National Records of Scotland

Preserving the past, Recording the present, Informing the future

Revised 1994-based Sub-National Population Projections

Revised 1994-based Sub-National Population Projections

The sample table on this page shows the estimated population of Scotland at 30th June 1994 and the projected population for the same date for the years 2001, 2006 and 2011. The figures are broken down by Local Council Area.

Also available for downloading is a map based helpfile (MS Windows 3.1x) which contains background information on the methodology and assumptions used in the production of the population projections along with more detailed information for each administrative area within Scotland (unitary authoriries and health boards).

In August 1997, errors were found in the 1994 based sub-national projections for Scotland. It was found that incorrect age/sex distributions of migrants had been used in the original projections for a number of council areas. The errors are greatest for the peak migration ages (15-40) and increase over time. In the majority of council areas the total population differs by less than 0.5% from the previously published figures by the end of the projection period. In only two of the council areas (Clackmannanshire and West Dunbartonshire) is the difference over 2%.(Click here to download a self extracting exe file which contains both the helpfile and an icon.)

All figures shown in the file for downloading and the table below have been revised.

Population projections are produced every two years, the 1996-based projections will be available in early 1998.

Projected population by council area (persons)
  1994 2001 2006 2011
SCOTLAND 5,132,400 5,134,510 5,108,347 5,082,513
Aberdeen City 219,090 219,478 218,135 216,519
Aberdeenshire 226,060 232,933 238,259 243,812
Angus 111,750 112,595 113,370 114,075
Argyll & Bute 91,500 91,835 91,801 91,989
Clackmannanshire 48,850 49,795 50,232 50,618
Dumfries & Galloway 147,800 148,332 147,908 147,364
Dundee City 151,250 146,770 142,390 138,118
East Ayrshire 123,550 120,756 117,740 114,391
East Dunbartonshire 110,650 111,199 110,312 109,128
East Lothian 86,800 90,044 91,501 93,095
East Renfrewshire 87,220 90,912 92,774 94,789
Edinburgh, City of 443,600 454,793 457,867 461,462
Falkirk 142,530 142,141 140,649 138,844
Fife 352,100 352,059 352,338 352,663
Glasgow City 623,480 595,530 575,885 558,149
Highland 207,500 213,157 215,924 218,459
Inverclyde 89,380 83,528 78,462 73,319
Midlothian 80,010 79,763 79,655 79,547
Moray 87,350 88,819 89,806 90,813
North Ayrshire 139,090 140,555 140,636 140,640
North Lanarkshire 326,760 322,817 316,822 310,003
Orkney Islands 19,810 20,411 20,869 21,395
Perth & Kinross 132,000 136,336 138,944 141,768
Renfrewshire 177,140 177,379 174,297 170,736
Scottish Borders 105,700 107,988 108,886 109,666
Shetland Islands 22,880 23,668 24,056 24,464
South Ayrshire 114,360 114,462 113,748 113,153
South Lanarkshire 307,510 305,706 302,622 299,469
Stirling 82,020 83,958 85,221 86,592
West Dunbartonshire 97,160 92,657 89,127 85,491
West Lothian 148,190 155,839 160,455 164,974
Western Isles 29,310 28,295 27,656 27,008

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