Scotland - the facts

[mrdonuts]

been a lot of talk in the last few days about how Scotland couldnt survive on its own. I suspected this might be FUD (fear uncertainty and doubt being spread by some shadowy groups) thought it best to check out given its importance though. So lets compare scotland with the worlds fourth richest country NORWAY !

Norway Scotland

Population

4.9 million v 5.2 million

Oil reserves

16.4 billion barrels v 25 billion barrels

Farming land

10000km2 v 78000km2

Whisky

0 v £3billion pa

Tourism

4.3% gdp v £4.5 Billion pa

Finance industry

? v £20 billion per year

conclusion scotland would be better off than norway


oh and regarding the rbs debt, they were the biggest tax payer in the uk for many years up to the crisis often paying
£2billion per year in tax. So the bailout cost has largely
been covered by the money they have already paid in tax. Which you dont hear too much about for some strange reason

So a free scotland it is!

oh and sources -look them up yourself if you dont believe it. It will take you about 5min using google/wikipedia

[NotAllThere]

Fine. Don't let the door hit your arse on the way out.

[doodab]

So the bailout cost has largely been covered by the money they have already paid in tax. Which you dont hear too much about for some strange reason

You don't hear much about it because paying tax isn't the same thing as opening a savings account. If it were I would happily take the money I've paid in tax over the years and **** off tomorrow and I suspect quite a lot of other people would too.

BTW the 4.3% of Norway's GDP made up by tourism works out about £12 billion. Their GDP is almost 2x Scotland's. Presumably because they don't have a Whiskey industry.

BTW2 even the Scottish government doesn't claim that all of the land in Scotland is suitable for agricultural uses, the true figure is more like 62,000 km2, about 52,000km2 or which is only suitable for grazing livestock.

BTW3 wikipedia reckons that Norway's proven oil reserves are about twice that of the UK.

Your "facts" are starting to look a bit less factual to me.

[AtW]

What about fair share of UK debt that Scotland would certainly have to take on in event of becoming independent?

[scooterscot]

The proposed UK wide questionnaire..

[Platypus]

You're welcome. Good riddance. At least we won't have to put up with another Labour government ever again once the Scots have seceded. I don't know why the Tories aren't clamouring for an independent Scotland

[oscarose]

been a lot of talk in the last few days about how Scotland couldnt survive on its own. I suspected this might be FUD (fear uncertainty and doubt being spread by some shadowy groups) thought it best to check out given its importance though. So lets compare scotland with the worlds fourth richest country NORWAY !

Norway Scotland
Population 4.9 million 5.2 million
Oil reserves 16.4 billion barrels 25 billion barrels
Farming land 10000km2 78000km2
Whisky 0 £3billion per year
Tourism 4.3% gdp £4.5 Billion per year
Finance industry ? £20 billion per year

conclusion scotland would be better off than norway


oh and regarding the rbs debt, they were the biggest tax payer in the uk for many years up to the crisis often paying £2billion per year in tax. So the bailout cost has largely been covered by the money they have already paid in tax. Which you dont hear too much about for some strange reason

So a free scotland it is!


oh and sources -look them up yourself if you dont believe it. It will take you about 5min using google/wikipedia

From a previous thread:

"A few points on this one:

1. The polls indicate the Scots don't want to breakaway from the UK.
2. No problem to England if they want to; we'll take the oil from 'the falklands' and Scottish oil will run out shortly (England has the gas).
3. Defence - who wants to invade a Scotland? It's a nice place to visit and good folk, but very cold and bleak, full of loony lefties and depressives with no decent sport to watch i.e. no football or cricket.

Downside or upside, depending on your point of view, England becomes forever Tory blue if this comes to fruition.

4. Scotland will have join the euro."

Whether Scotland could survive wasn't mentioned in my points. I hope Scotland gets what it wants.

[Platypus]

What about fair share of UK debt that Scotland would certainly have to take on in event of becoming independent?

According to the OP they've already paid it back, so their "fair share" of the debt will be zero. Despite all those social costs and malingerers.

[DodgyAgent]

been a lot of talk in the last few days about how Scotland couldnt survive on its own. I suspected this might be FUD (fear uncertainty and doubt being spread by some shadowy groups) thought it best to check out given its importance though. So lets compare scotland with the worlds fourth richest country NORWAY !

Norway Scotland

Population

4.9 million v 5.2 million

Oil reserves

16.4 billion barrels v 25 billion barrels

Farming land

10000km2 v 78000km2

Whisky

0 v £3billion pa

Tourism

4.3% gdp v £4.5 Billion pa

Finance industry

? v £20 billion per year

conclusion scotland would be better off than norway


oh and regarding the rbs debt, they were the biggest tax payer in the uk for many years up to the crisis often paying
£2billion per year in tax. So the bailout cost has largely
been covered by the money they have already paid in tax. Which you dont hear too much about for some strange reason

So a free scotland it is!

oh and sources -look them up yourself if you dont believe it. It will take you about 5min using google/wikipedia

And most importantly how do the GDP figures compare between Scotland and Norway?

[mrdonuts]

You're welcome. Good riddance. At least we won't have to put up with another Labour government ever again once the Scots have seceded. I don't know why the Tories aren't clamouring for an independent Scotland

perhaps they understand that scotland has been the source of much of the uks wealth. The previously posted FACTS would tend to support this