Scotland - Generalities

Scotland: generalities

Scotland is a country in the northern part of Britain. It is one of the most beautiful countries in the British Isles with its beautiful lakes and green valleys. Given the extensive countryside, Scotland is not densely populated.
Scotland is divided into three natural regions: the Southern Uplands, the Central Lowlands and the Highlands.
Although Edinburgh is the capital town of Scotland, Glasgow is as a matter of fact the largest and more industrialized city.
The two parliaments of Scotland and England were united in 1707 by means of the Act of Union.
In the Highlands and on the west coast of Scotland people still speak their archaic language, Gaelic. Scottish people were originally divided into “clans”. Each clan had its own family name and its own distinctive “tartan”, a woolen cloth with colored stripes and squares. Still now, on special occasions or ceremonies, Scotsmen wear Kilts with their own tartan colors.
Scottish people are famous for their musical tradition and lively dancing. The bagpipe is the national instrument and bagpipe music always accompanies Scottish dancing.
Scotland is also the land of castles. Scottish castles are characterized by having their own ghost which makes them mysterious.
Two Scottish flowers are famous: the heather and the thistle.