Inverness is a city located in the Scottish Highlands in the north of Scotland. It has long been regarded as the de facto capital of the Scottish Highlands and serves as the administrative centre for the Highland Council region, which maintains its headquarters near the city centre.
The city functions as a regional hub for various sectors, including healthcare, education, research, business, public administration, culture, media, and transport. It provides a wide range of services for the Highlands and Islands Region, an area covering approximately 39,911 km²—about 51% of Scotland's total landmass—with a population of around half a million people.