Dumfries & Galloway Factual Information
The following information is provided by Dumfries and Galloway Council, Accounting Services:
- Dumfries and Galloway has a population of approximately 148,000.
- The largest town in the region is Dumfries with a population of 31,600.
- The two other main towns are Stranraer (10,800 pop.) and Annan (8,300 pop.).
- All other settlements have populations of 4,500 or less.
- Population density is 60 people per square mile compared with the Scottish average of 168.
- Agriculture accounts for 70% of the area with woodland covering another 25%.
- The local economy is primarily based on agriculture and forestry with
a range of light industries and tourism making significant contributions.
Update from Site Visitor, January 2016
"In fact, farming and forestry are minor contributors. By far the largest contribution to the region's economy comes from the taxpayer who funds the salaries of the public sector employees in health, education, social work, police, etc. And, I might add, the taxpayer funds a great deal of 'agricultural' income too. The other big sector is retailing." - The two major trunk roads in the region are the A74 (currently being upgraded to motorway standards) and the A75 connection with Northern Ireland.
- Approximately 750,000 vehicles move through the area as a result of the ferry crossing.
- There are over 4,000km of road and 1,437 bridges and culverts, 99 car parks and 5 harbours along the 320km of coastline.
- If all the books borrowed from the region's libraries were piled on top of each other they would make a pile four times the height of Mount Everest.