exports. [185] It supports around 10,000 jobs directly and 25,000 indirectly. [186] It may contribute £400-682 million to Scotland, rather than several billion pounds, as more than 80% of whisky produced is owned by non-Scottish companies. [187] Tourism is also widely recognised as a key contributor to the Scottish economy. A briefing published in 2002 by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) for the Scottish Parliament's Enterprise and Life Long Learning Committee stated that tourism accounted for up to 5% of GDP and 7.5% of employment. [188]

Education

The University of Glasgow 's main building

The Scottish education system has always remained distinct from the rest of United Kingdom, with a charamphasis on a broad education . [224] In the 15th century, the Humanist emphasis on education cumulated with the passing of the Education Act 1496 , which decreed that all sons of barons and freeholders of substance should attend grammar schools to learn "perfyct Latyne", resulting in an increase in literacy among a male and wealthy elite. [225] In the Reformation the 1560 First Book of Discipline set out a plan for a school in every parish, but this proved financially impossible. [226] In 1616 an act in Privy council commanded every parish to establish a school. [227] By the late seventeenth century there was a largely complete network of parish schools in the lowlands, but in the Highlands basic education was still lacking in many areas. [228] Education remained a matter for the church rather than the state until the Education Act (1872) . [229]

The " Curriculum for Excellence " provides the curricular framework for children and young people from age 3 to 18. [230] All 3- and 4-year-old children in Scotland are entitled to a free nursery place. Formal primary education begins at approximately 5 years old and lasts for 7 years (P1–P7); today, children in Scotland study Standard Grades , or Intermediate qualifications between the ages of 14 and 16. These are being phased out and replaced by the National Qualifications of the Curriculum for Excellence . The school leaving age is 16, after which students may choose to remain at school and study for Access , Intermediate or Higher Grade and Advanced Higher qualifications. A small number of students at certain private, independent schools may follow the English system and study towards GCSEs and A and AS-Levels instead. [231]

There are fifteen Scottish universities , some of which are amongst the oldest in the world . [232] [233] These include the University of St Andrews , the University of Glasgow , the University of Aberdeen , the University of Edinburgh and the University of Dundee —many of which are ranked amongst the best in the UK. [234] [235] Proportionally, Scotland has more universities in QS' World University Rankings' top 100 than any other nation in the world. [236] The country produces 1% of the world's published research with less than 0.1% of the world's population, and higher education institutions account for 9% of Scotland's service sector exports. [237] [238] Scotland's University Courts are the only bodies in Scotland authorised to award degrees.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Scotland

Iona Abbey , an early centre of Christianity in Scotland

Just over half (54%) of the Scottish population reported being a Christian while nearly 37% reported not having a religion in a 2011 census. [241] Since the Scottish Reformation of 1560, the national church (the Church of Scotland , also known as The Kirk ) has been Protestant and Reformed in theology. Since 1689 it has had a Presbyterian system of church government, and enjoys independence from the state. [20] About 12% of the population are currently members of the Church of Scotland, with 40% claiming affinity. The Church operates a territorial parish structure, with every community in Scotland having a local congregation.

Scotland also has a significant Roman Catholic population, 19% claiming that faith, particularly in the west. [242] After the Reformation, Roman Catholicism in Scotland continued in the Highlands and some western islands like Uist and Barra , and it was strengthened during the 19th century by immigration from Ireland. Other Christian denominations in Scotland include the Free Church of Scotland , various other Presbyterian offshoots, and the Scottish Episcopal Church .

Islam is the largest non-Christian religion (estimated at around 40,000, which is less than 0.9% of the population), [243] and there are also significant Jewish , Hindu and Sikh communities, especially in Glasgow. [243] The Samyé Ling monastery near Eskdalemuir , which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2007, is the first Buddhist monastery i

Health care

Glasgow Royal Infirmary , an NHS Scotland hospital

Healthcare in Scotland is mainly provided by NHS Scotland , Scotland's public health care system. This was founded by the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1947 (later repealed by the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978) that took effect on 5 July 1948 to coincide with the launch of the NHS in England and Wales. However, even prior to 1948, half of Scotland's landmass was already covered by state funded health care, provided by the Highlands and Islands Medical Service . [245] Healthcare policy and funding is the responsibility of the Scottish Government's Health Directorates . The current Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing is Alex Neil and the Director-General (DG) Health and chief executive, NHS Scotland is Paul Gray. [246]

