Revised Mid-year Population Estimates 1982-2000

Please always refer to the latest mid-year estimates and population time series data to get the latest data available for Scotland. This data superseded the data given below at the specified date.

The population estimates for these years have been revised to be in line with the mid-2001 population estimates published on 30 September 2002, which were based on the results of the 2001 Census. These revised estimates replace the previously published estimates for 1982-2000, which had been based on updating from the 1991 and 1981 Censuses and were not consistent with the results from the 2001 Census.

The files below are available in Excel format.

• Revised 1982-1990 Mid-year estimates, Councils  (note (ii)) (625 Kb)
• Revised 1991-2000 Mid-year estimates, Councils
• Revised 1982-1990 Mid-year estimates, Health Boards  (note (i)) (337 Kb)
• Revised 1991-2000 Mid-year estimates, Health Boards  (note (i)) (389 Kb)

Revised components of change tables for 1981/82 to 1990/91 and 1991/92 to 2000/01 for councils and health board areas in Scotland are also available online.

• Revised components of change, 1981/82 to 1990/91, Councils
• Revised components of change, 1991/92 to 2000/01, Councils
• Revised components of change, 1981/82 to 1990/91, Health Boards  (note (i))
• Revised components of change, 1991/92 to 2000/01, Health Boards  (note (i))

A paper describing the methods used to produce the revised estimates is available (Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF)). This paper will provide information about the extent of the revisions needed and the methodology used to produce the revised data. The methodology is very similar to the Methodology used by the Office for National Statistics.

PDF files require Acrobat Reader. Download Acrobat Reader free

Points to Note:

1.  After the introduction of new council areas, as a results of The Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994, health board boundaries were incorrectly changed to be in line with council boundaries. This affected 7 of the 15 health boards, namely Argyll & Clyde, Fife, Forth Valley, Greater Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Lothian and Tayside. The differences in population between the previously published and the correct boundaries are very small, except between Greater Glasgow and Lanarkshire. This area contains approximately 1,700 people who were previously incorrectly included in the Greater Glasgow total rather than Lanarkshire.

   The 1982-2000 revised mid-year estimates have corrected the Greater Glasgow/Lanarkshire boundary, but the remaining health boards are based on the incorrect boundaries. Given the small differences in the two sets of health board boundaries this will have no impact on the analysis of trends.

   The 1981 mid-year estimates are unchanged and are based on the correct health board boundaries.

2. The revised mid-1986 population estimates for councils which were published on 27 February 2002 contained minor discrepancies in females aged 79 and over. This did not affect the totals for the councils and will have no impact on analysis of trends. These errors have now been amended.

Enquiries and Suggestions

For our contact details please see the publication home page.