Perth and Kinross (Scots: Perth an Kinross, Scottish Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt agus Ceann Rois) is a council area and historic county in the Grampian region of Scotland. It is a local government area that was created on 1 April 1996 under Section 32 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994 by a merger of two former districts: Tayside District with Lomond & Strathmore District, covering an area generally to be found north east of a line drawn between Dundee and Dunfermline through Loch Leven and south westwards towards Alloa, but excluding Stirling which remained as part of Stirling District. It has approximately 211,000 residents and contains a total 25 parishes made up of 12 towns and 23 villages along with several hamlets.