In 2008, the NHS in Scotland had around 158,000 staff including more than 47,500 nurses, midwives and health visitors and over 3,800 consultants. In addition, there are also more than 12,000 doctors, family practitioners and allied health professionals, including dentists, opticians and community pharmacists, who operate as independent contractors providing a range of services within the NHS in return for fees and allowances. These fees and allowances were removed in May 2010, and prescriptions are entirely free, although dentists and opticians may charge if the patient's household earns over a certain amount, about £30,000 per annum. [247]

Life expectancy for those born in Scotland between 2010 and 2012 is 76.5 years for males and 80.7 years for females. [248] This is the lowest of any of the four countries of the UK. [248]

Military

Vanguard -class nuclear submarine at HMNB Clyde

Of the money spent on UK defence, about £3.3 billion can be attributed to Scotland as of 2013. Although Scotland has a long military tradition predating the Treaty of Union with England, its armed forces now form part of the British Armed Forces , with the notable exception of the Atholl Highlanders , Europe's only legal private army. In 2006, the infantry regiments of the Scottish Division were amalgamated to form the Royal Regiment of Scotland . Other distinctively Scottish regiments in the British Army include the Scots Guards , the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and the Scottish Transport Regiment , a Territorial Army Regiment of the Royal Logistic Corps .

Because of their topography and perceived remoteness, parts of Scotland have housed many sensitive defence establishments, with mixed public feelings. [249] [250] [251] Between 1960 and 1991, the Holy Loch was a base for the US fleet of Polaris ballistic missile submarines . [252] Today, Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde , 25 miles (40 kilometres) north west of Glasgow, is the base for the four Trident -armed Vanguard class ballistic missile submarines that comprise the UK's nuclear deterrent . Scapa Flow was the major Fleet base for the Royal Navy until 1956.

Two frontline Royal Air Force bases are also located in Scotland. These are RAF Leuchars and RAF Lossiemouth , the last of which is the most northerly air defence fighter base in the United Kingdom. A third, RAF Kinloss will close as an RAF unit in 2013–14. RAF Leuchars is due to be turned into an army barracks, ending the RAF's connection in Fife . [253]

The only open-air live depleted uranium weapons test range in the British Isles is located near Dundrennan . [254] As a result, over 7000 potentially toxic munitions lie on the seabed of the Solway Firth . [255] [256]

Culture

A Pipe Major playing the Great Highland Bagpipe

Scottish music is a significant aspect of the nation's culture, with both traditional and modern influences. A famous traditional Scottish instrument is the Great Highland Bagpipe , a wind instrument consisting of three drones and a melody pipe (called the chanter), which are fed continuously by a reservoir of air in a bag. Bagpipe bands , featuring bagpipes and various types of drums, and showcasing Scottish music styles while creating new ones, have spread throughout the world. The clàrsach (harp), fiddle and accordion are also traditional Scottish instruments, the latter two heavily featured in Scottish country dance bands. Today, there are many successful Scottish bands and individual artists in varying styles including Annie Lennox , Amy Macdonald , Runrig , Boards of Canada , Cocteau Twins , Deacon Blue , Franz Ferdinand , Susan Boyle , Emeli Sande , Texas , The View , The Fratellis , Twin Atlantic and Biffy Clyro . Other Scottish musicians include Shirley Manson , Paolo Nutini and Calvin Harris . [257]

