The Highland council area ('Sgìre Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd'[1] in Gaelic) is a local government area in the Scottish Highlands and the largest local government area in Scotland, and in the United Kingdom as a whole. It shares borders with the council areas of Moray, Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross, and Argyll and Bute. Their councils, and those of Angus and Stirling, also have areas of the Scottish Highlands within their administrative boundaries. The Highland area covers most of the mainland and inner-Hebridean parts of the former counties of Inverness-shire and Ross and Cromarty, all of Sutherland, Caithness and Nairnshire, and small parts of Argyll and Moray.
The area was created as a two-tier region in 1975, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, with an elected council for the whole region and, in addition, elected councils for each of eight districts, Badenoch and Strathspey, Caithness, Inverness, Lochaber, Nairn, Ross and Cromarty, Skye and Lochalsh and Sutherland. The act also abolished county and burgh councils. In 1996, under the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994, the Highland Regional Council and the district councils were wound up and their functions were transferred to a new Highland Council. The Highland Council adopted the districts as management areas and created area committees to represent them. However, the boundaries of committee areas are now out of alignment with those of management areas as a result of changes to ward boundaries in 1999. Also, ward boundaries are changing again this year, 2007, and the management areas and related committees are to be abolished in favour of three new corporate management areas, Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, Inverness, Nairn and Badenoch and Strathspey and Ross, Skye and Lochaber. The names of these areas are also names of constituencies, but boundaries are different.
The Highland Council headquarters is located in Inverness with most previous district council offices retained as outstations.
Aberarder Aberchalder Acha Achagarve Achagate Achanalt Achany Achaphubuil Acharacle Acharn Acharra Acheninver Achentoul Achfary Achinduich Achintee Achintraid Achlain Achlyness Achmelvich Achmore Achnahanat Achnasheen Achness Achriesgill Ackergill Advie Airor Aitnoch Allanfearn Alltbeath Alltnacaillich Alltsigh Altanduin Altnaharra Alvie Ankerville Ankerville Corner Applecross Ardclach Ardersier Ardfenaig Ardmair Ardnastang Ardshealach Ardullie Ardvar Ardvasar Ardverikie Arisaig Armadale Arnabost Arnisdale Arnish Astle Athnamulloch Auchness Auchterneed Auckingill Auldearn Aultbea Aultgrishin Aultivullin Aultnaharrie Aviemore Backies Badcaul Badenscallie Balaldie Balavil Balblair Balchladich Balephuil Ballachulish Balmacara Balmore Balnacarn Banavie Barevan Barr Barrisdale Beach Bearnock Beauly Belladrum Belloch Belmaduthy Bernera Bernisdale Bettyhill Bilbster Blaich Blain Boat of Garten Boath Bohenie Bohuntine Boleskine Bonnavoulin Boreraig Borgue Borve Bousd Bowermadden Bowertower Bracadale Brackley Brackloch Bracora Braemore Brawl Breakish Bridgend Brin Broadford Brora Bundalloch Bunessan Calrossie Camasterach Camastianavaig Camasunary Camban Canisbay Cannich Caradal Carbost Carnach Carnoch Carrbridge Cashel Dhu Castletown Catlodge Cawdor Clabhach Clachtoll Clashmore Clashnessie Cleadale Clovullin Clunas Clune Clunes Clynekirkton Coignashie Coillemore Coillore Colbost Cononbridge Contin Corpach Corran Corrimony Corrlarach Corrybrough Corrykinloch Cougie Coul Coulags Cove Craggie Craig Craignure Craskie Croachy Croick Croig Cromarty Cromdale Crossburn Crosskirk Croy Cuaig Cuil Culbokie Culkein Culmaily Culrain