Aberdeenshire, a county of Scotland, on the N. E. coast, between lat. 56° 52' and 57° 42' N., and lon. 1° 49' and 3° 48' W.; length, 87 m.; greatest breadth, 36 m.; area, 1,985 sq. m., or 1,270,740 acres, being about one sixteenth of all Scotland; pop. in 1871, 244,607. It contains 83 parishes and parts of six others, and is divided into the districts of Mar, Formartin, Buchan, Garioch, and Strath-bogie. On the S. and S. W. borders of the county are the Grampian hills. The Highlands of this district include some of the highest mountains in Scotland, Ben Macdhui, Cairntoul, Ben Avon, and Cairngorm, from which last the fine yellow pebble so much used ! in Highland dress and ornaments takes its name. The Scottish kings used to hold formidable gatherings to hunt the red deer in the wilds of Braemar; and the abundance of carefully preserved game makes the district still a favorite rendezvous of sportsmen. The Bullers of Buchan, near Peterhead, are also an attractive object to the tourist. The chief rivers are the Dee and the Don. The climate, except in the mountain districts, is mild, and wheat prospers. Cattle, sheep, pigs, eggs, and butter are transported by steam from Aberdeen to London, to the value of about £1,000,-000 annually. Granite is the most important mineral production.

Besides the queen's estate of Balmoral, Aboyne castle, belonging to the earl of Aboyne, Haddo house, seat of the earl of Aberdeen, Huntly lodge, of the duke of Richmond, and Forbes castle are noteworthy.