n
an administrative area in Scotland. From 1975 until 1996, Scotland was divided into nine regions , which operated in a similar way to counties . Each region had two levels of local government: an upper level consisting of a single regional council, and a lower level made up of a number of smaller district councils. The regions were replaced in 1996 by a single-tier (= one-level) system in which there are 32 council areas , each with a single council in charge. Some of the council areas, for example Highland , cover a wide geographical area, while others consist of single cities, for example Glasgow City and the City of Edinburgh .
Compare unitary authority .