Dalbeg Dalchreichart Dalcross Dalelia Dalmigavie Dalnahaitnach Dalness Dalroy Dalwhinnie Derraid Dervaig Diabaig Dingwall Dores Dornoch Dorrery Dounreay Drumbeg Drumfearn Drumgask Drumnadrochit Drynoch Duirinish Duisky Dulsie Dunan Dunbeath Dundreggan Dunnet Dunvegan Durness Duthil Earlish East Canisbay East Croachy East Laroch Easter Clynekirkton Easter Fearn Easter Rarichie Easter Urray Edderton Edinbain Eil Elgol Elphin Erbusaig Eriboll Errogie Eskadale Etteridge Evanton Evelix Eyre Faillie Fain Farr Faskadale Fasnakyle Fassfern Fearnmore Ferness Fernilea Feshiebridge Fidden Fiskavaig Fiunary Flashader Flodigarry Fodderty Forse Forsinain Forsinard Fort Augustus Fort George Fort William Fortrose Foyers Freswick Gairloch Gairlochy Galtrigill Garbat Garrafad Garvan Garve Gills Glenborrodale Glenceitlein Glencripesdale Glenfinnan Glenmore Glenrossal Glenurguhart Gobernuisgeach Gordonbush Gorstan Grantown on Spey Greenfield Greenland Greshornish Grumbeg Halistra Halkirk Hallin Heilam Helmsdale Hill of Fearn Husabost Idrigil Inchlaggan Inchnadamph Insh Inshes Inver Inver Mallie Inverailort Inveran Inverbroom Invercannich Invercassley Invercoe Inverdruie Inverfarigaig Invergarry Inverguseran Inverie Inverkirkaig Inverlael Inverlaidnan Inverlair Invermoriston Invernaver Inversanda Invershiel Invershin Jamestown Jemimaville Kearvaig Keiss Kentallen Kentra Keoldale Kerrysdale Kilbride Kilchoan Kildonan Kilfinnan Kilkenneth Killilan Killunaig Kilmaluag Kilmoluag Kilmorack Kilmore Kilmory Kilmote Kilmuir Kilournan Kilpatrick Kilvaxter Kinbrace Kincardine Kincraig Kingsburgh Kingussie Kinloch Kinloch Hourn Kinlochbervie Kinlocheil Kinlochewe Kinlochleven Kinlochmoidart Kinlochmore Kinlochteacuis Kinrara Kintail Kirkhill Kirtomy Kishorn Klibreck Knock Knockan Knockbain Knockfin Kyleakin Kylerhea Kylestrome Laggan Lagganulva Lairg Langwell Laroch Latheron Leckmelm Ledbeg Ledmore Letterewe Letterfinlay Lewiston Liddesdale Little Creich Little Gruinard Lochailort Lochbuie Lochcarron Lochdon Lochend Lochinver Lochtreighead Lone Lorgill Lothbeg Lower Derraid Lower Diabaig Lower Gledfield Lubcroy Lusta Lybster Mains of Dalvey Mallaig Melgarve Melness Melvich Mey Mid Clyth Middleton Midtown Brae Milovaig Milton Monessie Monkstadt Morvich Moy Mugeary Muir of Ord Munlochy Mybster Nairn Naust Navidale Nedd New Kelso Newtonmore Nigg North Ballachulish North Erradale Obinan Ochtow Ockle Oldany Oldshore Oldshore Beg Oldshoremore Ollach Orbost Ord Overscaig Oykell Bridge Peanmeanach Pennygown Plockton Polbain Polglass Poolewe Portgower Portskerra Proncy Rahoy Rarichie Reay Redcastle Reiff Resipol Resolis Rhefail Rhian Rhiconich Rhilochan Ribigill Rogart Rosehall Rosemarkie Rothiemurchus Roybridge Ruthven Salachadh Sallachan Sallachy Sandwood Sangobeg Sarclet Scamadale Scamodale Scardroy Scarfskerry Sconser Scoraig Scotstown Scourie Sheigra Shiel Bridge Shieldaig Shinness Shirramore Skail Skaill Skeabost Skinidin Skudiburgh Skullomie Skye of Curr Slaggan Slickly Sourlies South Erradale South Kessock Spean Bridge Staffin Staxigoe Stein Stenscholl Stittenham Stoer Strathcarron Strathpeffer Strathy Strollamus Stromeferry Strontian Struan Struy Sunipol Swiney Syre Tain Talisker Talmine Tarbert Tarbet Tarskavaig Teangue Thrumster Thurso Tobermory Tokavaig Tole Tomatin Tomcrasky Tomdoun Tomich Tongue Torboll Torcastle Tordarroch Tore Torgulbin Tormore Torness Torrastan Torrin Torroboll Toscaig Totaig Trantlebeg Trumpan Tuirnaig Uags Uig Ullapool Unapool Unish Upper Camster Upper Derraid Upper Diabaig Upper Dounreay Urchany Urray Watten West Canisbay West Croachy West Langwell West Laroch Wester Clynekirkton Wester Fearn Wester Inverwick Wester Rarichie Wester Urray Westerdale Whaligoe Wick Woodside
