Scotland has a population of just under 5.5 million people, 83 per cent of whom live in the urban areas that take up just 2.2 per cent of the country.
These built-up settlements contain connected towns, cities and villages that often have shared facilities and postcodes – Greater Glasgow, for instance, stretches out into commuter towns like Bishopbriggs and Newton Mearns.
Here are the 10 largest settlements in Scotland by population.
Here are the 10 largest settlements in Scotland by population.
5. Motherwell & Wishaw
It may not include one of Scotland's eight cities, but the North Lanarkshire settlement of Motherwell & Wishaw is the fifth largest in Scotland. Its population of 125,610 are spread across Bellshill, Carfin, Holytown, Motherwell, New Stevenston, Newarthill, Newmains, Viewpark, and Wishaw. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
6. Falkirk
Comprising the town of Falkirk - along with Brightons, Carron, Carronshore, Grangemouth, Larbert, Laurieston, Maddiston, Polmont, Redding, Reddingmuirhead, Rumford, Stenhousemuir, Wallacestone, and Westquarter - the settlement of Falkirk has a population of 103,380. Photo: Canva/Getty Images