The counties of Scotland

Scotland is divided into 33 counties or shires, the history of some of which dates back to the 11th century.

By the early 14th century there were 23 shires, each governed by a sheriff. Eight more shires were created between the 14th and 17th centuries. These shires were used for local administrative purposes from the 17th century onwards.

By 1890 there were 32 shires plus Orkney and Zetland (Shetland) but in that year Ross and Cromarty were amalgamated and Orkney and Zetland were included to reach the modern total of 33.

In 1975, following local government reorganisation, the shires stopped being used for administration and were replaced by larger regions and districts which were in turn replaced by council areas in the 1990s.

You can learn more about the counties of Scotland by clicking on the links below.