Portal:Scotland/Intro

Flag of Scotland	Arms of Scotland

Scotland (Gaelic: Alba) is a kintra that occupies the northren third o the island o Great Breetain. It is pairt o the Unitit Kinrick, an shares a land border tae the sooth wi Ingland. It haes a population o 5,295,400 an an aurie o 78,800 km².

Scotland shares a 60 mile (96 km) land border tae the sooth wi Ingland, an is boondit bi the North Sea tae the east, the Atlantic Ocean tae the north an wast, and the North Channel an Erse Sea tae the sooth-wast. Scots waters border those o Norawa, the Faeroes, Iceland an Ireland. Apairt frae the mainland, Scotland consists o ower 790 islands, givin it a coastline o approximately 6,200 miles (9,900 km).

The Kinrick o Scotland wis unitit in 843, bi Kenneth MacAlpin, Keeng o Scots, an is thus ane o the auldest still-existin kintras in the warld. Scotland existed as an independent state till the Act o Union, 1 Mey, 1707.

The flag o Scotland - the Saltire or St Andra's Cross - is thocht tae be the auldest naitional banner still in uise. Saunt Andra is the patron saunt o Scotland an Saunt Andra's Day, on 30 November, is Scotland's naitional day. Thare are currently attempts tae create a naitional holiday on this day. Scots fowk hae played prominent pairts in mony important inventions an discoveries.