Scottish national identity is a term referring to the sense of national identity and common
culture of
Scottish people and is shared by a considerable majority of the people of
Scotland.
Scottish national identity is largely free from
ethnic distinction, and many of "immigrant" descent see themselves (and are seen as), for example,
Pakistani and Scottish: Asian-Scots. Identification of others as Scottish is generally a matter of accent, and though the various dialects of the
Scots language and
Scottish English (or the accents of
Gaelic speakers) are distinctive, people associate them all together as Scottish with a shared identity, as well as a regional or local identity. Parts of Scotland, like
Glasgow, the
Outer Hebrides, the north east of Scotland (including
Aberdeen), and the
Scottish Borders retain a strong sense of regional identity, alongside the idea of a Scottish national identity.
Residents of
Orkney and
Shetland also express a distinct regional identity, influenced by their
Norse heritage. However many other regions of Scotland, such as the Western Isles and Caithness, also have a Norse heritage.