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Scottish Abstract of Statistics Published Today
17/12/1998
ISSUED ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT STATISTICAL SERVICE
The latest edition of the Scottish Abstract of Statistics, published today by The Scottish Office, contains a vast range of statistics about many aspects of life in Scotland. The Abstract provides many of the answers to those tricky questions posed by pub quizzes and Scottish journalists.
This year's edition which is available from The Stationery Office Bookshop and The Scottish Office web site includes the following information:
· The population of Scotland was 5,122,500 at mid-1997.
· The number of households in Scotland is projected to increase by 10 per cent between 1996 and 2010, from 2,136,000 to 2,346,000.
· Aberdeen was the wettest city in Scotland with 990 millimetres of rain falling in 1997 while Dundee claimed the title of Scotland's driest city with a mere 599 millimetres of rain.
· There were 156,997 students on full-time higher education courses in 1996/97, an increase of 92 per cent from 1986/87. During the same period, the number of part-time students rose by 110 per cent to stand at 82,308.
· Females now account for 46 per cent of persons in employment.
· 827,950 operations were performed in Scottish hospitals in 1996/97, a 4 per cent increase from the previous year.
· Out of a weekly income of £367, the average household in Scotland spends £56 on food, £42 on motoring and £39 on housing.
· There were 467 million passenger journeys on local bus services in 1996-97, 28 per cent less than in 1986-87.
· The number of persons receiving a custodial sentence in 1996 was 16,923, 4 per cent higher than the figure for 1995 and the highest level recorded.
· Edinburgh Castle is the most popular paid admission visitor attraction, with 1.2 million visitors in 1997.
· Spain remains the top foreign holiday destination for Scottish residents, accounting for more than a third of holiday trips abroad
NOTE FOR NEWS EDITORS
The Scottish Abstract of Statistics contains the most up-to-date figures available at the time of going to press, and is available, price £25, from The Stationery Office Bookshop, 71 Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH3 9AZ (telephone 0131 248 4181).
The publication is also available on The Scottish Office web site, at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/
News Release: 2671/98
17 December, 1998
PREPARED BY THE GOVERNMENT STATISTICAL SERVICE