SCOTLAND'S population is projected to rise by around nine per cent over the next 25 years, but some areas will see a drop in its overall number of residents.
Aberdeen and Edinburgh are expected to face the biggest increases, according to the statistics from the National Records of Scotland (NRS).
The populations of 20 of the 32 council areas in Scotland are projected to increase, while the number of people living in the other 12 are expected to decrease.
The projections suggest the country's population will grow from 5.31 million in 2012 to 5.78 million in 2037.
Edinburgh and Aberdeen both face rises of 28 per cent, and Perth and Kinross faces a 24 per cent increase, while Inverclyde, at -19 per cent, and Argyll and Bute, at -13 per cent, have the largest projected decreases.
The population is also projected to age, with an increase in people of pensionable age across all council areas.
However, Aberdeen City will see a 45 per cent increase in the number of children aged up to 15.
The population of youngsters in Inverclyde will drop 32 percent and in the Western Isles by 38 per cent.
At the same time, the working age population will increase by more than a quarter (28 per cent) in the City of Edinburgh.
The projections use certain assumptions about future fertility, mortality and migration, and are largely based on past trends.
They also reflect past policy and economic impacts, although they do not take account of future changes that may occur as a result of policy initiatives at a local or national level.
In addition, NRS has roduced seven alternative variants, which take into account different levels of migration, fertility and life expectancy.
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