Nitesh Patel, an economist for the Bank of Scotland, explained that Shetland had performed consistently well in the survey in recent years, across a range of indicators.

BBC: Shetland leads Bank of Scotland Quality of Life list

But since the 1980s they have diverged on a range of indicators, from the age at which women have children to the age at which residents die.

ECONOMIST: America in numbers: One nation, divisible | The

But recent days have seen a range of indicators published that give us some help in locating where the Scottish economy is now positioned in recovering from recession.

BBC: Stands Scotland's economy where it did?