| Argyll and Bute Earra-Ghaidheal agus Bòd Argyll an Bute |
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| Location | |||||
| Geography | |||||
| Area | Ranked 2nd | ||||
| - Total | 6,909 km2 (2,668 sq mi) | ||||
| Admin HQ | Lochgilphead | ||||
| ISO 3166-2 | GB-AGB | ||||
| ONS code | 00QD | ||||
| Demographics | |||||
| Population | Ranked 25th | ||||
| - Total (2005) | 89,200 | ||||
| - Density | 13 / km² | ||||
| Politics | |||||
| Argyll & Bute Council |
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| Control | Independent/Scottish National Party | ||||
| MPs | |||||
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Argyll and Bute (Scottish Gaelic: Earra-Ghaidheal agus Bòd pronounced [ɛrˠəˈɣɛːəlˠ̪ akəs̪ pɔːtʲ]) is both one of 32 unitary council areas; and a Lieutenancy area in Scotland. The administrative centre for the council area is located in Lochgilphead.
Argyll and Bute covers the second largest administrative area of any Scottish council. Including islands, there are over 3,000 miles (4,800 km) of coastline, which is approximately the same as that of the whole of France.[1]
The council area adjoins those of Highland, Perth and Kinross, Stirling and West Dunbartonshire. Its border runs through Loch Lomond.
The present council area was created in 1996, when it was carved out of the Strathclyde region, which was a two-tier local government region of 19 districts, created in 1975. Argyll and Bute merged together the existing Argyll and Bute district and one ward of the Dumbarton district. The Dumbarton ward, called 'Helensburgh and Lomond', included the burgh of Helensburgh and consisted of an area to the west of Loch Lomond, north of the Firth of Clyde and mostly east of Loch Long.
The council area can be described also by reference to divisions of the counties which were abolished in 1975. The council area includes most of the county of Argyll (Argyll minus the Morvern area, north of Mull, which became part of the Highland region in 1975), part of the county of Bute (the Isle of Bute) and part of the county of Dunbartonshire (the Helensburgh and Lomond ward).
The later scenes of the 1963 James Bond film From Russia with Love were filmed around the lochs and hills of Argyll and Bute.[2]
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The main ferry operator in Argyll & Bute is Caledonian MacBrayne, including services from the mainland to Bute, Gigha, Islay, Mull and Tiree.
Dunoon based operator Western Ferries ply the busy Dunoon to Gourock route in direct competition with Caledonian MacBrayne. In early July 2011 however, Caledonian MacBrayne will cease to ply the route leaving fellow David MacBrayne Ltd subsidiary, Argyll Ferries to run a passenger only service after being announced as the preferred bidder in the tendering process.
Argyll and Bute Council directly operates its own ferries on the following routes:
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