Introduction to Geography of Scotland
Scotland, a political division of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It consists primarily of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and three offshore island groups: the Hebrides and the Orkney and Shetland islands On the south Scotland adjoins England; elsewhere it is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and such arms of the Atlantic as the North Sea and Irish Sea. Northern Ireland lies 13 miles (21 km) southwest of the peninsula of Kintyre. The area of Scotland is 30,418 square miles (78,781 km 2). Maximum dimensions on the mainland are about 275 miles (440 km) north-south and 150 miles (240 km) east-west.
Facts in brief about ScotlandCapital: Edinburgh.Official language: English.Area: 30,087 mi2 (77,925 km2). Greatest distances—north-south, 274 mi (441 km); east-west, 154 mi (248 km). Coastline—about 2,300 mi (3,700 km).Elevation: Highest—Ben Nevis, 4,406 ft (1,343 m) above sea level. Lowest—sea level along the coast.Population: Current estimate—5,127,000; population density, 170 per mi2 (66 per km2); distribution, 86 percent urban, 14 percent rural. 2001 census—5,062,011.Flag: Scotland's flag has a white X on a blue background. The flag is called St. Andrew's Cross. It has never been officially adopted, but the Scottish people have flown it for hundreds of years.Chief products: Agriculture—barley, cattle, milk, sheep, wheat. Fishing—cod, haddock, mackerel. Manufacturing—foods and beverages, electronic equipment, chemicals, industrial machinery, metal products, and textiles. Mining—petroleum.Physical Geography
Scotland makes up the northern third of the island of Great Britain.LandScotland is usually divided into three regions: the Highlands, the Central Lowlands, and the Southern Uplands.
The Highlands, occupying the northern part of the country, consist largely of two mountain ranges running roughly northeast-southwest, the Grampian Mountains and the Northwest Highlands. Both these ranges are extremely eroded and rounded; their appearance is largely the result of the scouring action of glaciers during the last ice age. The roughest terrain lies along the west coast, where numerous mountains reach elevations of 3,000 to 4,000 feet (900 to 1,200 m). Great Britain's highest peak, 4,406-foot (1,343-m) Ben Nevis, is here. The east coast is comparatively level.
Throughout the Highlands there are innumerable valleys, called glens where narrow and straths where broad. The Great Glen, known also as Glen Mor, is a narrow, lake-studded valley stretching from coast to coast. Most of the highland region, especially its treeless, heather-covered moors, is thinly populated; some areas are virtually uninhabited.
The Central Lowlands, a depression 40 miles (64 km) wide just south of the Highlands, run northeast-southwest from coast to coast. Part of the land is relatively level, but much of it is rolling and dotted by hills. Concentrated here are the vast majority of Scotland's people, almost all of its large cities and mineral resources, and much of its best cropland.
The Southern Uplands, situated between the lowlands and the English border, center on an old eroded plateau and consist mainly of gently rounded hills. Elevations in several locations exceed 2,500 feet (760 m). Grassy moors, used extensively for grazing, cover much of the land. There are numerous valleys, called dales in this part of Scotland.
WaterThe Clyde, which flows through Glasgow to the Atlantic Ocean, is Scotland's chief river, for it provides a major waterway through the industrial heart of the country. Almost all the other principal rivers flow to the North Sea, mainly from the Highlands. Among them are the Spey, Dee, Tay, Forth, and Tweed rivers. Lakes, known as lochs, abound in the Highlands. Some of them, especially Loch Lomond, have been made famous by Scottish literature and legend. Loch Ness, a deep, narrow lake in the Great Glen, is reputedly the home of a sea monster.
Numerous bays, sounds, and long, narrow arms of the sea, also called lochs, indent the Scottish coast, particularly the island-studded west coast. There are also broad river estuaries, or firths; the most notable are the Firth of Clyde, Firth of Forth, Firth of Tay, Moray Firth, and Solway Firth.
ClimateScotland lies some 370 to 800 miles (600 to 1,300 km) farther north than the most northerly point in the United States, excluding Alaska. Its climate, however, is moderate because of the tempering influence of the ocean. Except in the high mountains, temperatures average about 35° to 40° F. (2° to 4° C.) in January and 55° to 60° F. (13° to 16° C.) in July. Rarely is the weather either very hot or cold.
Rains, drizzles, mists, and long cloudy periods make Scotland one of the most humid and overcast parts of Britain. In general, precipitation increases from east to west---from less than 25 inches (635 mm) annually on some parts of the east coast to more than 150 inches (3,810 mm) in the high western mountains. Most of the country, however, receives from 35 to 65 inches (890 to 1,650 mm), depending on location. Except in the loftiest parts of the Highlands, snows are light and infrequent.
