QUICK BRIEF
17th December 2012
Census 2011 – First Release
What this is about
The National Records of Scotland (NRS) published its first release (Release 1A) of the
2011 Census for Scotland today. This provides Resident Census population estimates by
five year age bands and sex for Scotland, and total population estimates for each council
area. This Quick Brief highlights the main aspects of this first release of the Census data.
Key Information
Scotland
On 27th March 2011, Scotland’s population is estimated at 5,295,000 (2,567,000 males
and 2,728,000 females).
Figure 1.
Comparisons with 10 years ago
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Since the 2001 Census, Scotland’s population has increased by 233,000 (5%). This
represents the fastest growth rate between two census years in the last century.
In 2011 there were 293,000 children aged under 5, an increase of 6% from
2001.
The number of children aged 5 to 14 saw a decrease of 69,000 (11%) in the
last 10 years.
The number of people aged 65 and over increased by 85,000 (11%) since
Fife Partnership… Strengthening Fife’s Future
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2001 and now represents 17% of the population.
There were 230,000 people aged 80 and over in 2011 compared with 193,000 in
2001 (an increase of 19%).
Compared with 2001, the population aged 15 to 64 has increased by 200,000 (6%).
Within this total the population aged 15 to 39 decreased by 32,000 (2%), whilst the
population amongst older working ages (40 to 64) increased by 233,000 (14%).
Fife
Fife’s population as at 27th March 2011, is estimated at 365,000. This has increased by
15,571 (5%) from the 2001 Census figure of 349,429.
Figure 2.
Fife’s population increase of 15,571 is the 6th highest in Scotland, behind Edinburgh,
Aberdeenshire, Highland, North Lanarkshire, and West Lothian, although one place ahead
of Glasgow.
When we look at how the population of council areas has increased or decreased in
percentage terms from 2001-2010, Fife’s increase of 5% is the same as that for Scotland
overall. The majority of the 32 council areas have seen an increase in their population over
the last 10 years, and 16 council areas have grown at a faster rate than Fife, with
Aberdeenshire Council showing the highest growth of 11.5%, and Inverclyde Council
showing the greatest reduction in population of -4% from 2001.This information is shown in
more detail in the chart in Figure 3.
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Figure 3.
Mid-year Estimates
The new Census figure for Fife at 365,000 is 2,370 (0.6%) lower than the 2011 mid-year
population estimate of 367,370 (the mid-year estimate figure is a rolled forward figure from
the 2001 Census figure updated each year with births, deaths and inward and outward
migration), and is more in line with the 2010 Mid-year estimate figure of 365,020.
NRS will be releasing further 2011 Census information during 2013, and have provided the
following timetable for future releases –
 Release 1A (17 December 2012) – Population estimates by five-year age bands and
sex for Scotland, total population estimate for each council area.
 Release 1B (March 2013) – Population estimates by five-year age bands and sex for
Scotland and each council area. Household estimates for Scotland and each council
area.
 Release 1C (May 2013) - Population estimates by single year of age and sex for
Scotland and each council area.
 Release 2 (from summer 2013) – Key and Quick statistics; Scotland level population
estimates by single year of age and sex, Census Profiles; Population and Household
estimates by postcode and Geography products.
 Release 3 (from autumn 2013) – Local Characteristics.
 Release 4 (from winter 2013) – Detailed Characteristics.
Further Information
The NRS website - http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/en/ provides further information on
the 2011 Census and other demographic information.
Fife results from 2011 Census will be made available at www.fifedirect.org.uk/census
Contact: Andrew Ballingall, Planning, Performance and Diagnostics Team, Fife Council,
Tel: 08451 555555 ext. 440890, email andrew.ballingall@fife.gov.uk.
Fife Partnership… Strengthening Fife’s Future