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Lowlands | |
|---|---|
 The Lowlands, shown in light green | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Demonym | Lowlander |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
TheLowlands (Scots:Lallans orLawlands,pronounced[ˈlɑːlən(d)z,ˈlo̜ːl-];[1]Scottish Gaelic:a' Ghalldachd,lit. 'place of the foreigners',pronounced[əˈɣauɫ̪t̪əxk]) is a cultural andhistorical region ofScotland.[2]
The region is characterised by its relatively flat or gently rolling terrain as opposed to the mountainous landscapes of theScottish Highlands. This area includes cities likeEdinburgh andGlasgow and is known for its fertile farmland, historic sites, and urban centres. It is the more populous and industrialised part of Scotland compared to the sparsely populated Highlands.
Culturally, the Lowlands and theHighlands diverged from theLate Middle Ages into themodern period, whenLowland Scots replacedScottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands.
Geographically, Scotland is divided into three distinct areas: theHighlands, the Central plain (Central Belt, in theCentral Lowlands), and theSouthern Uplands. The Lowlands cover roughly the latter two. The northeast plain is also "low-land", both geographically and culturally, but in some contexts may be grouped together with the Highlands.
The Lowlands is not an official geographical or administrative area of the country. There are two main topographic regions: the Lowlands and theSouthern Uplands. The term "Lowlands" mainly refers to theCentral Lowlands. However, in normal usage it refers to those parts ofScotland not in theHighlands (orGàidhealtachd).[citation needed] The boundary is usually considered to be a line betweenStonehaven andHelensburgh (on theFirth of Clyde). The Lowlands lie south and east of the line. Some parts of the Lowlands (such as theSouthern Uplands) are not physically "low",Merrick for example reaching 2,766 feet (843 m), while some areas indisputably in the Highlands (such asIslay) are low-lying.
For other purposes, the boundary varies; but if theBoundary Fault is used, then the traditional Scottish counties entirely in the Lowlands areAyrshire,Berwickshire,Clackmannanshire,Dumfriesshire,East Lothian,Fife,Kinross-shire,Kirkcudbrightshire,Lanarkshire,Midlothian,Peeblesshire,Renfrewshire,Roxburghshire,Selkirkshire,West Lothian, andWigtownshire. Prior to 1921, the counties of East Lothian, Midlothian, and West Lothian were known as Haddingtonshire, Edinburghshire, and Linlithgowshire.
Traditional Scottish counties which straddle the Boundary fault includeAngus,Dunbartonshire,Stirlingshire,Perthshire andKincardineshire.
The term "Lowlands" is sometimes used to refer specifically to the "Central Lowlands", an area also known as the "Midland Valley". This area mainly encompasses the basins of theRivers Forth andClyde, and houses approximately 80 percent of Scotland's population (3.5 million in theCentral Belt). Historically, the Midland Valley has been Scotland's most agriculturally productive region. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, it experienced significant industrialisation and urbanisation, driven by coal deposits. While coal mining and heavy industry have declined ever since, the Midland Valley's economic importance endures. Today, it remains a central hub of the Scottish economy, with a focus on electronics, computer manufacturing, and service sectors like telecommunications, computer software, and finance.[3]
The southernmost counties of Scotland, nearest theAnglo-Scottish border, are also known as theBorders. They are sometimes considered separately from the rest of the Lowlands. Many ancestors of theScotch-Irish, as they are known in the United States, orUlster-Scots, originated from the lowlands and borders region before migrating to theUlster Plantation in the 17th century and later theAmerican frontier, many prior to theAmerican Revolution.[4][5][6][7]
The term Scottish Lowlands is used with reference to theScots language in contrast to theScottish Gaelic spoken in the Highlands (although historically also in the lowlands until the 15th century and 18th century in Galloway), to theScottish history and to theScottish clan system, as well as in family history andgenealogy.[2]
Military units associated with the region at various times include theLowland Brigade, theRoyal Scots and the52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division.[8]
