European Information Network in Scotland

Scotland is the northernmost part of the United Kingdom and the most north westerly of the EU's nations and regions. As one of the oldest surviving nations in Europe, it has a long history of exchanges with its neighbours in trade, learning and culture. With the increasing importance of the European Union, Scotland is therefore well placed to contribute to the progress and process of developing a Europe of closer ties.

The European Union embraces a diverse collection of lands and peoples, few more distinctive than the Scots and the country they inhabit. Scotland's population of 5.1 million is similar in size to Denmark's or Finland's. It has a landmass of nearly 8,000 sq km, more than one-third the total landmass of Great Britain.

Over time the land has been settled by Celtic, Norse and Anglo-Saxon peoples, drawing Scotland into a wider network of political relationships, from the first Scottish kingdom of Dalriada, which straddled both sides of the Irish Sea, to links with Norway and France.

As home to such diverse influences, Scotland has developed a rich cultural and linguistic heritage. With at least three distinct literary traditions in the Gaelic, Scots and English tongues, Scotland has given the world writers such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Sorley MacLean, Burns and Scott. Much of Scotland's popular culture has also found ready acceptance round the world, from tartan, whisky and golf, to Hogmanay. Scotland's cultural achievements have been matched by her contribution to the advancement of human knowledge. Thinkers of the Scottish Enlightenment, such as David Hume, Francis Hutcheson and Adam Smith, laid the foundations of modern thought, while James Watt and Lord Kelvin were of immense importance in the development of modern industry.

Scotland and England have retained many of their pre-Union institutions, with separate churches, legal and educational systems, and their own arrangements for local government. Since 1999, Scotland has had its own Parliament lead by the First Minister, with full legislative responsibility in areas such as health, education, environment and enterprise. Scotland is still represented in the UK Government by the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Scotland Office.