Scotland's international net migration at lowest level in five years

Scotland's population grew by less than 0.1% in the year to mid-2025, with international net migration at its lowest level in five years, official statistics reveal.

Figures published by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) shows the country's population was estimated to be 5,545,500 - an increase of 2,200.

International net migration decreased to 9,300 people - the lowest level since mid-2020 - while net migration between the rest of the UK and Scotland also fell to 8,600.

The NRS said migration continued to be the main driver of Scotland's population growth, as deaths continue to outnumber births.

Scotland's population is determined by two main factors - net migration and natural change.

Total net migration, which is the number of people moving into Scotland minus the number of people leaving, stood at 17,900 in the year to mid-2025.

This includes people who have moved internationally and those from elsewhere within the UK.

Overall net migration is lower than the recent peak in the year to mid-2023, when net migration stood at 83,300, and the previous year's figures (year to mid-2024) which was 47,000.

Both international net migration and net migration from other parts of the UK were down last year.

Natural change, which is the number of births minus the number of deaths, stood at 16,200.

This is because there were fewer births than deaths in the year. In total there were 45,400 births and 61,600 deaths in the year to mid-2025.

These components, plus other changes, result in the country's overall population figures.

NRS figures also show how local populations have changed.

Overall 12 councils saw population growth between mid-2024 and mid-2025, with East Lothian, Midlothian, Glasgow City and West Lothian seeing the largest increases, while Clackmannanshire, Dundee City and Na h-Eileanan Siar saw the greatest drops.

Glasgow City remains the country's biggest authority in Scotland with a population of 654,330, followed by City of Edinburgh and Fife.

Orkney Islands had the smallest population with 21,920, followed by Shetland Islands and Na h-Eileanan Siar.

Andrew White, head of population and migration statistics at NRS, said: "Scotland's population is continuing to rise but at a reduced rate compared to recent years.

"This increase is driven by people moving to Scotland from the rest of the UK and internationally."

He added that, in the year to mid-2025, deaths outnumbered births in all council areas except Midlothian and Glasgow City.

White said: "The overall number of deaths registered in Scotland was greater than the number of births, continuing a trend we have seen since 2015."