Comments on: Highland, Inverness, and Nairn population facts and figures http://www.mynairn.com/2009/10/27/highland-inverness-and-nairn-population-facts-and-figures.html All about Nairn in the Scottish Highlands Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:45:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kenny http://www.mynairn.com/2009/10/27/highland-inverness-and-nairn-population-facts-and-figures.html/comment-page-1#comment-2187 Kenny Sun, 17 Jul 2011 00:15:55 +0000 http://www.mynairn.com/?p=805#comment-2187 Stephen, perhaps I'm too late and you won't see this, but the population of the Highlands pre Culloden was between 30-40% of Scotland (depending on whether we're using today's definition of the Highlands or the larger "Scottish Highlands" definition which includes all areas in which Gaelic was spoken in the 1700s, i.e a much larger area). Culloden, the Clearances etc etc. Stephen, perhaps I’m too late and you won’t see this, but the population of the Highlands pre Culloden was between 30-40% of Scotland (depending on whether we’re using today’s definition of the Highlands or the larger “Scottish Highlands” definition which includes all areas in which Gaelic was spoken in the 1700s, i.e a much larger area).

Culloden, the Clearances etc etc.

]]> By: Stephen http://www.mynairn.com/2009/10/27/highland-inverness-and-nairn-population-facts-and-figures.html/comment-page-1#comment-2184 Stephen Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:56:22 +0000 http://www.mynairn.com/?p=805#comment-2184 Dear Mr Turner, Can you tell me what proportion of the scottish population lived in the Highlands pre-Culloden ? (there was a debate in the pub last night) Many thanks, Stephen Dear Mr Turner, Can you tell me what proportion of the scottish population lived in the Highlands pre-Culloden ? (there was a debate in the pub last night)
Many thanks, Stephen

]]> By: rob jackson http://www.mynairn.com/2009/10/27/highland-inverness-and-nairn-population-facts-and-figures.html/comment-page-1#comment-2122 rob jackson Mon, 21 Feb 2011 09:40:56 +0000 http://www.mynairn.com/?p=805#comment-2122 I would say Inverness population has to be over 80,000....plus the population that isnt tracked...it is believed at one stage there were around 6000 Polish in Inverness for example. I moved to Inverness in 1976 and in those 35 years the residential areas have got to have tripled at least. The East side of Inverness in 1976 (Smithton, Culloden, Balloch, Cradlehall) was linked to Inverness via a single tracked road with passing places...today we see this area conjoined to Inverness and integrated fully. I would be guessing here, but i would bet the East of Inverness has a population of 30,000 alone....every time i look at the pop stats for this area they seem way off and way behind the real population as it has and is growing so fast...to be honest there is not many places left to build! So, in conclusion, although the comparisons are useful in the information here, they are majorly skewed and distorted by a lack of timeous accurate information...you may find some of the comparisons are wildly off the mark. rj I would say Inverness population has to be over 80,000….plus the population that isnt tracked…it is believed at one stage there were around 6000 Polish in Inverness for example.
I moved to Inverness in 1976 and in those 35 years the residential areas have got to have tripled at least.
The East side of Inverness in 1976 (Smithton, Culloden, Balloch, Cradlehall) was linked to Inverness via a single tracked road with passing places…today we see this area conjoined to Inverness and integrated fully.
I would be guessing here, but i would bet the East of Inverness has a population of 30,000 alone….every time i look at the pop stats for this area they seem way off and way behind the real population as it has and is growing so fast…to be honest there is not many places left to build!
So, in conclusion, although the comparisons are useful in the information here, they are majorly skewed and distorted by a lack of timeous accurate information…you may find some of the comparisons are wildly off the mark.

rj

]]> By: Kenny http://www.mynairn.com/2009/10/27/highland-inverness-and-nairn-population-facts-and-figures.html/comment-page-1#comment-1652 Kenny Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:54:05 +0000 http://www.mynairn.com/?p=805#comment-1652 You're mixing up two definitions of the Highlands and indeed, two definitions of Inverness. There is the Scottish Highlands and the Highland Council. The Scottish Highlands includes other council areas and is the historical area of Gaelic culture in Scotland. The Scottish Highlands is the larger of the two with around 350,000 people, the Highland council has 219,000 people. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_Council Notice how the Highland council does not include Eileanan Siar or large parts of the mountainous Southern Highlands. The former town of Inverness, that is the 'old town' has about 40,000 people, but this does not include the new suburbs which has caused Inverness' population to swell very quickly for a settlement of its size in the Highlands. This is closer to around 70,000 people. Hope that helps. You’re mixing up two definitions of the Highlands and indeed, two definitions of Inverness.

