Outline of Scotland explained

Scotland is a country which is part of the United Kingdom, having previously been an independent, sovereign country prior to the 1707 union with England.^[1] ^[2] ^[3] Established in 843, this would make Scotland the second oldest country in Europe and the fifth oldest country in the world.^[4] It's monarchy is amongst the oldest in the world, and is the oldest recorded monarchy in Europe.^[5]

Occupying the northern third of the largest island, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the southwest. In addition to the mainland, Scotland consists of over 790 islands^[6] including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides.

The countries head of government is the First Minister who is the head of the Scottish Government and Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland. The First Minister chairs the Scottish cabinet and is accountable to the Scottish Parliament which is situated in the countries capital city, Edinburgh.

General reference

Pronunciation:
Etymology of "Scotland"
Common English country name(s): Scotland
Official English country name(s): Scotland
Common endonym(s): Alba
Official endonym(s):
Adjectival(s): Scottish, Scots, Scotch
Demonym(s): Scottish, Scots

Geography of Scotland

Scotland is: a country of the United Kingdom.
- Scotland was: an independent, sovereign country until 1707 when it formed a union with England Population of Scotland: 5,436,600 (2022 census)
Area of Scotland: 78 772 km² (30,414 square miles), approximately 32% of the area of the United Kingdom (UK)
Places in Scotland
Atlas of Scotland

Location

Scotland is situated within the following regions
- Atlantic Ocean
- Northern Hemisphere, on the Prime Meridian
- Eurasia (but not on the mainland)
  - Europe (outline)
    - Northern Europe
      - British Isles
        Great Britain (the northern third of the island)
        
        Several hundred other Islands of Scotland
Extreme points of Scotland
- Northerly point: Out Stack, Shetland Islands
- Highest peak: Ben Nevis, Lochaber at 1343m (4,406feet)
Land boundaries: 154 km

Environment of Scotland

Natural geographic features of Scotland

Firths
Demographic history of Scotland
Islands of Scotland
Lochs
- Lochs in Scotland
Mountains and hills of Scotland
- List of Munros
- Volcanoes in Scotland
Rivers of Scotland
- Waterfalls of Scotland
Valleys of Scotland
World Heritage Sites in Scotland

Regions of Scotland

Government and politics of Scotland

Politics of Scotland

Form of government: Devolved parliamentary legislature within a constitutional monarchy
Capital of Scotland: Edinburgh
Elections in Scotland
- Electoral systems in Scotland
List of political parties in Scotland
Pressure Groups in Scotland
Scottish independence
- Fiscal autonomy
- National Conversation
Scotland Office (Department of UK Government)
- Secretary of State for Scotland

The Scottish Government

Government of Scotland

History of Scottish devolution

Government

Head of government: First Minister of Scotland (also the Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland)
- - Deputy First Minister of Scotland Scottish Government
- Scottish Cabinet
  - Dewar government (1999 - 2000)
  - McLeish government (2000 - 01)
  - First McConnell government (2001 - 03)
  - Second McConnell government (2003 - 07)
  - First Salmond government (2007 - 11)
  - Second Salmond government (2011 - 14)
  - First Sturgeon government (2014 - 16)
  - Second Sturgeon government (2016 - 21)
  - Third Sturgeon government (2021 - 23)
  - First Yousaf government (2023 - 2024)
  - Second Yousaf government (2024)
  - Swinney government (2024 -)
- International relations of Scotland
St Andrew's House; main headquarters of the Scottish Government located in Edinburgh
Bute House; the official residence and workplace of the First Minister

Legislative

Scottish Parliament
- List of acts of the Scottish Parliament from 1999

Local government in Scotland

Legal system

Scots law

Capital punishment in Scotland: There has been a history of capital punishment but it is not used now.
Human rights in Scotland
- Freedom of religion in Scotland
- LGBT rights in Scotland
Law enforcement in Scotland
- Police Scotland
- Scottish Prison Service
  - Prison population of Scotland
Manrent
Marriage in Scotland
Rights of way in Scotland
Udal law
College of Justice; includes the Supreme Courts of Scotland
- High Court of Justiciary; Scotland's supreme criminal court
- Court of Session; Scotland's supreme civil court
- Office of the Accountant of Court
- Lord President of the Court of Session
- Senator of the College of Justice
  - Supreme Court of the United Kingdom; Scotland's supreme courts can appeal to the Supreme Court of the UK
Sheriff Appeal Court
Sheriff court
Justice of the peace court
Court of the Lord Lyon
Scottish Land Court
Lands Tribunal for Scotland
Children's hearing
Courts of Scotland
- List of courts in Scotland
Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
Faculty of Advocates
Lord Advocate
Lord President of the Court of Session
Procurator Fiscal
Solicitor General for Scotland

Military

Armed forces in Scotland
- Scotland had its own military until 1707. Scotland's military merged with the British Armed Forces, with the exception of the Atholl Highlanders.
  - - - Scots Guards Royal Scots Royal Regiment of Scotland King's Own Scottish Borderers
- Royal Scots Borderers
  - - Royal Highland Fusiliers Black Watch
- Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons)
Military history of Scotland

Census of Scotland

1891 Census of Scotland

History of Scotland

See main article: History of Scotland.

