Soils
With Scotland’s diversity in geologic structure, relief, and weather, the character of the soil varies greatly. In the northwest, the Hebrides, the Shetland Islands, and other areas, the soil is poor and rocky, and cultivation is possible only at river mouths, glens, and coastal strips. On the west coast of some Hebridean islands, however, there are stretches of calcareous sand (the machair) suitable for farming. Peat is widespread on moors and hills. Areas with good, arable land have largely been derived from old red sandstone and younger rocks, as in the Orkney Islands, the eastern Highlands, the northeastern coastal plain, and the Lowlands.
Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
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Scotland - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
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Scotland is a part of the United Kingdom, a country of western Europe. The other parts of the United Kingdom are England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Scotland covers the northern third of the island of Great Britain. It borders England to the south. The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh.
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Scotland - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
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A part of the United Kingdom, Scotland occupies the northern part of the island of Great Britain. Rugged uplands separate it from England to the south. Within this border territory north of England the Scots fought many wars to keep their independence. In 1707, however, Scotland was joined to England, and the entire island became a single kingdom, the United Kingdom of Great Britain. But the Scots remain a distinct people with a long history different from that of England. Long characterized as a land of romance, Scotland contains ruins of many ancient castles and abbeys, and there is a haunting beauty in its windswept mountains, long deep valleys, and ribbon lakes. It attracts many tourists, particularly from the United States and England. The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh.
The topic Scotland is discussed at the following external Web sites.
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