Census 2001 - Settlements
This dataset portrays the boundaries of ‘Settlements’ in Scotland as at 2001 Census. There is widespread interest in statistics for the built-up areas in Scotland as most of the population lives in a built-up environment. When the former two-tier local government structure of regions and districts came into being in May 1975, the small local authorities known as large and small burghs were lost. However, Census users stated that there was a need to know the population (and characteristics) of built-up areas. There are 2 datasets which are designed to show the boundaries of ‘urban areas’ in Scotland: ‘Localities’ and ‘Settlements’. While “Settlements’ can go a long way in defining the towns and cities in Scotland, some are very extensive and have grouped together some very large populations. For example the settlement of ‘Greater Glasgow’ has a large population but no breakdown was given of the settlement into any constituent towns or cities such as Airdrie or Paisley. Accordingly, since 2001, the larger ‘Settlements’ have been divided into ‘Localities’ using as a basis the areas so designated in the 1991 Census report ‘Key statistics for ‘localities’ in Scotland (ISBN 0-11-495736-3)’. For the 2001 Census, NRS had developed a new process to identify ‘Settlements’ which were defined as: ‘A collection of contiguous high population density postcodes whose total population was 500 or more, bounded by low density postcodes (or water).’
dataset
https://maps.gov.scot/server/services/NRS/Census2001/MapServer/WMSServer?
protocol: OGC:WMS
name: Settlements2001
description: OGC View Service
function: information
https://maps.gov.scot/server/services/NRS/Census2001/MapServer/WFSServer?
protocol: OGC:WFS
name: CEN2001:Settlements2001
description: OGC Feature Download Service
function: download
protocol: WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link
name: National Records of Scotland website
description: Geography – 2001 Census Boundaries - ESRI Shapefiles
function: information
Settlements2001
www.nrscotland.gov.uk
eng
boundaries
Statistical units
publication
2008-06-01
census survey
statistical data
urban settlement
publication
2010-01-13
Censuses
Boundaries
publication
2020-11-18
-8.80
-0.71
60.87
54.63
publication
2003-02-13
creation
2003-02-13
asNeeded
There is widespread interest in statistics for the built-up areas in Scotland as most of the population lives in a built-up environment. When the former two-tier local government structure of regions and districts came into being in May 1975, the small local authorities known as large and small burghs were lost. However, Census users stated that there was a need to know the population (and characteristics) of built-up areas. There are 2 datasets which are designed to show the boundaries of ‘urban areas’ in Scotland: ‘Localities’ and ‘Settlements’. While “Settlements’ can go a long way in defining the towns and cities in Scotland, some are very extensive and have grouped together some very large populations. For example the settlement of ‘Greater Glasgow’ has a large population but no breakdown was given of the settlement into any constituent towns or cities such as Airdrie or Paisley. Accordingly, since 2001, the larger ‘Settlements’ have been divided into ‘Localities’ using as a basis the areas so designated in the 1991 Census report ‘Key statistics for ‘localities’ in Scotland (ISBN 0-11-495736-3)’. For the 2001 Census the General Register Office for Scotland (as it then was) had developed a new process to identify ‘Settlements’ in Scotland. A Settlement was defined as: ‘A collection of contiguous high population density postcodes whose total population was 500 or more, bounded by low density postcodes (or water).’ A postcode was defined as high density if at least one of the following applied: • It had more than 2.1 residential addresses per hectare; or • It has more than 0.1 non-residential addresses per hectare The second condition is included so that non-residential parts (eg industrial estates) of built up areas could be identified. These density thresholds were adjusted downwards for some Council Areas (generally those with crofting communities) in order to ensure that at least 95 per cent of postcodes identified as ‘Localities’ in 1991 were selected as high density. Having identified the individual high density postcodes it was then possible to identify groups of neighbouring high density postcodes containing in total more than 210 residential addresses. These groups were made to include any ‘holes’, ie low density postcodes entirely surrounded by high density ones. Estimates of the population in each group were made, and any group considered to have fewer than 500 residents were discarded. The threshold densities of 2.1 and 0.1 were found to give a good approximation to the built-up areas identified in previous Censuses using more traditional methods. These threshold densities were adjusted in two council areas (Eilean Siar and Shetland) where, because of crofting and other factors, settlement patterns vary considerably from the Scottish norm.
publication
2010-12-08
false
WMS
1.3.0
The following statements must be used when reproducing or using this material: Copyright National Records of Scotland, contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right (insert year).
Geography branch
National Records of Scotland
General Register House, 2 Princes Street
Edinburgh
EH1 3YY
United Kingdom
geographycustomerservices@nrscotland.gov.uk
publisher
Geography branch
National Records of Scotland
General Register House, 2 Princes Street
Edinburgh
EH1 3YY
United Kingdom
geographycustomerservices@nrscotland.gov.uk
pointOfContact
2023-06-14T11:39:42