Scotland data

Religion in Scotland

The majority of the country practices Christianity that is one of the oldest religions. 

Other denominations include the Roman Catholic Church, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, Baptists and Episcopalians, along with Methodists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Congregationalists. It is believed that Judaism was introduced into Scotland during the High Middle Ages.

Over the years, as immigrants and travelers began to arrive on the shores of the country, different religions were established, such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism.

Languages in Scotland

More than a thousand years ago, the majority of the Scottish population spoke Gaelic. Today this language is mainly spoken only in the Highlands and Islands. The Gaelic language has become much endangered, although there are still a few elderly people who speak it and a few pop and rock stars even sing in Gaelic. Gaelic enjoys a high cultural status, together with Scottish whisky, bagpipes, clans and kilts, Gaelic is part of the romantic Scottish image.

After Gaelic became a little less popular, Scots was the main language of Scotland. Scots was spoken and written for about 400 years in Scotland. When Great Britain came to be established in 1707, Scotland's government moved to London, and Scots lost its political status to English.

Scots has descended to the status of being considered a dialect of English, a dialect being used only by ignorant peasants, fishermen, and laborers, not by gentleman.

Scotland Government

The Government is led by the First Minister. The Scottish Parliament nominates one of its Members to be appointed as First Minister by the Queen. He or she is assisted by various Cabinet Secretaries (Ministers) with individual portfolios and remits, who are appointed by him with the approval of Parliament.

The original Parliament of Scotland (or “Estates of Scotland”) was the national legislature of the independent Kingdom of Scotland, and existed from the early 13th century until the Kingdom of Scotland merged with the Kingdom of England under the Acts of Union 1707 to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. As a consequence, the Parliament of Scotland merged with the Parliament of England to form the Parliament of Great Britain, which sat at Westminster in London.