Reasons to celebrate your Scottish heritage

Millions of people across the world claim Scottish ancestry, and Tartan Day events enable them to celebrate their heritage.

The impact of the Scottish Diaspora on the world has been immense, with those of Scottish heritage making a positive contribution wherever they found themselves across the globe.

Here are a few facts to further increase your pride in your Scottish heritage - past, present and future…

Tartan Day facts

• Did you know that the world's first colour photograph (taken in 1861) was of a tartan ribbon?
• Scotland's top five export industries are food & drink, office machinery & computers, business services, chemicals and telecommunication.
• Scotland's top export destination is the USA.
• In America, there are eight towns named Aberdeen, eight named Edinburgh, seven named Glasgow - and eight towns called Scotland.
• Canada's first Prime Minister, John MacDonald, was from Scotland.
• The Canadian Pacific Railway was built by Alexander Smith, who hailed from Scotland.
• Singapore was co-founded by a Scot - William Farquhar.
• Scotland's long-tradition of excellent record-keeping makes it relatively easy to trace Scottish ancestors – try www.scotsgenealogy.com or, if your family's from Angus or Dundee, www.tayroots.com.
• Tartan only became popular after Queen Victoria expressed her fondness for all things Scottish.
• The Scottish Government has a budget of £31 billion.
• Andrew Carnegie, founder of modern-day philanthropy, was born in Dunfermline.
• Insulin was invented by Scot John McLeod in the 1920s.
• Scottish inventions include television, ATM cash machines, RADAR, fingerprinting, the ultrasound and MRI scanners
• The Edinburgh Festival is the most prestigious arts festival in the world.
• Research at Edinburgh's Roslin Institute resulted in the birth of the world's first-ever cloned mammal – 'Dolly The Sheep'.
• Sir Sean Connery is the world's most easily recognisable actor.
• Scotland, the home of golf, has some of the best golf courses in the world.
• 2010 is the twelth anniversary of the signing of the Resolution in the American Senate which made Tartan Day a national holiday in the USA.
• Tartan Day Festivals are now held in America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand – and Scotland!
• Tartan Day results in an increase of over 10% in the numbers of visitors coming to Angus and Dundee – and many of them were here to celebrate Tartan Day.