Scotland

:For other uses, see Scotland (disambiguation). See also British Isles (terminology).

Related Topics:
Scotland (disambiguation) - British Isles (terminology)

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Scotland (Alba in Gaelic) is a nation in northwest Europe and a constituent country of the United Kingdom. It occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shares a land border to the south with England and is bounded by the North Sea on the east and the Atlantic Ocean on the west. Its capital city is Edinburgh. It is frequently referred to as "the best small country in the world".

Related Topics:
Alba - Gaelic - Nation - Europe - Constituent country - United Kingdom - Island - Great Britain - England - North Sea - Atlantic Ocean - Edinburgh

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The Kingdom of Scotland was united in 843, by King Kenneth I of Scotland, and is thus one of the oldest still-existing countries in the world. Scotland existed as an independent state until 1 May 1707, when the 1707 Act of Union merged Scotland with the Kingdom of England to create the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Related Topics:
Kingdom of Scotland - 843 - Kenneth I of Scotland - 1 May - 1707 - 1707 Act of Union - Kingdom of England - Kingdom of Great Britain

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The flag of Scotland - the Saltire - is thought to be the oldest national flag still in use. The patron saint of Scotland is Saint Andrew, and Saint Andrew's Day is the 30 November. There are currently attempts to create an additional national holiday on this day.

Related Topics:
Flag of Scotland - Patron saint - Saint Andrew - Saint Andrew's Day - 30 November

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Inventors, Scottish by birth or residence, have played prominent parts in such important inventions and discoveries as Watt's steam engine, Macleod with insulin, McAdam's macadam roads, Thomson and Dunlop with the pneumatic tyre, Bell's telephone, Baird's television, Robert Watson-Watt's radar, and James Chalmers' invention of the postage stamp. Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin and James Young Simpson's pioneering developments in anaesthesia were two of the most important breakthroughs in modern medicine. John Napier contributed Napier's bones and natural logarithms, Adam Smith helped to create modern economics, and the popular sport of Golf is usually regarded as a Scottish invention.

Related Topics:
Watt - Steam engine - Macleod - Insulin - McAdam - Macadam - Thomson - Dunlop - Pneumatic tyre - Bell - Telephone - Baird - Television - Robert Watson-Watt - Radar - James Chalmers - Postage stamp - Alexander Fleming - Penicillin - James Young Simpson - Anaesthesia - John Napier - Napier's bones - Natural logarithm - Adam Smith - Economics - Golf - Usually regarded

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