Aberdeen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aberdeen
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City, lieutenancy and council area
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| Nickname(s):
Granite City, the Silver City by Sea, Oil Capital of Europe
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Aberdeen shown within Scotland
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| Sovereign state | United Kingdom | ||
| Country | Scotland | ||
| Earliest Charter | 1179 | ||
| City status | 1891 | ||
| Unitary authority | 1 April 1996 | ||
| Administrative HQ | Town House | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Council | ||
| • Body | Aberdeen City Council | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 72 sq mi (186 km2) | ||
| Area rank | 25th | ||
| Population
(2022)
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| • Total | 224,190 | ||
| • Rank | 8th | ||
| • Density | 3,130/sq mi (1,208/km2) | ||
| Demonym(s) | Aberdonian | ||
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) | ||
| Postcode areas |
AB10–13 (part), AB14–16, AB21–25
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| Dialling codes | 01224 | ||
| ISO 3166 code | GB-ABE | ||
| GSS code | S12000033 | ||
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Aberdeen (
i/ˌæbərˈdiːn/ ab-ƏR-deen) is a city in North East Scotland. It is the third largest city in Scotland by population. Aberdeen is also known as the "Granite City" or the "Silver City by the Sea" because many of its buildings are made from sparkling grey granite. Since oil was found in the North Sea in 1969, Aberdeen has also been called the "Oil Capital of Europe".
People have lived in the Aberdeen area for at least 6,000 years. The city received its first special permission, called a royal burgh status, from King David I of Scotland between 1124 and 1153. This helped the city's economy grow. Today, traditional jobs like fishing and paper-making have been mostly replaced by the oil industry.
Aberdeen has a very busy heliport (for helicopters) and a large seaport. It is also a university town, home to the University of Aberdeen, which was founded in 1495. This makes it one of the oldest universities in the English-speaking world. In 2012, Aberdeen was named one of the UK's top "super cities" for business.
Contents
- Exploring Aberdeen's Past: A Journey Through History
- How Aberdeen is Governed and Its Symbols
- Aberdeen's Natural Surroundings
- Who Lives in Aberdeen?
- Aberdeen's Economy: From Granite to Oil
- Famous Places and Green Spaces
- Getting Around Aberdeen
- Learning in Aberdeen
- Aberdeen's Culture and Fun
- Public Services in Aberdeen
- Sports in Aberdeen
- Aberdeen's Twin Cities
- Famous People from Aberdeen
- Images for kids
- See also
Exploring Aberdeen's Past: A Journey Through History
People have lived in the Aberdeen area for at least 8,000 years. The city actually started as two separate towns: Old Aberdeen by the River Don, and New Aberdeen, which was a fishing and trading village by the River Dee.
In 1179, King William the Lion gave Aberdeen its first special permission, called a charter. This allowed the town to have its own rights. Later, in 1319, King Robert the Bruce gave Aberdeen a "Great Charter." This made the city financially independent and gave it land, like the nearby Forest of Stocket. The money from this land still helps the people of Aberdeen today.
During the Wars of Scottish Independence, Aberdeen was controlled by the English. But in 1308, Robert the Bruce attacked and destroyed Aberdeen Castle, taking the city back for the Scottish people. In 1336, the city was burned by Edward III of England, but it was quickly rebuilt and became known as New Aberdeen. The city used to have strong walls and gates to protect it, but these were removed by 1770.
Between 1644 and 1647, during a period of wars in Scotland, the city was attacked and robbed by both sides. In 1647, a terrible disease called the bubonic plague hit Aberdeen, killing a quarter of its population.
In the 1700s, Aberdeen started to grow and improve. A new Town Hall was built, and the city began offering social services. The first hospital, the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, opened in 1742. At the end of the 1700s, major roads like George Street, King Street, and Union Street were built, making travel easier.
Building these expensive roads caused the city to go bankrupt in 1817, after the Napoleonic Wars. However, Aberdeen soon recovered. The city's port became more important, especially with the growth of shipbuilding and fishing. This led to the building of the current harbour. Gas street lighting came in 1824, and a better water supply in 1830. In 1865, an underground sewer system was built to replace the old open sewers. In 1891, Aberdeen officially became a city, and nearby towns like Old Aberdeen and Torry became part of it.
What's in a Name? The Meaning of Aberdeen
The name Aberdeen means "mouth of the river Don." The word aber comes from an old Celtic language and means "river mouth." The second part of the name comes from an ancient Celtic river goddess named Devona.
How Aberdeen is Governed and Its Symbols
How the City is Run
The first town of Aberdeen was created by King David I of Scotland between 1124 and 1153. Later, Old Aberdeen to the north became its own separate town in 1489.
Aberdeen was governed by a town council. As the city grew, the council's powers needed to expand. In 1891, the city's borders grew much larger, taking in Old Aberdeen, Woodside, and Torry. This act of parliament also officially confirmed that Aberdeen could be called a city.
Today, Aberdeen is a council area in Scotland, meaning it has its own local government, the Aberdeen City Council.
City Symbols: Coat of Arms and Motto
The city's coat of arms and flag show three silver towers on a red background. This design is very old, dating back to the time of Robert the Bruce. It represents the buildings that once stood on the three hills of medieval Aberdeen.
Aberdeen's motto is "Bon Accord," which is French for "Good Agreement." Legend says this was a secret password used by Robert the Bruce when he attacked