Europe's press had feared a "Black Friday" and a "Black Friday" is what they got.
But as the pound plunged, global markets collapsed and a prime minister resigned, the continent's media could not ignore Britain's striking electoral map. Scotland, all 32 regions of Scotland, had voted to stay in Europe.
But Scotland was not staying in Europe.
Read more: David Cameron resigns as Prime Minister following Brexit
"Constitutional Crisis in Scotland," declared Paris's Le Monde. "The scenario forecast by Scottish nationalists has come to pass," the paper reported. "Scotland largely voted to remain in the EU but will have to leave because of a choice made by England."
Le Monde
Its Paris rival Le Figaro said: "Scotland wants to stay in the EU. Unlike England And Wales, Scotland largely voted in favour of Remain. Thus, Brexit could justify the organisation of a new independence referendum."
Read more: Britain votes to leave European Union despite Scotland wanting to Remain
La Tribune de Geneve in Switzerland was even starker. Its headline: "Referendum underlines the growing split between Scotland and England."
El Espanol in Spain was talking about independence, but not of the kind proclaimed by UKIP leader Nigel Farage. "Brexit moves Scotland closer to its independence," it headlined online, raising the prospect of Scotland going independent and staying in the European Union. "The spectre of secession rides again," it reported. "Yesterday's may have been the last British sunset in the European club - morally speaking, because the red tape of divorce could take a decade. But we have still to see if the Scots will separate from their neighbours on the other side of the Channel."
Read more: JK Rowling - Scotland will see independence after Brexit
El Mundo, another Spanish paper, headline was "United Kingdom, a disunited country. Scotland and Northern Ireland have threatened to abandon England and Wales in order to stay in the EU." It added: "The UK was woken up this Friday to find itself a profoundly divided country."
La Stampa
La Stampa in Italy was also big on the "I" word. "And now Scotland re-opens its battle for independence," it headlined. "Scotland has woken up today outside the European Union having just voted to stay in. This has now opened a drama in a drama, because talk has already turned to a new referendum on independence and the departure of the United Kingdom from the land of Braveheart.
Italian state broadcast RAI also ran a story asking if there would be another referendum. It quoted Nicola Sturgeon saying Scotland's vote had been "clear and unequivocal." She said: "The future of Scotland is in the European Union."
The New York Times said Brexit with all 32 regions of Scotland voting against it had "created an immediate political dilemma for Scotland, which in a referendum in September 2014 voted against secession from the United Kingdom".
It added: "Scotland, which has been legally in union with England and Wales since 1707, is considered the most pro-European part of the United Kingdom, and the decision by British voters to leave the 28-member European Union could prompt a second independence vote."
Nicola Sturgeon
The Washington Post headlined "Scotland threatens secession from U.K. over Brexit vote to leave EU" over a picture of a smiling Nicola Sturgeon. "It reported: "Thursday’s victory for Leave may do more than break up the European Union — it may break up the United Kingdom itself."
The paper added that "ironically" Scots had been told they could be forced out of the EU if they voted for independence in 2014.
More international press analysis from David Leask
America's NBC said: "Scotland's pro-independence leaders appeared poised to seek a new referendum on quitting the U.K."
But it immediately refreshed its viewers memories about some of the angst America experienced over the last indyref.
"The issue is seen as important in Washington — and not just due to the historic "special relationship" with the U.K.; Scotland is currently home Trident missiles, a key plank of NATO's nuclear deterrent.
"Scotland's nationalist government wants to ban nuclear weapons on moral grounds within four years of gaining independence.
"This would force London to relocate the weapons to alternative bases in England or return the weapons to the U.S., costing billions of dollars and creating upheaval precisely at a time of heightened regional security concern."
The Irish Times too raised the prospect of a new independence referendum. Its correspondent reported: "Scotland sees its future firmly in the European Union, its leader said on Friday as most of the rest of Britain voted to leave, raising the spectre of a new independence vote and the possible dissolution of the United Kingdom."
Ireland, however, remains more concerned about the fate of the six counties, which, like Scotland, voted to stay in the EU.
Australia's Channel 9 News asked if another independence referendum was on the cards. It cited a Global Politics expert James Goodman, from the University of Technology Sydney, saying: "Scottish nationalists have been pro-European for many years.
"For Scotland, the links with the UK are very strong. I’d imagine they’d want a rebalancing of that relationship. This is certainly a gift for Scottish nationalists."
In Catalonia, La Vanguardia headlined that the "triumph of Brexit threatened the unity of Britain".
Many international media outlets carried the words of JK Rowling. "After Brexit, Scotland will bid farewell to the United Kingdom," said news site Noticias ao Minuto citing the writer.
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