Capital Edinburgh. Population: 449,000 (official estimate 2001).
Government Recent history: Despite Scotland’s absorption into Britain following the 1707 Treaty (or Act) 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 defense 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.
Language English. Gaelic is still spoken by some, mostly in the West and Highlands.
Head of Government First Minister Jack McConnell since 2002.
Head of State HM Queen Elizabeth II.
For information on time, religion, electricity, passport & visa, money, duty free and health, see the main United Kingdom section.
Media
Press Scotland’s main national newspapers include The Scotsman, The Herald, and the tabloid Daily Record. Scotland on Sunday and the Sunday Herald are major Sunday titles, while there are numerous local daily evening papers.
Radio BBC Radio Scotland is the major national English languagestation, but all UK national BBC stations are also available throughoutthe country, in addition to its Gaelic service, Radio Nan Gaidheal. Commercial stations include Radio Forth (Edinburgh), Radio Clyde (Glasgow), and Central FM (Stirling).
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2007-December 2008 period.
Public holidays observed in Scotland are the same as those observed in the rest of the UK (see the main United Kingdom section) with the exception of Easter Monday and the late August Summer Bank Holiday and with the addition of: 2007 2 Jan 2nd January. 6 Aug Summer Bank Holiday.
2008 2 Jan 2nd January. 4 Aug Summer Bank Holiday.
Contact Information:
VisitScotland Ocean Point One, 94 Ocean Drive, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6JH, UK Tel: (0131) 472 2222 (marketing and media enquiries only).
For holiday enquiries or brochure requests, please contact: VisitScotland.com, Fairways Business Park, Deer Park Avenue, Livingston, EH54 8AF, UK Tel: (0845) 225 5121 (within the UK) or (01506) 832 121 (outside the UK). Website: www.visitscotland.com
Note VisitBritain in New York deals with enquiries relating to Scotland (see United Kingdom section).
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