Is Scotland big enough to be an independent country?

Scotland not only has the resources and skills to create wealth but is naturally big enough to be independent.

Some often say that Scotland is a ‘wee country’ but its population size would make it an average sized nation sitting in the middle third of independent nations of the world. 

By population it is bigger than Luxembourg, Iceland and Ireland and very similar to Denmark and Norway – all neighbouring countries who are richer per person than the UK, and also with far less poverty and inequality.

In terms of land area Scotland makes up a third of the UK’s landmass and is larger than Ireland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium. 

When it comes to offshore area, which covers exclusive economic areas, it has 63% of the UK’s recognised area. An independent Scotland’s offshore area would be bigger than Germany’s. With offshore renewables growing as an energy source Scotland would be in a prime position to take advantage of this opportunity.