West Lothian (Lodainn an Iar in Gaelic) is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy area. It borders onto City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders, South Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire and Falkirk.

The council area was created in 1996, under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, with the boundaries of the West Lothian district of the Lothian region.

Towns and villages

• Abercorn
• Addiewell
• Ainville
• Blackburn
• Blackridge
• Breich
• Bridgend
• Dechmont
• East Calder

• Ecclesmachan
• Fauldhouse
• Greenrigg
• Harthill
• Kingscavil
• Kirknewton
• Mid Calder
• Philpstoun
• Polbeth

• Pumpherston
• Seafield
• Stoneyburn
• Torphichen
• Uphall
• Uphall Station
• West Calder
• Westfield
• Winchburgh

Principal Towns/Cities

Armadale
Bathgate
Broxburn
Livingston
Linlithgow
Whitburn

Former status

County

The county of West Lothian was called Linlithgowshire or the County of Linlithgow until 1921.

As abolished in 1975 by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the county contained six burghs. Two are outside the West Lothian unitary council area:

On abolition in 1975 the county, with the exception of the Bo'ness area, was included in the Lothian Region. Bo'ness became part of the Central Region. Lothian Region was divided into four districts, one of which was named West Lothian and approximated to the former county.

District

West Lothian District was created in 1975, comprising the county of West Lothian; less the burghs of Bo'ness and South Queensferry and the Kirkliston area; it also included the East Calder and West Calder districts of the former county of Midlothian. The council's headquarters were originally in Bathgate, later moving to the new town of Livingston. The unitary authority created in 1996 used the same boundaries.

Places of interest

• Blackness Castle
• Linlithgow Palace, birth place of Mary Queen of Scots.
• Cairnpapple Hill
• Beecraigs Country Park
• Polkemmet Country park

Mentions in popular culture

The West Lothian question is so named as it was raised by Tam Dalyell, then member of Parliament for the former West Lothian constituency, in his 1977 book Devolution: The End of Britain ?.

Leon Jackson, the winner of The X Factor UK 2007, is from Whitburn, West Lothian.

David Tennant, best known for portraying the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in the television series Doctor Who, is from West Lothian.

Whitburn Academy peer mediators attended the European mediation conference which had people from 33 different countries from all over Europe.

Town Twinnings

West Lothian is town twinned with the following cities:

• Grapevine, USA
• Hochsauerland, Germany

Council political composition

External links

• West Lothian Council

cs:Západní Lothian da:West Lothian de:West Lothian fr:West Lothian ga:Labhaidh Thoir gd:Lodainn an Iar it:Lothian dell'ovest lt:Vakar? Lotianas nl:West Lothian ja:?????????? no:West Lothian pl:West Lothian ro:West Lothian ru:???????? ?????? sv:West Lothian zh:????