Ross-shire | |
---|---|
Historic county | |
Country | Scotland |
County town | Dingwall |
Area | |
• Total | 3,089 sq mi (8,000 km2) |
Ranked 3rd of 34 | |
Chapman code | ROC (as part of Ross and Cromarty) |
Coordinates: 57°48′N 5°00′W / 57.8°N 5.0°W
Ross-shire (Scottish Gaelic: Siorrachd Rois) is a historic county in the Scottish Highlands. The county borders Sutherland, Cromartyshire (of which it contains many exclaves), Inverness-shire and an exclave of Nairnshire. It includes most of Ross as well as Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. Dingwall is the traditional county town.
Under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 Ross-shire was combined with Cromartyshire to form the single local government county of Ross and Cromarty, which continued until 1975. Ross and Cromarty was also known as Ross-shire, which was the name of the postal county which covered the mainland part of the local government county, and remained the postal county until 1996.
In 1975, Ross and Cromarty was itself replaced by the Highland region and the Western Isles, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. The region became a unitary council area in 1996, under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994.