Grampian

Grampian is a geographic region in northeast Scotland, named after the Grampian Mountains, a long range of peaks that forms part of the Scottish Highlands. The area lies along the North Sea coast and extends inland to the uplands, featuring coastal towns, fertile valleys, and rugged highlands. Aberdeen, a major port city, is the region’s best-known urban centre, alongside towns such as Elgin and Banff.

The name Grampian derives from the Grampian Mountains, whose highest peak is Ben Nevis. The range runs from the western Highlands toward the northeast, shaping much of the region’s landscape and climate. The terrain supports industries such as fishing, farming, oil and gas, and tourism, with outdoor recreation and heritage tourism playing a role.

Historically, Grampian was an administrative region of Scotland from 1975 to 1996. It covered a broad area that included the present-day council areas of Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, and Moray, and it operated as an upper-tier authority with its capital in Aberdeen. In 1996, Scotland reorganized local government and the Grampian Region was dissolved, with its functions transferred to the three successor unitary councils. The name, however, remains in use in cultural and geographic contexts and in the titles of various public bodies that serve the area.