Scotland’s population was estimated to be 5,479,900 at mid-2021 (30 June 2021). The population increased by 13,900 people (0.25%) in the year to mid-2021. The average annual growth in the 5 years before the pandemic was higher than this, at around 23,100 people (0.43%). There have been more deaths than births for the last seven years. In the latest year, deaths outnumbered births by the largest amount on record. Migration was the main driver of population growth over the latest year. More people moved to Scotland than left, as has been the case for the last two decades. The pattern of population change was different to previous years. In the latest year, the population of the largest cities fell, which was a change from growth in previous years. The greatest population growth was in council areas around Edinburgh. In addition, many rural areas which had previously had falling populations saw an increase in population over the latest year.

open data - national records of scotland land population density mid-2022

Population: Scotland: Aged 85 to 89 data was reported at 80.091 Person th in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 77.978 Person th for 2016. Population: Scotland: Aged 85 to 89 data is updated yearly, averaging 65.000 Person th from Jun 1971 (Median) to 2017, with 47 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 88.000 Person th in 2000 and a record low of 38.000 Person th in 1971. Population: Scotland: Aged 85 to 89 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office for National Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.G003: Population: Scotland.

Population by age, sex and administration area (council and health board area).

Source agency: National Records of Scotland

Designation: National Statistics

Language: English

Alternative title: Population Estimates for Scotland

This dataset is published as Open Datanational records of scotland - small area population estimates (2017 to 2021). This is the latest release of data based on small areas (datazones). The dataset contains information at the data zone level mid-year population estimates from 2017 onwards for the Stirling Council area. The published datasets for “All Persons”, “Females” and “Males” are sourced from the annually updated Small Areas Population Estimates (SAPE) on the National Records of Scotland (NRS) website.Of the 6,976 data zones in Scotland, each covering a population of between 500 and 1000 residents, there are 121 within the Stirling Council area.For each data zone within the Stirling Council area, this dataset details the total population and distribution by age for the above, and can be viewed by Ward, Intermediate Zone (IZ) and Scottish Parliamentary Constituency (SPC).© Crown Copyright 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

United Kingdom Population: Scotland: Female: Aged 1 to 4 data was reported at 140.223 Person th in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 112.892 Person th for 2016. United Kingdom Population: Scotland: Female: Aged 1 to 4 data is updated yearly, averaging 124.000 Person th from Jun 1971 (Median) to 2017, with 47 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 174.000 Person th in 1971 and a record low of 103.000 Person th in 2005. United Kingdom Population: Scotland: Female: Aged 1 to 4 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office for National Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.G003: Population: Scotland.

Population by age, sex and administration area (council and health board area).

Source agency: National Records of Scotland

Designation: National Statistics

Language: English

Alternative title: Mid-Year Population Estimates for Scotland

United Kingdom Population: Scotland: Aged >60 Female & >65 Male data was reported at 1,012.567 Person th in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 998.852 Person th for 2016. United Kingdom Population: Scotland: Aged >60 Female & >65 Male data is updated yearly, averaging 916.000 Person th from Jun 1971 (Median) to 2017, with 47 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,130.053 Person th in 2014 and a record low of 811.000 Person th in 1971. United Kingdom Population: Scotland: Aged >60 Female & >65 Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office for National Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.G003: Population: Scotland.

Scotland’s population was estimated to be 5,466,000 on 30 June 2020 (referred to as mid-2020). The population increased by 2,700 people (0.05%) in the year to mid-2020, the slowest growth since the year to mid-2003. The average growth in the 5 years to mid-2019 was around 23,000 people (0.43%). There were 63,100 deaths and 48,700 births in the year ending mid-2020. There were 14,500 more deaths than births, more deaths than births for the sixth year running and the largest natural decrease on record. There were 2,000 (4%) fewer births than the previous year, a decrease in line with trends seen in previous years. The number of deaths was 6,900 (12%) more than the previous year, which is a larger increase than previous years. Migration was the main driver of population growth, with 16,900 more people moving to Scotland than leaving in the year to mid-2020; +9,000 from the rest of the UK and +7,900 from overseas. This was lower than in recent years. Population change varies across Scotland. Around two thirds of council areas (20 out of 32) experienced population decline, with 12 areas seeing population growth in the last year. Areas facing the greatest population decline were mainly in the west of the country. Most council areas (25 out of 32) saw more people move to the area than leave in the year to mid-2020. Only one council area, Midlothian, had more births than deaths over the same period.

This report summarises and presents analysis from the available variant projections for Scotland produced by GAD.

