Transport links with Aberdeen have encouraged rapid population growth, especially in the north of this region. Existing settlements such as Portlethen and Stonehaven have greatly expanded, along with industrial activity. The southern part is more self-sufficient, with the fertile Mearns area sustaining a strong agricultural economy. Small scale tourism activity occurs along its attractive coastline and former fishing villages.
Kincardine and Deeside district
Between 1975 and 1996 Kincardine and Deeside was a local government district within the Grampian region. Its area included all of the county of Kincardineshire apart from a small area in the northeast which was covered by the City of Aberdeen district. As the name suggested, it also included the large geographical area of the drainage basin of the River Dee from the southern section of Aberdeenshire. In 1996, this district became part of Aberdeenshireunitary authority in the local government reorganisation.
During the Scottish Enlightenment period, Lord Monboddo operated a large agricultural estate in the Mearns, at which location he conducted considerable research in agricultural improvement; Monboddo was best known as a jurist on the Court of Session, as the father of modern historical linguistics and a pre-evolutionary thinker.[4][5]
In the village of Muchalls at Victorian times there existed a large hotel, which fell into ruin in the latter 20th century; the site has now been used for housing.