Scotland to vote on independence on 18 Sep

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http://edition.cnn.com/2014/09/09/world/europe/scottish-referendum-explainer/

On September 18, Scots go to the polls to vote on the future of their country.

It's a vote that could end Scotland's 307-year union with England and Wales as Great Britain -- and see it launch into the world as an independent nation of some 5.3 million people.

What are the Scottish voting on, and why?

The Scottish government, led by the Scottish National Party, says this is a "once in a generation opportunity" for Scotland's people to take control of the decisions that affect them most.

A "yes" vote means that "Scotland's future will be in Scotland's hands," it says, and that life will be better and fairer for its people.

Why is this significant to the rest of the world?

The question mark over Scotland's future is already having an impact on domestic and international business. Some worry that the breakup of the United Kingdom could undermine London's standing as an international financial capital.

Last month, 130 business leaders published an open letter in which they warned of the impact of uncertainty over issues including currency, regulation, tax, pensions, EU membership and support for Scottish exports.

A day later, more than 200 other business leaders signed an open letter backing an independent Scotland.

The British pound sank Monday after the first poll that showed the "yes" vote in the lead, with CNN Money reporting that it reflected uncertainty over the outcome of the referendum and an increased risk of a "messy divorce."

The UK's defense capability could be affected. The Scottish government says it wants to remove nuclear weapons from Scotland as soon as possible -- namely, the UK Trident nuclear submarine fleet based at Faslane.

Scotland would have to renegotiate its entry to both NATO and the European Union if it votes for independence. EU leaders have signaled they would take a hard line and make Scotland apply to join like any other independent nation.

The debate is being closely watched by independence movements in Spain's Catalonia province, Canada's Quebec province and France's Mediterranean island of Corsica.

If Scotland votes to leave, the British Prime Minister will likely come under pressure to resign -- although he has told UK media "emphatically" he will not do so.

Thanks to a bill passed last year extending the vote to 16- and 17-year-olds, almost everyone living in Scotland who is 16 or older on the day of the referendum will be able to vote.

This means English or Welsh citizens who reside in Scotland can take part. But Scots who are living elsewhere in the United Kingdom or overseas will not be entitled to cast a ballot.

It also means that the residents of England, Wales and Northern Ireland get no say on a historic change to the makeup of the United Kingdom.

Scotland has long had a testy relationship with its more populous neighbor. The Act of Union in 1707 joined the kingdom of Scotland with England and Wales, but many Scots were unhappy at being yoked to their longtime rival south of the border.

Since 1999, Scotland has had a devolved government, meaning many, but not all, decisions are made at the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood, Edinburgh.

Many Scots are strongly opposed to the current Westminster government's attempts to reform -- or in their eyes dismantle -- the welfare state and say it was not elected by them.

Looking further back, Scotland and England have been growing apart since the demise of the British Empire.

Who are the main players?

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond is the ebullient leader of the pro-independence campaign. Labour MP Alistair Darling, who represents an Edinburgh constituency, heads the pro-union Better Together campaign.