Key facts
- Sovereign state
- United Kingdom
- Country
- Scotland
- Lieutenancy area
- Ayrshire and Arran
- Unitary authority
- 1 April 1996
- Administrative hq
- Irvine
- Type
- Council
- Body
- North Ayrshire Council
- Control
- No overall control
- Mps
- 2 MPs Irene Campbell ( L ) Alan Gemmell ( L )
- Msps
- 2 MSPs Ruth Maguire ( SNP ) Kenneth Gibson ( SNP )
- Total
- 342 sq mi (885 km )
- Rank
- 17th
- Density
Article
North Ayrshire (Scottish Gaelic: Siorrachd Àir a Tuath, pronounced [ˈʃirˠəxk aːɾʲ ə ˈt̪ʰuə]) is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. The council area borders Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire to the northeast, and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the east and south respectively. The local authority is North Ayrshire Council, formed in 1996 with the same boundaries as the district of Cunninghame, which existed from 1975 to 1996.
Located in the west central Lowlands with the Firth of Clyde to its west, the council area covers the northern portion of the historic county of Ayrshire, in addition to the islands of Arran and The Cumbraes from the historic county of Buteshire. North Ayrshire had an estimated population of 134,010 in 2024. Its largest towns are Irvine and Kilwinning. From 1975 to 1996 under the name Cunninghame it was one of nineteen local government districts in the Strathclyde region.
Gallery (12)
On the map
17 mapped locations