CasualEurope

In terms of population and economy, Scotland is very concentrated around the Central Belt, an area running roughly from Edinburgh in the east to Glasgow in the west. It's basically the only large part of the country that is flat and fertile, and it also contains a large river leading to each coast, so it has naturally attracted people over time. That strip and the surrounding area contains roughly half of the country's population, including the only two actually city-sized cities (one of which is the capital). As such it obviously has a lot of gravity and being near it but not part of it can be a bit rough, particularly as transport has become easier and easier over time. The population centres that are a bit further away are doing alright, but the ones on the fringe of the Central Belt have been struggling as they slowly fall within its influence over time. Perth is a notable example of this, as it has huge historical significance and has been very prosperous in the past, but it's slowly seeing the effects of just being outweighed by Edinburgh and its surroundings. Quite a few empty storefronts on the high street these days. It's still doing okay for now and I'm confident that it's far from beyond saving, but something needs to be figured out for it. I had somewhat hoped that the shift towards remote working would be good for a place like Perth that provides a pleasant environment and lower costs without being too distant or isolated, but that doesn't seem to have happened (yet, anyway)

On the other end of things, Skye seems to be on the up. It's one of the biggest islands, and unusual in being close enough to the mainland to have a road connection. It, like the other isles, has long been at best neglected, but the past couple of decades have finally seen 150 years of population decline reverse. It's now such a popular tourism destination that local businesses actually struggle to cater for everyone (not always ideal, but an opportunity at least) and there are plenty of non-tourism businesses opening up as well. It's one of the centres for the effort to try to rescue the Scottish Gaelic language, and last time I was there I met several people who had chosen to move there and seemed to made themselves solid parts of the local community