East Renfrewshire (pop. 96,817) is a local government area in Scotland. It is a council area, the main unit of local government in the United Kingdom. East Renfrewshire lies southwest of Glasgow. The unitary authority headquarters are at Giffnock. Other important towns include Newton Mearns, Barrhead, Neilston, and Busby.
Many of the residents of East Renfrewshire work in Glasgow. East Renfrewshire has a large Jewish community, many of whose members are descended from Russian and East European settlers who arrived in the 1800’s. One of Scotland’s most important synagogues is in Newton Mearns.
East Renfrewshire is on a low-lying plateau that rises from the River Clyde’s flood plain. The area is mainly moor (open wasteland) and agricultural land. Rivers include the Earn, Levern, and White Cart Water. Corse Hill, the region’s highest point, rises to 1,234 feet (376 meters).
The area that is now East Renfrewshire was part of the county of Renfrewshire. In 1975, the county ceased to exist as an administrative region and became part of the larger Strathclyde Region. In 1996, East Renfrewshire was created as part of the system of council areas, and the Strathclyde Region ceased to exist as an administrative region.
