Scotland

At the beginning of the 6th century, Scotland was ruled by Scottish kings and queens, but was divided between different groups of people. The Picts and Celts, who were the oldest inhabitants, the Scots, who came from Northern Ireland, the Britons, who were driven north by the Anglo-Saxon invaders of England, and the Angles, who originally came from what is now Germany. The Romans had left two centuries earlier.

England and Scotland were finally united when, in 1603, the son of Mary Queen of Scots became James I of England. This was because Mary's cousin Elizabeth I of England had left no heir when she died. Today Scotland is part of the United Kingdom and is governed from London. There is a special minister in the Government, the Secretary of State for Scotland, who is responsible for education, local government and other important matters in Scotland. Although the legal, education and banking systems are slightly different from those in England, life is very similar to the rest of the United Kingdom.

All the inhabitants speak English although about 100,000 still speak Scottish Gaelic. Many of the Scottish accents of English are very strong, and visitors from abroad (or even England) sometimes have difficulty in understanding them!

-	Just north of the border lies Gretna Green where young people from England come to get married. In Scotland you can get married without your parents' permission at 16. In England the age is 18.
-	Scotland's most important industries, steel-making and engineering, are concentrated in the central lowlands.
-	Glasgow, standing on the River Clyde, is Scotland's largest city and the centre of the ship-building trade. It is also the home of two well-known football clubs, Glasgow Rangers and Celtic.
-	As Scotland's capital, Edinburgh is the centre of government and commercial life. The famous castle and international festival draw thousands of visitors every year.
-	Dundee, the capital of Tayside, lies beside Britain's most famous salmon river, the Tay. Dundee cakes and marmalade are exported all over the world.
-	Aberdeen in the Grampian region is Scotland's chief fishing port. It is a growing business-centre as a result of its connections with the North Sea oil industry.
-	Forties is one of Scotland's most important oil-fields.
-	Bonnie Prince Charlie, Scotland's most famous Prince, escaped to the Isle of Skye, dressed as a woman, after his defeat by the English in 1746.
-	The Highlands are the most mountainous area of Great Britain and are a popular centre for winter sports.
-	In the Western Isles, the island of Harris produces some of the most famous cloth in the world, known as "tweed".
-	John O'Groats is the most northern part of mainland Britain.
-	Shetland is almost as close to Norway as it is to Scotland, and 500 years ago it was part of Norway. Today it is still proud of its traditional music, and it is famous for its wool and knitting designs.

Susan Sheerin, Jonathan Seath, Gillian White: Spotlight on Britain; Oxford University Press, 1985, page 79

Would you like to live in Scotland? What work would you do? What subject would you like to study at university? Why?

Pubs close at 10.30 p.m. or 11.00 p.m. in Scotland. Do you think this is too early? Why?