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Mid-2006 Population Estimates Scotland

4. Results for Administrative Areas

4.1 Population Change 2005-2006

4.1.1 Population estimates for each Council and NHS Board area, together with details of the components of population change (births, deaths, net migration and other changes) for the period mid-2005 to mid-2006, are shown in Table 2, Table 3 and Table 4.

4.1.2 For the Council areas, Aberdeenshire, City of Edinburgh, Perth & Kinross and West Lothian had the largest percentage population increase at 1.2 per cent. East Lothian and Stirling also had population increases of 1 per cent or more. Inverclyde had the largest percentage population decrease at 0.7 per cent, followed by East Dunbartonshire and Shetland Islands with percentage decreases of 0.5 per cent.

4.1.3 For the NHS Board areas, Lothian (+1.1 per cent), Orkney (+0.9 per cent), Grampian (+0.8 per cent) and Highland (+0.7 per cent) had the largest percentage population increases. The NHS Board area with the largest percentage population decrease was Shetland (-0.5 per cent). Dumfries & Galloway (-0.2 per cent), Ayrshire & Arran (-0.2 per cent) and Western Isles (-0.1 per cent) also had population decreases.

4.2 Population Change 1996-2006

4.2.1 Details of population changes between 1996 and 2006 for administrative areas are shown in Table 6. These changes are illustrated for Council areas in the map at Figure 5a and the chart at Figure 5b which both show the percentage change in the population of Council areas between 1996 and 2006.

Figure 5a Percentage change in population, Council areas, 1996-2006 (Map)

Figure 5a Percentage change in population, Council areas, 1996-2006 (Map)

Figure 5b Percentage change in population, Council areas, 1996-2006 (Chart)

Figure 5b Percentage change in population, Council areas, 1996-2006 (Chart)

4.2.2 Between 1996 and 2006, Eilean Siar (-7.9 per cent), Dundee City (-6.6 per cent), Inverclyde (-6.3 per cent) and Aberdeen City (-5.3 per cent) showed the greatest percentage decreases for Council areas. The largest absolute reduction in numbers was for Glasgow City (-18,150). West Lothian (+10.4 per cent), East Lothian (+6.7 per cent), Stirling (+5.7 per cent) and Perth and Kinross (+5.3 per cent) showed the greatest percentage increases during this period.

4.2.3 The map at Figure 6a and the chart at Figure 6b show the percentage change in population between 1996 and 2006 for each NHS Board area. The greatest percentage decreases in population occurred in the Western Isles (-7.9 per cent) and Shetland (-4.3 per cent). The largest percentage increases were in Lothian (+5.3 per cent), Forth Valley (+4.1 per cent) and Borders (+4.1 per cent).

Figure 6a Percentage change in population, NHS Board areas, 1996-2006 (Map)

Figure 6a Percentage change in population, NHS Board areas, 1996-2006 (Map)

Figure 6b Percentage change in population, NHS Board areas, 1996-2006 (Chart)

Figure 6b Percentage change in population, NHS Board areas, 1996-2006 (Chart)

4.3 Sex and Age Structure of Administrative Areas in Scotland

4.3.1 There were more females than males in Scotland in mid-2006 and this is the case for all Council areas and NHS Board areas, except Shetland Islands. Table 7 shows that the "sex ratio" (the male population divided by the female population) for Council areas ranged from 0.90 in Dundee City, Midlothian, North Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire to 1.01 in Shetland Islands. For the NHS Board areas, the "sex ratio" ranged from 0.91 in Ayrshire & Arran to 1.01 in Shetland.

4.3.2 Though the pattern of age distribution is complex, some general themes can be seen from Table 7. The major cities had the highest proportions of males and females of working age1. For example, in Edinburgh City 71 per cent of males and 65 per cent of females were of working age and in Glasgow City there were similar results (71 per cent of males and 63 per cent of females). The highest proportions of people of pensionable age2 tend to be found in more rural areas such as Dumfries & Galloway (males 19 per cent; females 29 per cent) and Eilean Siar (males 17 per cent; females 30 per cent).

4.3.3 These patterns can also be seen in Figure 7 and Figure 8 which show the proportion of the population under 16, aged 16-64, and 65 and over for Council and NHS Board areas respectively (sorted by proportion of population aged 65 and over).

Figure 7  Age structure of Council areas, 30 June 2006 (% under 16, 16-64 and 65+)

Figure 7 Age structure of Council areas, 30 June 2006 (% under 16, 16-64 and 65+)

Figure 8 Age structure of NHS Board areas, 30 June 2006 (% under 16, 16-64 and 65+)

Figure 8 Age structure of NHS Board areas, 30 June 2006 (% under 16, 16-64 and 65+)

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