Scottish Population Highest Since 1983

24 July 2008

The estimated population of Scotland was 5,144,200 in mid-2007. This was a rise of 27,300 on the previous year.

Commenting on the publication of "Mid-2007 Population Estimates, Scotland", Registrar General Duncan Macniven said:

"By June 2007, Scotland's population reached its highest level since 1983. Part of the reason for the increase was because the number of births was 1,100 higher than the number of deaths - the first year there have been more births than deaths since 1996-97.

But the increase was mostly due to migration. More than 63,000 people left Scotland - but nearly 90,000 came here, mostly from the rest of the UK. The net migration gain was over 26,000, with 9,000 coming from the rest of the UK and 17,000 from overseas. That is the highest net in-migration figure since our records began in the early 1950s.

And migrants helped increase the birth rate too. Mothers from Eastern Europe accounted for one in three of the increase in the number of births between 2006 and 2007, although only one in fifty of all births in Scotland was to a mother from Eastern Europe."

Main Findings

The estimated population of Scotland on 30 June 2007 was 5,144,200, a rise of 27,300 on the previous year and the highest since 1983.

Between mid-2001 and mid-2007, Scotland's population increased by 1.6 per cent (+80,000) from 5.06 million to 5.14 million.

Between mid-1997 and mid-2007, Scotland's population increased by 1.2 per cent (+60,860) from 5.08 million to 5.14 million.

In the twelve months up to 30 June 2007, the number of births exceeded the number of deaths by 1,100. The last time that births exceeded deaths in Scotland was in 1996-97. In 2005-06 there were around 300 more deaths than births.

Over the year there was a net migration gain of 26,800, including a net gain of 8,800 people from the rest of the UK, a net gain of 16,800 from overseas (including asylum seekers) and a net gain of 1,200 members of the armed forces.

Over the year 51,500 people came to Scotland from England, Wales and Northern Ireland and 42,700 left Scotland to go in the opposite direction. The net inflow of 8,800 is about the same as the previous year's 8,900 net inflow although the numbers of people entering and leaving Scotland had both fallen.

The net inflow from overseas exceeded that of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Over the year 37,800 people (including asylum seekers) came to Scotland from overseas and 21,000 left Scotland to go overseas. The net inflow of 16,800 is the highest ever and compares to an inflow of 12,700 in 2005-06.

For Council areas, between mid-2006 and mid-2007, Clackmannanshire had the largest percentage population increase at +2.0 per cent followed by East Lothian (+1.7 per cent) and Perth and Kinross (+1.4 per cent). East Dunbartonshire and Inverclyde had the largest population decreases at -0.6 per cent, followed by Eilean Siar and West Dunbartonshire with percentage decreases of -0.2 per cent.

For NHS Board areas, Lothian and Borders (both +1.1 per cent), Grampian (+1 per cent) and Forth Valley (+0.8 per cent) had the largest percentage population increases. The only NHS Board area to have experienced a decline in population was Western Isles although this amounted to only 50 people (-0.2 per cent).

In the year to mid-2007 the city Council areas experienced net losses of migrants to the rest of Scotland. However, more migrants entered from overseas than went in the other direction and, in most cases (the exception being Dundee City), there were also net gains from the rest of the UK.

Population density was 66 persons per square kilometre for Scotland and ranged from 8 persons per square kilometre in Highland Council area to 3,316 persons per square kilometre in Glasgow City Council area.

Media enquiries for this news release.