South Ayrshire

South Ayrshire
Motto: 
Ne'er Forget the People
South Ayrshire shown within Scotland
Coordinates: 55°17′N 4°42′W / 55.283°N 4.700°W / 55.283; -4.700
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
CountryScotland
Lieutenancy areaAyrshire and Arran
Unitary authority1 April 1996
Administrative HQCounty Buildings, Ayr
Government
  TypeCouncil
  BodySouth Ayrshire Council
  ControlNo overall control
  ProvostIain Campbell
  Council leaderBrian Connolly
  MPs
  MSPs
Area
  Total
472 sq mi (1,222 km2)
  Rank15th
Population
 (2022)
  Total
111,560
  Rank20th
  Density240/sq mi (91/km2)
Time zoneUTC+0 (GMT)
  Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)
ISO 3166 codeGB-SAY
GSS codeS12000028
Websitesouth-ayrshire.gov.uk

South Ayrshire (Scots: Sooth Ayrshire; Scottish Gaelic: Siorrachd Àir a Deas, pronounced [ˈʃirˠəxk aːɾʲ ə ˈtʲes̪]) is one of thirty-two council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of Ayrshire. It borders onto Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire. South Ayrshire had an estimated population in 2021 of 112,450, making it the 19th–largest subdivision in Scotland by population. With an area of 472 sq mi, South Ayrshire ranks as the 15th largest subdivision in Scotland.

South Ayrshire's administrative centre is located in its largest town, Ayr. The headquarters for its associated political body, South Ayrshire Council, is housed at the town's County Buildings, located in Wellington Square. Ayr is the former county town of the historic Ayrshire county, with the political activity of the Ayrshire County Council being based at County Buildings.