# Highland (council area)
**Highland** is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, administered by The Highland Council from [Inverness](https://www.edgepedia.org/inverness). It covers a third of the land area of Scotland, including some of the most remote and sparsely populated parts of the UK mainland, and had a population of 237,260 on 30 June 2025, the 7th highest of the 32 council areas.[1](https://www.highland.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/23594/inverness_and_highland_city_region_deal_annual_report_202021.pdf) • [2](https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/council-area-profiles/highland/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Status | One of 32 Scottish council areas, created under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 with local government areas taking effect on 1 April 1996[3](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1994/39/body/2013-04-01) |
| Land area | Serves a third of the land area of Scotland, including the most remote and sparsely populated parts of the UK mainland[1](https://www.highland.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/23594/inverness_and_highland_city_region_deal_annual_report_202021.pdf) |
| Population | 237,260 at 30 June 2025, down 0.1% from 237,570 in 2024; 7th highest of 32 council areas[2](https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/council-area-profiles/highland/) |
| Governance | 74 elected members representing 21 multi-member wards, each returning 3 or 4 councillors[4](https://www.highland.gov.uk/councillors-committees/overview-committee-membership-office-bearers) • [5](https://www.highland.gov.uk/elections-voting/local-government-elections/2) |
| Ward funding | Each ward receives an annual discretionary budget of £16,000 for local groups and projects[6](https://www.highland.gov.uk/council-government/wards) |
| Sheriffdom | Falls within the Grampian, Highland and Islands sheriffdom, together with Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands and Western Isles[7](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1996/1006/made) |
## History and boundaries
The area takes its name from the Highland region created by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, which replaced counties and burghs in 1975. Schedule 1 of that Act defined Highland as comprising the counties of [Caithness](https://www.edgepedia.org/caithness), Nairn, and [Sutherland](https://www.edgepedia.org/sutherland); the district of Ardnamurchan and the electoral divisions of [Ballachulish](https://www.edgepedia.org/ballachulish) and Kinlochleven in Argyll; the county of Inverness except the districts of Barra, Harris, North Uist, and South Uist; the burgh of Grantown-on-Spey and the district of Cromdale in Moray; and the county of Ross and Cromarty except the burgh of Stornoway and the district of Lewis.[8](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1973/65/1992-07-15/data.html)
The two-tier system of regions and districts was abolished on 1 April 1996, when Scotland was divided into the single-tier local government areas named in the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, of which Highland is one.[3](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1994/39/body/2013-04-01) Ward boundaries are maintained by Boundaries Scotland, and ward maps are published through the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland.[6](https://www.highland.gov.uk/council-government/wards) • [5](https://www.highland.gov.uk/elections-voting/local-government-elections/2)
## Wards and representation
The Highland Council area is divided into 21 multi-member wards, each electing 3 or 4 councillors; the council as a whole has 74 elected members.[5](https://www.highland.gov.uk/elections-voting/local-government-elections/2) • [4](https://www.highland.gov.uk/councillors-committees/overview-committee-membership-office-bearers) Wards are used to elect councillors, plan and deliver services, work with communities, and share information about local issues.[6](https://www.highland.gov.uk/council-government/wards)
[The 21](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-21) wards, with their councillor numbers, are:[5](https://www.highland.gov.uk/elections-voting/local-government-elections/2)
| No. | Ward | Councillors |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | North, West and Central Sutherland | 3 |
| 2 | Thurso and Northwest Caithness | 4 |
| 3 | Wick and East Caithness | 4 |
| 4 | East Sutherland and Edderton | 3 |
| 5 | Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh | 4 |
| 6 | Cromarty Firth | 4 |
| 7 | Tain and Easter Ross | 3 |
| 8 | Dingwall and Seaforth | 4 |
| 9 | Black Isle | 3 |
| 10 | Eilean a' Cheò | 4 |
| 11 | Caol and Mallaig | 3 |
| 12 | Aird and Loch Ness | 4 |
| 13 | Inverness West | 3 |
| 14 | Inverness Central | 3 |
| 15 | Inverness Ness-side | 3 |
| 16 | Inverness Millburn | 3 |
| 17 | Culloden and Ardersier | 3 |
| 18 | Nairn and Cawdor | 4 |
| 19 | Inverness South | 4 |
| 20 | Badenoch and Strathspey | 4 |
| 21 | Fort William and Ardnamurchan | 4 |
Every ward also receives a yearly discretionary budget of £16,000 to help local groups and projects, with a record kept of how the budget is used.[6](https://www.highland.gov.uk/council-government/wards)
## Population
On 30 June 2025 the population of Highland was 237,260, a decrease of 0.1% from 237,570 in 2024; over the same period the population of Scotland as a whole increased by less than 0.1%.[2](https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/council-area-profiles/highland/) Highland ranked 7th by population among the 32 council areas in 2025.[2](https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/council-area-profiles/highland/) The council's own area profile notes that Highland generally has an older population profile than Scotland, with a slightly higher percentage of children but higher proportions in all age groups above 45 years.[9](https://www.highland.gov.uk/downloads/file/2929/supplementary-guidance-note-on-risk-assessments)
## Economy and development
The Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal supports projects including a clinical research and teaching center at the University of the Highlands and Islands, development of Inverness Castle as a major visitor attraction, new roads to unlock land for housing and business, and a Highland Employability Programme.[10](https://www.highland.gov.uk/economy-regeneration/city-region-deal) The council notes that, given the geography of the area, ensuring the dispersal of projects throughout the Highlands has been an important factor in the deal's delivery.[1](https://www.highland.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/23594/inverness_and_highland_city_region_deal_annual_report_202021.pdf)
## References
1. [Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal Annual Report 2020/21, Geographical Overview, Highland Council](https://www.highland.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/23594/inverness_and_highland_city_region_deal_annual_report_202021.pdf)
2. [Council Area Profile: Highland, National Records of Scotland](https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/council-area-profiles/highland/)
3. [Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1994/39/body/2013-04-01)
4. [How council representation works, Highland Council](https://www.highland.gov.uk/councillors-committees/overview-committee-membership-office-bearers)
5. [Ward structure and becoming a member, Highland Council](https://www.highland.gov.uk/elections-voting/local-government-elections/2)
6. [About our wards, Highland Council](https://www.highland.gov.uk/council-government/wards)
7. [The Sheriffdoms (Alteration of Boundaries) Order 1996, legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1996/1006/made)
8. [Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, Schedule 1, legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1973/65/1992-07-15/data.html)
9. [Local area profile, supplementary guidance note on risk assessments, Highland Council](https://www.highland.gov.uk/downloads/file/2929/supplementary-guidance-note-on-risk-assessments)
10. [Transforming the Highland economy, Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal, Highland Council](https://www.highland.gov.uk/economy-regeneration/city-region-deal)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Places and geography › Administrative and cadastral territories › Local administrative territories › British Isles local government areas › Local government areas of Scotland and Wales*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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