Country Report

Scotland

Intro
Did you know that the capital of Scotland is Edinburgh, which has a population of 489,000. That's about an eighth of New Zealand's population. Now what's got pink hair looks like a
horse and mythological… Your answer is scotland's national animal, the Unicorn. In heraldry the unicorn is best known as a symbol of Scotland: the Unicorn was believed to be the natural enemy of the lion. A symbol that the English royals adopted around a hundred years before and was also chosen because it was seen as a proud and haughty beast which would rather die than be captured, just as Scots.

Capital Cities
The three capital cities of the central lowlands are Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee, even though their character is different, they do have similarities. All three are old cities with port and links to the sea, and each is a focal point for its own area and provides a wide variety of entertainment. Edinburgh has a medieval old town and elegant Georgian New Town with gardens and neoclassical buildings. Glasgow is a port city on the River Clyde in Scotland's western lowlands. Its famed for its Victorian and art nouveau architecture, a rich legacy of the city’s 18th-20th-century prosperity due to trade and shipbuilding.

Flag History
The flag of Scotland is a white X-shaped cross, which represents the cross of the patron saint of Scotland, Saint Andrew on a blue sky. The flag is called the Saltire or the Saint Andrew’s Cross.(Research from Wikipedia), According to Wikipedia, the earliest surviving Scotland flag, consisting solely of the Saltire dates from 1503: a white cross on a red background. By 1540 the legend of King Angus had been altered to include the vision of the cross against a blue sky. Thereafter, this Saltire design in its present form became the national flag of Scotland.

Myths and Legends
Have you heard of Scotland’s most famous myth. The Loch Ness Monster, Well here's some facts about it. In Scottish folklore the Loch Ness Monster or Nessie is said to be a creature that inhabits the Loch Ness (its a lake) in the Scottish Highlands. It is often described as large in size with a long neck and one or more humps protruding from the water. Popular interest and belief in the creature have varied since it was brought to worldwide attention in 1933.

Conclusion
Here's some random facts I bet you didn't know about Scotland. This is a weird one, Scotland has the highest proportion of redheads in the world. Did you know that as well as a giant hedge, Scotland is also home to one of Europe’s oldest trees, Fortingall Yew. You’ve heard of Nessie right, well you might want to type up Morag, the monster of Loch Morar.

Written by Azra