Central Scotland

Central Scotland

Central Scotland covers the regions of Stirling, Perth & Kinross and the Kingdom of Fife.

Key facts

• Central Scotland has the highest population density within Scotland
• Stirling lies in the heart of Scotland and was once the capital of Scotland before Edinburgh
• Perthshire is known as the adventure capital of Scotland
• By population, Fife Council is the third largest local authority in Scotland

Population

Stirling lies at the centre of Scotland, located between the east and west and the highlands and lowlands. Covering 2,187 square kilometres, the area encompasses a diverse mix of urban and rural environments.

Stirling has a population of 87,810. 

Perth & Kinross is located in central Scotland. Covering 5,286 square kilometres, it's characterised by a diverse mix of rural and urban communities - from the main population centre of Perth and towns such as Blairgowrie, Crieff, Kinross, Auchterarder and Pitlochry, to extremely remote communities such as Kinloch Rannoch in the Highland area.

The population of Perth & Kinross is 140,190.

Fife is located between the rivers of the Tay and the Forth in East Central Scotland covering an area of 1,325 square kilometres.

Fife has 358,930 inhabitants.

History 

Stirling, home to Bannockburn, Stirling Castle and the Wallace Monument, has played a major role in Scotland's history. Because of its easily defensible hilltop location, the city has had strategic military significance since Roman times and for three centuries Scotland's Kings ruled from its imposing castle. Many battles in Scotland's wars of independence were fought here, not least at Bannockburn.

Perthshire's spectacular, diverse countryside is steeped in history: the stories of Mary Queen of Scots, Rob Roy and William Wallace all have their chapters here.

Perthshire is known as the adventure capital of Scotland. This area sits astride the Highland Boundary Fault, the natural phenomenon which fused the Highlands and Lowlands together many thousands of years ago.

Home to Scotland's capital for six centuries, Fife has always been at the heart of the nation's history, evidence of which can still be found in its wealth of castles, cathedrals, and places of historic interest.

The Kingdom of Fife is also known throughout the world as the 'Home of Golf' and boasts more than forty courses, from the famed fairways of St Andrews and several traditional seaside links to beautifully landscaped parkland and heathland courses suitable for golfers of all levels.

Economy

Stirling is a thriving economy, located at the heart of Scotland – 55 percent of Scotland’s population live within an hour’s drive of Stirling. 

The Stirling area's strategic and accessible location, along with exceptional quality of life has helped it attract new residents, businesses and visitors, driving economic growth. 

As well as providing a regional centre, Stirling is a key location for servicing markets in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and the North of England.

Perth has diversified from whisky and moved towards insurance and banking.  The Royal Bank of Scotland, Aviva and Scottish and Southern Energy are all now major employers in Perth.

The Fife Economic Strategy commits to making Fife the easiest place to do business and a centre of excellence for renewable energy, manufacturing, research and services.

Travelling to and from Central Scotland

Central Scotland benefits from excellent transport links.

By road

Routes from the south are the M74 from Carlisle or the A1 from Newcastle.

From the north, Stirling can be reached via the A9, A90 and A82 main routes.

The A9 runs through central Scotland from Fife through to Dundee, Perth and the north.

The M9 motorway is a major motorway in Scotland. It runs from the outskirts of Edinburgh, bypassing the towns of Linlithgow, Falkirk, Grangemouth and Stirling and ending at Dunblane.

By rail

There are good mainline rail links to most parts of the area on both the east and west coast lines. These services also link with local bus and ferry timetables. Most rail services within our area are operated by Scotrail.

By air

There are national and international flights to Glasgow and Edinburgh Airports, both of which are located on the fringes of the area.