Scotland

SCOTLAND

Oriol Casé Rovira Pol Planas Vergés Adrià Duarri Guilà Martí Sanmartí Pla PR - Research Project 4th ESO A Cours 2012-13

INDEX 1. INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................PAGE 1 2. GEOGRAPHY AND POPULATION................................................................PAGE 2 2.1 Climate.....................................................................................................PAGE 3 2.2 Demography............................................................................................PAGE 3 2.3Lenguages................................................................................................PAGE 4 3. HISTORY.........................................................................................................PAGE 4 4. ECONOMY......................................................................................................PAGE 5 5. GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS....................................................................PAGE 5 6. EDUCATION...................................................................................................PAGE 6 7. CULTURE........................................................................................................PAGE 7 7.1 Architecture.............................................................................................PAGE 7 7.2 Folklore....................................................................................................PAGE 8 7.3 Gastronomy...........................................................................................PAGE 10 7.4 Traditional clothes.................................................................................PAGE 11 7.5 Arts.........................................................................................................PAGE 11 7.6 Literature................................................................................................PAGE 12 7.7 Performing Arts.....................................................................................PAGE 12 8. SPORT...........................................................................................................PAGE 13 9. NATIONAL SYMBOLS ................................................................... ............PAGE 14 10.CURIOSITIES...............................................................................................PAGE 14 11.CONCLUSION..............................................................................................PAGE 15 12.BIBLIOGRAPHY...........................................................................................PAGE 15 13.WEBGRAPHY..............................................................................................PAGE 15 14.GLOSSARY....................................................................................................PAGE16

1.- INTRODUCTION -We are a group of 4th of ESO A, composed by Oriol Casé, Adrià Duarri, Martí Sanmartí and Pol Planas.

We are students from INS Mig-Món and our Research Project is going to be about a country where the most spoken language is English. We have chosen Scotland, because it’s a country that is very interesting for us and love it and we think that it’s a beautiful country. Our country, Catalonia, is also very related to Scotland because both are in an independence process. We are motivated to do this Research Project and we want to do a good job.

Welcome sign at the entrance of the country.

2.- GEOGRAPHY AND POPULATION Scotland is a country located in the north island of Great Britain and it’s part of the United Kingdom. It’s a small country oves 441 kilometers long. Scotland has more or less 3,200 kilometers of coast line more or less. Because of Scotland’s geography, it’s very possible to be near the sea.

The river Tweed and the Cheviot Hills are borders with England. The Northwest Channel separates Scotland from Northern Ireland. The northwest coast faces the Atlantic Ocean. The east coast faces with the North Sea, which separates Scotland from Europe.

Land Regions Scotland has three main land regions: the Highlands, the Central Lowlands and the Southern Uplands.

-The Highlands This first archipielago is a region with a lot of little mountains. There are two major mountain ranges: the Northwest Highlands and the Grampian Mountains.

Glen Cloe (a deep valley) separates the two mountain ranges. The highest peak in the British Isle is Ben Nevis, and it’s 1,343 meters high. Much of the land in the Highlands is a treeless area like moors and without vegetation. All these characteristics make this region of Scotland a rugged land.

Picture of Highlands.

-The Central Lowlands The Central Lowlands are crossed by the valleys of the rivers Clyde, Fourth, and Tay. This region has the best farmland of Scotland it’s got very big and fertile fields and low hills with groups of trees that cover all this area. Most of the Scottish people live in the Lowlands.

- The Southern Uplands They consist of enormous and extensive moors that end with rocky cliffs. The top of the hills are perfect for the pasture, but rich pasture land is in the lower slopes. Most of the cattle of Scotland is located in the Southern Uplands.

The Southern Uplands, in the picture.

-Rivers and Lakes There are two special rivers in Scotland. One is the river Clyde, very important because after a lot works and variations in its riverbed, became navigable for ships, for example, from Atlantic Ocean to Glasgow. The second most important river in Scotland is the river Tay, which is the longest river of this country and it carries more water than any other river in the United Kingdom. Its lenght is about 193 kilometers long. Most of Scotland’s rivers flow with firths: huge estuary that are affected by tide’s changes.