There is the Scottish Highlands and the Highland Council. The Scottish Highlands includes other council areas and is the historical area of Gaelic culture in Scotland. The Scottish Highlands is the larger of the two with around 350,000 people, the Highland council has 219,000 people. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_Council

Notice how the Highland council does not include Eileanan Siar or large parts of the mountainous Southern Highlands.

The former town of Inverness, that is the ‘old town’ has about 40,000 people, but this does not include the new suburbs which has caused Inverness’ population to swell very quickly for a settlement of its size in the Highlands. This is closer to around 70,000 people.

Hope that helps.

]]> By: Brian Turner http://www.mynairn.com/2009/10/27/highland-inverness-and-nairn-population-facts-and-figures.html/comment-page-1#comment-1176 Brian Turner Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:27:45 +0000 http://www.mynairn.com/?p=805#comment-1176 Thanks for the stats, nairnbairn - much appreciated. :) It's interesting you bring up the stats discrepancy - while researching the figures I found a page from the Scottish Government claiming that 370,000 people actually live in the Highlands - almost double the 2001 census tally: http://www.scotland.org/about/innovation-and-creativity/features/culture/remoteness.html It wouldn't be surprising if the sudden jump from 2031 to 2041 therefore includes an erroneous dataset - and I wonder if this might be behind some of the stranger figures. Especially interesting that you bring up population density as well - hadn't noticed that in the stats, but would certainly be a cause of concern, and something to raise with any concrete development proposals. Thanks for the stats, nairnbairn – much appreciated. :)

It’s interesting you bring up the stats discrepancy – while researching the figures I found a page from the Scottish Government claiming that 370,000 people actually live in the Highlands – almost double the 2001 census tally:
http://www.scotland.org/about/innovation-and-creativity/features/culture/remoteness.html

It wouldn’t be surprising if the sudden jump from 2031 to 2041 therefore includes an erroneous dataset – and I wonder if this might be behind some of the stranger figures.

Especially interesting that you bring up population density as well – hadn’t noticed that in the stats, but would certainly be a cause of concern, and something to raise with any concrete development proposals.

]]> By: nairnbairn http://www.mynairn.com/2009/10/27/highland-inverness-and-nairn-population-facts-and-figures.html/comment-page-1#comment-1175 nairnbairn Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:40:49 +0000 http://www.mynairn.com/?p=805#comment-1175 Brian - I'm not sure why the posts about artworks are in this thread(?). But to get back to your original subject: you know what they say about statistics... Of course you - and the census - are right that the Highlands are more sparsely populated, and the towns much smaller, than other regions of the UK. That's probably why you, and many others, chose to come and live here, and why others like to visit! But I'd urge you to take a look at the figures on the Highland Council website about population and growth-trends within the region. Just for example: - on 2007 figures, the Nairn area has the highest population density of any sub-region within the Highlands at 28.5 persons per sq km, which is more than three times the Highland average of 8.2. The Inverness area, which takes in both the city and the hinterland down Loch Ness-side, comes next at 24.2. Sutherland is the most thinly-inhabited at 4.1 persons per sq km. - population growth-rates are also striking. Inverness leads the field (+7% between 1991-2001, or +10% between 1997 and 2007). Close behind are Badenoch & Strathspey (+7% from 91-01, or +11% from 97-07) and Nairn (+6% from 91-01, or +10% from 97-07). At the other extreme Caithness and Lochaber are steadily losing people at around -4% each decade. Of course this is neither original nor surprising. Much more intriguing is that these official (Council and GROS) stats also project that by 2031 Inverness will have grown by 21% and Nairn by almost 15%, well above the Highland regional average of 9.6%. Caithness and Sutherland populations are expected to continue to shrink, and most other areas to grow rather more slowly. Well, yes, maybe that's credible, depending on wider economic conditions and other factors. In terms of the actual numbers for Nairn, that growth projection means around 1,600 more residents by 2031, which is still higher than the recent past. The really staggering assumption, or aspiration, set out in the A96 Corridor Plan (and in the latest draft documents) is however that by 2041, a mere 10 years further down the track, Nairn is expected to have grown by around 10,000 people! That's not 15% growth over 30 years, that's a doubling in the town's population over 40 years! And no, this doesn't include the Tornagrain new town, this is just Nairn. Is it any wonder people are puzzled, if not alarmed. Where will all these new residents of Nairn be coming from, and what will they be doing? To coin a phrase, it just doesn't seem to add up... Brian – I’m not sure why the posts about artworks are in this thread(?).

