Inverness is a city located in the Scottish Highlands in the north of Scotland. It serves as the administrative centre for The Highland Council, with the council's headquarters situated close to the city centre. Long regarded as the de facto capital of the Scottish Highlands, Inverness functions as a regional hub for the wider Highlands and Islands Region.
The city provides essential services across healthcare, education, research, business and economic services, public administration, culture, music, entertainment, media, communications, transport and leisure. These services support a large hinterland with a population of approximately half a million people across an area of some 39,911 km², which represents about 51% of Scotland's total landmass.