Scotland is a small country located north of England with a population of around 6 million people. Edinburgh is the capital city and the thistle is the national flower. Scotland was once an independent kingdom but merged with England in 1707 to form Great Britain. In the late 1990s, devolution established the Scottish Parliament to legislate on certain domestic matters. Today, the Scottish National Party aims to gain full independence and advocates for Scottish interests in the UK Parliament. Scottish culture is renowned for whisky, the Loch Ness Monster myth, haggis, bagpipes, and for producing notable inventors, authors, and public figures throughout history.