With such a distinctive national dress, drink, bagpipe music, landscape and folklore, Scotland has shaped an identity recognizable the world over. It is a land of astonishing contrasts and possesses a magical quality, whether seen shrouded in mist or rising majestic above the mirror of a loch. In a straight line from the far south to the far north, the Scottish mainland reaches about 275 miles. The topography is generally extremely mountainous with wild heather moorlands in the north and west, pine forest mixed with quality pasture in the middle, fertile farmland in the east and, in the south, the rounded, grass covered hills of the Lowlands. Picturesque lochs and rivers are scattered throughout.
Most of Scotland’s five million people live in the country’s Central Belt. The Scots cherish the differences that set them apart from the English, and cling tenaciously to the distinctions that differentiate them region by region – their customs, dialects and the Gaelic language. It is perhaps more by their differences than similarities that the Scots can be defined but, for all that, they are immensely proud of their nation and its separate institutions, such as education and law. They delight in self-deprecating humor and continue to honor their tradition of hospitality. They are a gregarious group of people and enjoy company, whether this be in a small group at a Highland ceilidh (literally, a “visit”), a crowded bar, or as part of a colorful and fun parade or sporting event. Sometimes they have to travel far to find company: the Highland region has a population density of twenty people per square mile! Additionally, the small Scottish population are responsible for the invention of many things of great significance today including the bicycle, golf clubs, penicillin, the telephone, color photography and the first television.
The clan system, by which Highland society was divided into tribal groups led by autocratic chiefs, can be traced to the 12th century, when clans were already known to wear the checkered wool cloth later called tartan. After the battle of Culloden, all the clan lands were forfeited to the Crown, and the wearing of tartan was banned for nearly 100 years. Once the daily dress of he clansmen, the kilt is now largely reserved for formal occasions. Though they exist now only in name, the clans are still a strong source of pride for Scots, and many still live in areas traditionally belonging to their clans.
