Update:
Following Scotland’s Census 2022, revised population estimates for Scotland from mid-2011 to mid-2021 were first published in July 2024. In September 2024, the Office for National Statistics identified an error in Scotland's long-term international migration data for the year to mid-2022, resulting in a minor change to Scotland’s population for mid-2022.
These amended estimates incorporate this latest change to migration estimates, as well as the latest data on births, deaths, and other unattributable changes for 2011–2022. Additionally, improvements were made to the age distribution of UK student-age nationals who migrated to Scotland during the intercensal period.
The data tables have been updated to account for this, and cover the years from mid-2011 to mid-2022. Other material, including the Key Findings, Report and Figures have not been updated and reflect the originally published figures.
Key Findings:
- The new, rebased, figures showed that the population of Scotland increased by 2.2% between 2011 and 2021. The original figures showed the population increasing by 3.4% over the same period. The difference is mainly due to improvements in the figures for international migration.
- The rebasing had a bigger impact on the population estimates for young adults, and the figures for the largest cities. This is because these are the age groups and areas where international migration is highest.
- These statistics replace the previously published mid-year population estimates and form the new official estimates for the population of Scotland from mid-2011 to mid-2021.
Open data and data visualisations
Rebased population estimates, as well as accompanying migration estimates, will be updated on statistics.gov.scot shortly after publication.
We will also aim to update and upload our data visualisations, incorporating the rebased mid-year estimates as soon as possible.
