Scottish History

Scotland has a population of around 5 million and covers an area of over 31,500 sq. miles, which incorporates 790 islands, 6,000 lochs and 600 rivers. It is one of four constituent nations that form the United Kingdom (the other three being England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and has two national languages, English and Gaelic.

During its long existence Scotland has been invaded, raided and settled by a host of cultures and societies including Celts, Romans, Scots, Picts and Vikings. The name "Scotland" derives from the Scoti, a Celtic tribe who migrated to Scotland from Ireland during the fifth and sixth centuries and who, in time, merged through conquest and intermarriage with the Pictish tribes to form the nucleus of the Scottish nation.

The Midland Valley of Scotland represented the most northern extent of the Roman conquest of Britain after 79AD. Remnants of the Roman occupation can still be seen today in the form of the Antonine Wall and Hadrian's Wall, the latter built by the retreating Romans as they fled from the persistent Pictish attacks.

Scotland's history has been made famous by international interest in the long-standing dispute between bordering nations, Scotland and England. Heroes such as William Wallace and Robert the Bruce fought against Edward I and, later, his son Edward II in the Wars of Independence. Nowadays these Scotsmen have become modern day romantic ideals representing the long struggle for the freedom of their nation. England and Scotland were united under one ruler with The Union of the Crowns in 1603, whereby King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England, although the two kingdoms continued to be treated as separate countries. On 28 April 1707 the Act of Union formally dissolved the Scottish Parliament and gave the Scots representation in Westminster. In 1997 a referendum in Scotland voted to institute a Scottish parliament with "tax varying powers". Consequently, in 1999, a new Scottish Parliament was elected- the first time Scotland has had its own parliament in 300 years.

The Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries transformed Scotland from a rural, agricultural economy into a capitalist country of invention and scientific breakthrough. Men such as James Watt, Henry Bell and Joseph Black challenged old theories and revolutionised industrial production, propelling Scotland into a modern, technological era. Shipbuilding and the oil industry have since been carried on the wave of this movement. Today Scotland plays a part in producing the principal exports of the United Kingdom, which include electronic products, chemicals, machinery of all types, metal manufacturers, textiles and, of course, whisky!

Scottish Culture

Scotland is alive with cultural diversity and awash with gifted performers, writers and artists. Actors such as Sean Connery and Ewan MacGregor, having risen to stardom on the back of their internationally acclaimed performances, have become ambassadors for their country and the Scottish film industry. Theatre production is on a high with Edinburgh's Traverse and Glasgow's Arches companies paving the way.

Leading popular musicians Rod Stewart, Travis, Texas, Belle and Sebastian and the up-and-coming Mull Historical Society keep Scotland at the forefront of the industry. They stand alongside similarly talented but more traditional performers, the fiddler Aly Bain, accordionist Phil Cunningham, celebrated jazz musician Tommy Smith, and composer Sally Beamish.

From the days of Charles Rennie Mackintosh to contemporary artists Jaqueline Donachie, Roderick Buchanan, Lyn L-wenstein and Julie Roberts, art and design from Scotland holds a unique, always distinctive and sometimes daring appeal.

Building on the literary foundations of such great writers as Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns, Scotland continues to produce and nurture home-grown talent - Iain Rankin, Irvine Welsh, Janice Galloway and John Burnside are just a small selection of the Scottish authors to be found on best-seller lists world-wide.

Scottish food is no longer only the traditional idea of haggis, neeps and tatties, fry-ups and Aberdeen Angus steak. Scotland's overflowing larder is packed full with an exciting variety of exotic tastes and smells that stem from a variety of ethnic routes. Every flavour of the world can be found in a city such as Glasgow or Edinburgh, from Indian to Greek and Italian to Mongolian, it's just a question of choosing whatever tickles your palate. Indeed Scotland's culinary diversity continues to be explored by such well-known chefs as Nick Nairn and Gordon Ramsay.

Deeply rooted in Scottish culture is the long tradition of whisky making, dating back to the time of the Ancient Celts, around 800 BC. The damp climate of Scotland provided the perfect growing conditions for cereals such as barley and rye, which were later distilled to make whisky. Viewed as a gift from their gods, the Celts named their fiery brew uisge beatha -the water of life. Today Scotland is host to the greatest concentration of Malt Whisky distilleries in the world and many of these offer guided tours to visitors.

In the sporting world there are many Scottish heroes. Formula 1 driver David Coulthard, golfer Colin Montgomory, snooker player Stephen Hendry and Manchester United Manager Sir Alex Ferguson have all become international celebrities.