City of Edinburgh
§ This page gives an overview of the City of Edinburgh local authority district, bringing together key facts, maps, and data to help you quickly understand the area. One of 361 district profiles on Baseview.
Overview ⁞ City of Edinburgh is Scotland’s capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famed for its medieval Old Town, Georgian New Town, and cultural festivals including the Edinburgh Fringe. It is a political, economic, and educational hub, with tourism and financial services as key industries.
City of Edinburgh Boundary Map
This map shows the official boundary of the City of Edinburgh local authority district, based on the latest geographic data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It provides a clear view of the district’s extent and helps you understand how the area fits within the wider regional and national landscape.
Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2025. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
The administrative boundary of City of Edinburgh can also be viewed on OpenStreetMap: District Boundary of City of Edinburgh.
Key Facts about City of Edinburgh
What region is City of Edinburgh in? City of Edinburgh is in Scotland, a statistical region and also a country in United Kingdom.
Is City of Edinburgh a city? Yes, City of Edinburgh is a city. City of Edinburgh holds official city status as one of the 76 designated cities in the UK.
Who governs City of Edinburgh? The local government for this district is: City of Edinburgh Council (Scotland Council Area).
▶ Official website of City of Edinburgh Council 🔗 edinburgh.gov.uk
Which police force covers City of Edinburgh? Policing in City of Edinburgh is provided by Police Scotland 🔗 scotland.police.uk, which covers the whole of Scotland.
City of Edinburgh in International Geographies
In the International Territorial Levels (ITLs) hierarchy, City of Edinburgh is an ITLs Level 3 area:
- (ITL 1) Scotland
- (ITL 2) ⇒ East Central Scotland
- (ITL 3) ⇒⇒ City of Edinburgh
The International Territorial Levels are used by OECD member countries for statistical purposes to classify administrative areas. We have this listable page for easy browsing of ITL names and codes: International Territorial Levels.
Constituencies in City of Edinburgh
City of Edinburgh is divided into 5 parliamentary constituencies, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
- Edinburgh North and Leith
- Edinburgh South
- Edinburgh South West
- Edinburgh West
A constituency is a specific geographical area that elects one Member of Parliament (MP) to represent them in the House of Commons. The United Kingdom is divided into 650 parliamentary constituencies, 57 of them are in Scotland. We have this list page for easy browsing of all UK parliamentary constituencies: List of Constituencies.
Wards in City of Edinburgh
City of Edinburgh is divided into 17 wards, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Almond
- City Centre
- Colinton/Fairmilehead
- Corstorphine/Murrayfield
- Craigentinny/Duddingston
- Drum Brae/Gyle
- Forth
- Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart
- Inverleith
- Leith
- Leith Walk
- Liberton/Gilmerton
- Morningside
- Pentland Hills
- Portobello/Craigmillar
- Sighthill/Gorgie
- Southside/Newington
In the UK, a ward is a subdivision of a local authority area, used mainly for electoral and statistical purposes. Defined by the ONS, wards represent the primary unit for local elections, each returning one or more councillors to the local council. Wards are also used as a key geography for presenting population and census data.
Built-up Areas in City of Edinburgh
City of Edinburgh covers 10 built-up areas, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Danderhall *
- East Calder *
- Edinburgh *
- Ingliston
- Kirkliston
- Musselburgh *
- Queensferry
- Ratho
- Ratho Station and Newbridge
- Riccarton
In the UK, a Built-up Area (BUA) is a continuous urban area of at least 20 hectares (0.2 km²), defined by the ONS as land where buildings are generally no more than 200 metres apart, such as towns, cities, or large villages. (Note: A BUA name marked with an asterisk (*) indicates that the area is situated partly in the district of City of Edinburgh.)