EconomyThe currency of Great Britain is used in Scotland. The three main Scottish banks, Bank of Scotland, Clydesdale Bank and Royal Bank of Scotland, produce their own banknotes, which are legal tender in Scotland under Scottish law, but are not legal tender (even in Scotland) under English law. Both agriculture and industry are important in the economy of Scotland. The chief exports are petroleum and natural gas and manufactured goods, especially burlap, clothing, machinery, textiles, and whisky. The chief imports are food and iron. The centre of Scottish trade unionism is the Scottish Trades Union Congress, with an affiliated membership of more than 980,000. AgricultureMore than three-fourths of the land is used for agriculture; approximately equal areas are devoted to farming and grazing. The most important crops are wheat, oats, and potatoes. Other crops include barley, turnips, and fruit. Livestock and livestock products are also of major importance. Sheep are raised in both the Highlands and island groups and the Southern Uplands. Scotland is also known for its beef and dairy cattle and for its dairy products. Forestry and FishingAbout 607,000 hectares (about 1.5 million acres) of Scotland is forested, 60% of which is publicly owned. In Scotland fishing is more important than forestry. The principal fishing ports are Aberdeen, Peterhead, Fraserburgh, and Lerwick. The catch consists mainly of whitefish, herring, crabs, and lobsters. Mining and ManufacturingCoal is the chief mineral wealth, and the industry was, until recently, nationalised. Nearly all the major coal deposits are found in the Central Lowlands. Limestone, clay, and silica are also mined. Iron ores and other metals have been virtually exhausted. North Sea petroleum and natural gas are sent by pipeline to points in the Orkney and Shetland islands and to the mainland. Major oil refineries are located at Grangemouth and Dundee. About 36% of the labour force is employed in manufacturing. Shipbuilding, steelmaking, and the manufacture of electronic items are major industries and are concentrated in the region surrounding Glasgow. Other important manufactures include woollen textiles and yarn, chemicals, machinery of many varieties, vehicles, and whisky. Transport and CommunicationsAbout 48,000 km (about 30,000 m) of roads and about 6400 km (about 4000 m) of railways serve Scotland. Public buses provide transport throughout most of the country, and many transatlantic flights use Prestwick Airport near Glasgow. Most radio and television programmes originate in England, but BBC Radio Scotland provides a “national” service, with some programming in Gaelic on both Radio Scotland and BBC television. There are also Scottish local commercial radio stations.
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