Scotland

Facts and Figures

• Population (as of 2013): 5,327,700• Capital: Edinburgh• Largest City: Glasgow• Official Language(s): English, Scottish Gaelic,

Scotch (also called ‘Scots’ or ‘Doric’)• Currency : Pound sterling (GBP)

Scottish pound (sterling)

Devolved Parliament at Holyrood

Hadrian’s Wall (122 AD)

Medieval Edinburgh

1603: James VI of Scotland

James VI of Scotland and I of England (1603)

Shared Monarchy of England and Scotland

The Glorious Revolution (1688)

Bill of Rights (1689)

Bank of England

Mayfair

Covent Garden

Greenwich

17th century Scotland

Exiled James II of England and Scotland

Saint-Germain-en-Laye

Scottish parliament in Edinburgh

Bank of Scotland

William Paterson (trader and banker)

The Darien Strip, near Panama

Panama Canal

‘Company of Scotland’ flag

The ‘Darien Chest’

Act of Union 1707

Highland-Lowland Divide

Scotch (or ‘Doric’ Scottish dialect), spoken in the Lowlands

Scottish Gaelic (spoken in the Highlands)

Edinburgh

Edingburgh

• Population: 487,500• Capital of Scotland since the 15th century• Seat of the monarchy and parliament• Traditionally Right wing• Traditionally Protestant

Edinburgh University Est. 1532

The ‘Royal mile’

Glasgow

Glasgow

• Population: 1.2 million• Most industrial city in Scotland• Traditionally left wing• Traditionally Catholic

Aberdeen

Protestant-Catholic divide

Irish Immigration to Glasgow 19th-20th Centuries

East End of Glasgow, traditionally Catholic, Irish Republican

West End of Glasgow (traditionally Protestant Unionists)

Arguments in favour of Independence (from ‘Edinburgh News’)

• 1. Decisions about Scotland are best made by the people who live here

• 2. Scotland can be a successful country in its own right

• 3. An independent Scotland would make decisions that reflected Scottish priorities

• 4. Independence would be a declaration of confidence in ourselves and our nation

• 5. Scotland could set its own welfare priorities

• 6. Scotland could get rid of Trident

• 7. Scotland would not get dragged into illegal wars

• 8. North Sea oil revenues would be put to good use

• 9. Scotland could adopt a different immigration policy

• 10. Scotland will continue to have good relationships with England, Wales and Northern Ireland but on a more equal basis

Arguments against Independence (from ‘Edinburgh News’)

• 1. The UK is a successful union dating back 300 years

• 2. Being part of the UK offers more economic security

• 3. Jobs could be lost

• 4. Major projects could be frozen

• 5. Prices could rise

• 6. Scotland benefits from UK research funding

• 7. No-one knows what currency Scotland would use

• 8. Scotland would have less influence in the world

• 9. The BBC should not be put at risk

• 10. Security is better handled on a UK-wide basis

Yes campaign