Physical Geography of a Scotland - Essay Example

? Country Inventory Research Paper – Scotland Country Inventory Research Paper – Scotland Physical Geography Scotland, a member of the Great Britain nations, is situated in the northern part of the Great Britain. The country borders England, the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The country covers an area of 78 772 kilometers squared. Scotland has three distinct regions that include the Highlands, the Central Lowlands and the Southern Uplands. The country is rich in traditional culture, as well as the modern culture. The country boasts a variety of religions, which include Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism, with Christianity being the dominant and the oldest religion. This manuscript will reflect on Scotland, highlighting its physical, cultural, religious, cultural and political aspects. Scotland, located in the northern part of the United Kingdom, harbors nearly 800 islands. Recent statistics indicate that the nation’s population is slightly over 5.2 million people (Hallwood & MacDonald, 2009). The three regions that are distinct in the country include the Highlands, the Central Lowlands and the Southern Uplands. The Highlands is mainly a rugged barren region, with several valleys known as glens, including the Glen Mor. The area is particularly poor in forestation and typical with low population density (IBPUS, 2012). Mountain ranges such as the Grampian Mountain and the Northwest Highlands are some of the physical features present in the region. The Central Lowlands extends from coast to coast and is the most suitable place for agricultural activities. The land is relatively flat with a few hilly parts of the region. Its agricultural capabilities render it the most populous region in Scotland(IBPUS, 2012). The region also boasts of mineral resources. Rivers Clyde, Tay and Fourth pass through the region, providing a suitable environment for agricultural practices. The third region is the Southern Uplands, located between the lowlands and the English boundary. The region consists of hilly plateaus. It is particularly barren, but the lower parts of the region encompass rich soils. The region is suitable for livestock rearing, with the availability of sheep and cattle. The Cheviot Hills are the most apparent physical features in the region(Koch, 2012). The climatic pattern is characteristically cool, wet and windy and modern culture. Modern and traditional music are a key feature of the country’s culture. The bagpipe, drum and the harp are key features of the music that have spread globally. The nation also encompasses sports as a key aspect of its culture. The nation has successfully participated in various sport, including soccer, rugby, cricket and Olympic games at international levels. The nation’s major language is English, with a variety of dialects accents. Other significant languages include the Scots and Gaelic (Koch, 2012). A common Scottish diet may include fruits and vegetables. Mince and tatties, which comprise of ground beef and mashed potatoes, also serve as a common dish. Scotch natives use wine to celebrate special occasions, with turkey and haggis serving for Christmas. The country’s traditional dresses include the plaid and the kilt, which are worn on events such as weddings. Scotland’s tradition also boasts of diverse myths and legends, which include the Loch Ness monster and the Haggis among others (Koch, 2012). The nation’s most celebrated days include Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s Day and Mothers’ day among others. The nation is unique in that it has two flags, each with a distinct meaning. The flags are the Rampant and the Saltire with the Rampant representing power and aristocracy while the Saltire represents the crucifixion of Saint Andrew, a significant figure in the Scottish history.UK’s hereditary nobility caste is also evident in the Scotland culture. Political Geography Before 1832, Scotland’s authority was under rich property-owners and the minority merchants. There was a political rearrangement that year, and led to the constituency reorganization, leading to an increase of the voting individuals from 5 000 to over 65 000 (Hallwood & MacDonald, 2009). In the late 18th century and the early 19th century, the Liberal Party controlled Scotland’s politics with James Hardie as one of the founding members. Scotland is currently a member of the United Kingdom. As such, it is under the UK Parliament, relying on devolved powers to the Scottish parliament. The parliament has 129 MSPs (members of the Scottish Parliament). The MSPs passes laws with respect to national matters which include education, health, agriculture and justice.However, the Scottish parliament has no authority on laws regarding Defense, National Security and Foreign Affairs. They may only postulate their concerns (Hallwood & MacDonald, 2009). The nation is under Queen Elizabeth and UK’s Prime Minister.Sources indicate that the majority of the nation’s inhabitants are unhappy with this form of devolved government, and are set to hold a referendum. This will determine their possibility of detaching them from the UK and forming an independent nation or their perpetuation in being under UK’s administration. Additionally, being a member of the UK, the nation also adheres to international bodies such as the UN and EU. Religion – Christianity Scotland allows freedom of religion and encompasses several major global religions that include Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism and Hinduism among others. Christianity is the oldest and most notable religion in the nation, with the Church of Scotland being the national church. The history of Christianity in the nation dates back in the 397 AD, when Saint Ninian established the first church (Koch, 2012). He then set on converting inhabitants into Christianity. The church had established itself within the 600 AD. However, there were imminent dissimilarities between the Celtic Church and the Roman Church. In 1070, Saint Margaret, wife of King Malcolm III, popularized the Roman Church over the Celtic Church. In 1560, the Reformation took place, with radical, Presbyterian Protestants destroying properties that the Roman Church owned, thereby reestablishing the Protestantism and usurping the Roman Church. During the Roman Church, there was tolerance on other religions, making Scotland be among the few nations that did not persecute other religions that included the Jews (Koch, 2012). Christianity has become a popular religion in the nation, with countless converts, despite the freedom of worship and the availability of other religions (Koch, 2012). However, it is critical to spread the Gospel and make Christianity strong within Scotland. This can be through door-to-door spread of the gospel. This will effectively reach many non-Christians, and thereby convert them to Christianity. The media is also a critical tool to spread the Gospel. This can be through social media platforms, televangelism and newsprint advertisements. The government may also actively involve them in promoting the spread of the Gospel. References Hallwood, P., & MacDonald, R. (2009).The political economy of financing Scottish government: considering a new constitutional settlement for Scotland. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. IBPUS.USA, (2012).Scotland Business Law Handbook Strategic Information and Laws. Washington DC: International Business Publication. Koch, J. (2012). The Celts history, life, and culture. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. Read More