Scotland’s lakes are called lochs. Most of them are located in the Highland valleys. Loch Lomond is the largest lake in Scotland (it’s 37 kilometers long and 8 km wide). In Glen Mor (a deep valley) there is a series of lakes that are interconnected and form the Caledonian Canal, which divides Scotland from right coast to left coast. Loch Ness is also famous around the world because people claim that they saw a “monster” in this lake long time ago. In some Picture of the Lomond Loch. parts of the coast of this country threre are Sea Lochs: the water of the sea comes into the land and becomes stagnant.

-Islands Scotland has hundreds of islands. The islands Hebrides are the enormous group of islands that you can find in Scotland. The Orkney and Shetland groups are in the north of the country and they form the border between the sea and the ocean.

2.1.- Climate

Map of Scottish islands

The climate in Scotland is very cool and wet. The North Atlantic Drift (a warm sea current from the Caribbean) influences Scotland's coast and makes ice in winter.

The climate in general is oceanic, with no extreme variations or exceptional events like tornadoes, droughts or widespread floods. On a day, the weather can vary enormously and it’s unpredictably (the weather is a daily conversation topic among Scottish people).

Only the east coast has a continental climate: drier weather, sunnier summers and colder winters. The constant winds on islands and high hills are from the west and southwest of Scotland.

-Sunshine According to the low pressure systems that are in Scotland, it’s cloudier than England but not the same temperature in all the country. The coldest parts of the country are the most mountainous areas. In Scotland the days in winter are very short and the days in summer are very long because of the high latitude that this country has.

-Rainfall A lot of people think that in Scotland there is a lot of heavy rains, but the rainfall in Scotland is very variable. In the wettest parts of this country, it rains 250 days a year and in the driest parts, it rains 150 days a year.

-Winds The wind in Scotland normally comes from the same direction, but it changes very radically according to the weather.

-Temperature The coldest months in Scotland are January and February. July and August are normally the warmest months. The temperatures in Scotland are normally a few degrees colder than in England because of the hilly terrace.

-Snow The average number of days with snow in Scotland ranges from 15 to 20 days every year. On the highest mountains the average number of days with snow is about 100 days.

Snowy scenary in Scotland.

2.2.- Demography Scotland is a small country with a high population density of approximately 64 people per square kilometer. Glasgow has the highest population density in the country, while the Scottish Highlands have the lowest population density.

The total number of people living in Scotland was estimated to be 5,116,900 in 2006, with the population currently growing at a rate of approximately 0.4%. A number of immigrants continue increasing the population in Scotland. Infant mortality rate is low, with only 4.9 deaths taking place to every 1,000 live births. However, the death rate is higher than the birth rate and this is often attributed to crime related deaths rather than natural causes.

Scotland is seen as being a strongly European country, but it also has a surprising diversity of ethnic groups. White Scottish people make up the largest portion of the population at 88.09%. Following them, it is White British (7.38%), other Whites (1.54%), White Irish (0.98%), Pakistani (0.63%), Chinese (0.32%), Indian (0.30%), Mixed (0.25%),

other South Asian (0.12%), African (0.10%), Bangladeshi (0.04%), Caribbean (0.04%) and Black Scottish or other Black (0.02%).

2.3.- Languages In Scotland there are three types of different languages: Scottish English, Scots and Scottish Gaelic. These different types of languages that are in Scotland aren’t spoken by in the same quantity of people, because there are languages that are very old and only the old people speak it. And the Scottish Gaelic is only used along the south-eastern area of Scotland whereas in most part of Scotland speech Scottish English is used.

