|regard to local government. A reorganization of local government in |
|Scotland was made effective in 1975, when the counties and burghs were |
|abolished and replaced by nine regions and three island areas. The regions |
|(but not the island areas) are divided into districts. Each of these units |
|is administered by a council, whose members are elected to 4-year terms. |
|The island areas, numbering some 700 islands and islets to the north and |
|west, the regions, and the former counties, all of which are described in |
|separate articles, are listed in the accompanying table. Two leading |
|British parties, the Conservative Party and the Labor Party, have shared |
|Scottish seats in Parliament about equally since the 1920s. The Scottish |
|Nationalist Party, which was founded in 1927 in order to press for complete|
|self-government, has played a minor role in the politics of the country. |
| |
|Economy |
| |
|Many aspects of the economy of Scotland are covered in the article on Great|
|Britain. The currency of Great Britain is the legal tender of Scotland. |
|Both agriculture and industry are important in the economy of Scotland. The|
|chief exports are petroleum and natural gas and manufactured goods, |
|especially burlap, clothing, machinery, textiles, and whiskey. The chief |
|imports are food and iron. The center of Scottish trade unionism is the |
|Scottish Trades Union Congress, with an affiliated membership of more than |
|980,000. |
| |
|Agriculture |
| |
|More than three-fourths of the land is used for agriculture; approximately |
|equal areas are devoted to farming and grazing. The most important crops |
|are wheat, oats, and potatoes. Other crops include barley, turnips, and |
|fruit. Livestock and livestock products are also of major importance. Sheep|
|are raised in both the Highlands and island groups and the Southern |
|Uplands. Scotland is also known for its beef and dairy cattle and for its |
|dairy products. |
| |
|Forestry and Fishing |
| |
|About 607,000 hectares (about 1.5 million acres) of Scotland is forested, |
|60 percent of which is publicly owned. In Scotland fishing is more |
|important than forestry. The principal fishing ports are Aberdeen, |
|Peterhead, Fraserburgh, and Lerwick. The catch consists mainly of |
|whitefish, herring, crabs, and lobsters. |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|Mining and Manufacturing |
| |
|Coal is the chief mineral wealth, and the industry is nationalized. Nearly |
|all the major coal deposits are found in the Central Lowlands. Limestone, |
|clay, and silica are also mined. Iron ores and other metals have been |
|virtually exhausted. North Sea petroleum and natural gas are sent by |
|pipeline to points in the Orkney and Shetland islands and to the mainland. |
|Major oil refineries are located at Grangemouth and Dundee. About 36 |
|percent of the labor force is employed in manufacturing. Shipbuilding, |
|steelmaking, and the manufacture of electronic items are major industries |
|and are concentrated in the region surrounding Glasgow. Other important |
|manufactures include woolen textiles and yarn, chemicals, machinery of many|
|varieties, vehicles, and whiskey. |
| |
|Transportation and Communications |
| |
|About 48,000 km (about 30,000 mi) of highways and about 6400 km (about 4000|
|mi) of railroads serve Scotland. Public buses provide transportation |
|throughout most of the country, and many transatlantic flights use |
|Prestwick Airport near Glasgow. Most radio and television programs |
|originate in England. About 17 daily newspapers and 120 weeklies are |
|published in the country. |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|Questions to the text: |
|What are the three groups of Scottish islands? |
|What are the principal firths of Scotland? |
|How long is Scottish coastline? |
|Into what regions Scotland may be divided? |
|What is the highest peak in Scotland and what is its height? |
|What river is considered the main navigation stream in Scotland? |
|What is average July temperature of the West Coastal region? |
|What are the most common species of conifers in Scotland? |
|Where in Scotland the soil is more fertile then anywhere else (in |
|Scotland)? |
|What population groups Scots divide themselves into? |
|What is the population of the Scotland’s most populous city? |
|In what century Scotland’s oldest universities where built and what are |
|they? |
|How many tones are used in Scottish music? |
|What and how many departments exist in Scottish government? |
|Before whom major criminal trials are held? |
|In what year Scottish political parties began having equal number of seats |
|in Scottish Government, and what are they? |
|What are the chief exports and imports of Scotland? |
|Name the approximate percent of the Scottish land devoted to agriculture? |
|Name the principal fishing ports of Scotland? |
|Where are located Scotland’s main oil refineries? |
| |
