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Scotland and its offshore
islands comprise the northernmost part of the United Kingdom. The Scottish mainland, which occupies roughly the northern third
of the island of Great Britain, is bordered on three sides by seas. To the north and west is the Atlantic Ocean; to the east is the North Sea. Rugged uplands
separate Scotland from England to the south. The territory of Scotland includes 186 nearby islands, a majority of
which are contained in three groups. These are the Hebrides,
also known as the Western Isles, located off the western coast; the Orkney Island,
located off the northeastern coast; and the Shetland Island, located northeast of the Orkney Islands. The largest of the other islands is the
Island of Arran. The total land area of Scotland, including the islands,
is 78,790 sq km (30,420 sq mi).
An independent nation
for much of its history, Scotland was joined to England by a series of dynastic and political unions in the 17th and 18th
centuries. Scotland retains a separate national identity, however, supported by separate legal and educational systems, a
national church, a parliament with wide-ranging powers, and other national symbols and institutions. (Microsoft
Encarta , Reference Library 2004)
Scotland
to Canada
Every year thousands of people come to Canada to begin a new life. They come
with many different skills and the hope of contributing to their new society. Your interest in Scotland may arise from your involvement in the HOST program, which provides assistance
to newcomers. You may have Scots colleagues at work or Scottish students at your school.
The Scots have been
immigrating to Canada since the 17th
century. The name of the Canadian province Nova Scotia means
“ New Scotland,” because many Scots settled there. Scottish immigrants, particularly men from the Orkney Islands,
were recruited to work for the Hudson’s Bay Company
in its early days. In the 19th century, the Scots dominated Canadian banking, fur trading, logging and railway
management. Many of Canada’s early
days. In the 19th century, the Scots dominated Canadian banking, fur trading, logging and railway management. Many
of Canada’s early political leaders were born in Scotland or descended from Scots families. Today, most Scottish
people come to Canada to work or to study
at a Canadian university. (Cecelia Lee)
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