Prospects Postgrad UK 2007/2008 - (Page 15) SPONSORED BY www.prospects.ac.uk/PostgradUK ADVICE AND INFORMATION 15 For a so-called United Kingdom, the composition of Britain can be quite confusing for visitors. Historically, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland became part of Britain as a result of ongoing conflict stemming from medieval times. Each country maintains its own identity however, and as a visitor it pays to acknowledge this by avoiding dubbing anyone English who isn’t. WALES, SCOTLAND, AND NORTHERN IRELAND Scotland takes an enormous pride in its national identity and in 1997 was finally offered a fair opportunity to vote for devolution from England, which was overwhelmingly voted in. As a result the Scottish Parliament was formed in 1999 and now presides politically over Scotland. Scotland also has its own higher education system and includes some world-class institutions such as Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and St Andrews. Scotland is formed broadly from three regions. The Southern Uplands consist geographically of green hills, spotted with purple heather. To the north, the Scottish Highlands comprise the rugged landscape for which the country is understandably famous. This is a wild and inhospitable region of deep valleys, rocky outcrops, and unpredictable weather, and supports rare animals such as golden eagles and ospreys, which have died out in England. The central belt forms the final region, and is home to 80% of Scotland’s population. Located to the west of England, Wales too has a strong identity of its own and voted for partial political devolution from the UK, nominating their own Welsh Assembly. Historically, much of Welsh industry relied on coal mining, but various political upheavals in the eighties all but put an end to mining in Wales. As a result, Welsh industry has shifted to accommodate other manufacturing and technological forms of manufacturing, and plays a key role in the aeronautics industry. The Welsh language is an important part of Welsh culture and there are steps in place to ensure that Welsh doesn’t die out as a language, as many Welsh people feel strongly about maintaining their unique cultural identity. Wales is home to eleven higher education institutions, including Cardiff, Swansea, Aberystwyth, Bangor, and Glamorgan, all of which are located in beautiful settings, some right on the coast. The capital is Cardiff, which is gaining a reputation as an up-and-coming city for nightclubs, bars and the arts. Northern Ireland consists of six counties: Antrim, Derry, Armagh, Down, Fermanaugh and Tyrone, each of which have their own characteristics. The country’s capital city, Belfast, is a testimony to beautiful Victorian architecture, most of which is intact, despite the consequences of armed conflict. Low living costs, greater ethnic diversity, and an education system that has strong links with industry, make Northern Ireland a first choice destination for thousands of international students. There are two universities in Northern Ireland: Queen’s University, Belfast, which dates back to 1845, and the University of Ulster, which is spread over four campuses (Belfast, Coleraine, Jordanstown and Magee). http://www.prospects.ac.uk/PostgradUK
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