All in all, these three languages are: ·Scottish English: the language of formal communication and administration. · Scots: a closely related language used or understood by the majority of the population. · Scottish Gaelic: the Celtic language traditionally associated with the Highlands and Islands. Scottish Gaelic is closely related to Irish. Over the centuries it has been pushed further and further to the north-west and the Western Isles, but is now enjoying a revival with more support from the public and from government, especially in education.

3.- HISTORY Scotland is the oldest country in the world. The hills of the north west and the Hebridean Islands are more than 2,700 million years old. People first lived there 9,000 years ago.The Romans went to Scotland but they did not stay there for long. Between AD 122 and 128 they built Hadrian’s Wall. It was 117 Kilometres long, and went from sea across the most northern part of England. Romans stayed in England for nearly three hundred year and they left and went back to Rome. The first king of all the Scots was Kenneth MacAlpin but the most famous Scottish king of this early time was Macbeth (1040-1057). He is famous because Shakespeare wrote badly about him.

There were many battles between England and Scotland. One important Scot was William Wallace (about 1270-1305). Then in 1314 the Scottish King Robert the Bruce took his men to the Battle of Bannockburn. After the battle, 10,000 Englishmen were dead, and Robert became one of the most important kings in the history of Scotland. Soon after, Scotland was free and stayed free for nearly three hundred years.

James Stuart became King of Scoltand and then King James the First of England too. In 1707 , the two countries became Great Britain. In the 1700s, Scoltand was more like two countries than one: there were rich cities in the south and poor people in the Highlands. At that time Edinburgh and Glasgow became important cities. After 1714, Great Britain had German Kings. Many Scots in the Highlands wanted a Scottish king. They A statue of William Wallace in Abardeen. wanted Charles Stuart. Charles left France and came to Scotland: he wanted to be King of Scotland and England too. But Charles and his men lost the battle of Culloden, near Inverness, in 1746. The British soldiers took away

houses and land from Charles Stuart’s friends. After this many poor families left the Highlands and went to the citiesin the sputh of Scotland or to other countries.

Life became more difficult in the 1900s, but oil and gas in the North Sea began to bring money to Scotland again in the 1970s.

4.- ECONOMY The economy of Scotland is directly linked with the rest of the United Kingdom. Scotland was one of the industrial powerhouses of Europe from the time of the Industrial Revolution onwards, being one of the world leader in manufacturing industries. The most important manufactures in Scottish manufactures are the following ones: textile, whisky, shortbread, aeroengines, microelectronics, etc Scottish economy is based on heavy industry underpinned by shipbuilding in Glasgow, coal mining and steel industries. Petroleum industries associated with the petroleum extraction of North Sea oil have also been important employers from the 1970s, especially in the north-east of Scotland. In Scotland, there are approximately 110 whisky distilleries; about 80% of its production is exported over 200 countries. ains from whiskey exports amounted to about 3,300 million annually. The most important whisky distillery in Scotland is Cardhu.

Cardhu is a speyside destillery, founded by the whisky smuggler John Cumming in 1824.

Another relevant information is that some years ago, mining was the most important industry in Scotland. Mining industry had a very important role in Scottish economy development during XIX century. But nowadays the currency is beeing the same that these days ago is the Sterling Pound. The GDP in Scotland is 124 milion pounds.

5.- GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS Scotland is an integrant# nation of the United Kingdom, together with England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland has its own parliament and a bit of autonomy but it depends on London. The Scotland's head of state is the monarch of the United Kingdom, currently Queen Elizabeth II (since 1952). The First Minister of the United Kingdom is David Cameron from the Conservative Party and the First Minister of Scotland is Alex Salmond from the Scottish National Party (SNP).

Throughout history Scotland and England alternate periods of unition and separation.

Next year, its dependent situation can change one more time. In 2007, the Scottish Government established a "National Conversation" on constitutional issues, proposing a number of options such as increasing the powers of the Scottish Parliament, federalism, or a referendum on Scottish independence from the United Alex Saldmond, the first minster of Scotland.

