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North Ayrshire

Unitary authority in western Scotland, created in 1996 from Cunninghame district in Strathclyde region.

Area

889 sq km/343 sq mi

Towns

Irvine (administrative headquarters), Kilwinning, Saltcoats, Largs, Kilbirnie

Physical

low-lying coastal plain on the mainland, rising inland to a plateau of over 305 m/1,000 ft; the islands of the Firth of Clyde are Arran, Holy Isle, and the Cumbraes; the rivers Irvine and Garnock reach the sea at Irvine; Goat Fell (874 m/2,867 ft)

Features

Pencil Monument, Largs; Scottish Maritime Museum, Irvine; Hunterston nuclear power station; the Cathedral of the Isles at Great Cumbrae (1851, the UK's smallest cathedral); the Big Idea Inventor Centre celebrating the work of Nobel prizewinners is linked by the Bridge of Scottish Invention to Irvine Harbourside

Industries

chemicals, electronics, computer manufacturing

Agriculture

dairying, potatoes

Population

(2001) 135,800

History

Eglinton Tournament (19th century); Battle of Largs (1263), when the Scots captured the Hebrides from the Norwegians

Economy The towns of the Garnock Valley have suffered from de-industrialization, despite diversification of the economy. Irvine New Town is the focus for electronics and chemical industries. The area is within the Glasgow commuter zone.

Environment There are 27 Sites of Special Scientific Interest, one National Nature Reserve, one National Scenic Area, one regional park, and two country parks.

Administrative history Prior to 1975, the mainland was part of the county of Ayrshire, and Arran was part of the county of Bute.

Beith Brodick

Cumbrae, Great and Little Dreghorn

Kilbirnie Lamlash

Largs