Quick Facts About Scotland
- Official name: Scotland
- Independence date: Part of the United Kingdom. Celebrate St. Andrew’s Day as a national holiday on November 30th.
- Member of the EU?: No
- Capital: Edinburgh
- Currency: British Pound
- Power Adapter: Type G
- Population: 5.5 million (2024 est.)
- Yearly tourist visits: 4.5 million (2024 est.)
- Best known for: Scenic natural landscape which includes gorgeous highlands and lochs, rich history, castles, ruins, culture, golf, and more!
A very short history of Scotland:
Recorded history in Scotland begins with Roman sources, gradually expanding after initial contact. until the Roman invasion of the British Isles in 43AD. Before this period there are not many surviving accounts, but there is evidence of a people gradually shifting from a farming society to one where small cities developed and small natural forts developed.
After the initial Roman invasion of the Isles in 43AD, Rome gradually extended their control into modern day Scotland by 71. However, in subsequent decades Rome lost their ability (or maybe desire) to control Scotland, so they built a line of fortifications across the width of the island that became known as Hadrian’s Wall. In the 2nd Century the Romans would reassert their power and again move deeper into Scotland, building additional fortifications, though Hadrian’s Wall remains the most well known today.
In the centuries after the Roman withdrawal from the British Isles in the 5th Century, several different kingdoms rose and fell and the peoples largely converted to Christianity. The Kingdom of Alba was the dominant power in the area from the 9th Century onwards, though William the Conqueror’s invasion in the late 11th Century led to some submission to English authority and would later be used by English monarchs to claim the Scottish crown.
The death of Margaret, heir to the Scottish throne, in 1290 left 14 potential successors. To prevent war, Edward I of England was asked to arbitrate, though for this service he demanded that Scotland formally acknowledge that it was a feudal dominion of England. In 1296 Edward invaded Scotland, prompting William Wallace to raise an army to resist him and forever enshrining Wallace as a Scottish hero.
Subsequently, Robert the Bruce was crowned king of Scotland and defeated the English in 1314, securing de facto independence. In 1320 he appealed to the Pope who formally nullified the prior acts of submission to English kings, which secured more formal independence and helped establish a shared sense of Scottish national identity.
In 1503, King James IV married Margaret Tudor, the daughter of Henry VII of England, thereby setting the stage for the 17th Century Union of the Crowns. Then, in 1542 King James V died, leaving Mary Queen of Scots, perhaps the most famous Scot in history, as his sole heir at just a few weeks old. The story of Mary is much too fascinating to cover in just a few sentences here, but the most important aspect is that her son, King James VI, would eventually be crowned King James I of England as well and move from Edinburgh to London.
In the person of James the Crowns of Scotland and England were united, though they remained distinct and two separate kingdoms. Then, in 1707, the Acts of Union formally unified Scotland and England to create a new nation, “Great Britain.” From then on the history of Scotland is inextricably linked with that of England.
In the 20th Century Scotland played an extremely important role in both World Wars, offering outsized contributions to the war efforts. Scotland also was an important base for the US in the Cold War. Throughout the 20th Century the question of Scottish independence has come up repeatedly, though despite being put to multiple votes – most recently in 2014 – Scots have voted to remain part of the United Kingdom time after time.
Check out our 12 day trip to Scotland and Ireland, or our list of the 26 best things to do in Edinburgh, to help you plan your next trip!