Source agency: National Records of Scotland

Designation: National Statistics

Language: English

Alternative title: Variant Projected Population

The population of the United Kingdom in 2023 was estimated to be approximately 68.3 million in 2023, with almost 9.48 million people living in South East England. London had the next highest population, at over 8.9 million people, followed by the North West England at 7.6 million. With the UK's population generally concentrated in England, most English regions have larger populations than the constituent countries of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, which had populations of 5.5 million, 3.16 million, and 1.92 million respectively. English counties and cities The United Kingdom is a patchwork of various regional units, within England the largest of these are the regions shown here, which show how London, along with the rest of South East England had around 18 million people living there in this year. The next significant regional units in England are the 47 metropolitan and ceremonial counties. After London, the metropolitan counties of the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, and West Yorkshire were the biggest of these counties, due to covering the large urban areas of Birmingham, Manchester, and Leeds respectively. Regional divisions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland The smaller countries that comprise the United Kingdom each have different local subdivisions. Within Scotland these are called council areas whereas in Wales the main regional units are called unitary authorities. Scotland's largest Council Area by population is that of Glasgow City at over 622,000, while in Wales, it was the Cardiff Unitary Authority at around 372,000. Northern Ireland, on the other hand, has eleven local government districts, the largest of which is Belfast with a population of around 348,000.

This dataset provides Census 2022 estimates for the Age (in 20 categories) by sex by Individuals in Scotland.

Age

A person's age on Census Day, 20 March 2022. Infants aged under 1 year are classified as 0 years of age.

Sex

This is the sex recorded by the person completing the census. The options were "Female" and "Male". Guidance on answering the question can be found here

The quality assurance report can be found here

Small area population estimates for data zones.

Source agency: National Records of Scotland

Designation: National Statistics

Language: English

Alternative title: Small Area Population Estimates, Scotland

United Kingdom Population: Scotland: Male: Aged 35 to 44 data was reported at 325.699 Person th in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 326.197 Person th for 2016. United Kingdom Population: Scotland: Male: Aged 35 to 44 data is updated yearly, averaging 337.000 Person th from Jun 1971 (Median) to 2017, with 47 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 385.000 Person th in 2005 and a record low of 289.000 Person th in 1977. United Kingdom Population: Scotland: Male: Aged 35 to 44 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office for National Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.G003: Population: Scotland.

The ABPE (5,440,486 people) was 0.7% higher than the MYE (5,404,700 people). At single year of age level, ABPE was generally higher than MYE for people aged: 6–14 and 28–64 and generally lower for people aged: 1–5, 15–27 and 65+. The ABPE ranged from 3.8% higher to 4.8% lower at council area level, with half of the council areas being within 1.2 per cent of MYE. The results of this statistical research are encouraging. Future work will now focus on improving the quality of estimates across all age groups and at sub-national geographic aggregations.

As of 2023, the population density in London was by far the highest number of people per square km in the UK, at *****. Of the other regions and countries which constitute the United Kingdom, North West England was the next most densely populated area at *** people per square kilometer. Scotland, by contrast, is the most sparsely populated country or region in the United Kingdom, with only ** people per square kilometer. Countries, regions, and cities According to the official mid-year population estimate, the population of the United Kingdom was just almost **** million in 2022. Most of the population lived in England, where an estimated **** million people resided, followed by Scotland at **** million, Wales at **** million and finally Northern Ireland at just over *** million. Within England, the South East was the region with the highest population at almost **** million, followed by the London region at around *** million. In terms of urban areas, Greater London is the largest city in the United Kingdom, followed by Greater Manchester and Birmingham in the North West and West Midlands regions of England. London calling London's huge size in relation to other UK cities is also reflected by its economic performance. In 2021, London's GDP was approximately *** billion British pounds, almost a quarter of UK GDP overall. In terms of GDP per capita, Londoners had a GDP per head of ****** pounds, compared with an average of ****** for the country as a whole. Productivity, expressed as by output per hour worked, was also far higher in London than the rest of the country. In 2021, London was around **** percent more productive than the rest of the country, with South East England the only other region where productivity was higher than the national average.

Resident Population in Scotland County, MO was 4.69800 Thous. of Persons in January of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Resident Population in Scotland County, MO reached a record high of 5.80000 in January of 1974 and a record low of 4.65300 in January of 2022. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Resident Population in Scotland County, MO - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Presents key findings from the Registrar General's Annual Review.

Source agency: National Records of Scotland

Designation: National Statistics

Language: English

Alternative title: Scotland's Population: The Registrar General's Annual Review of Demographic Trends

Resident Population in Scotland County, NC was 33.89800 Thous. of Persons in January of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Resident Population in Scotland County, NC reached a record high of 36.40200 in January of 2004 and a record low of 26.92900 in January of 1970. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Resident Population in Scotland County, NC - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

United Kingdom Population: Scotland: Aged 60 to 64 data was reported at 329.011 Person th in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 321.552 Person th for 2016. United Kingdom Population: Scotland: Aged 60 to 64 data is updated yearly, averaging 272.000 Person th from Jun 1971 (Median) to 2017, with 47 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 337.000 Person th in 2011 and a record low of 246.000 Person th in 1979. United Kingdom Population: Scotland: Aged 60 to 64 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office for National Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.G003: Population: Scotland.