10 Things You Didn’t Know About Scotland

Here are 10 cool facts about Scotland.

The mention of Scotland conjures images of green rolling hills, woolen knits, plaid, and, of course, Scotch whisky.

Here are 10 other cool things about the country and its people.

Number 10. Inventions. Some of the world’s favorite ones sprung from the minds of Scottish creators. Among them are television, the telephone, and penicillin. 

Number 9. Their official animal is the unicorn. It may seem strange that a nation would pick a mythical creature, but given Scotland’s rich history of legend and lore it’s an appropriate choice. 

Number 8. It’s where the redheads are. A whopping 13 percent of the population has red hair. About 40 percent of people living in the Edinburgh area carry a ginger gene. 

Number 7. Around 70 percent of Scots have blue eyes. It’s a common color throughout the UK, but most prevalent in the southeastern region of Scotland. 

Number 6. Higher education rules. Approximately 45 percent of the country’s people aged between 25 and 64 have engaged in some sort of formal learning following high school. That makes it the most educated nation in Europe. 

Number 5. They’re loyal to their legends. The possibility that there really is a Loch Ness Monster has been kept alive and well for around 1500 years. Written references to the beast date back to the mid 500s. 

Number 4. The Scottish eat dangerously. Their national dish is haggis, and among its ingredients are a mixture of vital sheep organs and a dash of cayenne pepper for zing. Its import into the United States has been banned since the early 1970s. 

Number 3. Scotland has taken over North America. Not in a political way, clearly, but the number of people of Scottish descent living in the US and Canada is about equal to the amount currently residing in their native country. 

Number 2. Great writing is a tradition. Their literary history is studded with impressive and influential authors including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Lord Byron.

Number 1. The Scottish invented golf. An early version of the game first surfaced there in the 15th century. Sand traps were part of the course even back then. 

Which cool thing about Scotland is your favorite?