One of 32 local authorities. Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland with a population of 448,624 (2001). The City of Edinburgh Council was created in 1996, replacing the former Edinburgh District Council.

Human habitation in Edinburgh may be traced back to around 800 BCE. The North Britons constructed a fortress on Castle Rock in the 7th century, and in 1018 the area came under the control of the Scots, becoming an important royal centre by the end of the 11th century. By the end of the 15th century much of the 'Old Town' had been established as a thriving mercantile centre. In 1603, when James VI succeeded to the English throne on the death of Queen Elizabeth I, his court left Edinburgh and moved south. The city however retained its status as the royal capital in Scotland. The 'New Town', built in the 18th and 19th centuries to accommodate a population explosion, is a testiment to the continuing significance of the city to the economy of Britain, and is now regarded as the second financial capital of the UK.

Edinburgh has also maintained an important position as a seat of learning and the arts. The Scottish Enlightenment was focused on the city and the University of Edinburgh is a world-class centre of excellence in medicine, electronics and artificial intelligence. The city's cultural life is one of the most vibrant in Europe. In the aftermath of the Second World War, the Edinburgh International Festival was established to foster understanding and cultural exchange between the peoples of Europe, and spawned the even larger Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which hosts over 1,800 events every August. In total there are 15 international festivals hosted in Edinburgh each year.

Following devolution in 1999, the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Executive have brough national government back to the Scottish capital. The political wrangle about the cost of the parliament building took a little 'shine' off this achievement, but commentators often forget that the British Houses of Parliament in London were massively over budget when completed in the 1860s.

Without question, Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and in 1995 Edinburgh Old and New Towns were both declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In 2004 Edinburgh was named the first UNESCO Global City of Literature.

The civic leader of the City of Edinburgh Council is the Lord Provost - an ancient office dating back to the 13th century. As such the Lord Provost fulfils both political and ceremonial duties. The Lord Provost is elected for a four-year term from among the 58 elected members of the Council and acts as its Convener (Speaker). Supporting and representing the arts and cultural life of Edinburgh is an important role of the office. The Lord Provost holds a number of trustee, honorary and ex-officio positions on the boards of many of Edinburgh's leading arts and cultural organisations in the city, including the Edinburgh Festival Council, The Edinburgh International Festival Society, Edinburgh Military Tattoo Ltd, Dynamic Earth Charitable Trust, the Edinburgh Exhibition Trust, Edinburgh Festival New Works Trust, and the National Library of Scotland. The Lord Provost is also patron of several other bodies and organisations such as the City Art Centre (CAC) and the Scottish Youth Theatre (SYT) Summer Festival.