Subdivisions of Scotland facts for kids

Scotland is divided into 32 areas called "council areas". These areas are important for how local government works in Scotland. Each council area is managed by a single local authority, which is like a local government team.

These council areas have been in place since April 1, 1996. They were created by a law called the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994. Before this, Scotland used to be divided into 34 counties. Even though these old counties don't manage things anymore, their names are still used for cultural and geographical reasons. Some of today's council areas are even named after these older counties.

At the very local level, Scotland also has "civil parishes." These are mostly used for counting people in the census. The smallest official local groups are "communities." These communities can choose to have "community councils" to represent them.

Understanding Scotland's Local Government

Local government in Scotland helps manage daily life for people. This includes things like schools, roads, and waste collection.

How Local Government Changed Over Time

For a long time, burghs were the main way Scotland was governed locally. Burghs were like independent towns with their own rules. They even had a say in the old Parliament of Scotland. Even after Scotland joined with England in 1707, burghs were still very important. Until 1889, local areas were managed by burghs and parishes.

After 1889, new levels of local government were created. These included counties, large cities, and different types of burghs.

From 1975 to 1996, Scotland had a two-level system. There were larger regions and smaller districts within them. Some islands had their own single-level "island council areas." Since 1996, all areas have a single level of government. The island council areas now have the same status as all other councils.

Scotland's Council Areas Today

Here is a list of the 32 council areas in Scotland. The population numbers are estimates from the Office for National Statistics.

Coat of Arms	Council Area Name	Local Council	Population (approx.)	Area (km2)	People per km2
	Glasgow	Glasgow City Council
	Edinburgh	City of Edinburgh Council	518,500	263.4	1,969
	Fife	Fife Council
	North Lanarkshire	North Lanarkshire Council
	South Lanarkshire	South Lanarkshire Council	319,020	1,772	180
-	Aberdeenshire	Aberdeenshire Council	261,470	6,313	41
	Scottish Highlands	Highland Council	235,540	25,657	9
	Aberdeen	Aberdeen City Council	227,560	185.7	1,225
	West Lothian	West Lothian Council	182,140	427.7	426
	Renfrewshire	Renfrewshire Council	177,790	261.5	680
	Falkirk	Falkirk Council	160,340	297.4	539
	Perth and Kinross	Perth and Kinross Council
	Dumfries and Galloway	Dumfries and Galloway Council	148,790	6,427	23
	Dundee	Dundee City Council	148,750	59.83	2,486
	North Ayrshire	North Ayrshire Council	135,280	885.4	153
	East Ayrshire	East Ayrshire Council	121,840	1,262	97
	Angus	Angus Council	116,040	2,182	53
	Scottish Borders	Scottish Borders Council	115,270	4,732	24
	South Ayrshire	South Ayrshire Council	112,550	1,222	92
	East Dunbartonshire	East Dunbartonshire Council	108,330	174.5	621
	East Lothian	East Lothian Council	105,790	679.2	156
	Moray	Moray Council	95,520	2,238	43
-	East Renfrewshire	East Renfrewshire Council	95,170	174.2	546
	Stirling	Stirling Council	94,330	2,187	43
	Midlothian	Midlothian Council	91,340	353.7	258
	West Dunbartonshire	West Dunbartonshire Council	89,130	158.8	561
	Argyll and Bute	Argyll and Bute Council	86,260	6,909	12
	Inverclyde	Inverclyde Council	78,150	160.5	487
	Clackmannanshire	Clackmannanshire Council	51,400	159.0	323
	Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles)	Comhairle nan Eilean Siar	26,830	3,059	9
	Shetland Islands	Shetland Islands Council	22,990	1,468	16
	Orkney	Orkney Islands Council	22,190	988.8	22

Other Ways Scotland is Divided

Scotland has other ways it's divided for different purposes. Some of these are managed by groups of councils working together.

Transport Partnerships

The Scottish Government has created seven "Regional Transport Partnerships." These groups help plan and manage transport for larger areas. They often include several council areas working together.

Judicial Areas: Sheriffdoms

Scotland is divided into six "sheriffdoms." These are areas used by the courts and judges. They have been in place since 1975.

• Glasgow and Strathkelvin
• Grampian, Highland and Islands
• Lothian and Borders
• North Strathclyde
• South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway
• Tayside, Central and Fife

Ceremonial Areas: Lieutenancy

The "Lieutenancy areas of Scotland" are used for ceremonial purposes. A Lord Lieutenant is the King or Queen's representative in each area. These areas are similar to the old historic counties. The four main cities (Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, and Glasgow) have their own special areas. The main leader of each city, called the Lord Provost, acts as the Lord Lieutenant.

Map showing the Lieutenancy areas of Scotland.

Police and Fire Services

Since 2013, Scotland has one national police force, the Police Service of Scotland. It also has one national fire service, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. Before 2013, police and fire services were managed by smaller local areas.

Local Communities in Scotland

Scotland is also divided into about 871 "civil parishes." These are mostly used for statistics, like counting people for the census. They haven't had an administrative role since 1930.

The most local level of administration in Scotland is the "community." Many communities can choose to have a community council. These councils help share local opinions with other government groups. They have limited powers but are important for local voices to be heard. There are around 1,200 communities in Scotland. Not all of them have their own councils; some share.

See also

In Spanish: Organización territorial de Escocia para niños