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Publication - Research and analysis

Scottish Islands Data Overview (2025)

Published
9 September 2025
From
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands
Directorate
Environment and Forestry Directorate, +1 more … Agriculture and Rural Economy Directorate
Topic
Arts, culture and sport, Children and families, Communities and third sector, +11 more … Cost of living crisis, Economy, Education, Energy, Environment and climate change, Farming and rural, Health and social care, Housing, Marine and fisheries, Transport, Work and skills
ISBN
9781806431328

The Scottish Islands Data Dashboard has been updated following a review of available data. This report summarises the findings. It highlights changes between data available in 2025 and data first collated in 2023 and gives an overview of longer term trends in Scotland's Islands.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

4 Population

Whilst the overall population of Scotland's Islands has grown over the last 20 years in keeping with the overall trend in Scotland, there is considerable variation, and some islands have a declining population. Projected loss of working age population in the islands is anticipated to be disproportionately higher than elsewhere.

Of the three local authority areas exclusively on islands, the 2022 Census shows that Na h-Eileanan Siar saw the biggest population decrease (down 5.5%) between 2011 and 2022, while a 1.2% decrease in the Shetland Islands was driven by out-migration. In contrast, the Orkney Islands have grown by 3%.

Amongst the Scottish Island Regions, population growth has been strongest in Orkney - Mainland and Connected Islands and the Highland Islands, which have seen a population growth of 17% and 13% respectively. However, between 2002 and 2022, the population in Arran, Bute and the Cumbraes and the Shetland – Outer islands declined by 13% and 8%, respectively.

Large population losses are predicted in Island Sparsely Populated Areas (SPAs).[9] Population sparsity presents direct difficulties for the viability of communities, businesses and services due to low access to people. Furthermore, the percentage loss of working age population on the islands is anticipated to be disproportionately higher than the total percentage loss of population.

The projected population percentage change between 2018 and 2043 shows the highest reduction in total and working age populations will be in Sparsely Populated areas of Scotland (-18.6% and -25.5% respectively)[10][11]. In the island SPAs the highest projected loss of the working age population is in North Ayrshire (-35%) and Na h-Eileanan Siar (-32%) and projected loss of the child population is highest in Argyll and Bute (-26%) and North Ayrshire (-23%).

Figure 5 : Population percentage change in Island Council areas between 2002 and 2022
Graph showing population percentage change in Island Council areas compared to Mainland Scotland between 2002 and 2022

Source: Mid-year population estimates by Scottish Island Region, National Records of Scotland (2022)

Contact

Email: socialresearch@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

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