Place:Dumfries and Galloway Region, Scotland

When Scotland was reorganized into "regional government" areas in 1973, the counties of the southwest-- Wigtownshire, Kirkcudbrightshire and Dumfriesshire--became the Dumfries and Galloway Region. The region was divided into four districts

• Annandale and Eskdale with headquarters at Annan and a population of 37,130
• Nithsdale with headquarters at Dumfries and a population of 57,220
• Stewartry with headquarters at Kirkcudbright and a population of 23,690
• Wigtown (originally named Merrick) with headquarters at Stranraer and a population of 30,077

In 1996 the regional system of government was abolished throughout Scotland. Dumfries and Galloway Region did not change its area coverage and almost retained its name, becoming the Dumfries and Gallway Council Area, a unitary authority with "committee areas" in charge certain parts of the administration of local areas.