Scotland
32 local authorities make up Scotland. Glasgow City is the largest, at 654,330; Orkney Islands the smallest, at 21,920. Figures are mid-year population estimates as of 2025, published by Office for National Statistics, Population Estimates (via Nomis).
| Rank | Local authority | Population | Year on year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glasgow City | 654,330 | +0.6% |
| 2 | City of Edinburgh | 531,370 | -0.1% |
| 3 | Fife | 373,990 | -0.2% |
| 4 | North Lanarkshire | 343,930 | +0.1% |
| 5 | South Lanarkshire | 334,330 | +0.4% |
| 6 | Aberdeenshire | 264,640 | -0.2% |
| 7 | Highland | 237,260 | -0.1% |
| 8 | Aberdeen City | 230,180 | -0.5% |
| 9 | Renfrewshire | 189,270 | +0.3% |
| 10 | West Lothian | 187,240 | +0.6% |
| 11 | Falkirk | 160,230 | +0.2% |
| 12 | Perth and Kinross | 154,930 | +0.3% |
| 13 | Dundee City | 148,390 | -0.6% |
| 14 | Dumfries and Galloway | 145,490 | -0.3% |
| 15 | North Ayrshire | 133,660 | -0.1% |
| 16 | East Ayrshire | 121,350 | +0.0% |
| 17 | Scottish Borders | 116,800 | -0.3% |
| 18 | East Lothian | 116,460 | +1.1% |
| 19 | Angus | 114,610 | -0.3% |
| 20 | South Ayrshire | 112,280 | +0.0% |
| 21 | East Dunbartonshire | 109,550 | -0.1% |
| 22 | Midlothian | 100,390 | +0.7% |
| 23 | East Renfrewshire | 99,840 | +0.4% |
| 24 | Moray | 94,730 | -0.2% |
| 25 | Stirling | 94,040 | -0.6% |
| 26 | West Dunbartonshire | 88,340 | -0.5% |
| 27 | Argyll and Bute | 87,310 | -0.5% |
| 28 | Inverclyde | 78,550 | -0.2% |
| 29 | Clackmannanshire | 51,610 | -0.7% |
| 30 | Na h-Eileanan Siar | 25,770 | -0.6% |
| 31 | Shetland Islands | 22,710 | -0.4% |
| 32 | Orkney Islands | 21,920 | -0.4% |
Change compares each area's latest estimate with the previous year's from the same publisher.
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