Global InformationScotland information
Scotland Scotland (Scots) Alba (Scottish Gaelic) | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Coat of arms
| |
| Anthem: various, predominantly "Flower of Scotland" | |
 Location of Scotland (dark green) – in Europe (green & dark grey) | |
| Status | Country |
| Capital | Edinburgh 55°57′11″N 3°11′20″W / 55.95306°N 3.18889°W |
| Largest city | Glasgow 55°51′40″N 4°15′00″W / 55.86111°N 4.25000°W |
| Official languages[1] |
|
| Ethnic groups (2011)[2] | List
|
| Religion (2011)[2] | List
|
| Demonym(s) | Scottish • Scots |
|
|
| Government | Devolved parliamentary legislature within a constitutional monarchy |
• Monarch | Charles III |
• First Minister | Humza Yousaf |
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | |
| • Secretary of State | Alister Jack |
| • House of Commons | 59 MPs (of 650) |
| Legislature | Scottish Parliament |
| Formation | |
• Established | 9th century (traditionally 843) |
• Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton | 17 March 1328 |
• Treaty of Berwick | 3 October 1357[3] |
• Union with England | 1 May 1707 |
• Devolution | 19 November 1998 |
| Area | |
• Total[a] | 80,231 km2 (30,977 sq mi)[4] |
• Land[b] | 77,901 km2 (30,078 sq mi)[4] |
| Population | |
• 2022 census |  5,436,600 |
• Density | 70/km2 (181.3/sq mi)[5] |
| GVA | 2021 estimate |
| • Total | £149.9 billion |
| • Per capita | £27,361[6] |
| GDP (nominal) | 2022 estimate |
• Total | £211.7 billion |
• Per capita | £38,622[7][c] |
| Gini (2019-22) |  31[8]medium |
| HDI (2021) |  0.921[9]very high |
| Currency | Pound sterling (GBP; £) |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
| Date format | dd/mm/yyyy (AD) |
| Driving side | left |
| Calling code | +44 |
| ISO 3166 code | GB-SCT |
| Internet TLD | .scot[d] |
Scotland (Scots: Scotland; Scottish Gaelic: Alba) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjacent islands, principally in the archipelagos of the Hebrides and the Northern Isles. To the south-east, Scotland has its only land border, which is 96 miles (154 km) long and shared with England; the country is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, the North Sea to the north-east and east, and the Irish Sea to the south. The population in 2022 was 5,436,600 and accounts for 8% of the population of the UK.[10] Edinburgh is the capital and Glasgow is the largest of the cities of Scotland.
The Kingdom of Scotland emerged in the 9th century. In 1603, James VI inherited England and Ireland, forming a personal union of the three kingdoms. On 1 May 1707 Scotland and England combined to create the new Kingdom of Great Britain,[11][12] with the Parliament of Scotland subsumed into the Parliament of Great Britain. In 1999 a Scottish Parliament was re-established, and has devolved authority over many areas of domestic policy.[13] The country has a distinct legal system, educational system, and religious history from the rest of the UK, which have all contributed to the continuation of Scottish culture and national identity.[14] Scottish English and Scots are the most widely spoken languages in the country, existing on a dialect continuum with each other.[15] Scottish Gaelic speakers can be found all over Scotland, however the language is largely spoken natively by communities within the Hebrides.[16] The number of Gaelic speakers numbers less than 2% of the total population, though state-sponsored revitalisation attempts have led to a growing community of second language speakers.[17]
The mainland of Scotland is broadly divided into three regions: the Highlands, a mountainous region in the north and north-west; the Lowlands, a flatter plain across the centre of the country; and the Southern Uplands, a hilly region along the southern border. The Highlands are the most mountainous region of the British Isles and contain its highest peak, Ben Nevis, at 4,413 feet (1,345 m).[10] The region also contains many lakes, called lochs; the term is also applied to the many saltwater inlets along the country's deeply indented western coastline. The geography of the many islands is varied. Some, such as Mull and Skye, are noted for their mountainous terrain, while the likes of Tiree and Coll are much flatter.
- ^ "Languages". Scottish Government. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
- ^ a b "2011 Census: Key Results from Releases 2A to 2D" (PDF). Scottish Government. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "The Treaty of Berwick was signed – On this day in Scottish history". History Scotland. 3 October 2020.
- ^ a b "Standard Area Measurements (Latest) for Administrative Areas in the United Kingdom (V2)". Open Geography Portal. Office for National Statistics. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
- ^ "Scotland's Census 2022 - Rounded population estimates". 14 September 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
- ^ Fenton, Trevor (25 April 2023). "Regional gross value added (balanced) per head and income components". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
- ^ "GDP Quarterly National Accounts: 2023 Quarter 2 (April to June)". Scottish Government. 1 November 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
- ^ "Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland 2019-22". Scottish Government. 23 March 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "Subnational HDI". Global Data Lab. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ a b "A Beginners Guide to UK Geography (2023)". Open Geography Portal. Office for National Statistics. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Keaywas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Mackiewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Devolution Settlement, Scotland". gov.uk. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
- ^ Devine, T. M. (1999), The Scottish Nation 1700–2000, P.288–289, ISBN 0-14-023004-1 "created a new and powerful local state run by the Scottish bourgeoisie and reflecting their political and religious values. It was this local state, rather than a distant and usually indifferent Westminster authority, that in effect routinely governed Scotland"
- ^ Maguire, Warren (2012). "English and Scots in Scotland" (PDF). In Hickey, Raymond (ed.). Areal Features of the Anglophone World. Mouton de Gruyter. pp. 53–78.
- ^ "Gaelic Language". Outer Hebrides. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ "Gaelic in modern Scotland". Open Learning. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
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