| Scotland is divided into three main regions; the Highlands,
the Midland Valley and the Southern Uplands. The cities of
Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee together with numerous towns, most
of the population and the majority of Scotland's industry is
located within the Midland Valley. This broad valley averages 50
miles across and runs WSW to ENE across the centre of the country.
It is geologically distinct from the surrounding regions, being
composed of Devonian Old Red Sandstone, peppered with ancient
volcanoes, as against the older sedimentary rocks forming the
Southern Uplands or the ancient metamorphic melange, comprising
the Highlands to the north.
Scotland includes 787 islands, of which most belong to groups
known as the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland. Only 62 exceed three
square miles in area.
Of 26 rivers flowing directly into the sea, the most
significant are listed here. The Rivers Clyde, Forth and Tay open
into significant estuaries and support three of the major cities
of Scotland (Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee respectively).
Scotland is well known for its mountainous and beautiful
scenery. Much of the upland within the UK is contained within the
borders of Scotland, along with the highest peaks. The highest
mountains in Scotland are listed here.
Scotland is also noted for its lochs (this name is generally
used for lakes in Scotland). Much of the west coast of the country
is intersected by Sea Lochs, the longest of which, Loch Fyne,
penetrates more than 40 miles inland. Notable fresh-water lochs
include Loch Ness (the one with the Monster!).
The climate of Scotland is temperate and oceanic, and tends to
be very changeable. It is warmed by the Gulf Stream from the
Atlantic, and as such is much warmer than areas on similar
latitudes, for example Oslo, Norway. However, temperatures are
generally lower than in the rest of the UK, with the coldest ever
UK temperature of -27.2°C (-16.96°F) recorded at Braemar in the
Grampian Mountains, on February 11, 1895 and January 10, 1982 and
also at Altnaharra, Highland, on December 30, 1995. Winter
maximums average 6°C (42.8°F) in the lowlands, with summer
maximums averaging 18°C (64.4°F). The highest temperature recorded
was 32.9°C (91.22°F) at Greycrook, Scottish Borders on August 9
2003.
In general, the west of Scotland is usually warmer than the
east, due to the influence of the Atlantic ocean currents, and the
colder surface temperatures of the North Sea. Tiree, in the Inner
Hebrides, is the sunniest place in the country: it had 300 days of
sunshine in 1975. Rainfall varies widely across Scotland. The
western highlands of Scotland are the wettest place, with annual
rainfall exceeding 3,000 mm (120 inches). In comparison, much of
lowland Scotland receives less than 800 mm (31 inches) annually.
Heavy snowfall is not common in the lowlands, but becomes more
common with altitude. Braemar experiences an average of 59 snow
days per year, while coastal areas have an average of less than 10
days. |
