Inverness

This article is about the city in Scotland. For other uses, see Inverness (disambiguation).

Inverness
Inbhir Nis (Scottish Gaelic)
Innerness (Scots)
City and administrative centre
City of Inverness
Inverness skyline and the River Ness
Public Library
Inverness is located in Highland
Inverness
Inverness
Location within the Highland council area
Inverness is located in Scotland
Inverness
Inverness
Location within Scotland
Inverness is located in the United Kingdom
Inverness
Inverness
Location within the United Kingdom
Inverness is located in Europe
Inverness
Inverness
Location within Europe
Coordinates: 57°28′40″N 4°13′29″W / 57.4778°N 4.2247°W / 57.4778; -4.2247
Council areaHighland
UK ParliamentInverness, Skye and West Ross-shire
Scottish ParliamentConstituency: Inverness and Nairn
Region: Highlands and Islands
Historic countyInverness-shire
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
First settledBefore the 6th century AD
Royal CharterC. 12th Century AD
City status2000
Area
[1][2]
 • Locality24.3 km2 (9.4 sq mi)
 • Urban
 (Settlement)
31.3 km2 (12.1 sq mi)
Population
 (2022)[3]
 • Locality47,790
 • Rank12th, Scotland
 • Density2,000/km2 (5,100/sq mi)
 • Urban
 (Settlement)
63,730
 • Urban density2,000/km2 (5,300/sq mi)
 • Metro
[4]
81,968
 • Language(s)
English
Scots
Gaelic
DemonymInvernesian
Postcode
IV1-3
Area code01463

Inverness (/ˌɪnvərˈnɛs/ ⓘ; Scots: Innerness;[5] from the Scottish Gaelic: Inbhir Nis [iɲɪɾʲˈniʃ], meaning "Mouth of the River Ness") is a city in the Scottish Highlands, having been granted city status in 2000.[6] It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council[7] and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands.

Historically it served as the county town of the county of Inverness-shire. Inverness lies near two important battle sites: the 11th-century battle of Blàr nam Fèinne against Norway which took place on the Aird, and the 18th century Battle of Culloden which took place on Culloden Moor.[8] It is the northernmost city in the United Kingdom and lies within the Great Glen (Gleann Mòr) at its northeastern extremity where the River Ness enters the Beauly Firth. At the latest, a settlement was established by the 6th century with the first royal charter being granted by Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim (King David I) in the 12th century. Inverness and Inverness-shire are closely linked to various influential clans, including Clan Mackintosh, Clan Fraser and Clan MacKenzie.[9]

The population of Inverness grew from 40,969 in 2001 to 46,969 in 2012, according to World Population Review.[10] The Greater Inverness area, including Culloden and Westhill, had a population of 56,969 in 2012. In 2016, it had a population of 63,320.[11] Inverness is one of Europe's fastest growing cities,[12] with a quarter of the Highland population living in or around it.[13] In 2008, Inverness was ranked fifth out of 189 British cities for its quality of life, the highest of any Scottish city.[14]

  1. ^ "Thomas Brinkhoff: City Population, United Kingdom: Major Cities in Scotland". Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  2. ^ "City Population, United Kingdom: Urban Areas in Scotland". Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022". Office for National Statistics. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Click here to download the Inverness area profile | Have Your Say Inverness | Engage Highland".
  5. ^ "Scots Online Dictionary". Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  6. ^ Undiscovered Scotland: City Status in Scotland
  7. ^ The Highland Council website Archived 20 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 6 March 2006.
  8. ^ "Inverness city". Inverness-scotland.com. Archived from the original on 4 July 2010. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  9. ^ MacKenzie, Alexander (1894). History of the Mackenzies: With Genealogies of the Principal Families of the Name. Inverness: A & W MacKenzie.
  10. ^ "Inverness: Population". World Population Review.
  11. ^ "Mid-2016 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records Scotland (NRS). 31 May 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  12. ^ "Inverness: the new Shangri-La?". Newstatesman.com. 26 March 2007. Archived from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  13. ^ "Overview of Inverness". Scottish-places.info. Archived from the original on 8 September 2010. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  14. ^ "Is your home recession proof?". The Daily Telegraph. London. 7 February 2008. Archived from the original on 9 June 2008. Retrieved 14 July 2010.