By Borzih Katya
• Scotland - was once an independent kingdom in northern Europe, now - the most autonomous of all the countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• The capital of Scotland - Edinburgh. • Population: about 5. 1 million people. • Major cities: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Halifax.
• Edinburgh is the capital and second largest city in Scotland. • Located on the east coast of Scotland. The capital of Scotland since 1437.
• The largest city in Scotland third most populous in the United Kingdom. Located in the west central part of Scotland, on the River Clyde • Founded in the middle of the VI century.
• In Scotland includes the northern third of the island of the Great Britain and adjacent islands - Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland. Size of of Scotland - 78 772 km ², of coastline - 9, 911 km. In southern border with England.
• Rivers of Scotland: Annan, Dee, Don, Clyde, Ness, Neath, Spey, Tweed, Tay, Forth.
• Mountains of Scotland: Ben Lomond, Ben Nevis, Goutfell, Grampians, Morven.
• Scientists, think that the first people appeared in Scotland about 8000 years ago. The first permanent settlements appeared 6, 000 years ago.
• Scotland is famous for its men's national dress - kilt, which has a variety of colors. • Scotland is also famous for the national musical instrument – bagpipes.
• Apostle Andrew the patron of Scotland, according to legend, his relics were transferred from the Constantinople to the Scottish town of St. Andrews in the eighth century. Image of the Apostle, and the X-shaped cross on which he is said to have been crucified, serve as symbols of Scotland. • Hymn of the Scotland- «Flower of Scotland» .
• Thistle is the national symbol of Scotland is depicted on banknotes. According to legend, in the eighth century, the coastal settlements of Scots suffered from Viking raids. Once managed to avoid unexpected night attack by the fact that the Vikings went barefoot in a thicket of Scotch thistle, what gave you.
• Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, William Mc. Gonagall and James Hogg.
• Robert Burns - UK (Scotland), the poet, folklorist and author of many poems written on the socalled "native Scotland" and in English.
• Sir Walter Scott - the world famous British novelist, poet, historian, collector of antiquities, a lawyer, a Scot by birth. The founder of the genre of the historical novel.
• James Hogg - Scottish poet, author of historical ballads. As the poet was strongly influenced Burns. In Edinburgh, met with Byron, Southey, Wordsworth, who honored him with the death of elegy.
