About the Highlands

The Highlands have a long history as a culturally distinct region of Scotland and the UK as a whole. This is due, in part, to the geographical uniqueness of the region. Essentially, the Highlands are dominated by mountain ranges and loch networks. For example, the Highland Region hosts both the tallest mountain and the largest single body of fresh water in the UK, Ben Nevis and Loch Ness respectively. 

The Highlands are characterised by strong communities. The region is sparsely populated, with several thriving commercial centres. This includes Inverness, the capital of the Highlands, which lies at the eastern end of the Great Glen fault line. Furthermore, the Highlands are a popular tourist destination, offering some of the most dramatic scenery available on the British Isles.

The geographical area, excluding open inland water, measures 26,484 square kilometres, which equates to 34% of the area of Scotland, or 11.4% of Great Britain. It is ten times larger than Luxembourg, 20% larger than Wales and nearly the size of Belgium.

In terms of population size and density, Inverness is by far the largest conurbation, with 54,070 residents, followed by Fort William with 9,680; the seaside town of Nairn, with 28.3 persons per square kilometre, has the highest density, whereas rural Sutherland has a sparse 2.2 persons per square kilometre.

As of mid-2006, the Highlands local authority area has a population of 215,310, a 3.5% rise on 1996 figures, with a projected growth of 9.6% by 2026, based on 2006 figures.