The University of Wales with seven constituents institutions is the most prestigious university which also supervises nine colleges of education.

Scotland

Scotland, situated to the north of England, also includes Orkneys, Shetlands, Hebrides and other islands. It is more than half as big as England. Scotland is a wonderful country – full of traditions, colour and romance – and it retains its own character and way of life.

Scotland has more than 5 million inhabitants. It has been a part of Great Britain since 1707 but the Scottish people remain very independent and proud of their culture and heritage. They speak English with regional accents and 1,5% also speak Gaelic, the ancient Scottish language (in the Highlands and the Western Isles). Scotland is a country of hills, lakes (called Lochs), swift rivers and deep valleys (glens). It can be divided into three parts: the Highlands, the Lowlands and the southern uplands. The most beautiful part of Scotland is the region known as the Highlands. The highest peak is Ben Nevis, 1380 meters high. The most famous lake is Loch Ness where the mystical monster lives.

There are four big cities in Scotland – Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen. Edinburgh, the ancient capital of Scotland, is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It has become the international centre of music and drama and is famous for its annual festival – the Edinburgh International Festival of Music and Drama. Edinburgh is also famous for the engineering, printing and electronic industries. Glasgow, situated on the river Clyde, is known all over the world for its shipbuilding, and heavy steel manufactures although these industries have many problems now. Both the cities are situated in the Lowlands, the area which contains most of the industry and also pastures.

Scotland has its own law and education system. There are also special traditions in Scotland, such as playing bagpipes and wearing kilts, which are typical pleated knee-length tartan skirts. Some eating and drinking habits are different , too. Scotland has many whisky distilleries with a long tradition and the Scottish whisky is world-famous.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland (known also as Ulster) occupies the northern fifth of Ireland. It is a part of Great Britain. Northern Ireland has a population of over 1 500 000 people. They speak English. Nearly half a million live in Belfast, the capital. There is the Queen’s University at Belfast which was founded in 1845. The city is the shopping, educational, commercial, entertainment, and service centre of Northern Ireland. It is also an important port. There are small farms producing pigs, cattle, milk and eggs.