The council areas of Scotland form the local government areas of Scotland, all of them unitary authorities. They have been in use since April 1, 1996, under the provisions of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994.
Before then the administrative division was the region (pointedly not called counties, unlike their cousins in England and Wales), with a further subdivision of the district, this scheme was introduced on May 16, 1975. Before then there existed administrative counties of Scotland, these being introduced in 1889. Before 1889 administration was on a city, burgh and parish basis.
Scotland's only land border is with England, and runs for 96 kilometres (60 miles) between the River Tweed on the east coast and the Solway Firth in the west.
The territorial extent of Scotland is generally that established by the 1237 Treaty of York between Scotland and England and the 1266 Treaty of Perth between Scotland and Norway.
The population of Scotland in the 2001 census was 5,062,011.
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