Scotland's principal cities

Glasgow (population, 2001, 578,700) is Scotland’s largest city. It forms part of the metropolis of Clydeside, which is composed of a large number of urban areas, including Clydebank, Paisley, Kilmarnock, and Hamilton. This region is the main industrial and commercial center in Scotland. Edinburgh (449,000) is the capital of Scotland and also the country’s major administrative and financial center. The city is Scotland’s main tourist destination and hosts the Edinburgh International Festival, the largest annual arts festival in the United Kingdom.

Other major cities are Aberdeen (211,300), a center for oil production and distribution, and Dundee (150,250).

George Square lies at the heart of Glasgow, Scotland, a bustling seaport and industrial center. The City Chambers building, shown in the background, is constructed in the Italian Renaissance style, which was popular in the 19th century. In the foreground is a column topped by a statue of novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott.

Glasgow, city, western Scotland, on the Clyde River. Glasgow is the largest city and leading industrial center of Scotland. It has an excellent harbor and modern port facilities. Major imports include petroleum, grain, and timber; exports are largely manufactured goods. The city is located near important coalfields and is a major steel-producing center. Other industries include shipbuilding and printing and the manufacture of textiles, carpets, aircraft engines, electronic equipment, chemicals, alcoholic beverages, and processed foods.

Relatively few buildings in Glasgow predate the 18th century; the most prominent of these are Saint Mungo's Cathedral (begun about 1136 and completed in the mid-15th century) and Provand's Lordship (circa 1471), the city's oldest house. Glasgow is an educational center; the University of Glasgow (1451), the University of Strathclyde (1796), the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (1847), Glasgow School of Art (1845), and several technical colleges are located here. The extensive collections of the Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum are among the finest in Britain. Also of note in the city are the Hunterian Museum (1807), the botanic gardens, and a zoo.

Glasgow grew around a church built in the mid-6th century by Saint Kentigern (also called Saint Mungo), apostle to the Scots. In 1116 the town's church was rebuilt for the reconstituted episcopal see of Glasgow. The great commercial growth of the community dates from the union of Scotland with England in 1707. Glasgow obtained a large share of the American commerce and soon became a center of the tobacco trade. The river was dredged to accommodate seagoing vessels. The tobacco trade ceased as a result of the American Revolution and was subsequently supplanted by cotton textile manufacture and the sugar trade with the West Indies. In the early 19th century, Glasgow began its growth as a major iron founding and shipbuilding center. During World War II (1939-1945) the city suffered some damage from German bombing. Slum clearance and urban redevelopment projects have been undertaken since the war. In 1974 Glasgow became the administrative center of the Strathclyde Region. In the 1996 reorganization of local government in Scotland, Glasgow became a unitary authority. Population (2001 estimate) 578,700.

Aberdeen is located in northern Scotland, on the North Sea at the mouth of the River Dee. It is an industrial center, especially for petroleum companies operating in the North Sea. Aberdeen is also known as the Granite City for its many granite buildings.

Aberdeen (Scotland), city in northeastern Scotland, situated on the North Sea at the mouths of the Dee and Don rivers. Aberdeen is the third largest city in Scotland, after Glasgow and Edinburgh, and is the principal industrial center of northern Scotland. It is also an important seaport and the country's largest fishing port. Aberdeen's harbor facilities were improved in the 1970s, and the city has become the major service center for the North Sea petroleum industry. Manufactures include chemicals, machinery, textiles, and paper. Aberdeen is a tourist resort known for its sandy beaches. It is popularly known as the Granite City because many of its buildings are constructed of local granite, the city's chief export. Points of interest include the Church of Saint Nicholas (founded in the 12th century), the largest parish church in Scotland; the Cathedral of Saint Machar (begun 15th century); and the University of Aberdeen, formed in 1860 from the merger of the Roman Catholic King's College (1495) and the Protestant Marischal College (1593). The city also has several museums, an art gallery, and colleges of agriculture and technology. Aberdeen was made a royal burgh in 1179. In 1337 the town and its cathedral were burned by Edward III, king of England. The harbor was improved in the late 18th century, after which Aberdeen developed as a fishing port. Between 1974 and 1996, Aberdeen was the administrative center of the former Grampian Region. In the 1996 reorganization of local government, Aberdeen City was made a unitary authority. Population 211,300 (2001 estimate).

Dundee, city, eastern Scotland, on the Firth of Tay, near the North Sea. Dundee is the second most important industrial center of Scotland. It is also a seaport receiving a large inward traffic of petroleum products and handling service vessels for North Sea oil fields. Among the many manufactures are textiles, rope, carpet, plastic, light engineering products, and processed foods; the printing and publishing industry is also important. A local landmark is City Churches, which houses three separate churches under one roof. The city has a municipal museum and art gallery and is the seat of the University of Dundee (1881); colleges of art, technology, and commerce are also located here. Dundee was made a royal burgh by the Scottish king William the Lion in 1190 and quickly became a leading town of Scotland. It suffered greatly from English raids, notably in 1296, 1385, 1547, and 1651. Whaling became an important industry here in the late 1700s. After the 1830s Dundee developed as a major jute-processing center. In 1974 it became the administrative center of the Tayside Region, and in the 1996 reorganization of local government became a unitary authority. Population (1996 estimate) 150,250.