Scotland has the financial muscle to be a successful independent country without the lucrative profits from North Sea oil and gas, according to pro-independence campaigners.

Yes Scotland said economic output without fossil fuels would be almost exactly the same as the UK as a whole, which is largely driven by London's prosperous financial services sector.

Launching a mini campaign to promote Scotland's fiscal stability as part of its wider effort to convince Scots to vote yes to independence in 2014, chief executive Blair Jenkins said: "An independent Scotland would be one of the wealthiest nations in the developed world, with the means to make it one of the fairest too.

"Fairness, the focus of our last mini campaign, and prosperity fit hand-in-hand. And an independent Scotland has the means to achieve both.

"It is extraordinary how often some people question whether Scotland could afford to be independent when the question should really be whether Scotland can afford not to be independent.

"The facts clearly show that even without taking into account oil and gas, our economic output would still be at nearly exactly the same level as the whole of the UK - and that's taking into account London's financial services industry."

Yes Scotland says much of the "misinformation" about Scotland's financial capability reflects "a deliberate attempt to scare people into voting no".

Scotland has a quarter of Europe's potential offshore wind and tidal energy, 10% of Europe's wave power potential and £1.5 trillion worth of oil in the North Sea, according to nationalists.

They said Scotland would be the eighth wealthiest country in the OECD (Organisation for Economic Development) compared with the UK at 17th place.

Mr Jenkins added: "Scotland is punching well above its weight. The question we should be asking is not whether can afford to be independent but why aren't we doing better economically?

"Look at all the strengths we have in our economy - oil and gas, renewables, food and drink, tourism, engineering, life sciences, universities and much more. It all adds up to a prosperous nation. So why isn't your family better off?

"Westminster isn't working for Scotland. We have wealth enough. What counts is what we choose to with that wealth. That's why Scotland's future should be in Scotland's hands."