Study shows fastest growing areas

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West Lothian had the largest percentage population increase in Scotland over the past decade, according to a survey.

The Bank of Scotland study said the area's population jumped by 11%, to 167,800 in the 10 years to 2007.

The biggest absolute increase was in Edinburgh, where the population rose by 22,400 to 468,100.

Overall, the population of Scotland grew 1% over the decade, to 5.14 million. Glasgow and Dundee experienced the largest absolute declines.

Both cities lost about 9,000 people.

Out of Scotland's 32 local authorities, 12 saw their populations decline.

One of the key trends in Scotland during the last decade has been the growth of urban areas such as West Lothian and Edinburgh Martin EllisBank of Scotland

After West Lothian, the biggest risers were East Lothian with 8% growth, followed by Perth and Kinross and Aberdeenshire, which both went up 6%.

Local authorities with steep falls in their population included Inverclyde, Dundee and the Western Isles, all down by 6%.

The survey said the largest factor in population increase had been internal immigration.

Forest Heath in Suffolk, Southend-on-Sea and Poole were the only areas in southern England to see their populations contract.

Martin Ellis, group economist at Bank of Scotland, said: "Population changes are important to the development of the UK economy, determining the size of the working population and providing the backbone to the consumer economy."

He added: "One of the key trends in Scotland during the last decade has been the growth of urban areas such as West Lothian and Edinburgh coupled with population declines in cities such as Dundee and Glasgow."

The Bank of Scotland survey used data from the Office for National Statistics.