Scotland

Scotland became an independent state on May 1, 1707. It is part of the United Kingdom and is one of four constituent countries located to the north of England. It is surrounded by England, the North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, the North Channel and the Irish Sea. Scotland is made up of 790 islands including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides. Wales and England share the island with Scotland.

The capital city and second largest city in Scotland, is Edinburgh. Edinburgh is one of Europe's largest financial centers. It was also the center of the Scottish Enlightenment of the 18th century, which made Scotland one of the commercial, intellectual and industrial powerhouses of Europe.

English is spoken in most places in Scotland, with Scottish Gaelic still spoken in many areas either as a first or second language. Scots has declined in usage, and is almost extinct.

Scotland is the historic founding place of the modern game of golf, which can be traced back farther to Paganica, which originated in Rome. Musselburgh Golf Course is the oldest surviving golf course in the world, in the oldest town in Scotland, dating back to at least 1672 through documentary evidence. Mary Queen of Scots allegedly played the course in 1567, though no definited proof exists. The oldest form of golf is Links Golf, Links coming from the Scots language, meaning coastal area.

The Scottish are known for their kilts, of which specific patterns reflect the houses from which they originated. The kilt came into usage around the 16th century in the Highlands Scotland is also famous for bagpipes, often considered one of the most difficult instruments in the world to play.

The earliest documented Declaration of Independence of Scotland, the Declaration of Arbroath, was dated April 6th, 1320 in the form of a letter sent to Pope John XXII. It was signed and sealed by fifty-one Scottish nobles and other people in authority at the time.

1. Gerard Butler
2. Billy Connolly
3. Deborah Kerr
4. Sean Connery
5. Brian Cox
6. Ewan McGregor
7. Annie Lennox

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  Creative Commons image by "CIA World Factbook"

• Wikipedia: Geography of Scotland | Geology | Climate

• Wikipedia: Islands of Scotland | Mountains and Hills | Rivers | Lochs

• WorldAtlas.com: Scotland Maps & More

• Official Site: The Legend of Nessie

• Official Site: Deep Sea World

• Official Site: Traquair Castle | Blair Castle | Eilean Donan Castle | Glamis Castle

• VisitScotland.com: Ski-Scotland

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