# List of counties of Scotland 1890–1975

This is a list of counties of Scotland created by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 and abolished in 1975 by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. The list includes the county town, area, and population density.

## Counties

| County | County town | Alternative forms and Gaelic name | Area (acres) | Area (km$^2$) | Population | Population density (per km$^2$) |
| Inverness-shire | Inverness | | 2,695,094 | 10,915.13 | 89,655 | 8.21 |
| Argyll | Lochgilphead | Argyllshire; Argyle; Earra-Ghaidheal | 2,067,034 | 8,364.98 | 59,777 | 7.15 |
| Ross and Cromarty | Dingwall | Ross-shire | 1,977,254 | 8,007.88 | 58,284 | 7.28 |
| Perthshire | Perth | | 1,586,577 | 6,425.63 | 127,104 | 19.78 |
| Sutherland | Dornoch | | 1,297,914 | 5,276.07 | 13,055 | 2.47 |
| Aberdeenshire | Aberdeen | | 1,246,585 | 5,172.55 | 150,703 | 29.14 |
| Ayrshire | Ayr | | 724,239 | 2,930.95 | 361,248 | 123.25 |
| Dumfriesshire | Dumfries | | 688,067 | 2,784.56 | 88,215 | 31.68 |
| Kirkcudbrightshire | Kirkcudbright | The Stewartry | 574,024 | 2,324.79 | 27,369 | 11.77 |
| Angus | Forfar | Forfarshire | 540,352 | 2,186.77 | 97,312 | 44.50 |
| Lanarkshire | Hamilton (historically Lanark) | | 535,605 | 2,169.20 | 626,787 | 288.95 |
| Caithness | Wick | Gallaibh | 438,833 | 1,775.93 | 27,792 | 15.65 |
| Roxburghshire | Jedburgh | | 425,564 | 1,725.24 | 41,960 | 24.32 |
| Banffshire | Banff | | 403,054 | 1,631.14 | 43,500 | 26.67 |
| Zetland | Lerwick | Shetland, Sealltainn, Hjaltiland | c.3,523.37 | 1,425.85 | 17,331 | 12.15 |
| Fife | Cupar | Fifeshire, Fiobha | 322,878 | 1,306.67 | 327,126 | 250.35 |
| Wigtownshire | Wigtown | The Shire | 311,984 | 1,262.58 | 27,337 | 21.65 |
| Moray | Elgin | Morayshire, Elginshire, Moireabh | 304,931 | 1,234.97 | 51,502 | 41.70 |
| Berwickshire | Duns (anciently Berwick-upon-Tweed, and then Greenlaw) | | 292,535 | 1,183.84 | 20,778 | 17.55 |
| Stirlingshire | Stirling | | 288,349 | 1,166.90 | 208,958 | 179.07 |
| Kincardineshire | Stonehaven (historically Kincardine) | The Mearns, A' Mhaoirne | 244,428 | 989.93 | 26,066 | 26.33 |
| Orkney | Kirkwall | Arcaibh, Orkneyjar | c.240,848 | 934.67 | 17,082 | 18.28 |
| Peeblesshire | Peebles | | 222,240 | 900.07 | 13,675 | 15.19 |
| Midlothian | Edinburgh | Edinburghshire | 203,354 | 823.58 | 142,213 | 172.68 |
| Selkirkshire | Selkirk | | 171,209 | 692.85 | 20,868 | 30.12 |
| East Lothian | Haddington | Haddingtonshire | 171,044 | 692.73 | 55,908 | 80.71 |
| Dunbartonshire | Dumbarton | Dumbartonshire | 154,467 | 625.11 | 237,540 | 380.00 |
| Renfrewshire | Renfrew | | 143,829 | 578.00 | 362,130 | 626.52 |
| Bute | Rothesay | Buteshire | 139,711 | 565.39 | 13,309 | 23.54 |
| Nairnshire | Nairn | | 104,251 | 422.21 | 11,050 | 26.17 |
| West Lothian | Linlithgow | Linlithgowshire | 76,859 | 311.03 | 108,484 | 348.79 |
| Kinross-shire | Kinross | | 52,025 | 210.70 | 6,423 | 30.48 |
| Clackmannanshire | Alloa (historically Clackmannan) | | 34,838 | 140.99 | 45,544 | 323.03 |

## Cities

Historically cities were parts of larger counties. Edinburgh was in Midlothian, Aberdeen in Aberdeenshire, and Glasgow in Lanarkshire (although parts of greater Glasgow extended into other counties, e.g. Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire).
| County | County town | Alternative forms and Gaelic name | Area (acres) | Area (km$^2$) | Population | Population density (per km$^2$) |
| City of Glasgow | Glasgow | Glaschu, Glesca, Glasgie | 34,647 | 140.21 | 897,484 | 6,401.00 |
| City of Edinburgh | Edinburgh | Dun Eideann, Embra, Edina, Dunedin, Auld Reekie | 32,415 | 131.17 | 453,585 | 3,457.99 |
| City of Dundee | Dundee | Dùn Dè | 12,229 | 49.48 | 182,204 | 3,682.33 |
| City of Aberdeen | Aberdeen | Obar Dheathain, Aiberdein | 16,715 | 67.64 | 182,071 | 2,691.77 |