Factfile - Population
Sources
National Records of Scotland (NRS) Website
This website provides detailed information on population and household estimates and projections for Scotland and its administrative areas. (NRS website)
2001 Census Results SCROL website (Free)
It is planned that the full range of Census information for Scotland will be available free, on the SCROL ( Scotland's Census Results OnLine) website. A considerable amount of information, including figures for smaller geographical areas is already available through SCROL. This is the most easily accessible source of Census information for Scotland and results at the more detailed level are being added progressively. In addition to the website a set of CDs are available which allow a further stage of user defined analysis of Census information.
2001 Census Results SCROL CDs (Free)
Nearly all the results from the 2001 Census for Scotland are available on a series of CDs produced by SCROL. These provide free and easy access to Census results ranging from summary information to the full detail of results from output areas. All Census topics are covered and detailed in a range of tables including: Key Statistics; Univariate Statistics; Thematic Tables; Census Area Statistics (CAS) and Standard Table Statistics.
The Census information is available across a range of geographies including: Scotland; Council Areas; Health Board Areas; Scottish Parliamentary Regions and Constituencies; Civil Parishes; Localities; Inhabited Islands; Settlements; CAS Sectors; CAS Wards; Standard Sectors; Standard Wards; Postcode Sectors; and Output Areas. Full details and an explanation of the geographies can also be found on the website at Geography Classifications. The CDs allow user-defined analysis of information more detailed than that available on the website.
The NRS site also provides details on future publications, which cover a range of demographic data, not just the Census but also population projections, health figures and information on births, deaths and marriages. Specific figures or information may also be available direct from National Records of Scotland (NRS) on request.
Disclaimer
Most of the information on this site has been sourced from NRS and the SCROL website or CDs. The NRS site provides full details of Census definitions, how the issue of confidentiality has been dealt with, how data has been gathered and analysed and the basis of the geographies used, at
A Guide to Census Results. Importantly, a list of known errors, which have been identified in the Census results is being continually updated on the NRS site at Known Errors List.
Census data is collected to gather a 'snapshot in time' of the UK population, therefore, the questions asked and the resultant data gathered, change from Census to Census. Please note this means data is not always comparable over time.
Data geographies also vary and when looking at the Outer Hebrides data can, and is collated by users in different ways. For example in some cases figures for 'Harris' correspond to the landmass of Harris only, whilst in other cases the term 'Harris' encompasses a larger area including the island of Scalpay. Information sources and details such as geography are noted where appropriate.
Publications
Population Report - 2001 Population Report
Key summary figures from the Census - Key Statistics Report
Report from the General Registrar on the Census - Registrar General’s Report.
