Scotland is one of the nations that make up the United Kingdom. It occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain, borders England to the south and is bordered by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west and the North Channel and the Irish Sea to the southwest. In addition to part of Great Britain, the Scottish territory includes more than 790 islands. The adjacent territorial sea in the North Atlantic and the North Sea contains the largest oil reserves in the European Union. The capital Edinburgh is one of the largest financial centers in Europe.

The Kingdom of Scotland was an independent state until May 1, 1707, when the Acts of Union formalized a political union with the Kingdom of England in order to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Scotland continues to have a separate state and jurisdiction for international law purposes. Scottish law and the education system, as well as the Church of Scotland, have allowed the continuation of Scottish culture and national identity since the union.

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The warrior spirit and the face marked by Gaelic, Nordic and Saxon inheritance shaped the proud and unique Scottish culture. A clothe? The kilt. A musical instrument? The bagpipe. On the table? The scary haggis accompanied by a glass of pure malt. Everything is so deceptively picturesque in Scotland that it is easy to fall into the hillside stereotype of stony hills cut by gray clouds. All these features are there for all to know, just as it is lovely to discover new panoramas in these lands.

There you will find one of the richest and most dynamic cultural events on the planet, the Edinburgh Festival. Cinema, performing arts, theater, music, street artists and multimedia installations. Just going to understand. For a bit of exercise the body can test its swing on the ancient courses of Saint Andrews, the homeland of golf, or climb Ben Nevis, the culmination point of the UK. Since you are here in the Highlands, pay a visit to Loch Ness - a lake but in whose waters "lives" the celebrated monster, or the Isle of Skye, with its raw and unpredictable climate. Not to mention the famous castles of Eilean Donan and Cawdor.

This is the land of Adam Smith and Graham Bell, Sean Connery and Andrew Carnegie, explorers James Clark Ross and David Livingstone. This is Scotland: a land of people who have conquered the world, but who win the hearts of those who visit it.

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Scottish cuisine has much in common with English cuisine, but has particular characteristics. Robust food, high in fat and meat, and the Scottish tendency to deep fry is contributing to increased heart problems and obesity. While fresh fruits and vegetables are getting into the diet, many Scots, particularly those with lower wages, still have very poor diets, which causes many health problems.

Despite this, Scottish cuisine is experiencing a renaissance, and there are already several Michelin-starred restaurants in the country (famed chef Gordon Ramsey). In many cities there are Chinese, Indian take-away, Thai, Japanese and Mexican restaurants, along with traditional fish and chips.

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Scotland's climate is mild (Köppen Cfb climate classification), tending to be variable but rarely extreme. It is influenced by the Atlantic Gulf Stream.

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