Kingdom. In August 2009 the SNP proposed a referendum #bill to hold a referendum on independence in November 2010. These plans were put on hold by the Scottish National Party until after the 2011 Scottish Parliament elections. With the outcome of May 2011, elections were won by SNP majority in the Scottish Parliament. Then, a referendum on independence for Scotland is to be held in

Autumn 2014, with the Scottish Government having launched its consultation on 25 January 2012. In 30 January 2013 the Electoral Comission of the UK decided the question of the referendum: “Should Scotland be an independent country?

6.- EDUCATION

A scottish class.

The Scottish education system has always been different from the rest of the United Kingdom, with a characteristic emphasis on general education. Scotland was, after Esparta, the first country that designed a general system of public education. Schooling became compulsory for the first time in the Education Act 1496, and in 1561, the Church of Scotland designed a program for spiritual reform, including the establishment of a school in each parish. Education continued to be more belonged to the Church according to the State Education Act of 1872.

Children between 3 and 4 years in Scotland are entitled to a free nursery. Formal primary education begins at approximately 5 years old and lasts seven years (P1-P7). Today, children have an examination in Scottish after 15 or 16 years, after which they can choose to continue in school and studying for entrance exams, intermediate, or advanced higher. A small number of students from private schools may follow the English education system rather than the Scottish in the 14 Scottish universities, some of which are among the oldest in the world. The country produces 1% of science students with 0.1% of the population.

Scottish children attend primary school between the ages of 5 and 12 and between the ages 12 and 18 in Secondary school. Education is compulsory until 16, then there are two optional years.

The first year in secondary school in Scotland is equivalent to year 8 in the rest of UK. Then in Scotland there’s one year less in secondary education than in the rest of the UK. 'The Scottish Higher system is generaly better than the system in the UK for some reasons: 1) The teachers pressure the students because they must pass the exams at the first attempt.

2) In Scotland you have second oportunities to get higher marks in the same course. But in the UK there isn’t enough time to pass the exams, and they do it in the end of the cours (there are extra courses for the students that don’t get higher marks).

3) The themes are very extended and the education offers oportunities with profetional themes.

7.- CULTURE As in any country, religion forms a vital part of the culture in Scotland. A recent census has established that the majority of the country practices Christianity. While the national church of the country is the Church of Scotland, it is important to recognize that it is not under the control of the state. Even though Christianity is the largest religious group in Scotland, there are various other religions practiced, each with their own history and connection to Scotland.

The Church of Scotland has played a vital role in the promotion of tolerance and has much influence on the country’s culture. Other denominations include the Roman Catholic Church, Presbyterian, etc, along with Methodists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Congregationalists. The highest concentration of followers of Judaism is found in Glasgow and Edinburgh, with small groups found spread out across the country.

Visitors to Scotland will also find that religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism are also practiced. There are also minority religions such as Rasta, Neopagan and Bahai Faith. The census also revealed that there was a percentage of the population in Scotland that has no ties with religion, for example Paganism: it’s rarely found in Scotland, with Shetland being the only destination where this form of religion is common.

7.1.- Architecture The architecture in Scotland can be traced back till before the Bronze Age. Visitors will be stunned at the diversity of the Scottish architecture that is influenced various styles across the world, influencing the construction and style of the buildings.

It is a country that has many fine examples of many of the architectural styles that were popular throughout the centuries and styles that influenced architects and communities alike. It is said that the Edwardian era was the most wonderful period in the history of Scotland. Architecture in Scotland was influenced into the building of elegant and stylish buildings that can still be seen in most of the libraries located throughout Scotland.

A beautiful example of architecture from the Medieval English period is the ruins of the Rait Castle.

Elphinstone Tower: Elphinstone Tower was built in 1440, in the architectural Medieval style. The Elphinstone Tower falls into the category of a tower house or small castle and its construction is a simple block design. Inside the thick walls the house is divided into smaller rooms and is generally a twostorey building.

