Scotland makes up one of the four constituent countries of the United Kingdom, informally referred to as Britain. Although Scotland comprises of a land area of just under 80,000 kmē, the population sits at just over 5 million people, less than the number of people living in London. The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh, which is where since 1999 the Scottish parliament has been established. Although Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, the city of Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and is home to over 40% of Scotland's population when including the Greater Glasgow conurbation.

With deeply engrained Gaelic and Celtic roots, Scotland has a distinct sense of nationhood with its own unique family of languages and dialects. English, Scots and Gaelic are the three officially recognised languages, although only 1% of the population is estimated to speak Gaelic.

Scotland is a culturally rich land boasting many traditions, all of which set in beautiful unspoilt scenery. There are many sporting possibilities on offer for the outdoor enthusiast including hill walking, rock/ice climbing, fishing and mountain biking to name a few. In terms of Scottish cuisine, it suffers from the same unjustified below average reputation as England. Scotland in reality offers some of the worlds finest culinary delights, including fantastic seafood, venison and the renowned national 'haggis' dish.

Sharing its only land border in the south with England, Scotland comprises the northern third of the island of Great Britain and is the most mountainous area of the United Kingdom. The highest peak in the United Kingdom is that of Ben Nevis in Scotland, which stands at 1,344 meters high (4,409 ft). Scotland is made up of a lot of rugged landscapes and a hill walker's paradise.

There are around 800 islands off the Scottish coast line, the majority of which can be found on the west coast. 'Island hopping' is a very popular activity in the summer season with many routes on offer by the ferry companies.

The Scottish climate is very temperate and the expression of being able to see the 'four seasons in one day' is widely known. Although distinctly colder and wetter than southern England during summer, winter temperatures remain quite moderate. The best time to visit Scotland remains July through to September, although the sun can never be guaranteed!

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British-style plug with two flat pins and one flat grounding pin