Based on the Scottish Urban-Rural classification of areas Government’s 6-fold proportions of areas falling into each category are as follows: Local Large Other Accessible Remote Accessible Remote Authority Urban Urban Small Small Rural Rural Areas Areas Towns Towns % % % % % % Highland 0.0 30.2 4.2 15.9 11.7 37.9 Scotland 34.5 35.1 9.3 3.4 11.7 6.1 2.5 Economy One of the main reasons for continued successful net inward migration to Highland is the establishment of new areas of economic growth. Traditionally dependent on agriculture, forestry and fishing, construction, and tourism, the economic base has broadened over recent years. There is now a greater prominence given to growing renewable energy markets, life sciences, financial and business services, tourism, food and drink, creative industries. Distinctive features of the Highland economy are: a third of jobs in Highland are based in Inverness City; fewer people in Highland have full time jobs 63% in Highland in comparison to – 67% in Scotland; there is a higher level of self-employment in rural areas. In Skye this is 19%, Wester Ross, and Lochalsh 18%, North West and Central Sutherland 16%. In urban areas such as Inverness, Thurso and Wick it is around 6% to 9%. This averages at 11% in Highland in comparison to 7.5% in the rest of Scotland (2011 Census). there is a higher dependency on public sector jobs, 29% in Highland compared to 26% for Scotland. 62% of the population in Highland are of working age (16 - 64) which is lower than the proportion to Scotland overall (65%). whilst generating a reasonable proportion of economic growth Scotland’s output is slightly lower than nationally. The 2011 census identified 28.5% of the working age population (16-64) as inactive, compared to 31% for Scotland. This varies significantly between HMAs The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) 2016 indicates that 24 out of 312 datazones are among most 20% deprived areas, and Highland’s Scotland’s multiple deprivation continues to persist in these concentrated areas. In rural and remote areas, poor and excluded households are often more dispersed, and the SIMD will tend to underestimate rural deprivation in sparsely populated areas.
Based on the Scottish Government’s 6-fold Urban-Rural classification of areas proportions of areas falling into each category are as follows: Local Authority Large Urban Areas % Other Urban Areas % Accessible Small Towns % Remote Small Towns % Accessible Rural % Remote Rural % Highland 0.0 30.2 4.2 15.9 11.7 37.9 Scotland 34.5 35.1 9.3 3.4 11.7 6.1 2.5 Economy One of the main reasons for continued successful net inward migration to Highland is the establishment of new areas of economic growth. Traditionally dependent on agriculture, forestry and fishing, construction, and tourism, the economic base has broadened over recent years. There is now a greater prominence given to growing renewable energy markets, life sciences, financial and business services, tourism, food and drink, creative industries. Distinctive features of the Highland economy are: a third of jobs in Highland are based in Inverness City; fewer people in Highland have full time jobs – 63% in Highland in comparison to 67% in Scotland; there is a higher level of self-employment in rural areas. In Skye this is 19%, Wester Ross, and Lochalsh 18%, North West and Central Sutherland 16%. In urban areas such as Inverness, Thurso and Wick it is around 6% to 9%. This averages at 11% in Highland in comparison to 7.5% in the rest of Scotland (2011 Census). there is a higher dependency on public sector jobs, 29% in Highland compared to 26% for Scotland. 62% of the population in Highland are of working age (16 - 64) which is lower than the proportion to Scotland overall (65%). whilst generating a reasonable proportion of Scotland’s output economic growth is slightly lower than nationally. The 2011 census identified 28.5% of the working age population (16-64) as inactive, compared to 31% for Scotland. This varies significantly between HMAs The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) 2016 indicates that 24 out of Highland’s 312 datazones are among Scotland’s most 20% deprived areas, and multiple deprivation continues to persist in these concentrated areas. In rural and remote areas, poor and excluded households are often more dispersed, and the SIMD will tend to underestimate rural deprivation in sparsely populated areas.