It takes its name from thehistoric county ofAberdeenshire, which had substantially different boundaries. The Aberdeenshire Council area includes all of the areas of the historic counties of Aberdeenshire andKincardineshire except the area making upAberdeen City Council area, as well as part ofBanffshire. The historic county boundaries are still officially used for a few purposes, namely land registration andlieutenancy.[3]
Traditionally, it has depended economically on the primary sector (agriculture, fishing, and forestry) and related processing industries. Over the last 40 years, the development of the oil and gas industry and associated service sector has broadened Aberdeenshire's economic base, and contributed to a rapid population growth of some 50% since 1975.[4] Its land represents 8% of Scotland's overall territory. It covers an area of 6,313 square kilometres (2,437 sq mi).[5][6]
Around the 1st century AD, theTaexali people, who left little history, were believed to have resided along the coast.[7] ThePicts were the next documented inhabitants of the area and were no later than 800–900 AD. TheRomans also were in the area during this period, as they left signs atKintore.[7] Christianity influenced the inhabitants early on, and there wereCeltic monasteries atOld Deer andMonymusk.[7]
Sincemedieval times, there have been many traditional paths that crossed theMounth (a spur of mountainous land that extends from the higher inland range to theNorth Sea slightly north ofStonehaven) through present-day Aberdeenshire from the Scottish Lowlands to theHighlands. Some of the most well known and historically importanttrackways are theCausey Mounth andElsick Mounth.[8][9]
These new families set the stage for the upcoming rivalries during the 14th and 15th centuries.[7] This rivalry grew worse during and after the Protestant Reformation when religion was another reason for conflict between the clans. The Gordon family adhered toCatholicism and theForbeses toProtestantism. Aberdeenshire was the historic seat of theclan Dempster.[10] Three universities were founded in the area prior to the 17th century,King's College inOld Aberdeen (1494),Marischal College inAberdeen (1593), and theUniversity of Fraserburgh (1592).
During the 17th century, Aberdeenshire was the location of more fighting, centred on theMarquess of Montrose and theWars of the Three Kingdoms.[7] This period also saw increased wealth due to the increase in trade with Germany, Poland, and theLow Countries.[7]
After the end of theRevolution of 1688, an extended peaceful period was interrupted only by fleeting events such as theRising of 1715 and theRising of 1745. The latter resulted in the end of the ascendancy ofEpiscopalianism and the feudal power of landowners. An era began of increased agricultural and industrial progress.[7]
The present council area is named after thehistoric county ofAberdeenshire, which has different boundaries and ceased to be used for local government purposes in 1975 under theLocal Government (Scotland) Act 1973. The pre-1975 territory of Aberdeenshire was then split between four of the five new districts in theGrampian region:Banff and Buchan (which also included eastern parts of Banffshire, including its county town ofBanff),Gordon,Kincardine and Deeside (which also included most of Kincardineshire), and Aberdeen City. Local government functions were shared between the two levels.[11]
The modern council area was created in 1996 under theLocal Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994. It covers the combined area of the Banff and Buchan, Gordon, and Kincardine and Deeside districts that had been created in 1975. The present Aberdeenshire Council area therefore consists of all of the historic counties of Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire (except the area of those two counties making up Aberdeen City), as well as the north-east portions of Banffshire.[7]
The population of the council area has risen over 50% since 1971 to approximately 265,080 in 2024,[2] representing 4.7% of Scotland's total. Aberdeenshire's population has increased by 9.1% since 2001, while Scotland's total population grew by 3.8%.The census lists a relatively high proportion of under 16s and slightly fewer working-age people compared with the Scottish average.[4]
Aberdeenshire is one of the most homogeneous/indigenous regions of the UK. In 2011, 82.2% of residents identified as 'White Scottish', followed by 12.3% who are 'White British', whilst ethnic minorities constitute only 0.9% of the population. The largest ethnic minority group is Asian Scottish/British at 0.8%.[12] In addition to the English language, 48.8% of residents reported being able to speak and understand the Scots language.[13]
The 2022 Scottish Census reported that out of 256,382 residents aged three and over, 121,797 (47.5%) considered themselves able to speak or read the Scots language. This is the greatest proportion of Scots speakers of any Scottish council area.[17]
The 2022 Scottish Census reported that out of 256,377 residents aged three and over, 3,579 (1.4%) considered themselves able to speak or readGaelic.[18]
Aberdeenshire's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is estimated at £3,496M (2011), representing 5.2% of the Scottish total. Aberdeenshire's economy is closely linked to Aberdeen City's (GDP £7,906M), and in 2011, the region as a whole was calculated to contribute 16.8% of Scotland's GDP. Between 2012 and 2014, the combined Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City economic forecast GDP growth rate is 8.6%, the highest growth rate of any local council area in the UK and above the Scottish rate of 4.8%.[4]
A significant proportion of Aberdeenshire's working residents commute to Aberdeen City for work, varying from 11.5% from Fraserburgh to 65% from Westhill.
