The Highlands is a historical region of Scotland known for its natural beauty. Culturally, it differs from the Lowlands, where the Lowland Scots language replaced Scottish Gaelic. The Highlands are located north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault and include the Great Glen, which separates the Grampian Mountains from the Northwest Highlands.
Famous for its scenic landscapes, the Highlands are sparsely populated, featuring the highest mountain in the British Isles, Ben Nevis. Population numbers rose to about 300,000 during the 18th and early 19th centuries, but from 1841, emigration and migration to industrial cities led to a significant decline. Today, the Highlands are one of the most sparsely populated regions in Europe, with a density of just 9.1 people per square kilometer in 2012, less than one-seventh of Scotland’s overall density.
