Business and Industry

Aberdeen Harbour

Aberdeen City and Shire is recognised for its outward looking, pioneering spirit. Over the last 30 years, the city has reinvented itself from a regional port dependent upon fishing, farming and tourism, to the centre of the UK’s energy industry and one of Europe’s most enterprising regions.

High Economic Activity

With a combined population of  approximately 440,000 and one of the lowest unemployment rates in Scotland the area enjoys high economic activity, with a GDP growth rate above the Scottish average.

It also boasts the second highest rate of business formation and the highest concentration of knowledge based businesses in Scotland.

Global links

The city offers support for companies doing business around the world and holds strategic alliances designed to encourage the sharing of knowledge and opportunities with:

Aberdeen is also a founding member of the World Energy Cities Partnership.

International Companies

A number of  international companies have a presence in the area including Aberdeen Asset Management, Amec, BP, BT, Chevron, Conoco Philips,  Ernst and Young, First,  Halliburton, Marathon Oil, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Schlumberger, Shell, and Talisman.

Main employment sectors:

  • Tourism and Distribution (56,000),
  • Public Administration, Education & Health (48,000),
  • Oil and Gas (41,000) 
  • Banking, Finance & Insurance (38,000),
  • Manufacturing (11,600),
  • Agriculture, Food and Fish Processing (8,500),
  • ICT (5,000),
  • Construction (5,000),
  • Paper Making (3,000).