The Economy
Scotland has a predominantly industrial economy, the origins of which go back to the Industrial Revolution. During the 19th century, the economy was led by coal and iron-ore mining; steel, engineering, and textile industries; and shipping. Many Scottish products, especially ships, received worldwide acclaim for their excellence. After World War I there was a drastic industrial decline, brought on partly by dwindling resources, outdated production methods, and increased foreign competition.
The economy was revived by World War II After the war, however, many industries, especially ones dating from the 19th century, were in decline. Many people left Scotland for England and overseas lands. To revitalize the economy and reduce unemployment, a government program of industrial development was begun. As a result of this program many new industries have been established, including the electronics industry, which is one of Scotland's most rapidly growing industries. There has been a shift from heavy manufacturing to service industries. Most of the employment in Scotland is provided by the service industries, light manufacturing, and the energy industry.
Service industries provide employment for more than two-thirds of the labor force in Scotland and contribute nearly two-thirds of Scotland's economic production. In terms of the number of employees, retail sales, finance and business services, education, and medicine lead the service industries. Other major employers are public administration, tourism, transportation, and communications.
Oil exploration and exploitation in Britain's section of the North Sea since the late 20th century brought a boom to some parts of Scotland, especially along the east coast and to the city of Aberdeen.
ManufacturingManufacturing employs about one-sixth of Scotland's work force, which constitutes around one-fifth of Scotland's economic production. Scottish manufacturing is heavily concentrated in the Central Lowlands Along the Clyde River, in and near Glasgow, is the area called Clydeside, center of Scotland's iron and steel, shipbuilding, and marine-engineering industries Many of the world's largest ships have been built here. Clydeside also has a great variety of other industries, such as the manufacturing of locomotives, chemicals, Scotch whisky, and textiles. Few of these industries, however, are thriving; Clydeside has long been among the most economically depressed areas in Britain.
Cities in the east, particularly the coastal cities from Dundee to Edinburgh, have some heavy industries such as shipbuilding and petroleum refining, but they are primarily centers of light manufacturing. Food processing, beverages, textile-making, woolens, printing, publishing, industrial equipment, metal products, chemicals, brewing, and the distilling of whisky are traditional activities. Here, too, are many of Scotland's new industries, including the manufacturing of electronic equipment, business machines, electrical appliances, and plastics.
Aberdeen, the leading city on the northeast coast, has both heavy and light industries and is the operational center for companies developing Britain's North Sea oil and gas. With few exceptions, there is little or no manufacturing elsewhere in Scotland.
AgricultureLivestock has long played a prominent role in Scottish agriculture. Products such as meat, milk, and wool contribute approximately two-thirds of Scotland's farm production Some of the world's best breeds, including the Aberdeen Angus and Galloway beef cattle and Ayrshire dairy cattle; Clydesdale horses; the Shetland pony, a sheepdog, the collieand Cheviot and Black-faced Highland sheep, were developed in Scotland.
Only about two-thirds of the land is suitable for crops or permanent pasture; the rest is classed mainly as rough grazing land suitable only for sheep. The chief crop area is the eastern part of the lowlands. Production here is the most varied in Scotland and includes wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, turnips, sugar beets, hardy fruits, and berries. The barley is mostly used for brewing and distilling and the rest becomes livestock feed. Dairying dominates in the western part of the lowlands and along the southwest coast, traditionally associated with Ayrshire cattle; the raising of beef cattle leads along the northeast coast. Elsewhere, the rearing of sheep prevails. In the Highlands, most of the sheep are raised on crofts—small farms that provide a bare subsistence. The Tayside Region in eastern Scotland is home to soft fruits such as raspberries. Most of the Scottish farms are owned and operated by families.
Fishing and ForestryFishing has long provided a livelihood for thousands of Scots living in the cities and villages along the coast. The chief fishing ports are along the east coast in or near Edinburgh, Peterheadand Aberdeen. Many of the fishing ports, especially those on the north and west coasts, are small. The catch, obtained mainly from coastal waters and nearby seas, includes cod, haddock, plaice, herring, turbot, pilchard, prawns, mackerel, and such shellfish as lobsters and crabs. In the Tay and other rivers, salmon are caught and raised on fish farms. About 15 per cent (close to one-sixth) of Scotland is forested, mainly by conifers. Scotland accounts for about a third of Britain's timber production.
Its forest area almost tripled during the second half of the 20th century. The government has provided grants in order to encourage expansion of Scotland's forests, and trees have been planted by the state forestry service. An important industry is wood processing.
