Edinburgh
Edinburgh (/ˈɛdɪnbərə/ ⓘ Scots: [ˈɛdɪnbʌrə]; Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Èideann [ˌt̪un ˈeːtʲən̪ˠ]) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. The city is located in south-east Scotland, and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth estuary and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh had a population of 506,520 in mid-2020, making it the second-most populous city in Scotland and the seventh-most populous in the United Kingdom.
Edinburgh
Dùn Èideann | |
|---|---|
| City of Edinburgh | |
Top to bottom, left to right: Skyline of central Edinburgh from Calton Hill, the Scott Monument, the Scottish Parliament Building, and Arthur's Seat | |
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Flag | |
| Nicknames: "Auld Reekie", "Edina", "Athens of the North" | |
| Motto(s): | |
Edinburgh Edinburgh locality within the City of Edinburgh council area Edinburgh Location within Scotland Edinburgh Location within the United Kingdom Edinburgh Location within Europe | |
| Coordinates: 55°57′12″N 03°11′21″W | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | Scotland |
| Council area | City of Edinburgh |
| Lieutenancy area | Edinburgh |
| Founded | Before 7th century AD |
| Burgh Charter | 1125 |
| City status | 1633 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Unitary authority |
| • Governing body | The City of Edinburgh Council |
| • Lord Provost of Edinburgh | Robert Aldridge |
| • MSPs | |
| • MPs | |
| Area | |
| • Locality | 46 sq mi (119 km2) |
| • Urban | 49 sq mi (126 km2) |
| • Council area | 101.7 sq mi (263.4 km2) |
| Elevation | 154 ft (47 m) |
| Population (mid-2020 est.)(2021) | |
| • Locality | 506,520 |
| • Density | 11,000/sq mi (4,300/km2) |
| • Urban | 530,990 |
| • Urban density | 11,000/sq mi (4,200/km2) |
| • Metro | 901,455 |
| • Council area | 526,470 |
| • Council area density | 5,180/sq mi (1,999/km2) |
| • Language(s) | English Scots |
| GVA | |
| • City of Edinburgh | £25.419 billion (2021) |
| Time zone | UTC±0 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
| Postcode areas | |
| Area code | 0131 |
| ISO 3166-2 | GB-EDH |
| ONS code | S12000036 |
| OS grid reference | NT275735 |
| NUTS 3 | UKM25 |
| Primary Airport | Edinburgh Airport |
| Website | www |
| Official name | Old and New Towns of Edinburgh |
| Criteria | Cultural: ii, iv |
| Reference | 728 |
| Inscription | 1995 (19th Session) |
| Official name | The Forth Bridge |
| Criteria | Cultural: i, iv |
| Reference | 1485 |
| Inscription | 2015 (39th Session) |
| Edinburgh |
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Recognised as the capital of Scotland since at least the 15th century, Edinburgh is the seat of the Scottish Government, the Scottish Parliament, the highest courts in Scotland, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. It is also the annual venue of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. The city has long been a centre of education, particularly in the fields of medicine, Scottish law, literature, philosophy, the sciences and engineering. The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1582 and now one of three in the city, is considered one of the best research institutions in the world. It is the second-largest financial centre in the United Kingdom, the fourth largest in Europe, and the thirteenth largest internationally.
The city is a cultural centre, and is the home of institutions including the National Museum of Scotland, the National Library of Scotland and the Scottish National Gallery. The city is also known for the Edinburgh International Festival and the Fringe, the latter being the world's largest annual international arts festival. Historic sites in Edinburgh include Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the churches of St. Giles, Greyfriars and the Canongate, and the extensive Georgian New Town built in the 18th/19th centuries. Edinburgh's Old Town and New Town together are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which has been managed by Edinburgh World Heritage since 1999. The city's historical and cultural attractions have made it the UK's second-most visited tourist destination, attracting 4.9 million visits, including 2.4 million from overseas in 2018.
Edinburgh is governed by the City of Edinburgh Council, a unitary authority. The City of Edinburgh council area had an estimated population of 526,470 in mid-2021, and includes outlying towns and villages which are not part of Edinburgh proper. The city is in the Lothian region and was historically part of the shire of Midlothian (also called Edinburghshire).