There are 40 National Scenic Areas in Scotland, covering 13% of the country's land area which include spectacular mountain ranges, like the Skye Cuillins, Ben Nevis and Glencoe, island landscapes in the Hebrides and Northern Isles and richly diverse scenery such as in Perthshire, the Scottish Borders, and Dumfries and Galloway. The designation’s purpose is both to identify the finest scenery and to ensure its protection from inappropriate development.
They are broadly equivalent to the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty found in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