Average Gross Weekly Earnings (for full-time employees employed in workplaces in Aberdeenshire in 2011) are £572.60. This is lower than the Scottish average by £2.10 and a fall of 2.6% on the 2010 figure. The average gross weekly pay of people resident in Aberdeenshire is much higher, at £741.90, as many people commute outof Aberdeenshire, principally into Aberdeen City.[4]
Total employment (excluding farm data) in Aberdeenshire is estimated at 93,700 employees (Business Register andEmployment Survey 2009). The majority of employees work within the service sector, predominantly in public administration, education and health. Almost 19% of employment is within the public sector. Aberdeenshire's economy remains closely linked to Aberdeen City's and theNorth Sea oil industry, with many employees in oil-related jobs.
The average monthly unemployment (claimant count) rate for Aberdeenshire in 2011 was 1.5%. This is lower than the average rate of Aberdeen City (2.3%), Scotland (4.2%) and the UK (3.8%).[4]
Energy – There are significant energy-related infrastructure, presence, and expertise in Aberdeenshire.[21] Peterhead is an important centre for the energy industry. Peterhead Port includes an extensive new quay with an adjacent laydown area at Smith Quay, is a major support location for North Sea oil and gas exploration and production and the fast-growing global sub-sea sector. The Gas Terminal at St Fergus handles around 15% of the UK's natural gas requirements, and the Peterhead power station is looking to host Britain's firstcarbon capture and storage power generation project.[4] There are numerous offshorewind turbines near the coast.
Fishing – Aberdeenshire is Scotland's foremost fishing area. In 2010, catches landed at Aberdeenshire's ports accounted for over half the total fish landings in Scotland and almost 45% in the UK. Along with Aberdeen City, Peterhead and Fraserburgh ports provide much employment in these sectors. TheRiver Dee[7] is also rich insalmon.
Agriculture – Aberdeenshire is rich in arable land, with an estimated 9,000 people employed in the sector, and is best known for rearing livestock, mainly cattle. Sheep are important in the higher ground.[7]
Tourism – this sector continues to grow, with a range of sights to be seen in the area. From the lively Cairngorm Mountain range to the bustling fishing ports on the northeast coast, Aberdeenshire samples a bit of everything. Aberdeenshire also has a rugged coastline and many sandy beaches and is a hot spot for tourist activity throughout the year. Almost 1.3 million tourists visited the region in 2011 – up 3% on the previous year.[22]
Whisky distilling is still a practised art in the area.[7]
Aberdeenshire is in therain shadow of theGrampians, therefore it has a generally dry climate for a maritime region, with portions of the coast receiving 25 inches (64 cm) of moisture annually.[7] Summers are mild, and winters are typically cold in Aberdeenshire; Coastal temperatures are moderated by theNorth Sea such that coastal areas are typically cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter than inland locations. Coastal areas are also subject tohaar, or coastal fog.
Alexander Garden, (1730–1791), born inBirse, was a naturalist and physician who moved to North America in 1754. Thegardenia flower is named in his honour.[23]
Peter Nicol, born inInverurie on 5 April 1973, is a former professional squash player who represented first Scotland and then England in international squash.
