Background of Scotland: geography, history

and education.
Scotland is one of four “countries” that compose the UK, the others being Northern
Ireland, Wales, and England.
Scotland's physical geography is incredibly diverse. The highlands are
characterized by their rugged mountains, deep valleys, and numerous freshwater
lakes. Ben Nevis, standing at 1,345 meters, is the tallest mountain peak in the
United Kingdom. The central belt is known as the lowlands. This area features
rolling hills, fertile farmland, and major cities like Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Scotland is surrounded by numerous Islands such as Orkney and the Shetland
Islands. Freshwater lakes like Loch Ness, Loch Lomond, and Loch Tay. Scotland's
Coastline stretches over 10, 000 km.
Scotland has a rich and fascinating history that stretches back thousands of years.
The first evidence of human settlement dates back over 10,000 years. It was
originally inhabited by various Celtic tribes. It wasn't until the 9th and 10th
centuries that Scotland began to take shape as a unified nation under King Kenneth
I. In 1603, the Scottish King James VI inherited the English throne, becoming
James I of England and Scotland, uniting the crowns under the Stuart dynasty.
However, it was only in 1707 that the Kingdom of Great Britain was formally
established through the Acts of Union, merging the Scottish and English
parliaments. From that, Scotland became an independent Kingdom.
Scotland was the first country in the world to provide universal education open to
both boys and girls, as early as the 17th century. They provide free education to all
children living in Scotland. The structure of the education system in Scotland:
Nursery: Children can go to public nursery schools in Scotland from the age of
three, but private nurseries will accept children earlier than this.
Primary school: the ages of five and 12.
Secondary school: the ages of 12 and 18.
Colleges: provide a range of courses varying and more vocational.
Universities: has the highest concentration of universities in Europe.