Friday, September 08, 2006

Scottish Highlands

The Scottish Highlands are the mountainous regions of Scotland north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault. The Great Glen divides the Grampian Mountains to the southeast from the Northwest Highlands. The Highlands are popularly described as one of the most scenic regions of Europe.
The area is generally sparsely populated, with many mountain ranges dominating the region. Remarkably given that it is part of the crowded island of Britain, the average population density in the Highlands and Islands is lower than that for Sweden, Norway, Papua New Guinea or Argentina. Regional administrative centres include Inverness. The Highland Council is the administrative body for around 40% of this area; the remainder is divided between the council areas of Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, Moray, Perth and Kinross, and Stirling. Although the Isle of Arran administratively belongs to North Ayrshire, its northern part is generally regarded as part of the Highlands