‘Heart of the ancient Celtic kingdom’

Scotland’s scenery is as varied as it is beautiful. Rugged mountain peaks sweep down to breathtaking lochs glistening in remote glens like Glen Affric near Inverness and Loch Trool in Galloway. A straggling coastline, with white sandy beaches, sheltered bays and rocky cliffs looks out to the remote islands of the Atlantic. To the south, the rolling hills of the Borders, lush lowland pastures and extensive woodlands present a softer beauty.

Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh, is among the outstanding cities of the world, where the Medieval Old Town contrasts with the elegant Georgian New Town. Other towns, notably Glasgow, display a wealth of Victorian architecture. Everywhere you’ll find ancient castles and houses, prehistoric forts, stone circles and burial mounds, particularly at the Neolithic Heart of Orkney, Scotland’s latest World Heritage Site.

Scotland’s rich musical heritage has feet tapping to bagpipes, fiddles and accordions. The best Celtic music can be heard at either the Girvan Traditional Folk Festival in May or the Newcastleton Festival in July. Scotland is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. Play golf on the world’s most famous course at St Andrews. Go fishing, sailing, diving, or join the walkers, cyclists and climbers on the hills, in woodlands and on deserted country lanes. Finally, at the end of the day, relax with Scotland’s greatest export, a dram of fine malt whisky.

Hugh Taylor

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77,925 sq km (30,086 sq miles).

5.08 million (official estimate 2004).

65.2 per sq km.

Edinburgh. Population: 449,000 (official estimate 2001).

The country consists of the southern Lowland area, a region of moorland and pastoral scenery – where most of the population is concentrated – and the northern Highlands, dominated by the Grampian Mountains and Ben Nevis (1344m/4140ft), the highest peak in the British Isles. The whole of the exceedingly beautiful coastline is indented with lochs (particularly in the north and west). Off the west coast there are many islands, the largest of which are Skye and Lewis, the latter being part of the Outer Hebrides. The Orkney and Shetland Islands lie to the northeast of the Scottish mainland, across the Pentland Firth from John O’Groats.

Head of State: HM Queen Elizabeth II. Head of Parliament: First Minister Jack McConnell since 2002. Recent history: Despite Scotland’s absorption into Britain following the 1707 Treaty of Union, there has always been a strong streak of independence in the nation, and the regaining of independence has always been the aim of many Scots. The North Sea oil boom of the late 1960s served partly to fuel resentments as well, some arguing that the vast revenues generated by the new offshore industry should be channelled into Scotland rather than the UK as a whole. Scotland did, however, achieve a much greater degree of autonomy from the UK Government in 1999, when for the first time in three centuries it regained its own Parliament as part of the devolution process. The Scottish Parliament has control over matters such as education and health, and has its own tax-raising powers. The UK Government maintains control over issues such as defence and foreign policy. Scotland’s Parliament is housed in a new purpose-built building adjacent to the Palace of Holyrood House in Edinburgh – a source of some controversy due to immense cost over-runs.

English. Gaelic is still spoken by some, mostly in the West and Highlands.