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Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and its second-largest city. It is situated
on the east coast of the central lowlands, on the south shore of the Firth of Forth,
on the North sea. The City of Edinburgh includes urban Edinburgh and a 30sq mile
rural area. It has been the capital of Scotland since 1437 and is the seat of the
country's Parliament. It has a population of around 450,000, making it the 7th largest
city in the United Kingdom.
Industry
As the centre of Scotland's government, the public sectors is a major employer together
with the Scottish National Health Service, Education and health, finance and business
services, retailing and tourism are the largest employers. The economy of Edinburgh
is largely based around banking, financial services, higher education, and tourism.
The city is one of the most prosperous parts of the country and has the strongest
economy of any city in the UK except London. Manufacturing has never had as strong
a presence in Edinburgh however brewing, publishing, and electronics are carried
out. Tourism is an important economic element in the city. Tourists come to visit
historical sites such as Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyrood House and the
Georgian New Town. In August each year the city stages the Edinburgh Festival, which
bring in large numbers of visitors, generating in excess of a hundred million pounds
for the Edinburgh economy. There is a wide range of accomodation available including
bed and breakfast, hotel accommodation, self catering, guest house, cottage, camping
and caravan sites.
Geography
Edinburgh has a temperate maritime climate, which is relatively mild despite its
northerly latitude. Winters are especially mild, considering that Moscow and Labrador
in Newfoundland lie on the same latitude, with daytime temperatures rarely falling
below freezing. Due to Edinburgh's position between the coast and hills it is renowned
as a windy city, with the prevailing wind direction coming from the south-west which
is associated with warm, unstable air from the Gulf Stream that gives rise to rainfall.
Winds from an easterly direction are usually drier but colder. Rainfall is distributed
fairly evenly throughout the year.
History
The city's name comes from the Celtic Din Eidyn (Fort of Eidyn) a King of the Gododdin,
the local British Kingdom. In the 1st century the Romans recorded the Votadini as
the tribe in the area, and about 600 the poem Y Gododdin describes Celtic warriors
feasting "in Eidin's great hall". It was besieged and captured by the Northumbrian
under their king Edwin in 627 and the name changed to Edin-burh, which is the Anglo-Saxon
for "Edwin's fort. The existence of the town as a separate entity from the fort
is found in an early 12th century royal charter, dating from 1124, by King David
I.
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