Mid-2011 and Mid-2012 Population Estimates Scotland

Main Points

The main points in this report are:

The estimated population of Scotland on 30 June 2012 was 5,313,600, an increase of 13,700 from the previous year and of 18,200 from Census Day on 27 March 2011.
There were 2,577,140 males and 2,736,460 females. The number of both males and females was the highest ever.
The population increased because 6,000 more people were born than died, and because immigration exceeded emigration by 15,200 between Census Day and 30 June 2012. Other minor changes, such as in armed forces, resulted in a loss of 3,000 people.
Between Census Day and mid-2012, 43,400 people came to Scotland from overseas and 29,100 left Scotland to go overseas giving a net migration gain of 14,300. This represents about 1 in 300 (0.3 per cent) of the total population. Fewer people came to Scotland from overseas than left in the year to mid-2012, a net gain of 9,700 compared with 25,400 in the previous full year.
Over the period, 55,600 people came to Scotland from England, Wales and Northern Ireland and 54,700 left Scotland to go in the opposite direction.
The net migration gain of 15,200 people includes net gains of 14,300 people from overseas and 900 people from the rest of the UK. The net gain of 900 from the rest of the UK in the 15 month period was lower than recent annual figures due to the timing of students leaving Scotland at the end of their courses between Census Day and mid-year 2011. There has not been much change in the net gain to Scotland from the rest of the UK in the last two full year periods at 2,900 and 3,000 respectively.
Among Council areas, between Census Day and mid-2012, the City of Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian each had the largest percentage population increase at +1.2 per cent, followed by Aberdeenshire (+1.1 per cent) and Aberdeen City (+1.0 per cent). Argyll & Bute had the largest percentage population decrease at -2.2 per cent, followed by Inverclyde (-1.0 per cent) and Moray (-0.6 per cent).
Among NHS Board areas, Lothian had the largest percentage population increase (+1.0 per cent), followed by Orkney (+0.9 per cent) and Grampian (+0.8 per cent). Several NHS Boards experienced a fall in population with Western Isles and Highland having the largest decrease at -0.4 per cent, followed by Dumfries & Galloway (-0.3 per cent), Borders (-0.1 per cent) and Ayrshire & Arran (-0.1 per cent).
The median age (the age at which half the population is older and half is younger) of the population in Scotland was 41.
The median age was lower in big city areas (36 in Aberdeen City, Glasgow City and the City of Edinburgh) than in more rural areas (47 in Argyll & Bute and 46 in Dumfries & Galloway, Eilean Siar and Scottish Borders).
On average, in mid-2012 there were 68 people per square kilometre in Scotland, ranging from 9 people per square kilometre in Eilean Siar and Highland to 3,407 people per square kilometre in Glasgow City Council area. The average population density for the UK at mid-2012 was 263 people per square kilometre.

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