Counties: Perthshire, Dundee and Angus, Kingdom of Fife, Stirling, Falkirk, Strathclyde, Lothians, Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway.
Principal towns: Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Ayr, Dumfries.

Scotland makes up approximately a third of the land mass of Britain but has less than 10% of the population, most of whom live in and around a few major cities.

The Scots have their own distinctive identity. Although Scotland has been part of Britain since 1707, it has always retained some autonomy, for example its own system of law, and in 1998 its own parliament was re-established. Gaelic is rarely spoken now, even so in some areas the Scottish brogue is so distinctive you may be forgiven for thinking that they are talking in something other than English!

The lowlands are the more populated area of Scotland, containing the two major cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. There is however, still plenty of beautiful, sprawling countryside to explore. The Trossachs for instance, where the Highlands meet the Lowlands, is a mixture of rugged hills, wooded glens and farmland and home to Britain's largest freshwater lake, Loch Lomond.

Historically sandwiched between the English border and the fierce Highlanders, it is unsurprising that there are a number of impressive castles in the area, such as Stirling.

Scottish culture is not all about whisky and bagpipes. The ancient Scottish capital, Edinburgh, is a sophisticated, cosmopolitan city which hosts the World's largest art's festival.