A former county of W Central Scotland, Bute and Arran (for a time known as Buteshire) comprised the large islands of Bute and Arran in the Firth of Clyde, together with the smaller islands of Great and Little Cumbrae, Inchmarnock, Holy Island and Pladda, with Rothesay as its county town. At 218 sq. miles (564 sq. km), it was ranked 29th of the 33 counties in terms of area. Bute is also a marquessate, held by the Crichton-Stuart family, while Arran forms an earldom. In 1974 it was divided between the Argyll & Bute and Cunninghame Districts of Strathclyde Region and in the local government reorganisation of 1996 these districts became unitary authorities as Argyll & Bute and North Ayrshire Council Areas.
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