ABERDEEN is bigger than you might think.

The city itself is home to around 220,000 people. When you add in the shire, which takes in Peterhead, and Fraserburgh to the north, Stonehaven to the south, and Braemar and Huntly to the east, that’s another 262,000.

It’s not all oil and gas, rowies and seagulls either.

Though the seagulls are really, really big.

Aberdeen is a vibrant, exciting part of the world with a fascinating history.

With thanks to Aberdeen City Council, here are a few key facts about the Granite City:

  • Aberdeen Harbour Board, established in 1136, is Britain’s oldest business.
  • In 1882 Aberdonian Astronomer Sir David Gill took the first successful photograph of a comet. The Moon’s Gill Crater is also named after him.
  • The Shore Porters Society of Aberdeen was founded in 1498. Still trading today, it is the world’s oldest documented transport company.
  • At 480 feet deep Rubislaw Quarry was once the largest man-made hole in Europe.
  • Until 1858 Aberdeen had two universities, the same number as the whole of England. In more recent years the Rowett Research Institute in Aberdeen has produced three Nobel Laureates.
  • Star Trek’s Scotty proudly proclaims himself as “an old Aberdeen Pub Crawler” in one episode of the 60s show. The city came close to erecting a statue of the fictional engineer. However, Linlithgow, Edinburgh and Elgin all dispute Aberdeen’s claim on him.