Historic county of Scotland
West Lothian
Labhdaidh an Iar / Linlithgowshire / County of Linlithgow
Forth shore, Linlithgow plain and the Bathgate Hills.
West Lothian / Linlithgowshire occupies a compact stretch of country along the southern shore of the Firth of Forth. Around Linlithgow the landscape is comparatively open, with loch, farmland and low hills; westwards the county reaches the firth-side country around Bo’ness, while the Bathgate Hills rise through its middle.
Further south, the ground falls again into the broad Central Belt corridor. Coast, agricultural plain, volcanic hill and industrial landscape therefore sit remarkably close together. West Lothian is small, but geographically complete: the Forth provides its northern face, the hills give it a central spine and the southern routes tie it into the wider Lowlands.
- Head of the Firth of Forth
- Coastline of 17 miles
- Mary Queen of Scots born Linlithgow Palace
- Area: 120 sq miles
- Population: 154,830
- County Top: Cairnpapple Hill (South Top)
County geography
Current Census
Contemporary Census profile
Scotland Census 2022. Detailed contemporary statistics are available in the Geographic County Census Explorer.
- Population density
- 1,330.2 people per sq mi (513.58 people per km²)
The Forth-facing county
The northern side of West Lothian belongs strongly to the firth. Ports and industry developed along the shore, while the Forth has always given this apparently inland Lowland country a distinctly maritime edge.
The county’s principal rivers also reinforce its frame, with the Avon on the western side and the Almond system towards the east.
Hills, shale and industry
The Bathgate Hills form the county’s most conspicuous upland. Around them lie the geological resources which supported coal, iron and especially Scotland’s pioneering shale-oil industry.
The great shale bings left by that industry have themselves become part of West Lothian’s landscape — dramatic man-made hills superimposed on an older natural geography.
County questions
Questions about West Lothian
Are West Lothian and Linlithgowshire different counties?
No. West Lothian and Linlithgowshire are long-established names for the same geographic county. Linlithgow gives the shire-name form; West Lothian expresses its place within the wider Lothian country.
County record
Names and continuity
- Formal name
- County of West Lothian
- Local name
- Labhdaidh an Iar
- Alternative name
- Linlithgowshire
- Foundation
- 12th century
West Lothian, Linlithgowshire, County of Linlithgow and County of West Lothian are forms associated with the county. Linlithgow has long provided its principal historic focus, while the Forth, central hills and surrounding plain give it its enduring physical shape.