Let’s get to know Scotland’s counties a little more closely.
In Scotland, from the middle age until the early 1970s, there were local government units called counties or shire.
But now the counties have left their place to the council areas.
Counties of Scotland Map
Below you can find the county list used from 1890 until 1975:
Counties of Scotland 1890-1975
Caithness
Castle in Caithness
The total area is 1,601 square kilometers. The population is 23.866. There are many indoor attractions here. Here are some of them. Broch Center, Caithness Horizons Visitor Center, Castle of Mey, Castletown Heritage Center, Old Pulteney Distillery, Waterlines Visitor Center, Wick Heritage Center.
Sutherland
Dunrobin Castle
Total area is 5,252 square kilometers. The population is 12,650. Places to see are; Dunrobin Castle, Royal National Park, Cronulla Beach Walk, Cape Solander, Wanda Beach, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery & Arts Center (Gymea), Sydney Tramway Museum (Loftus), Westfield Miranda (Miranda), Kamay Botany Bay National Park Among.
Ross and Cromarty
Total area is 8,019 square kilometers. Population 49.967. Things to see absolutely, Ross and Cromarty, Chanonry Point, Bealach na Ba Road, Balblair Distillery, Inverewe Garden, Mermaid of the North, Cromarty Courthouse, Groam House Museum.
Inverness
Inverness Castle
Total area is 10,906 square kilometers. Population 67.733. The places you absolutely must see are Urquhart Castle, Cawdor Castle, Falls of Foyers, Inverness Cathedral, Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, Plodda Falls, Highland Archive Center, The Steeple, Inverness Castle.
Nairn
Total area is 518 square kilometers. Population 9,880. Absolutely worth seeing, Brodie Castle, Nairn Museum, Nairn Golf Club, Nairn Beach, Kilravock Castle, Rait Castle.
Moray
Elgin Cathedral
Total area is 1,233 square kilometers. Population 95,520. Places you should absolutely see, Brodie Castle, Elgin Cathedral, Spinie Castle, Duffus Castle, Pluscarden Abbey, Elgin Museum, Falconer Museum, Moray Motor Museum, Fochabers Folk Museum & Heritage Center, Cairngorms National Park, Balvenie Castle , Ballindalloch Castle, Covesea Skerries Lighthouse, Cooper Park, Drumin Castle, Craigellachie Bridge, Randolph’s Leap, Nelsons Tower, Biblical Garden Elgin, Lossiemouth East Beach, Auchindoun Castle.
Banffshire
Total area is 1,660 square kilometers. The population is 65,000. Things to see absolutely, Duff House, The Old School – Boyndie Visitor Center, Suds Surf School, Glenlivet, Museum of Banff, Railway inn, Sandend Beach.
Aberdeen
Aberdeen Square
Total area is 5,050 square kilometers. Population is 229,000. The places you absolutely should see; Haddo House, Duff House, Braemar Castle, Huntly Castle, Castle of Huntly, New Slains Castle, Drum Castle, Craigievar Castle, Craigievar Castle, Queen’s View, Castle of Queen, Crathes Castle, Balmoral Castle, Dunnottar Castle, Cairngorms National Park , Museum of Scottish Lighthouses, Enchanted Forest, Pitlochry.
Angus
Glamis Castle
Total area is 2,181 square kilometers. Population is 116,500. Corlene Fee National Nature Reserve, Cairngorms National Park, Cairngorms National Park, Brechin Castle, Brechin Castle, Brechin Castle, Bremen, Cairngorms National Park, Aberfeldy Sculptured Stones (Pictish symbols) Montrose Basin Nature Reserve, Montrose Museum, Montrose Air Station Heritage Center, Montrose Air Station Heritage Center, Montrose Basin Nature Reserve, Elaine Castle, Glenisk Folk Museum,
Perth
Loch Tay
Total area is 6,547 square kilometers. Population 149,930. Things to see absolutely, Ashintully Castle, Balvaird Castle, Birnam Wood and Dunsinane Hill, Blair Castle, Cateran Trail, Dirnanean House, Drummond Castle, Dunkeld Cathedral, Edradour Distillery, Gleneagles Hotel, The Hermitage, Strathmore.
