About Dundee

Dundee is the 4th largest city in Scotland, with a population of 140,000.  For many international students, this may seem very small, but Scotland only has a total population of 5 million.

It is easy to move around the city by bus or on foot, and there is a village feel to it – you will always meet someone you recognise when you go out into the street!

Dundee’s history is closely linked to the sea – the east coast of Scotland borders the North Sea – and to the river Tay beside which it lies.  The whaling industry provided employment for many Dundonians traditionally, and then in the 19th and early 20th century ships brought in raw jute from Bangladesh and India, to be processed in big mills in Dundee.   Nowadays, Dundee is better known for cutting-edge industries such as Biotechnology (with globally renowned cancer research facilities based here) and Creative Industries including the development of computer games. 

Rail and road bridges link Dundee with the capital of Scotland, Edinburgh, and motorways lead to Glasgow, Scotland’s biggest city, to the south.  Dundee itself is a vibrant student city – there are three Higher Education institutions, Dundee University, University of Abertay Dundee and Dundee College – catering for around 40,000 students. 

Find out more information about Dundee

The region of Tayside is rich in history, culture and magnificent mountain scenery – so it is well worth exploring at weekends.  Why not try a new activity like skiing or mountain biking, or walking on the beaches or in the hills?  For more information on what to see and do in Dundee, Angus and Perthshire and the surrounding areas, go to Visit Scotland