Scotland is one of the most fascinating countries in the world. While the uninformed will just assume
it’s another part of the United Kingdom (or even worse, part of England!), true Scottish people know
what makes the country so great. While you may already know about Irn Bru and the Loch Ness
monster, there is so much more to the country. Here are some of the most interesting facts that
you’ll hear about Scotland:
Our National Animal is a Unicorn
Yes, you read that correctly. Scotland’s national animal is a fictional creature. The animal features on
the royal coat of arms and has been used by the country since way back in the 12th century. You’ll
see various buildings and statues with unicorns across the country.
We Have the Highest Proportion of People with Ginger Hair
Scotland is famous for people with ginger hair (think of the Proclaimers). But did you know that we
have the highest proportion in relation to population size? Around 13% of people in the country are
redheads. That is a whole 11% more than the rest of the world.
We’re more likely to Have Blue Eyes Too
This doesn’t mean that every Scottish person you meet is going to have ginger hair and blue eyes.
But in some places in Scotland, the chances of you having blue eyes is above 50%. In the South East
of the country, around 57% of the population has blue eyes.
Scotland: Home of the World’s Tallest Hedge
If you ever find yourself driving down the A93 road between Perth and Balgowrie, you’ll be in for
quite the sight. Along the side of the road is the tallest hedge in the world. Standing at 1,700 feet, it
is a sight to behold.
We’re Also Home to Britain’s Oldest Tree
Okay, so this one isn’t technically confirmed. But the Fortingall Yew, situated in the small village of
Fortingall in Perthshire is believed to be around 2,000 to 3,000 years old. It’s also rumoured to have
changed sex from a male to a female (however that works for a tree).
We Have the Shortest Commercial Flight
The flight between Westray to Papa Westray in the Orkney Islands lasts just 53 seconds. Yes, that is
correct, the 1.5-mile flight takes under a minute to complete. Seems pretty expensive at £36…
There are 790 Islands
This isn’t even an exact figure. Nobody knows the exact number of islands that Scotland has, but
estimates have put it at around 790. Of these 790, only 130 have people living on them. That is a lot
of uninhabited lands.