Scotland Travel Guide: General Information about Scotland.
Travel Guide Scotland will take you to different fantastic places in Scotland as well as some of the famous landmarks and notable places, so you will already have a general idea about Scotland if and when you decide to actually travel and explore this fascinating country. And other than the places of interest, Travel Guide Scotland will also give you valuable information such as the geography, demographics and the languages spoken in different parts of this country. Don’t forget to check out the travel safety tips in Scotland as well as the other sections in our Travel Guide Scotland! We do hope you will come back often to travel with us to other destinations around the world.
Introducing Scotland
As a first time traveler, you might wonder about what is in store for you in Scotland. Our comprehensive pocket travel guide to Scotland will give you a helpful overview of the things you will encounter on your visit. This travel guide will contain easy-to-follow sections about where to go, things to see and what to do in Scotland. It will also include tips on safety and other useful information about the country. Our Scotland travel guide can be an indispensable resource as you travel and explore the different parts of the country.
Since Scotland has a wide array of things to offer, you can plan and customize your itinerary depending on what your interests are. If you are interested in history, you can start with the capital city of Edinburgh. The city boasts of historical places that are centuries old. One such example is the Edinburgh castle which is the most prominent structure in the city. You can also experience the annual Edinburgh festival which showcases an assortment of cultural performances and displays of art. If you would like to add a more Celtic feel to your travels, you can take a drive along the scenic Scottish countryside and be transported back to the fairytales of old. If you would like to sample excellent Scottish cuisine, you can include in your travel itinerary places such as Aberdeen which is famous for its delicious Angus beef. If you would like to take a look at the teeming and untouched wildlife of the country, you can travel to the country’s coastal regions. Or if a spot of golf is more to your liking, why not visit the birthplace of the sport at St. Andrews? The Scotland Travel guide will act as a helpful resource when deciding on what to include in your travel itinerary to this amazing country.
The name of Scotland is said to be derived from the Latin word scoti. The word was used to refer to the Gaels, a group of people who are speakers of the Celtic languages that originated in Ireland and eventually spread to Scotland. The country is located on the northern tip of the island of Great Britain. It is one of the four nations that are part of the United Kingdom. The three others being Northern Ireland, Wales and England. It is bordered by England to the south, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west. To the southwest you will find the Irish Sea and the North Channel. Scotland also has a total of 790 islands that are scattered around the main coastline. It occupies a total land area of 78,772 square kilometers and is home to approximately 5.2 million inhabitants. The country is divided into three distinct regions which are the Southern Uplands, the Midland Valley and the Highlands. Its geography allows for numerous rivers to flow directly to one the surrounding seas. But for the most part, Scotland is famous for its lochs, which is the local term used to refer to the many pristine lakes that can be found there. The most famous of these lochs is of course Loch Ness. It is reputed to be the home of Nessie, the famous lake monster that has drawn fascination the world over.
The Scottish capital of Edinburgh is considered to be one of the financial hubs of Europe and is the country’s second largest city. The territory of Scotland that stretches out to the North Sea and North Atlantic boasts of large oil reserves that supply the European Union making it the oil capital of the European continent. Because of this, Scotland is able to enjoy a very stable economy with Edinburgh listed as the sixth largest financial hubs within the European Union. Historically, the Kingdom of Scotland was considered an independent state until 1707 when it officially became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain. It was not until 1999 that the Scottish Parliament was formed, giving the country its own parliament in over three centuries. Despite this, Scotland enjoys a separate legal system that is unique from the other nations in the United Kingdom.
Approximately 89% of the population is of Scottish origin and less than 10% is made up of Irish, Welsh or English people. The official language of Scotland is English although Scottish Gaelic is still widely spoken in the western and northern regions of the country. The Scottish accent could be a little hard to understand for outsiders but the most notorious of all is what is known as the Glasgow Patter. The patter is a dialect that is widely spoken in Glasgow, Scotland and is, for the most part, not understood by most English speakers due to its nuances and constantly evolving euphemisms. But if you plan to travel to this part of Scotland, you are sure to run into friendly ‘Weegies’ who will be more than happy to translate the patter for you.
Let our Scotland Travel Guide help you in exploring this truly interesting country. It will no doubt be an indispensable resource in learning more about the various historical sites, endless landscapes, and dynamic cities that Scotland has to offer. As you turn each page, you will find that this travel guide will give you extensive information on your journey throughout the country.
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