SCOTLAND Scotland and England, Ireland and Wales form the United Kingdom. Scotland is situated in northern England. Its location on the map is: SCOTLAND

The area of Scotland is 31,510 square miles ; it is 274 miles long from North to South and it varies in breadth between 24 and 154 miles. An active map of Scotland is available, which details Scotland's major cities. The map of Scotland:

REGIONS SCOTLAND Scotland is divided into three main regions; the Highlands, the Midland Valley and the Southern Uplands. The cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee together with numerous towns, most of the population and the majority of Scotland's industry is located within the Midland Valley. This broad valley averages 50 miles across and runs WSW to ENE across the centre of the country. It is geologically distinct from the surrounding regions, being composed of Devonian Old Red Sandstone, peppered with ancient volcanoes, as against the older sedimentary rocks forming the Southern Uplands or the ancient metamorphic melange, comprising the Highlands to the north. Scotland includes 787 islands, of which most belong to groups known as the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland. Only 62 exceed three square miles in area.

787 islands

Government in Scotland is in four tiers. A new Scottish Parliament was elected in 1999, following devolution of powers from the United Kingdom Parliament in London. This is the first time Scotland has had its own parliament in 300 years. The Scottish Parliament, which sits in Edinburgh, is responsible for most aspects of Scottish life. The national parliament in Westminster (London) retains responsibility for areas such as defence, foreign affairs and taxation. The European Parliament in Brussels (Belgium) exercises certain powers vested in the European Union.

Currency Scotland's official currency is the pound sterling. 1 € = 0.90 £

Arbroath Smokie Bannocks (or Oatcakes) Scottish Beef Black Bun Colcannon

Scotland´s Dance Do you love to dance? We do. You don't have to be a Scot to find your foot tapping to the irresistible rhythms of our stirring reels and haunting strathspeys. We have been dancing and developing the country dances of Scotland for over 80 years, and we'd love to welcome you to a social dance or a class. Do you want to learn? Your local branch will have a teacher ready to help you. There are many classes, at all levels, and a great variety of social dances.

There are also workshops and day schools as well as the Society' own Schools - Summer School in St Andrews, Winter School in Pitlochry, and Spring Fling for under-35s. Not a Scot? Not a problem ! We have members all around the world ready to welcome you to their classes and events. Whoever you are, wherever you are, you can come along and be part of our worldwide family.

Scottish Folk Music All about Bagpipes Purchasing Bagpipes (not just Scottish Bagpipes) A Bagpipe Bibliography The Battlefield Band - popular folk music Runrig - folk-rock in the Gaelic language Reviews of Contemporary Scottish Folk Music giving personal insights into the music of leading artists (such as Capercaillie, Dick Gaughan, Dougie MacLean, Sileas, Wolfstone)

The more usual garment associated with the patterned woollen cloth (known as tartan) is the kilt. In its simple form, this was widely worn by Highland Scots in centuries past. It is worth noting that the kilt was not worn by the Lowland Scots, who formed the majority of the population of the country. However, their remains an association of the tartans with the clans (or family-based groupings) of Scotland. Most scottish surnames have an associated tartan, and some have several, which may be classified as: * Modern Colours * Ancient, Subdued or Hunting Colours * Dress Colours

AUTORS: Antonio García Hernández Joaquín Ibáñez Palazón Jesús Giménez Meseguer Daniel García Arroyo Tomás Hernández Pastor Typical Scottish: Jajajaja.