What is "dunfermline"

Dunfermline (; , ) is a town and former Royal Burgh, and parish, in Fife, Scotland, on high ground from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. The 2011 census recorded the town's population at 49,706, however figures released in 2012 estimate Dunfermline's population as 50,380, making it the largest locality in Fife and the tenth largest in Scotland.

Until the 17th century, the town served as the royal capital of Scotland.

The earliest known settlements in the area around Dunfermline likely date as far back as the Neolithic period. The area was not regionally significant until at least the Bronze Age. The town was first recorded in the 11th century, with the marriage of Malcolm III, King of Scotland, and Saint Margaret at the church in Dunfermline. As his Queen consort, Margaret established a new church dedicated to the Holy Trinity, which evolved into an Abbey under their son, David I in 1128. Following the burial of Alexander I, the abbey graveyard confirmed its status as the mausoleum of Scotland's kings and queens.

The town is a major service centre for west Fife. Dunfermline retains much of its historic significance, as well as providing facilities for retail and leisure. Fife College have a campus at Halbeath, formerly Carnegie College. Employment is focused in the service sector, with the largest employer being BSKYB ( home entertainment and communications). Other large employers in the area include Amazon (on-line retailer), Best Western (hotels), CR Smith (windows manufacturing), FMC Technologies (offshore energy), Lloyds and Nationwide (both financial services).

Dunfermline has experienced significant expansion since 1999, especially in an expansion corridor on the eastern side of the town. This growth has edged the population center towards the town's boundary with the M90 road corridor; it is planned to continue until 2022. Major developments include the creation of the Duloch and Masterton neighbourhoods with over 6,000 homes, three new primary schools, new community infrastructure, employment land and the Fife Leisure Park. With the expansion there has been a dramatic rise in the town's population; more than 20% over a 15-year period. Fife Council have begun drafting plans for an expansion of a similar scale on Dunfermline's south-west, west and north sides, which will see the creation of 4,000 homes, a new high school and three new primary schools in the first phase.

The peacock is strongly associated with Dunfermline, and is considered a local icon. Linked to the town's Pittencrieff Park, free-range peacocks and peahens have had the freedom of Dunfermline since the 1900s. In 2014 the park became home to a peacock sanctuary.

Dunfermline was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1974 until 1983.

There was also an earlier Dunfermline Burghs constituency, from 1918 to 1974.

Dunfermline is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament ( Holyrood). It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the plurality (first past the post) method of election. Also, it is one of nine constituencies in the Mid Scotland and Fife electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the nine constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

Created in 2011, it comprises parts of the former constituencies of Dunfermline East and Dunfermline West.

Following the resignation of Bill Walker, there was the Dunfermline by-election, 2013, at which Labour's Cara Hilton was elected.

In the 2016 election, SNP's Shirley-Anne Somerville defeats Labour's Cara Hilton.

Dunfermline (1974–1989), was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and Broodmare. In a career which lasted from July 1976 until August 1978, she ran twelve times and won three races. In 1977, the year of her owner, Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee, she won two of the five British Classic Races. She won the Epsom Oaks against other fillies in June and in September added St. Leger Stakes, beating the double Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Alleged. She raced without winning in 1978 before she was retired to stud.

Dunfermline is a City in Scotland.

Dunfermline may also refer to:

• Dunfermline (Scottish Parliament constituency)
• Dunfermline (horse), a racehorse
• Dunfermline Athletic F.C., a football club
• Dunfermline Town railway station
• Dunfermline College of Physical Education

Dunfermline in Fife was a royal burgh that returned one commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland and to the Convention of Estates.

After the Acts of Union 1707, Dunfermline, Culross, Inverkeithing, Queensferry and Stirling formed the Stirling district of burghs, returning one member between them to the House of Commons of Great Britain.