Honed by long competition with its English neighbours, bouyant Scotland has survived encroachment, brass-monkey weather and invasion by stand-up comedians. Its people are feisty, opinionated and fiercely loyal. The countryside is a wild, beautiful tumble of raw mountain peaks and deep glassy lakes.

There's a plethora of tartan 'n' bagpipe beaten tracks, but even in well-thumbed tourist hubs like Edinburgh, Glasgow and the Isle of Skye it's easy to veer off into one-of-a-kind adventures, usually involving extroverted locals. The brutal climate adds an edge to the whole experience.

Area: 78,772 sq km
Population: 5.1 million
Capital City: Edinburgh (pop 408,000)
People: Celts, Anglo-Saxons
Language: Gaelic, English
Religion: Presbyterian Church of Scotland, other Presbyterian churches, Anglicans, Catholics

GDP: US$90 million
GDP per capita: US$18,000
Annual Growth: 3%
Inflation: 3%
Major Industries: Banking and finance, steel, transport equipment, oil and gas, whisky, tourism
Major Trading Partners: EU & USA
Member of EU: yes

© Lonely Planet Guides

See also:
Scotsmart
Destination Scotland