Mineral ResourcesScotland's chief mineral resource is oil, obtained from the North Sea. Production began at the end of the mid 20th century; by the late 20th century Scotland's output was largely responsible for making Britain one of the leading oil-producing countries in the world. The only mineral obtained in quantity from the mainland is coal, which comes chiefly from the lowlands.
Much of Scotland's energy is supplied by the oil and gas fields under the North Sea. The fields are connected to the Scottish mainland and to shipment points on the Orkney and Shetland islands by pipelines. Nearly 45 per cent of Scotland's electric power is supplied by nuclear power plants. 30 per cent is provided by coal and natural gas and hydroelectric power plants supply most of the rest. Since the late 20th century, when the production of North Sea oil and gas began, coal mining has declined considerably. It was formerly Scotland's chief energy source.
Many tourists are attracted to the beautiful scenery and vigorous cultural life in Scotland. The economy in both urban and rural areas, especially in Edinburgh and such Highland towns as Inverness and Fort William is benefiting greatly because of the tourist industry.
TransportationGeneral cargo port facilities are mainly on the Clyde River below Glasgow and at Leith and Aberdeen. There are large petroleum ports on the east coast and in the Orkney and Shetland islands that handle oil from the North Sea. Scheduled domestic and international air service is provided by a number of carriers, mainly through international airports near Glasgow, Prestwick, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen. The offshore oil industry is served by the world's busiest commercial helicopter port which is at Aberdeen.
The main railway and highway routes connect the cities of the lowlands and extend southward into England. Except along the east coast, relatively few roads or railways penetrate the Highlands. There is a dense network of roads throughout most of Scotland. There are motorways and fast roads which link the main cities, and most roads are toll-free. Railways provide service to the chief towns and cities in Scotland. Much of the northwest coast is rather isolated; here coastal shipping is important. Most canals, including those in the lowlands that were once of great economic value, are either little used or abandoned.
The People
The people of Scotland are a blend mainly of Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse strains. The Celtic heritage has been dominant. Of the three Celtic peoples of ancient Scotland—the Picts, Scots, and Britons—the Scots gave the Scottish people not only their name but also the Gaelic tongue and Gaelic legend.
Language and ReligionEnglish is used throughout Scotland; less than 2 per cent of the people, mainly in the Highlands and western islands, also speak Gaelic. In 1968 the British government launched a program to increase the knowledge of Gaelic and its use, especially in literature.
The Church of Scotland, the legally established (state) church, is Presbyterian. About a fourth of the population belongs to the established church. Roman Catholics make up the second largest group, followed by Episcopalians, Congregationalists, Presbyterians unaffiliated with the established church ("Free Presbyterians"), Baptists, and Methodists.
EducationScotland's primary and secondary educational system, is under the direction of the Scottish Education Department. Education is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 16, and schooling is largely free. In addition to public schools, there are both state-aided and independent private schools. Elementary education lasts seven years and is followed by either academic or vocational secondary education. Institutions of higher learning include universities, and colleges that give courses in various professional and vocational fields.
Culture, Sports, and RecreationWriters and poets are paramount in Scotland's cultural heritage. Outstanding Scottish literary figures include Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, William Dunbar, J. M. Barrie, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Edwin Muir. Other important writers include the biographer James Boswell, the essayist and critic Thomas Carlyle, and the philosopher and historian David Hume.
The Scots share the general British enthusiasm for soccer as a spectator sport; rugby also has an immense following. The favorite participant sports, however, are of Scottish origin---in summer, golf; in winter, curling and shinty, or shinny, a Highlands version of field hockey.
Government
Scotland is one of three devolved areas in the United Kingdom, that is, areas controlled by regional governments as well as the central British government. The Scottish Parliament assumed its full legislative powers on July 1, 1999. it has 129 members.
The Scottish government is led by the first minister, who is usually the leader of the political party that controls the most seats in the Parliament. He or she appoints the Scottish government, called the Scottish Executive that includes ministers appointed by the first minister. The Executive also has two legal officials: the lord advocate, the principal law officer of Scotland and the government's constitutional and legal adviser on Scottish affairs; and the solicitor general for Scotland, a junior law officer and deputy minister. The Scottish Parliament controls taxes and legislates on a wide variety of domestic issues, including health, housing, roads, social work, education and local government. The European Union's Common Agriculture and Fisheries Policies apply in Scotland and throughout the United Kingdom.
The areas controlled by the British Parliament and government are called “reserved issues”. Social security, European Union and international relations, defense, immigration, broadcasting, and abortion are included in reserved issues. Scotland elects 59 of the 646 members of the British House of Commons.