Nation · Scotland
Scotland
Explore Scotland's landscapes, prehistoric sites and cultural calendar, from Ben Nevis and Skara Brae to Highland Games and Burns Night.
Quick facts
- Type of place
- Nation
- Nation
- Scotland
- Official identifier
- gss:S92000003
ONS countries December 2024
Office for National Statistics · ons-countries-2024 · Open Government Licence v3.0 · Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0 Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2024.
Overview
Scotland is home to 5.5 million people across 77,900 square kilometres. Ben Nevis is its highest mountain, while the Orkney island group preserves prehistoric homes, a chambered tomb and stone circles recognised as a World Heritage Site. Castles, standing stones and cultural events such as Highland Games provide other starting points for exploring the nation.
Geography and administration
Scotland is one of the four nations of the United Kingdom.
Population and demographics
- Land area
- 77,900.3 km²
-
Figures for . NRS mid-2025 administrative areas; land area from ONS SAM through 31 December 2024.
National Records of Scotland · nrs-mid-2025 · Table 4!E5 (binary spreadsheet decimal rounded to 6 dp). Released 14 July 2026.
Open Government Licence v3.0 · Source: National Records of Scotland. Crown copyright; Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Population
- 5,545,500 people
-
Figures for . NRS mid-2025 administrative areas; land area from ONS SAM through 31 December 2024.
National Records of Scotland · nrs-mid-2025 · Table 1!E5. Released 14 July 2026.
Open Government Licence v3.0 · Source: National Records of Scotland. Crown copyright; Open Government Licence v3.0.
Population density: 71.2 people per km²
Calculated from the population and land area for 30 June 2025, using figures from the same release and covering the same boundaries.
Homes, tombs and stone circles in Orkney
Skara Brae is a surviving Neolithic settlement in Orkney. It became part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site in 1999, alongside the Maeshowe chambered cairn, the Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness. Together, these sites preserve different kinds of prehistoric places: homes, a chambered tomb and stone circles. Orkney and Shetland are separate island groups; the World Heritage sites named here are in Orkney.
Highland Games and food traditions
Highland Games feature in Scotland's cultural calendar. Food traditions include haggis served with turnips and potatoes, associated with celebrations such as Burns Night and St Andrew's Day. These are examples of Scotland's cultural heritage, alongside historic attractions such as castles and standing stones.