By period

By region

By subject

Culture of Scotland

Art in Scotland

People of Scotland

Religion in Scotland

Religion in Scotland
- Buddhism in Scotland
- Christianity in Scotland
  - Baptist Union of Scotland
  - Scottish Episcopal Church
  - Church of Scotland
    - General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
      - List of Moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
  - Roman Catholicism in Scotland
- Hinduism in Scotland
- Judaism in Scotland
- Islam in Scotland
- History of the Jews in Scotland
  - List of Scottish Jews
- Sikhism in Scotland

Sports in Scotland

American football in Scotland
- Scottish Claymores
Australian rules football in Scotland
Basketball in Scotland
- Scotland national basketball team
Chess in Scotland
- Scottish Chess Federation
Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland
Cricket in Scotland
- Scottish national cricket team
Curling
Field Hockey in Scotland
- Scotland women's national field hockey team
Football in Scotland
Scotland GAA
Golf in Scotland
- The R&A
- Moray Golf Club
- The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
Highland Games
- Tossing the caber
Lacrosse in Scotland
National sports teams of Scotland
Netball
- Scotland national netball team
Campaign for a Scottish Olympic Team - Scotland does not compete at the Olympic Games, Scottish athletes compete as part of the Great Britain team instead. There is however a long running campaign to get a team.
Rugby in Scotland
- Rugby league in Scotland
- Rugby union in Scotland
  - Scottish Rugby Union
  - Scotland national rugby union team
  - History of rugby union in Scotland
  - Murrayfield Stadium
  - List of Scottish rugby union players
  - Rugby union in the Borders
- Rugby Sevens (invented in Scotland)
  - Edinburgh Sevens
  - Melrose Sevens
Shinty

Economy and infrastructure of Scotland

Economy of Scotland
- Economic rank (by nominal GDP): (6th; 2023), as a country of the United Kingdom
- Agriculture in Scotland
- Banking in Scotland
  - Bank of Scotland
  - Royal Bank of Scotland
    - Clydesdale Bank Communications in Scotland
- Scottish media
- List of newspapers in Scotland
- Television in Scotland
  - BBC Scotland
  - STV
- Internet in Scotland
  - .scot
Companies of Scotland
Currency of the United Kingdom: Pound Sterling
Economic history of Scotland
Energy in Scotland
Fire services in Scotland
Health care in Scotland
- Hospitals in Scotland
- NHS Scotland
  - Scottish Ambulance Service
Mining in Scotland
Tourism in Scotland
Transport in Scotland
- Airports in Scotland
- Ports and harbours in Scotland
- Rail transport in Scotland
- Roads in Scotland
Water supply and sanitation in Scotland
Wild Scotland

Education in Scotland

Education in Scotland
- Curriculum for Excellence, the national 3–18 school curriculum
- Education Scotland
  - - Care Inspectorate General Teaching Council for Scotland
  - Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills List of universities in Scotland
List of schools in Scotland
Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)

Specific schools

State schools in Scotland

Notes

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/geography/uk_countries.asp The Countries of the UK
Web site: Countries within a country . 2008-08-24 . 10 Downing Street . The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080916063427/http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page823 . 16 September 2008.
Web site: ISO 3166-2 Newsletter Date: 2007-11-28 No I-9. "Changes in the list of subdivision names and code elements" (Page 11). 2008-05-31. International Organization for Standardization codes for the representation of names of countries and their subdivisions -- Part 2: Country subdivision codes. SCT Scotland country.
Web site: Oldest Country in Europe 2024 . worldpopulationreview.com . 9 July 2024.
Web site: How does the UK's Royal Family compare with others around the world? . Sky News . 9 July 2024 . en.
Web site: Scottish Executive Resources. Scotland in Short. 17 February 2006. Scottish Executive. 14 September 2006 .

External links

Scotland.org - the official online gateway to Scotland, managed by the Scottish Government
Scottish Government - official site of the Scottish Government
Scottish Parliament - official site of the Scottish Parliament
National Archives of Scotland - official site of the National Archives of Scotland
Homecoming Scotland 2009
Maps and digital collections at the National Library of Scotland
Gazetteer for Scotland - Extensive guide to the places and people of Scotland, by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society and University of Edinburgh
Scottish economic statistics 2005 (pdf) – from the Scottish Executive
Scottish Census Results On Line - official government site for Scotland's census results
Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics - Scottish Government's programme of small area statistics in Scotland
Visit Scotland - official site of Scotland's national tourist board
ScotlandsPeople - official government resource for Scottish genealogy
- Scotlandpictures.net Scotland in photos