For local government purposes, Scotland is divided into 32 areas designated as "council areas" (), which are all governed by single-tier authorities designated as "councils". They have the option under the Local Government (Gaelic Names) (Scotland) Act 1997 of being known (but not re-designated) as a "comhairle" when opting for a Gaelic name; only Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Council of the Western Isles) has chosen this option, whereas the Highland Council (Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd) has adopted its Gaelic form alongside its English equivalent, informally.
The council areas have been in existence since 1 April 1996, under the provisions of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994. Historically, Scotland was divided into 34 counties or shires. Although these no longer have any administrative function, they are still used to some extent in Scotland for cultural and geographical purposes, and some of the current council areas are named after them. There are also a number of other administrative divisions, some of which are handled by joint boards of the councils.
At the most local level, Scotland is divided into civil parishes, which are now used only for statistical purposes such as the census. The lowest level of administrative subdivision are the communities, which may elect community councils.
History of the subdivisions of Scotland
Traditionally burghs have been the key unit of the local government of Scotland, being highly autonomous entities, with rights to representation in the old Parliament of Scotland. Even after the Acts of Union 1707, burghs continued to be the principal subdivision. Until 1889, administration was on a burgh and parish basis.
The years following 1889 saw the introduction of a hierarchy of local government administration comprising counties, counties of cities, large burghs and small burghs.
With effect from 16 May 1975 and until 31 March 1996 the local government divisions of Scotland consisted of an upper tier of regions each containing a lower tier of districts except for the single-tier island council areas. Since 1996 there has only been a single tier of government, and the former island council areas are of equal status to the other councils.
Council areas
+ Council areas of Scotland Coat of arms Council area Council Land area Population () Density Administrative centre (km2) (mi2) (/km2) (/mi2) Aberdeen City Aberdeen City Council Aberdeen Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire Council Aberdeen Angus Angus Council Forfar Argyll and Bute Argyll and Bute Council Lochgilphead Clackmannanshire Clackmannanshire Council Alloa Dumfries and Galloway Dumfries and Galloway Council Dumfries Dundee City Dundee City Council Dundee East Ayrshire East Ayrshire Council Kilmarnock East Dunbartonshire East Dunbartonshire Council Kirkintilloch East Lothian East Lothian Council Haddington East Renfrewshire East Renfrewshire Council Giffnock City of Edinburgh City of Edinburgh Council Edinburgh Falkirk Falkirk Council Falkirk Fife Fife Council Glenrothes Glasgow City Glasgow City Council Glasgow Highland Highland Council Inverness Inverclyde Inverclyde Council Greenock Midlothian Midlothian Council Dalkeith Moray Moray Council Elgin Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles) Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Stornoway North Ayrshire North Ayrshire Council Irvine North Lanarkshire North Lanarkshire Council Motherwell Orkney Orkney Islands Council Kirkwall Perth and Kinross Perth and Kinross Council Perth Renfrewshire Renfrewshire Council Paisley Scottish Borders Scottish Borders Council Newtown St Boswells Shetland Islands Shetland Islands Council Lerwick South Ayrshire South Ayrshire Council Ayr South Lanarkshire South Lanarkshire Council Hamilton Stirling Stirling Council Stirling West Dunbartonshire West Dunbartonshire Council Dumbarton West Lothian West Lothian Council Livingston
Other subdivisions Scotland has several other administrative divisions, some of which are handled by joint boards of the councils.
Electoral and valuation There are several joint boards for electoral registration and the purposes of property valuation for assessing council tax and rates.
Joint board area Council areasAyrshire East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, South AyrshireBordersScottish BordersCentral Scotland Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, StirlingDumfries and GallowayDumfries and GallowayDunbartonshire and Argyll & Bute Argyll and Bute, East Dunbartonshire, West DunbartonshireFifeFifeGrampian Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, MorayGlasgowGlasgow CityHighlands and IslandsHighland and Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles)Lanarkshire North Lanarkshire, South LanarkshireLothian East Lothian, City of Edinburgh, Midlothian, West LothianOrkney and ShetlandOrkney Islands and Shetland IslandsRenfrewshire East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, RenfrewshireTayside Angus, Dundee City, Perth and Kinross
Health See also NHS Scotland
Health board area Council areas Ayrshire and Arran East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire Borders Scottish Borders Dumfries and Galloway Dumfries and Galloway Fife Fife Forth Valley Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling Grampian Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen City and Moray Greater Glasgow and Clyde Glasgow City, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire Highland Argyll and Bute and Highland Lanarkshire North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire Lothian City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian Orkney Orkney Islands Shetland Shetland Islands Tayside Angus, Dundee City and Perth and Kinross Western Isles (Eileanan Siar) Western Isles (Na h-Eileanan Siar) Until 1 April 2014 the towns of Cambuslang and Rutherglen were in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area despite being located in South Lanarkshire. They are now part of NHS Lanarkshire.
Transport
The Scottish Government has created seven "Regional Transport Partnerships", for establishing transport policy in the regions. They broadly follow council area groupings.
