Inverness << `ihn` vuhr NEHS >> is the most important city of the Highlands of northern Scotland. It serves as the commercial and administrative center of the Highland Unitary Authority, which has 235,351 people. It is the chief town of the Inverness district. Inverness lies on the River Ness in a lowland area near Loch Ness and the Moray Firth. It stands at the eastern end of the Caledonian Canal, which links the northeast and west coasts of Scotland.
Inverness lies in a scenic agricultural area. It is dominated by a castle built in the 1800’s. Government agencies, tourism, and trade provide many jobs in Inverness. The city’s industrial products include Scotch whisky and woolen textiles.
Archaeological evidence indicates people lived at the site of Inverness as early as about 4000 B.C. Before the mid-1700’s, English and Scottish forces often fought each other at Inverness, causing much destruction. Few of the city’s buildings date from before 1800.
