The People

The people of Scotland are a blend mainly of Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse strains. The Celtic heritage has been dominant. Of the three Celtic peoples of ancient Scotland—the Picts, Scots, and Britons—the Scots gave the Scottish people not only their name but also the Gaelic tongue and Gaelic legend.

Language and Religion

English is used throughout Scotland; less than 2 per cent of the people, mainly in the Highlands and western islands, also speak Gaelic. In 1968 the British government launched a program to increase the knowledge of Gaelic and its use, especially in literature.

The Church of Scotland, the legally established (state) church, is Presbyterian. About a fourth of the population belongs to the established church. Roman Catholics make up the second largest group, followed by Episcopalians, Congregationalists, Presbyterians unaffiliated with the established church ("Free Presbyterians"), Baptists, and Methodists.

Education

Scotland's primary and secondary educational system, is under the direction of the Scottish Education Department. Education is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 16, and schooling is largely free. In addition to public schools, there are both state-aided and independent private schools. Elementary education lasts seven years and is followed by either academic or vocational secondary education. Institutions of higher learning include universities, and colleges that give courses in various professional and vocational fields.

Culture, Sports, and Recreation

Writers and poets are paramount in Scotland's cultural heritage. Outstanding Scottish literary figures include Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, William Dunbar, J. M. Barrie, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Edwin Muir. Other important writers include the biographer James Boswell, the essayist and critic Thomas Carlyle, and the philosopher and historian David Hume.

The Scots share the general British enthusiasm for soccer as a spectator sport; rugby also has an immense following. The favorite participant sports, however, are of Scottish origin---in summer, golf; in winter, curling and shinty, or shinny, a Highlands version of field hockey.