RTP area Council areas NESTRANS Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire TACTRAN Angus, Dundee, Perth and Kinross, Stirling HITRANS Argyll and Bute (except Helensburgh and Lomond), Highland, Moray, Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles), Orkney ZetTrans Shetland SEStran Edinburgh, Clackmannanshire, East Lothian, Falkirk, Midlothian, Fife, Scottish Borders, West Lothian SWESTRANS Dumfries and Galloway SPT Argyll and Bute (Helensburgh and Lomond only), West Dunbartonshire, East Dunbartonshire, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, Glasgow, East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, South Ayrshire, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire
Eurostat NUTS In the Eurostat Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS), Scotland is a level-1 NUTS region, coded "UKM", which is subdivided as follows:
NUTS 1 Code NUTS 2 Code NUTS 3 Code Scotland UKM Eastern Scotland UKM2 Angus and Dundee UKM21 Clackmannanshire and Fife UKM22 East Lothian and Midlothian UKM23 Scottish Borders UKM24 Edinburgh UKM25 Falkirk UKM26 Perth and Kinross, and Stirling UKM27 West Lothian UKM28 South Western Scotland UKM3 East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, and Helensburgh and Lomond UKM31 Dumfries and Galloway UKM32 East and North Ayrshire mainland UKM33 Glasgow UKM34 Inverclyde, East Renfrewshire, and Renfrewshire UKM35 North Lanarkshire UKM36 South Ayrshire UKM37 South Lanarkshire UKM38 North Eastern Scotland UKM5 Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire UKM50 Highlands and Islands UKM6 Caithness and Sutherland, and Ross and Cromarty UKM61 Inverness, Nairn, Moray, and Badenoch and Strathspey UKM62 Lochaber, Skye and Lochalsh, Arran and Cumbrae, and Argyll and Bute (except Helensburgh and Lomond) UKM63 Eilean Siar (Western Isles) UKM64 Orkney Islands UKM65 Shetland Islands UKM66
Land registration The current land registration system in Scotland divides Scotland into 33 Registration Counties,Registers of Scotland publication - Land Register Counties and Operational Dates each coming into effect on various dates between 1981 and 2003. These areas in most cases resemble those of the pre-1975 administrative counties with Glasgow being the only current city to form a registration county.
Registration county Operational from County of Renfrew 6 April 1981 County of Dunbarton 4 October 1982 County of Lanark 3 January 1984 County of the Barony and Regality of Glasgow 30 September 1985 County of Clackmannan 1 October 1992 County of Stirling 1 April 1993 County of West Lothian 1 October 1993 County of Fife 1 April 1995 County of Aberdeen 1 April 1996 County of Kincardine 1 April 1996 County of Ayr 1 April 1997 County of Dumfries 1 April 1997 County of Kirkcudbright 1 April 1997 County of Wigtown 1 April 1997 County of Angus 1 April 1999 County of Kinross 1 April 1999 County of Perth 1 April 1999 County of Berwick 1 October 1999 County of East Lothian 1 October 1999 County of Peebles 1 October 1999 County of Roxburgh 1 October 1999 County of Selkirk 1 October 1999 County of Argyll 1 April 2000 County of Bute 1 April 2000 County of Midlothian 1 April 2001 County of Inverness 1 April 2002 County of Nairn 1 April 2002 County of Banff 1 April 2003 County of Caithness 1 April 2003 County of Moray 1 April 2003 Counties of Orkney and Zetland 1 April 2003 County of Ross and Cromarty 1 April 2003 County of Sutherland 1 April 2003
Sheriffdoms Sheriffdoms are judicial areas. Since 1 January 1975, these have been six in number:The Sheriffdoms Reorganisation Order 1974 S.I. 1974/2087 (S.191)
Glasgow and Strathkelvin Grampian, Highland and Islands Lothian and Borders North Strathclyde South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway Tayside, Central and Fife
Lieutenancy areas The Lieutenancy areas of Scotland are the areas used for the ceremonial lord-lieutenants, the monarch's representatives. The areas are similar to the Historic Counties and the Registration Counties, but are not identical to either. Most notably, the four cities of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, and Glasgow form separate areas from the surrounding countryside, with the Lord Provost of each city acting ex officio as the lord-lieutenant.
Lieutenancy areas of Scotland
Former police and fire services The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 resulted in the merger of local police and fire services on 1 April 2013 to form the Police Service of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: ) and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS, Scottish Gaelic: ).
Prior to 1975 policing was the responsibility of the Cities and Burghs of Scotland (see List of burghs in Scotland). Between 1975 and 2013 Scotland was subdivided into Police and fire service areas based on the regions and districts and island council areas that were also formed in 1975. The police and fire service regions used between 1975 and 2013 are listed below.
Services Original area (former regions) Council areasPolice Scotland Division Central Scotland Police Central Scotland Fire and Rescue Service Central Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and StirlingForth Valley (C Division) Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary Dumfries and Galloway Fire and Rescue Service Dumfries and Galloway Dumfries and GallowayDumfries & Galloway (V Division) Fife Constabulary Fife Fire and Rescue Service Fife FifeFife (P Division) Grampian Police Grampian Fire and Rescue Service Grampian Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and MorayAberdeenshire (A Division) Lothian and Borders Police Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service Lothians and the Scottish Borders City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian, Scottish Borders, West LothianLothian & Borders (J Division)