Land of Scots

A nation of freedom fighters, religious reformers, political innovators, artistic leaders and scientific pioneers: Scotland’s national identity is as complex and romanticised as the landscape in which it was forged.

Scotland’s rugged coastline runs for over 2,000 miles, punctuated by some 790 islands. The mainland measures 275 miles from north to south, 154 miles from east to west and rises to its peak of 1344 metres at the summit of Ben Nevis.

These physical boundaries are the context to understand and interpret the political landscapes that have formed over 300 years in Union with England, where the past has been reinterpreted for new generations and times.

On 18 September 2014, years of political campaigning ended in a vote by residents on the future of their nation. ‘Should Scotland be an independent country?’ The results were 55 per cent ‘No’, 45 per cent ‘Yes’. in 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, support for Scottish independence grew, and with Brexit in 2021, the Scottish National Party is pushing for a new referendum.