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   ormer
region of Scotland (1975-96), which consisted of 19 districts and was replaced in 1996 by
the 12 unitary authorities of Argyll and Bute, Renfrewshire, East Ayrshire, East
Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North
Lanarkshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, and West Dunbartonshire. The districts of
Argyll and Bute, Dumbarton, Inverclyde, Renfrew, Cunninghame, Kyle and Carrick, Cumnock
and Doon Valley, Kilmarnock and Loudoun, East Kilbride, Eastwood, Hamilton, Motherwell,
Clydesdale, City of Glasgow, Monklands, Clydebank, Bearsden and Milngavie, Cumbernauld and
Kilsyth, and Strathkelvin made up Strathclyde region. The region was formed from the
counties of Argyllshire, Bute, Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, Dunbartonshire,
Stirlingshire, and Glasgow City.
 Argyll & Bute Council - Renfrewshire Council - East Ayrshire Council - East Dunbartonshire Council - East Renfrewshire Council -
Glasgow City Council - Inverclyde Council - North Ayrshire Council - South Ayrshire Council - South Lanarkshire Council -
West Dunbartonshire Council
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 owns and cities |
 Argyll
and Bute - Campbeltown, Dunoon, Helensburgh, Inveraray, Lochgilphead
(administrative headquarters), Oban, Rothesay
Renfrewshire - Paisley (administrative headquarters), Renfrew, Johnstone,
Erskine
East Ayrshire - Kilmarnock (administrative headquarters), Cumnock,
Stewarton, Galston, Crosshouse
East Dunbartonshire - Kirkintilloch (administrative headquarters),
Bearsden, Milngavie
East Renfrewshire - Barrhead, Giffnock (administrative headquarters),
Newton Mearns, Clarkston
Inverclyde - Greenock (administrative headquarters), Port Glasgow,
Gourock
North Ayrshire - Irvine (administrative headquarters), Kilwinning,
Saltcoats, Largs, Kilbirnie
North Lanarkshire - Airdrie, Coatbridge, Cumbernauld, Motherwell
(administrative headquarters)
South Ayrshire - Ayr (administrative headquarters), Prestwick, Girvan,
Troon, Maybole
South Lanarkshire - Hamilton (administrative headquarters), Lanark,
Rutherglen, East Kilbride, Carluke, Cambuslang
West Dunbartonshire - Dumbarton (administrative headquarters), Clydebank,
Alexandria |
 rea |
13,789 sq km / 5,321 sq miles |
 opulation |
2,283,600 (1995) |
| opography |
 Argyll
and Bute is a rural area consisting of mainland and islands; the coast is heavily
indented. Inland the area is mountainous; highest peak, Ben Cruachan (1,126 m / 3,693 ft).
Lochs Fyne and Long are the largest sea lochs; freshwater lochs include Loch Awe and Loch
Lomond; Fingal's Cave (Staffa); Corryvrekan
Whirlpool (Jura-Scarba); Ben Arthur (The Cobbler), 884 m / 2,900 ft
Renfrewshire is mainly low lying, but hilly in the west, rising to Hill
of Stake (525 m / 1,723 ft); rivers Clyde, Gryfe, White Cart, Black Cart
East Ayrshire is predominantly low lying and undulating in the north,
mountainous toward the south; Loch Doon; rivers Ayr, Irvine; Blackcraig Hill (700 m /
2,298 ft); Loudoun Hill
East Dunbartonshire is low-lying to the south and gives way dramatically
to the Campsie Fells in the north; Earl's Seat (578 m / 1,896 ft); river Kelvin
East Renfrewshire is a low-lying plateau rising from the plain of the
river Clyde
Glasgow lies on both sides of the River Clyde and is surrounded by hills;
the city is partly built on the river terrace and partly on glacially deposited hills
(drumlins).
Inverclyde is coastal lowland on the Firth of Clyde estuary, rising
sharply to an inland plateau of 305 m / 1,000 ft
North Ayrshire is a low-lying coastal plain on the mainland, rising
inland to a plateau of over 305 m / 1,000 ft; the islands of the Firth of Clyde are Arran,
Holy Isle, Cumbraes; the rivers Irvine and Garnock reach the sea at Irvine; Goat Fell (874
m / 2,867 ft)
North Lanarkshire is low-lying, heavily urbanized area; river Clyde
 South Ayrshire
is a coastal plain which rises to higher ground inland (500 m / 1,640 ft); rivers Ayr,
Stinchar, Water of Girvan; Brown Carrick Hill (287 m / 942 ft); Ailsa
Craig; many beaches interspersed with cliffs and caves
South Lanarkshire is an area of stark contrast: predominantly rural to
the south and urban to the north. The river Clyde flows through the area. Tinto (707 m /
2,320 ft) is a key landmark to the south
West Dunbartonshire The Leven valley and coastal land of Firth of Clyde
rise toward the upland plateau of the Kilpatrick Hills |
 ommerce |
Industries: manufacture, seaweed processing, fish, textiles, timber
harvesting, engineering, computers, electronics, chemicals, whisky blending and
distilling; brewing Agriculture: sheep on grassy uplands; dairy farming on lowlands,
forestry, beef cattle |
| amous people |
South Ayrshire is the birthplace of Robert Burns |
| ttractions 
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 In all of
Strathclyde, there are 264 Sites of Special Scientific Interest, along with Special
Protection Areas, Ramsars (wetland sites), Special Protection Areas, Biosphere Reserves,
National Scenic Areas, Country parks and regional parks.Other Attractions include:
Burns' House Museum, Mauchline; Loudoun Castle Theme Park; Dunaskin Heritage Museum. At
Loudoun Hill, Robert the Bruce defeated 6,000 of the Earl of Pembroke's men with a force
of 600 in 1306. Forth and Clyde Canal; Antonine Wall
Glasgow - There was a settlement on the Clyde when St Mungo arrived in
the 6th century to convert the Strathclyde Britons. Willliam the Lion made Glasgow a burgh
of barony in about 1178, and it became a royal burgh under James VI in 1636. Buildings
include the Cathedral of St Mungo, which dates mainly from the 13th century; Provand's
Lordship (1475; the oldest dwelling- house in the city); the Cross Steeple (part of the
historic Tolbooth); the universities of Glasgow, established in 1451 (present buildings
constructed in 1868-70 to designs by George Gilbert Scott). Glasgow possesses some
of the most impressive buildings in Scotland, situated chiefly in the commercial centre of
the city. The main square is George Square (sometimes called the `Valhalla of Glasgow´
because of its many statues) in which a cenotaph occupies a prominent place. Hampden Park,
the ground of Queen's Park Football Club, can accommodate 140,000 spectators. The
upper river, originally a fordable salmon river, has been successfully straightened and
deepened in such a manner that the scour of the tides keeps the channel clear and
comparatively little dredging is required. The rise and fall of the tide at Glasgow bridge
varies between 3 m / ft and 4 m / ft. The River Clyde is spanned by many
bridges. Glasgow maintained the reputation of the Clyde as one of the greatest
shipbuilding rivers in the world; many ships of all classes were built there, including
the world's largest liners: Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, and Queen Elizabeth II, and
the battleship HMS Vanguard. Glasgow engineers built the first airship to cross the
Atlantic, and also the Forth Bridge and London's Tower Bridge.
 Culzean Castle, 19 km /
12 mi south of Ayr, was built by Robert Adam in the late 18th century for the 10th Earl of
Cassillis. The ruins of Crossraguel Abbey (1244), a Cluniac monastery, lie near Maybole.
Royal Troon and Turnberry championship golf courses; Ayr racecourse; Craignethan Castle;
Dumbarton Castle
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