Scotland (Alba in Gaelic) is an ancient European nation state founded in the early 7th cent, located in the northern half of the British Isles to the north of England. It has been Europe's oldest independent nation states for over a thousand years; its proximity to, and economic and political links with, its southern neighbour England has shaped much of its history. Scotland also has a long history of association with France. This association was brought to an end during the Great European War in 1936, when Scotland sided against France for the first time in centuries. In modern terms Scotland is a socially progressive society with an economic bases that has improved markedly through innovation and advances in technology. Scotland also has the oldest state flag still in use, the Saltire of