South Lanarkshire (pop. 327,056) is a local government area in Scotland. It was established in 1996 as a council area of Scotland. South Lanarkshire lies south of the city of Glasgow in the central lowlands of Scotland. The Lowther Hills of the Southern Uplands rise on its southern border. South Lanarkshire was once part of the former Scottish county of Lanarkshire, which was abolished as an administrative unit in 1975.
South Lanarkshire’s chief town is Hamilton, the headquarters of the council that handles the area’s local government. Hamilton lies on the outskirts of Glasgow in the urban north of the council area. It is noted for fruit growing, light engineering, and chemical and textile production. In East Kilbride, designated a new town (center of rapid growth) in 1947, the chief industries are electronic equipment manufacturing, engineering, and textile production. Other towns include Rutherglen and Cambuslang.
The southern part of South Lanarkshire is mainly rural. The chief agricultural activities are sheep raising and the growing of fruits and vegetables. The River Clyde runs through this part of South Lanarkshire. As a result, the region is also known as Clydesdale, as is a famous local breed of horse. This southern portion has a few towns, the most important of which are Lanark and Biggar.
