Much like London, Glasgow has been sprawling further and further outwards, incorporating various villages and towns as it goes. Unlike London, however, most of the area considered to be "Greater Glasgow" is in a number of different local authorities.
Of the 1.2`million inhabitants, about half live in the City of Glasgow itself. The other council areas that contains parts of Greater Glasgow are: North Lanarkshire to the east, South Lanarkshire to the southeast, East Renfrewshire to the southwest, Renfrewshire to the west, West Dunbartonshire to the northwest and East Dunbartonshire to the north.
The City Centre
Located on the north bank of the River Clyde and bounded by the M8, Glasgow's City Centre has a grid structure, unlike a lot of others in the UK.
Everywhere Else
North of The River Clyde
Blythswood Hill
Immediately west of the City Centre. Made up of lots of lovely Georgian townhouses that have been converted into plush offices, so very few people actually live there.
Knightswood
A suburban area that also includes Blairdardie. Home to the Dance School of Scotland, a government-funded performing arts school in the vein of LaGuardia Arts in New York.
Kelvinside
A western area known for yuppies and its posh, "pan-loaf" accent.
South of The River Clyde
New Towns and Other Bits of Suburban Miscellanea
Blantyre
Bothwell
Wealthy southern suburb near Hamilton. Home to footballers and fancy restaurants.
Coatbridge
Located due east of Glasgow in North Lanarkshire. Was once described by Frankie Boyle as being "like Blade Runner without the special effects". Known for pioneering many technological advances in industry, particularly ironmaking. It also pioneered industrial decline. This began when the coal was exhausted in the 1930s, long before it set in anywhere else.
Cumbernauld
A New Town in North Lanarkshire. Childhood home (not quite birthplace, they moved when he was six months old) of Craig Ferguson, who once told an Edinburgh audience that the key to understanding Cumbernauld is that the residents want to move to Glasgow.
East Kilbride
Located about 10 miles south of the City Centre. Started life as a small village but was named Scotland's first New Town in 1947, and was subsequently developed to cope with the population overspill caused by The Blitz. As a result, it was considered quite a trendy place to live in The '60s, however it's since become a bit tired and worn out. Nicknamed "Polomint City" for its proliferation of roundabouts and home to Scotland's largest shopping centre. A few famous residents over the years have been Kate Dickie, TV presenters Lorraine Kelly, Kirsty Young and Aztec Camera frontman Roddy Frame.
Hamilton
Home to a horse racing course, and a vaguely phallic looking
mausoleum which at one point held the world record for the longest echo in a manmade structure.
Uddingston
Bothwell's downmarket neighbour. Home to the Tunnock's factory - You can smell the marshmallows as you drive past it.
