The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh. However, the largest Scottish city is Glasgow. ¹⁾

In Scotland, payment for purchases can be made by paying with sterling and also with Scottish pounds. ²⁾

Scottish pounds are only printed by the three largest Scottish banks. They are mainly used within Scotland, but payments are generally accepted throughout the UK. As you might guess, the Scottish pound exchange rate corresponds in value to the British pound. Scottish banknotes are regarded as a bill of exchange rather than official currency. ³⁾

The shortest street in Scotland, and indeed the world, is Ebenezer Place in Caithness. ⁴⁾

Barra Island has the only airport on the beach that operates regular passenger flights. It has three runways marked with wooden poles, each facing a different direction. This arrangement ensures that planes can always land against the wind. ⁵⁾

The world record for the longest echoing sound in a man-made structure has been set in an underground fuel depot near Invergordon. The echo spread for 112 seconds. The record was set in 1970. ⁶⁾

IrnBru is the most popular drink in Scotland and is sold more often in this country than Coca-Cola. The recipe for this orange fizzy drink is known only to two people and, like Coca-Cola, it is closely guarded. ⁷⁾

Haggis is the national delicacy of the Scots. It is made from sheep offal, adding oat flour, onions, and spices, and served in a sheep stomach. ⁸⁾

The special date when to make Haggis is January 25 (the anniversary of Robert Burns's birth. In 1787, the Scotsman created a poem in honor of this dish. ⁹⁾

Since the nineteenth century, the unicorn has been the symbol of the Scottish people. Why the unicorn? The lion, which is the symbol of England, is considered to be its natural enemy. ¹⁰⁾

Whiskey is known to virtually everyone and everyone associates it with Scotland. The translation of the word in Scottish-Gaelic, which means “water of life,” is interesting. ¹¹⁾

Greyfriars Bobby is the most popular dog in Scotland, virtually everyone knows him. His owner was John Gray, a gardener who could not find a job in his profession and was employed as a policeman. His four-legged companion helped him in his work. On February 5, 1858, John died of tuberculosis, and from that day on his grave was visited by a dog every day for the next 14 years. At first, the caretaker of the cemetery tried to chase the dog away, but seeing that the dog did not give up, he decided to feed it and provide shelter. The dog's attitude aroused the admiration of Edinburgh residents. The dog was also buried in the same cemetery as John and a monument was erected to him. ¹²⁾

The first flag of Scotland consists of a white cross on a blue background. It is one of the oldest flags in the world. According to the legend associated with the patron saint of Scotland, St. Andrew, at his own request, was crucified on diagonal beams. This shape was not accidental - they were not meant to resemble the Holy Cross on which Christ died. ¹³⁾

The second Lion Rampant flag can only be used by members of the royal family. The flag depicts the symbol of Scotland - a lion (in 1165 William I the Lion decided to change the symbol from a boar to a lion) surrounded by a decorative border. ¹⁴⁾

The author of books about a young wizard J.K. Rowling invented the Harry Potter character while sitting in an Edinburgh café. ¹⁵⁾

The world's most famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. Watson are fictional characters created by the Scot Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. ¹⁶⁾

We owe the modern world to the Scots. In 1924, John Logie Baird developed the television, the telephone was created by Alexander Graham Bell, and penicillin was created by Alexander Fleming. ¹⁷⁾