Just 0.4% of land in Scotland is used for building, according to an extensive report, and urban areas as a whole (including roads) count for 1.9%.

But Scottish urban areas are less green than those in most other parts of the UK, the Office for National Statistics found, because Scottish houses make greater use of paving in their yards and gardens.

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Only the north-east of England used domestic paving more, with 47% of front gardens more than three-quarters paved, as compared to Scotland’s 31%.

80% of people in the UK live in urban areas, but of those urban areas, a surprisingly small amount is 'built on' as opposed to 'natural'.

The distinction refers to whether ground has been concreted over and used for development, or left green like parks, forests and moors.

When lakes, rivers and reservoirs are taken into account too, more than 99% of Britain as a whole is 'natural'.

The full statistics from the National Ecosystem Assessment can be accessed here. here

(NE/GK)