Scotland has a literary heritage dating back to the early Middle Ages. The earliest extant literature composed in what is now Scotland was in Brythonic speech in the 6th century, but is preserved as part of Welsh literature . [258] Later medieval literature included works in Latin, [259] Gaelic, [260] Old English [261] and French. [262] The first surviving major text in Early Scots is the 14th-century poet John Barbour 's epic Brus , focusing on the life of Robert I, [263] and was soon followed by a series of vernacular romances and prose works. [264] In the 16th century the crown's patronage helped the development of Scots drama and poetry, [265] but the accession of James VI to the English throne removed a major centre of literary patronage and Scots was sidelined as a literary language. [266] Interest in Scots literature was revived in the 18th century by figures including James Macpherson , whose Ossian Cycle made him the first Scottish poet to gain an international reputation and was a major influence on the European Enlightenment. [267] It was also a major influence on Robert Burns , whom many consider the national poet, [268] and Walter Scott , whose Waverley Novels did much to define Scottish identity in the 19th century. [269] Towards the end of the Victorian era a number of Scottish-born authors achieved international reputations as writers in English, including Robert Louis Stevenson , Arthur Conan Doyle , J. M. Barrie and George MacDonald . [270] In the 20th century the Scottish Renaissance saw a surge of literary activity and attempts to reclaim the Scots language as a medium for serious literature. [271]

Sport

The Old Course at St Andrews

Sport is an important element in Scottish culture, with the country hosting many of its own national sporting competitions. It enjoys independent representation at many international sporting events including the FIFA World Cup , the Rugby Union World Cup , the Rugby League World Cup , the Cricket World Cup and the Commonwealth Games , but not at the Olympic Games where Scottish athletes are part of the Great Britain team. Scotland has its own national governing bodies, such as the Scottish Football Association (the second oldest national football association in the world) [283] and the Scottish Rugby Union . Variations of football have been played in Scotland for centuries, with the earliest reference dating back to 1424. [284] Association football is the most popular sport and the Scottish Cup is the world's oldest national trophy. [285]

Scotland contested the first ever international football game in 1872 against England. [286] The match took place at Hamilton Crescent , Glasgow, home of the West of Scotland Cricket Club . Scottish clubs have been successful in European competitions with Celtic winning the European Cup in 1967, Rangers and Aberdeen winning the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1972 and 1983 respectively, and Aberdeen also winning the UEFA Super Cup in 1983. Dundee United have also made it to a European final, reaching the UEFA Cup Final in 1987, but losing on aggregate 2-1 to IFK Göteborg .

With the modern game of golf originating in 15th century Scotland, the country is promoted as the home of golf . [287] [288] [289] To many golfers the Old Course in the Fife town of St. Andrews , an ancient links course dating to before 1574, is considered a site of pilgrimage. [290] The world's oldest golf tournament, and golf's first major, is The Open Championship , which was first played on 17 October 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club, in Ayrshire, Scotland, with Scottish golfers winning the earliest majors . [291] There are many other famous golf courses in Scotland , including Carnoustie , Gleneagles , Muirfield , and Royal Troon . Other distinctive features of the national sporting culture include the Highland games , curling and shinty . In boxing, Scotland has had 13 world champions, including Ken Buchanan , Benny Lynch and Jim Watt .

Scotland has competed at every Commonwealth Games since 1930 and has won 356 medals in total—91 Gold, 104 Silver and 161 Bronze. [292] Edinburgh played host to the Commonwealth Games in 1970 and 1986 , and most recently Glasgow in 2014

National symbols

Saint Andrew depicted on a 16th-century coat of arms of the burgh of St. Andrews

The image of St. Andrew , martyred while bound to an X-shaped cross, first appeared in the Kingdom of Scotland during the reign of William I . [294] Following the death of King Alexander III in 1286 an image of Andrew was used on the seal of the Guardians of Scotland who assumed control of the kingdom during the subsequent interregnum . [295] Use of a simplified symbol associated with Saint Andrew, the saltire , has its origins in the late 14th century; the Parliament of Scotland decreeing in 1385 that Scottish soldiers should wear a white Saint Andrew's Cross on the front and back of their tunics. [296] Use of a blue background for the Saint Andrew's Cross is said to date from at least the 15th century. [297] Since 1606 the saltire has also formed part of the design of the Union Flag . There are numerous other symbols and symbolic artefacts, both official and unofficial, including the thistle , the nation's floral emblem (celebrated in the song, The Thistle o' Scotland ), the Declaration of Arbroath , incorporating a statement of political independence made on 6 April 1320, the textile pattern tartan that often signifies a particular Scottish clan and the royal Lion Rampant flag. [298][299][300] Highlanders can thank James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose, for the repeal in 1782 of the Act of 1747 prohibiting the wearing of tartans. [301]