Elphistone Tower

Hill House: The influence of Art Nouveau in Scottish architecture can be seen in Hill House. It was designed by the architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and it’s said to be one of his finest achievements. The structure was built from sandstone and rough-cast, with the interior being spacious, luxurious and extremely detailed. Hill House features beautiful fireplaces, intricate stencil designs and wardrobes.

Hill House

By the 1950s, 60s and 70s the new architectural style was Brutalism. The Icon that is located in Glasgow is a prime example of this style. Glasgow also has a wide variety of Victorian and Georgian architecture, while Edinburgh boasts, about Georgian townhouses. The architecture in Scotland is a blend of the old and the new, and it has preserved many forms of architecture that have shaped the country through the centuries.

7.2.- Folklore Kelpies The mythical kelpie is a supernatural water horse that was said to haunt Scotland’s lochs and lonely rivers. The kelpie would appear to victims as a lost dark grey or white pony but could be identified by its constantly his mane dripping. It would entice people to ride on its back, before taking them down to a watery grave.

Selkies Selkies were mythical creatures that could transform themselves from seal to human form and back again. The legend of the selkie apparently originated on the Orkney and Shetland Islands. Selch or selk(ie) is the Scots word for seal in these regions.

A men playing the Caber Toss.

ATHLETIC EVENT A Kelpie.

The caber toss is a traditional Scottish athletic event practised at the Scottish Highland Games involving the tossing of a large wooden pole called “caber”. It’s said to have developed from the need to toss logs across narrow chasms to cross them. In Scotland the caber is usually made from a large tree. A caber is typically 6 meters tall and weighs 80 kg. The person tossing the caber is called a "tosser" or a "thrower".

The object is not the sheer distance of the throw, but rather to have the caber fall directly away from the thrower after landing. A perfect throw ends with the 'top' end nearest to the thrower and the 'bottom' end pointing exactly away.

LEGENDS The Loch Ness Monster (‘Nessie’) One of Scotland’s most famous unsolved mysteries is that of the Loch Ness Monster (or ‘Nessie’ as it has affectionately come to be known).

The large dinosaur-like creature is reputed to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. The first recorded sighting of the monster was nearly 1,500 years ago when a giant beast is said to have leaped out of a lake near Inverness and ate a local farmer. Since then the myth of the Loch Ness Monster has magnified.

The monster of the Loch Ness.

In 1934, a London doctor snapped a photograph that seemed to show a dinosaur-looking creature with a long neck emerging from the water. Dozens of sightings have since been claimed, many of which have turned out to be hoaxes. In 2009, a newspaper reader claims to have spotted ‘Nessie’ whilst browsing Google Earth’s satellite photos of Loch Ness.

Regardless of the truth, the suggestion of the monster's existence makes Loch Ness one of Scotland's most popular tourist attractions with thousand of people visiting it shores each year with the hope of catching a rare glimpse of the famous monster.

Robert the Bruce and the Spider Robert the Bruce became King of Scotland in 1306.

Edward I of England took immediate action, forcing him into hiding. According to legend, at some point while he was on the run and when he was at his lowest ebb, Bruce hid himself in a cave. There, he watched a spider spinning a web from one part of the cave to the other.

Robert and the Spider.

Watching the spider try and try again to build its web before succeeding is said to have inspired Bruce to carry on fighting the English. He did so, and after the death of Edward I in 1307, Bruce defeated Edward II's armies at Bannockburn in 1314.

There are a number of caves in South West Scotland that claim to be the one where Bruce watched the spider. No one is certain which is the authentic cave or even if the incident with the spider ever really happened.

The legend of Sawney Bean The story of Sawney Bean is one of the most gruesome Scottish legends, and wouldn’t be out of place in a modern horror movie. It is unknown whether Alexander ‘Sawney’ Bean was actually a real person or just a creation of Scottish folklore, but the story is certainly of some intrigue.

According to legend, Sawney Bean was the head of a criminal, The legend of Sawney Bean's book cover.

cannibalistic family in the 15th century, during the reign of King James I of Scotland. It is claimed that he, his wife and 46 children and grandchildren killed and fed on over a thousand people before they were captured and executed.

