LINLITH'GOW, or 1VEsT LOTHIAN, a co. in Scotland, is bounded on the n. by the firth of Forth, having the counties of 3Iid-Lothian, Lanark, and Stirling on the e., s., and west. Its length, n. to s., is 20 m., and e. to w. 15 miles. Its area is 127 sq.m., or 81,114 acres. The surface of the ground is irregular, but the hills are inconsiderable with the exception of one eminence 1500 ft. high. The climate is changeable, but healthy. The soil is very varied, and, except along the borders of the firth, there is little land of first quality. In some of the high grounds there is good pasture, also a considerable breadth of unreclaimed moss. Excellent farming prevails here as in Ediu burghshire and Haddingtonshire. There are few streams of any note, the Almond and Avon being the principal. The minerals are of considerable value. The freestone used in building the royal institution, national gallery, and other public buildings in Edin burgh, was got at Binny. There are several collieries in full and profitable operation.
There are two royal burghs—Linlithgow, the county town, and Queensferry. The
other principal towns are Batligate and Borrowstounness. This county is iutersected with railways, and the Edinburgh and Glasgow Union canal traverses it for upwards of 10 miles. In 1674 the valued rent was £5,073. In 1811 the real rent was £88,745; and in 1878-79 it was, excluding railways and canals, £197,623.
The following are the agricultural statistics for 1876: acres under a rotation of crops and grass, 58,378, of which there were 1362 acres of wheat, 5,146 acres of barley. 10,761 acres of oats, 916 acres of beans, 2,210 acres of potatoes, and 4,683 acres of turnips. Of live-stock, the numbers were—horses employed in agriculture, 2,140; cattle, 10,902; sheep, 19,906; swine, 1858. Salt is made in the county; and in the towns are tanneries, breweries, distilleries, and chemical works. This county contains several remains of Roman antiquities. Pop. '71, 40,965. Constituency in 1876-77, returning one member to parliament, 1193.