Argyll
Castle Stalker
Total area is 8,055 square kilometers. Population 91,306. The absolute must see, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, Fingal Cave, Iona Abbey, McCaig’s Tower, Castle Stalker, Dunstaffnage Castle, Dunollie Castle, Oban War & Peace Museum, Castle House Museum, Kilchurn Castle, Inveraray Castle, Duart Castle.
Bute
Brodick Castle
Total area is 583 square kilometers. Population 7,228. Absolutely worth seeing, Brodick Castle, Kilmory Castle, Rothesay Castle, Kerrycroy Bay.
Ayr
Burns National Heritage Park
Total area is 2,924 square kilometers. Population 366,800. Things to see absolutely, Auchenharvie Castle, Barony and Castle of Giffen, Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, Corsehill, Dalgarven Mill – Museum of Ayrshire Country Life and Costume, Eglinton Country Park, Laigh Milton viaduct, Thurgartstone, Ayr Seafront Playpark, Burns National Heritage Park, The Low Green, Turnberry (golf course)
Renfrew
The Renfrew Center
Total area is 634 square kilometers. Population 346,470. Absolutely worth seeing, McDougall Mill Museum, Ma-te-way Park, Storyland, Bonnechere Falls.
Dumbarton
Dumbarton River
Total area is 624 square kilometers. Population 90,360. The places you absolutely should see; Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Center, Titan Clydebank, The Denny Ship Model Experiment Tank, Clydebank Museum, SEA LIFE Loch Lomond Aquarium, Balloch Country Park, Dumbarton Castle, Garden, Levengrove Park, Boden Boo.
Stirling
Alva Glen
Total area is 1,158 square kilometers. Population is 93,800. The places you absolutely should see; Stirling Castle, William Wallace Monument, Blair Drummond Safari Park, The Battle of Bannockburn Visitor Center, Falls of Falloch, Argyll’s Lodging, Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum, Cambuskenneth Abbey, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders Regimental Museum, Dunblane Museum Trust, Doune Castle, Mar’s Wark, Holy Rude, Dunblane Cathedral, Alloa Tower, Robert the Bruce Statue, Alva glen, Elphinstone Tower, Falkirk, Strathallan Games Park.
Clackmannan
Castle Campbell
Total area is 159 square kilometers. Population 51,400. All you need to see are Alloa Tower, Ben Cleuch, Castle Campbell, Gartmorn Dam, Menstrie Castle.
Kinross
Loch Leven Lake
Total area is 188 square kilometers. Population 12,997. The places you absolutely should see; Loch Leven Castle, Lochore Meadows, Loch Ore, Loch Leven National Nature Reserve, Bunnet Stane, Blairadam Wood.
Fife
Forth Bridge
Total area is 1,325 square kilometers. Population 370,300. The places you absolutely should see; St Andrews Castle,Deep Sea World,St Andrews Cathedral,British Golf Museum,Craigtoun Country Park,Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum,St Andrews Museum,St Fillan’s Cave,Pittencrieff House Museum,Scottish Vintage Bus Museum,Fife Folk Museum,Forth Bridge,Falkland Palace,Dunfermline Abbey,Midhope Castle,Loch Leven Castle,Pittencrieff Park,The Scottish Deer Centre,Aberdour Castle,St Andrews Botanic Garden,Ravenscraig Castle,Lomond Hills Regional Park,Kellie Castle, St Salvator’s Chapel.
East Lothian
Seton Collegiate Church
Total area is 262.2 square kilometers. Population 104,100. The places you absolutely should see; Beth Rock, Dirleton Castle, Dunglass Collegiate Church, Fenton Barns Retail & Leisure Village, Hailes Castle, Hopetoun Monument, Lennoxlove historic house, Longniddry Bents, Muirfield Golf Links, Museum of Flight, North Berwick Harbor, North Berwick Law, Preston Mill, Prestongrange Industrial Heritage Museum, Scottish Seabird Center, Seton Collegiate Church, Tantallon Castle, Chesters Hill Fort, Torrence Nuclear Power Station, Traprain Law, Yellowcraigs.
