Physical Geography

Scotland is usually divided into three regions: the Highlands, the Central Lowlands, and the Southern Uplands.

The Highlands, occupying the northern part of the country, consist largely of two mountain ranges running roughly northeast-southwest, the Grampian Mountains and the Northwest Highlands. Both these ranges are extremely eroded and rounded; their appearance is largely the result of the scouring action of glaciers during the last ice age. The roughest terrain lies along the west coast, where numerous mountains reach elevations of 3,000 to 4,000 feet (900 to 1,200 m). Great Britain's highest peak, 4,406-foot (1,343-m) Ben Nevis, is here. The east coast is comparatively level.

Throughout the Highlands there are innumerable valleys, called glens where narrow and straths where broad. The Great Glen, known also as Glen Mor, is a narrow, lake-studded valley stretching from coast to coast. Most of the highland region, especially its treeless, heather-covered moors, is thinly populated; some areas are virtually uninhabited.

The Central Lowlands, a depression 40 miles (64 km) wide just south of the Highlands, run northeast-southwest from coast to coast. Part of the land is relatively level, but much of it is rolling and dotted by hills. Concentrated here are the vast majority of Scotland's people, almost all of its large cities and mineral resources, and much of its best cropland.

The Southern Uplands, situated between the lowlands and the English border, center on an old eroded plateau and consist mainly of gently rounded hills. Elevations in several locations exceed 2,500 feet (760 m). Grassy moors, used extensively for grazing, cover much of the land. There are numerous valleys, called dales in this part of Scotland.

The Clyde, which flows through Glasgow to the Atlantic Ocean, is Scotland's chief river, for it provides a major waterway through the industrial heart of the country. Almost all the other principal rivers flow to the North Sea, mainly from the Highlands. Among them are the Spey, Dee, Tay, Forth, and Tweed rivers. Lakes, known as lochs, abound in the Highlands. Some of them, especially Loch Lomond, have been made famous by Scottish literature and legend. Loch Ness, a deep, narrow lake in the Great Glen, is reputedly the home of a sea monster.

Numerous bays, sounds, and long, narrow arms of the sea, also called lochs, indent the Scottish coast, particularly the island-studded west coast. There are also broad river estuaries, or firths; the most notable are the Firth of Clyde, Firth of Forth, Firth of Tay, Moray Firth, and Solway Firth.

Scotland lies some 370 to 800 miles (600 to 1,300 km) farther north than the most northerly point in the United States, excluding Alaska. Its climate, however, is moderate because of the tempering influence of the ocean. Except in the high mountains, temperatures average about 35° to 40° F. (2° to 4° C.) in January and 55° to 60° F. (13° to 16° C.) in July. Rarely is the weather either very hot or cold.

Rains, drizzles, mists, and long cloudy periods make Scotland one of the most humid and overcast parts of Britain. In general, precipitation increases from east to west---from less than 25 inches (635 mm) annually on some parts of the east coast to more than 150 inches (3,810 mm) in the high western mountains. Most of the country, however, receives from 35 to 65 inches (890 to 1,650 mm), depending on location. Except in the loftiest parts of the Highlands, snows are light and infrequent.