But to get back to your original subject: you know what they say about statistics…

Of course you – and the census – are right that the Highlands are more sparsely populated, and the towns much smaller, than other regions of the UK. That’s probably why you, and many others, chose to come and live here, and why others like to visit!

But I’d urge you to take a look at the figures on the Highland Council website about population and growth-trends within the region. Just for example:

- on 2007 figures, the Nairn area has the highest population density of any sub-region within the Highlands at 28.5 persons per sq km, which is more than three times the Highland average of 8.2. The Inverness area, which takes in both the city and the hinterland down Loch Ness-side, comes next at 24.2. Sutherland is the most thinly-inhabited at 4.1 persons per sq km.

- population growth-rates are also striking. Inverness leads the field (+7% between 1991-2001, or +10% between 1997 and 2007). Close behind are Badenoch & Strathspey (+7% from 91-01, or +11% from 97-07) and Nairn (+6% from 91-01, or +10% from 97-07). At the other extreme Caithness and Lochaber are steadily losing people at around -4% each decade.

Of course this is neither original nor surprising. Much more intriguing is that these official (Council and GROS) stats also project that by 2031 Inverness will have grown by 21% and Nairn by almost 15%, well above the Highland regional average of 9.6%. Caithness and Sutherland populations are expected to continue to shrink, and most other areas to grow rather more slowly.

Well, yes, maybe that’s credible, depending on wider economic conditions and other factors. In terms of the actual numbers for Nairn, that growth projection means around 1,600 more residents by 2031, which is still higher than the recent past.

The really staggering assumption, or aspiration, set out in the A96 Corridor Plan (and in the latest draft documents) is however that by 2041, a mere 10 years further down the track, Nairn is expected to have grown by around 10,000 people! That’s not 15% growth over 30 years, that’s a doubling in the town’s population over 40 years! And no, this doesn’t include the Tornagrain new town, this is just Nairn.

Is it any wonder people are puzzled, if not alarmed. Where will all these new residents of Nairn be coming from, and what will they be doing? To coin a phrase, it just doesn’t seem to add up…

]]> By: Brian Turner http://www.mynairn.com/2009/10/27/highland-inverness-and-nairn-population-facts-and-figures.html/comment-page-1#comment-1173 Brian Turner Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:09:01 +0000 http://www.mynairn.com/?p=805#comment-1173 You mean this one? http://www.artfact.com/auction-lot/alexander-gallaway-scottish,-b.-1782-1-c-p6biqgoq4e Would be hard to tell - I'm not that up on local history at the moment - try contacting the Nairn museum as they might know: http://www.nairnmuseum.co.uk/ Hope that helps. :) You mean this one?
http://www.artfact.com/auction-lot/alexander-gallaway-scottish,-b.-1782-1-c-p6biqgoq4e

Would be hard to tell – I’m not that up on local history at the moment – try contacting the Nairn museum as they might know:
http://www.nairnmuseum.co.uk/

Hope that helps. :)

]]> By: frederick http://www.mynairn.com/2009/10/27/highland-inverness-and-nairn-population-facts-and-figures.html/comment-page-1#comment-1172 frederick Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:30:36 +0000 http://www.mynairn.com/?p=805#comment-1172 Dear Brian, This is just a long shot, but we have a painting of a man and on the reverse is the artist's signature (A Gallaway)It was painted and finished in Nairn on 20th Aug. 1816. We are trying to identify the sitter who must have been important in Nairn considering Gallaway travelled from Edinburgh for the commission. The sitter was aged 34 that year. I could send you an image if you think you help with the identification. best regards Dear Brian, This is just a long shot, but we have a painting of a man and on the reverse is the artist’s signature (A Gallaway)It was painted and finished in Nairn on 20th Aug. 1816. We are trying to identify the sitter who must have been important in Nairn considering Gallaway travelled from Edinburgh for the commission. The sitter was aged 34 that year. I could send you an image if you think you help with the identification.

best regards

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