Economics - Scotland

           The GDP of Scotland is $250 billion, which includes revenues from North Sea oil and gas.  The GDP per capita is $47,369, which also includes revenues from North Sea oil and gas.  The life expectancy is 76.5 years old for males and 80.7 years hold for females.  17% of children in Scotland live in poverty and 220,000 children (more than 1 in 5) are living in poverty.  The Scottish Survey of Adult Literacy revealed that 73.3% of the Scottish population could read and write.  Scotland had an employment rate of 72.3% as of December 2013, making it the highest of all UK countries.  The inflation rate of Scotland is 1.7% year over year.  Inflation from January 2014 to February 2014 was 0.5%.

            The climate of Scotland is moderate.  January and February are the coldest months of the year and typically average around 41°F.  July and August are normally the warmest months with temperatures averaging around 66°F.  Due to the long coastline of rivers and lakes, the people of Scotland are heavily involved in fishing and shipbuilding.  Loch Fyne and Loch Lomond are the most popular water attractions by tourists because of their natural beauty and calm waters.  Some major rivers include the Forth, the Clyde, the Tay, and the Tweed. 

            The size of the labor force in UK is 30.09 million as of November 2013.  The educational system of Scotland is different from other UK countries such as England, Wales, and Ireland.  Children in Scotland complete seven years of primary school, then six years of secondary school.  Secondary schools are also known as high schools.  However, students are not required to attend the last two years of secondary school. 

            The government of Scotland is looking to improve its infrastructure.  They are improving the current rail network by working with Network Rail to target resources to improve the quality of tracks, bridges, crossings, and tunnels.  They are also trying to improve the road systems particularly Routes 24, 25, and 26.  In addition, an increasing demand for transportation on trains has lead to overcrowding.  The government is working with stations and trains to improve cleanliness, passenger comfort, and station and train facilities.