In 30 years, population of Scotland has seen the highest rise and the prime reason of this is people from outside making Scotland their home.

In the year to June 30, 2009, only 25,000 people moved away and those who made their way into Scotland that includes expats returning home and asylum seekers were about 42,700 people.

Contributing to the eighth annual increase in the population of Scotland, since records began, this 17,500 net increase in overseas immigration was the biggest rise.

Being the highest number since 1979, about 5.19 million people now live in Scotland. To the overall increase amounting to 25,000, those contributing to the rise are migration from within the UK and more births than deaths.

The figures came as a surprise to Duncan Macniven, Registrar General for Scotland. He said that it seems Scotland was emerging as an attractive option for many.

He said, “I was expecting that we would see less in migration than we have. Despite the recession, people are finding Scotland an attractive place to live and raise children.”