South Lanarkshire facts for kids

Quick facts for kids South Lanarkshire Scots: Sooth Lanrikshire Scottish Gaelic: Siorrachd Lannraig a Deas
Flag Coat of arms Council logo
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Country	Scotland
Lieutenancy area	Lanarkshire
Admin HQ	Hamilton
Government
• Body	South Lanarkshire Council
Area
• Total	684 sq mi (1,772 km2)
Area rank	Ranked 11th
Population  (2020)
• Total	319,020
• Rank	Ranked 5th
• Density	466.29/sq mi (180.03/km2)
ONS code	S12000029
ISO 3166 code	GB-SLK
Largest town	East Kilbride
Largest urban area	Hamilton, South Lanarkshire

South Lanarkshire (Scots: Sooth Lanrikshire; Scottish Gaelic: Siorrachd Lannraig a Deas) is one of 32 special areas in Scotland called unitary authorities. It is located southeast of the Glasgow City council area and includes some of Greater Glasgow's suburban towns. You'll also find many smaller towns and villages here. South Lanarkshire shares its borders with Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, North Lanarkshire, the Scottish Borders, and West Lothian. It covers most of the old county of Lanarkshire.

How South Lanarkshire is Governed

South Lanarkshire is managed by the South Lanarkshire Council. This council has its main office in Hamilton. It has about 16,000 people working for it and a budget of almost £1 billion to help run the area. The council makes decisions about local services like schools, roads, and parks.

Exploring the Geography of South Lanarkshire

South Lanarkshire has a very diverse landscape. It includes wide open rural areas and hills. You'll find busy market towns like Lanark, Strathaven, and Carluke. There are also urban areas like Rutherglen and Cambuslang. East Kilbride is a special town because it was Scotland's very first new town, planned and built after World War II.

Major Towns and Villages in South Lanarkshire

Here are some of the biggest towns in South Lanarkshire by population:

Other Communities in South Lanarkshire

For a full list of all the places in the area, you can check out the main article:

Fun Places to Visit in South Lanarkshire

There are many interesting places to explore in South Lanarkshire:

• Bothwell Castle
• Calderglen Country Park, in East Kilbride, is a great place for outdoor fun.
• Chatelherault Country Park, near Hamilton, includes the historic Cadzow Castle.
• The beautiful Clyde Valley.
• Craignethan Castle
• David Livingstone Centre, in Blantyre, tells the story of the famous explorer.
• Dollan Aqua Centre, in East Kilbride, is a popular swimming pool.
• The stunning Falls of Clyde.
• Hamilton Mausoleum
• James Hamilton Heritage Park, in East Kilbride, offers water sports and activities.
• John Hastie Museum, in Strathaven.
• Lanark Loch
• Little Sparta, a unique garden near Dunsyre and Lanark.
• Low Parks Museum, in Hamilton, shares local history.
• New Lanark, a World Heritage Site that shows what life was like in a historic mill village.
• Rutherglen Town Hall and its old medieval church tower.
• Sites of important historical battles like the Battle of Drumclog and the Battle of Bothwell Bridge.
• Strathaven Castle
• Wilsontown Ironworks, an old industrial site.

Learning and Education

If you're looking to continue your studies after school, South Lanarkshire has options for higher education:

• South Lanarkshire College
• University of the West of Scotland (which used to be called Bell College, part of the University Of Paisley)

See also

In Spanish: South Lanarkshire para niños