Historic county of Scotland
Kinross-shire
Siorrachd Chinn Rois
Loch Leven at the centre, hills around the edge.
Kinross-shire is one of those rare counties whose geography can almost be understood at a glance. Loch Leven occupies its centre, surrounded by a compact basin of farmland and settlement; beyond rise the Ochils towards the north-west and the Cleish Hills to the south.
There is little geographical excess. Water, lowland and enclosing hills sit unusually close together, making the county’s small scale part of its strength. Kinross-shire is not merely a tiny county: it is an exceptionally coherent loch-centred landscape.
- Head of the point”
- Established 13th century
- Loch Leven Castle
- In medieval records
County geography
Current Census
Contemporary Census profile
Scotland Census 2022. Detailed contemporary statistics are available in the Geographic County Census Explorer.
- Population density
- 161.1 people per sq mi (62.19 people per km²)
A county around a loch
Loch Leven is Kinross-shire’s geographical centre of gravity.
The surrounding lowland falls towards the basin while higher ground frames it, creating a natural internal structure which requires little explanation.
From basin to hill
Because the county is so compact, landscapes change quickly.
Fertile country around the loch gives way over short distances to increasingly open hill ground, especially towards the Ochils.
Small scale, strong identity
Kinross-shire’s size has never prevented a powerful territorial identity.
Indeed, its compactness makes the relationship between loch, surrounding settlements and enclosing hills unusually easy to perceive.
County questions
Questions about Kinross-shire
Is Kinross-shire one of Britain’s smallest counties?
Yes. It is the second-smallest geographic county in Britain by area, after neighbouring Clackmannanshire.
Did later administrative amalgamations abolish Kinross-shire?
No. Changes to councils and local-government areas did not abolish the geographic county.
County record
Names and continuity
- Formal name
- County of Kinross
- Local name
- Siorrachd Chinn Rois
- Earliest reference
- In medieval records
Kinross-shire and County of Kinross are forms associated with the same county. Loch Leven remains the geographical centre around which its compact territory is organised.