Economic profile

• The population of Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey in 2001 was 89,410, an increase of 6.7% from 1991 and higher than the growth of 0.8% experienced by the HIE area.
• The unemployment rate for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey is generally lower that that for the HIE area and slighlty less seasonal. In June 2005 the unemployment rate was 1.9%.
• Male unemployment is more seasonal and has decreased at a faster rate than female unemployment over the time period 2004 to 2005. Figures for June 2005 show unemployment at 2.8% for males and 1% for females.
• Wholesale, hotels and restaurants are the biggest employer with 31% of the total workforce, followed closely by public administration, education and health sectors (30.1%). Females largely dominate these sectors.
• Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey had an average business start-up rate of 4.9 per 1,000 population in 2004, higher than the average for the HIE area and Scotland.

Note: From 2006, HIE Inverness and East Highland took responsibility for economic development in east Ross and the Black Isle. The figures above do not include statistics for that area. We will publish up-to-date figures as soon as they become available. (See economic report 2007 in 'related documents', right.)