7.3.- Gastronomy FOOD - SHORTBREAD: made from one part white sugar, two parts butter, and three parts flour.

Shortbread is named so because of its crumbly texture (from an old meaning of the word short). The cause of this texture is its high fat content, provided by the butter. Shortbread is different from shortcake, which can be similar to shortbread, but which can be made using vegetable fat instead of butter.

Shortbread.

A Haggie

- HAGGIS: is a savoury pudding containing sheep's pluck (heart, liver and lungs) minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt. It’s mixed with stock, and traditionally encased in the animal's stomach. Most modern commercial haggis is prepared in a sausage casing rather than an actual stomach.

- CRANACHAN AND RASPBERRIES: is a traditional Scottish dessert. In modern times it is usually made from a mixture of whipped cream, whisky, honey (preferably heather honey), and fresh raspberries, with toasted oatmeal soaked overnight in a little whisky.

Cranachan and Raspesberries.

DRINKS - WHISKY: It’s also called “scotch whisky” or “scotch”. All Scotch whisky was originally made from malt barley.

Commercial distilleries began introducing whisky made from wheat and rye in the late eighteenth century.

Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: single malt Scotch whisky, single grain Scotch whisky, blended malt Scotch whisky (formerly called "vatted malt" or "pure malt"), blended A type of Scottish Whisky.

grain Scotch whisky, and blended Scotch whisky.

All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three years. But a lot of people say that the wishky is better and more tasty when it’s more time in the oak barrels.

7.4.- Traditional Clothes HIGHLAND DRESSES The term Highland dress describes the traditional dress of Scotland. It is often characterised by tartan (plaid in North America) patterns in some form.

- MALE: includes kilt (or trews), sporran, sgian dubh and ghillies. Ghillies, or ghillie brogues, are traditional thick soled shoes with no tongues and long laces. The laces are wrapped around and tied above the wearer's ankles so that the shoes do not get pulled off in mud. The shoes lack tongues so the wearer's feet can dry more quickly in typically damp Scottish weather. The ghillie brogue is named after the ghillie, the traditional Scottish gamekeeper and outdoorsman.

- FEMALE: includes women's shoes, also called ghillies, that are tied in the same A man's clothes. way but have thin soles for indoor wear and dancing. Traditionally, women and girls do not wear kilts but may wear ankle-length tartan skirts. A tartan sash or shawl may also be worn. Women may also wear dress tartans which are modified versions which include white in place of a more prominent colour.

A women's clothes.

7.5.- Arts Scottish art incorporates art made in Scotland or about Scottish subjects since prehistoric times. It also includes art made in predecessor states, within the present-day boundaries of Scotland, and also art made by Scottish people in other locations. It forms a distinctive tradition within European art, but the political union with England has led its partial subsumation in British art.

The earliest known examples of art from nowadays Scotland are highly decorated carved stone balls from the Neolithic period. From the Bronze Age there are examples of #carvings, including the first representations of objects, and cup and ring marks. From the Iron Age there are more extensive examples of patterned objects and gold work. From the early Middle Ages there are elaborately carved Pictish stones and impressive metalwork.

The development of a common style of Insular art across Great Britain and Ireland influenced the creation of elaborate jewellery and illuminated manuscripts like the Book of Kells. Much of the best artwork from the later Middle Ages did not survive the Reformation, but there are some isolated examples of native artwork and of works created or strongly influenced by artists of Flemish origin. The influence of the Renaissance can be seen in stone carving and painting from the fifteenth century.

7.6.- Literature Scottish literature is literature written in Scotland or by Scottish writers. It includes literature written in English, Scottish Gaelic, Scots, Brythonic, Doric, French, Latin and any other language in which a piece of literature was written within the boundaries of modern Scotland.

