Angus (pop. 114,342) is a local government area in eastern Scotland. It was established in 1996 as a council area of Scotland. Previously, the area was a district within Tayside Region. Angus lies to the north of the manufacturing city of Dundee. To the east of Angus is the North Sea. The coastal towns of Arbroath and Montrose have some engineering and services related to the oil industry. Angus farmers grow potatoes, barley, wheat, vegetables, and soft fruits. Angus beef cattle are raised worldwide.
Angus was originally settled by the Picts, an ancient people native to the area. Several Angus communities possess elaborately carved Pictish symbol stones. The Scottish Declaration of Independence was signed in 1320 at Arbroath Abbey, a monastery founded in 1178. Glamis Castle in Angus was the childhood home of Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. The castle is the setting for William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth. See also Macbeth; Picts.