Midlothian
Borthwick Castle
Total area is 353.7 square kilometers. Population is 88,600. Places you should absolutely see, Arniston House, Borthwick Castle, Castle, Castle, Dalhousie Castle, Dalkeith Palace, Flotterstone, Hawthornden Castle, Midlothian Snowsports Center, National Mining Museum, Loanhead Memorial Park, Melville Castle, Newbattle Abbey, Pentland Hills, Roslin Castle, Roslin Glen Country Park, Rosslyn Chapel, Tyne-Esk Walk, Vogrie Country Park, Wallace’s Cave.
West Lothian
Linlithgow Palace
Total area is 427.7 square kilometers. Population 180,100. The places you absolutely should see; Beecraigs Country Park, Blackness Castle, Cairnpapple Hill, Linlithgow Palace, Polkemmet Country Park, Torphichen Preceptory.
Lanark
Strathclyde Country Park
The total area is 2,277 square kilometers. Population 652,230. The places you absolutely should see; Seven Lochs Wetland Park, Seven Lochs Park, Celtic Park, Glasgow, Strathclyde Country Park, Biggar Gasworks Museum, David Livingstone Center, Craigethan Castle, National Museum of Rural Life, Chatelherault Country Park, Scottish Football Museum, Calderglen Country Park, Tollcross, Glasgow, Cathkin Braes Country Park, Cadzow Castle, James Hamilton Heritage Park, Doulton Fountain, Castlebank Park, Richmond Park, Cambusnethan House.
Peebles
Tweed Bridge
The total area is 1,419 square kilometers. In 1851 the population was 10,499. The places you absolutely should see; Dawyck Botanic Garden, Kailzie Gardens, Go Ape Peebles, Great Polish Map of Scotland, Hay Lodge Park
Selkirk
Abbotsford House
Total area is 692 square kilometers. Population 18,267. Absolutely worth seeing, Abbotsford House, Aikwood Tower, Auld Kirk, Newark Castle, Sir Walter Scott’s Courtroom, Old Tweed Bridge, Lindean Loch.
Berwick
The total area is 1,184 square kilometers. Population 20,657.
Roxburgh
Total area is 1,725 square kilometers. Population 48,639.
Dumfries
Drumlanrig Castle
Total area is 2,753 square kilometers. Population 49,221. Places you should absolutely see, Caerlaverock Castle, Drumlanrig Castle, Threave Castle, Sweetheart Abbey, Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery and Tibetan Center, Dumfries Museum, Morton Castle, Garden of Cosmic Speculation, Devorgilla Bridge, Gracefield Arts Center, Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum, Kirkconnell House.
Kirkcudbright
Kenmure Castle
Total area is 2,328 square kilometers. Population 3,400. Places you should absolutely see, Garlies Castle, Wreaths Tower, Orchardtown Tower, Threave Castle, Kenmure Castle, Cardoness Castle, McLellan’s Castle, Lochinvar Castle.
Wigtown
Castle of Park
Total area is 1,261 square kilometers. Population 900. Absolutely worth seeing, Torhousekie Stone Circle, Sorbie Tower, Castle of St. John, Wigtown Castle, Glenluce Abbey, Castle of Park.
Zetland
Muness Castle
Total area is 1,466 square kilometers. Population 23,210. Things to see absolutely, Jarlshof, Shetland Museum, Esha Ness Lighthouse, Scalloway Castle, Unst Boat Haven, Shetland Textile Museum, Croft House Museum, Old Haa Museum, Unst Heritage Center, Tangwick Haa Museum, Quendale Mill , Broch of Clickimin, Broch of Mousa, Muness Castle, Bonhoga Gallery, Keen of Hamar, Fair Isle South Lighthouse.
Orkney
St Magnus Cathedral
Total area is 990 square kilometers. Population 21,349. Places to See Absolutely, Skara Brae, Ring of Brodgar, St Magnus Cathedral, Italian Chapel, Standing Stones of Stenness, Maeshowe, Broch of Gurness, Yesnaby, Tomb of the Eagles, Pier Arts Center, Orkney Wireless Museum, The Orkney Museum, Scapa Flow Visitor Center & Museum, Stromness Museum, Kirbuster Museum.