In the following centuries there was literature in Latin, under the influence of the Catholic Church, and in Old English, brought by Anglian settlers. As the state of Alba developed into the kingdom of Scotland from the 8th century, there was a flourishing literary elite who regularly produced texts in both Gaelic and Latin, sharing a common literary culture with Ireland and elsewhere.

In the early modern was royal patronage supported poetry, prose and drama. James V's court saw works such as Sir David Lindsay of the Mount's The Thrie Estaitis. In the late 16th century James VI became patron and member of a circle of Scottish court poets and musicians known as the Castalian Band. When he acceded to the English throne in 1603 many followed him to the new court, but without a centre of royal patronage the tradition of Scots poetry subsided. It was revived after union with England in 1707 by figures including Allan Ramsay and James Macpherson. The latter's Ossian Cycle made him the first Scottish poet to gain an international reputation.

Robert Burns was considered by many to be the national poet, and Walter Scott, whose Waverley Novels did much to define Scottish identity in the 19th century. Towards the end of the Victorian era a number of Scottish-born authors achieved international reputations, including Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle, J. M. Barrie and George MacDonald.

7.7.- Performing Arts Scotland boasts a rich heritage of classical music, dance and theatre that has established the country as a leader in classical and contemporary performing arts.

Scottish theatre Glasgow’s Kings Theatre, Aberdeen’s His Majesty’s Theatre, The Edinburgh Playhouse, Perth Theatre and Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum Theatre have produced some of the best original dramas as well as showing globally successful stage productions.

Glasgow’s Citizen Theatre and Dundee’s Rep Theatre have also gained critical acclaim with their own dedicated companies of actors and original productions.

Ballet and opera Scotland also has its own touring national ballet company, the Scottish Ballet, based at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow. It has received critical acclaim for its portrayal of both classical and contemporary ballet that have seen it put on successful tours, with recent productions (including a modern re-working of Alice in Wonderland).

The country’s investment in the arts is also shown through its own national opera company, Scottish Opera, which also tours all the country of Scotland annually.

Orchestra's and classical music Music is ingrained in the fabric of the Scottish nation and this is made clear through its numerous professional orchestras and classical music groups, such as the Royal Scottish National Orchestra or the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (in this orchestra plays the youngest star of the country violinist Nicola Benedetti).

Scotland has world-class talent in all these areas that helps make it a cultural leader on the international stage.

Music and Music Events The success of Scottish artists across the world spans all different styles of music from folk and rock to dance and pop, and has seen the country produce genuine international superstars who dominate the charts today.

Scotland’s musical contribution has produced some of the most successful bands and artists of this generation such as Belle & Sebastian, Snow Patrol or Calvin Harris.

Wherever people gather in Scotland there is always music (the myriad of pubs, clubs and music venues) that have supported the development of musical talent. And the internationally renowned festivals, such as T in the Park, Rockness, Celtic Connections or the truly unique Wickerman Festival are great events for Scottish bands to show their talents.

Scotland has made a place on the global stage as a music heavyweight. Countless hits have been launched from Scotland’s shores across the decades and will undoubtedly continue to set the standard for great music in the years to come.

Folk music In Scotland there isn't only rock and pop, it has developed its own brand of Celtic folk that started with bands like the Corries, Capercaillie and Runrig and has capturing the imagination of music lovers over the world. They blend Scottish folk music with rock and soul to develop truly unique sounds that makes their music so successful both critically and commercially.

8.- SPORT If you go to Scotland you can practise a lot of sports but there are three that are very popular: football, golf and rugby.

Football: Scotland's national sport is Football which is played widely on both a professional and amateur basis. Most cities and towns have a professional team. Football has been played in Scotland since at least the 15th Century. Nowadays in Scotland, the most famous clubs of football are Celtics, Rangers (that there is a lot of rivalry between these teams) and other teams which are less important are: Aberdeen, Raith Rovers, Livingston, Aidrie United, Dumbarton, etc.

Golf: The game of Golf was invented in Scotland and enjoyed by the nobility as early as the 15th Century. James VI was also an avid player and encouraged the game in London when he became King of England in 1603. The first rules of the game were also laid down in 1744. In all the golf history, Scotland had a lot of golf courses and now the best is St. Andrews. This course is now regarded as the home of golf. Scotland was, is and will be the home of the golf, for a thousand years and for a thousand more.

Rugby: Rugby is also an important sport, supported by a big number of fans. Scotland is a major force in international rugby, taking part in the "Five Nations" Championship.

9.- NATIONAL SYMBOLS - The Thistle: is the floral emblem in Scotland. Other features in Scotland and British heraldry, like symbols, logos, coat of arms and on British currency. This plant is very common in this country.

- The Crown of Scotland: This crown was used to coronate the monarchs of Scotland.

- The Royal Standard of Scotland: it’s a banner showing the Royal Arms of Scotland, which is also frequently to be seen, particularly at sporting events involving a Scottish team.

- The Honours of Scotland: (the Scottish Crown Jewels) are displayed in the Crown Room of Edinburgh Castle, from where they are removed only for State Occasions.

Stylised versions of the Crown of Scotland appear upon the badges of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

- The Lord Lyon King of Arms: is a Great Officer of State in Scotland and is the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry, issuing new grants of arms, and serving as the judge of the Court of the Lord Lyon, the oldest heraldic court in the world that is still in daily operation.

The Thistle

The Crown of Scotland

10.- CURIOSITIES - Edinburgh was the first city in the world which had its own fire-brigade.

- Edinburgh (the capital of Scotland), like Rome, was built on seven hills.

-Glasgow is bigger than Edinburgh but Edinburgh is the capital.

- Scotland’s official animal is the unicorn.

- Scotland has some 790 islands, of which are 130 inhabited.

- The motto is "In My Defens God Me Defend".

- Established in 1498, the Shores Porters Society in Aberdeen is the world's oldest transport company.

- The Gulf of Corryvreckan, in the Inner Hebrides, has the third largest whirlpool in the world.

- Scotland has spawned an amazing number of great thinkers and inventors for its diminutive size: Adam Smith (economist and philosopher), James Watt (engineer of steam machine), David Hume (an important philosopher), John Stuart Mill (most influential liberal thinker of the XIX century), Sir Alexander Fleming (discoverer of penicillin.), Alexander Graham Bell (inventor of the telephone)...

11.- CONCLUSION It’s typical to say that students have enjoyed the research project, but in this case it’s true too. We didn’t love Scotland or doing projects but we found interesting this project because it’s different from the others. We have worked “on-line”, all of us were working at the same time and in the same document. We also did videos to enhance the project.

We didn’t know so many things and now we know more curiosities and characteristics of this country. After doing this project we’d like to go to Scotland.

12.- BIBLIOGRAPHY Flinders, S. (2010). Fact files: Scotland. Oxford: Oxford University Press

13.- WEBGRAPHY - http://www.wordreference.com/ - http://library.thinkquest.org/J0112187/scotland_geography.htm -http://www.scotland.org/about-scotland/the-scottish-people/population-of-scotland - http://www.scotland.com/travel/climate/ - ttp://www.gtcs.org.uk/education-in-scotland/scotlands-education-system.aspx - http://www.scotland.org/about-scotland/sport - http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/home/scotland/sports.html - http://www.voyagesphotosmanu.com/industrias_escocia.html - www.scotland.com - http://www.talentscotland.com/Students/Live-and-Work/Sport/HighlandGames.aspx - http://www.scotland.com/religion/

14.- GLOSSARY - Moor: plana - Rugged: difícil - Rocky cliffs: penya-segats rocosos - Cattle: bestiar - Literacy: alfabetització - Well-known: conegudes / famoses - Dripping Mane: cabellera - Speyside single malts: tipus de whisky de malta fet a escòcia.

- Underpinned: sustentat -Bill: projecte de llei - Carving: modelar - Pluck: arrencar - Suet: grassa animal