East Kilbride (/ ... kɪlˈbraɪd/; Scottish Gaelic: Cille Bhrìghde an Ear [ˈkʲʰiʎə ˈvɾʲiːtʲə əɲ ˈɛɾ]), sometimes referred to as EK, is the largest town in South Lanarkshire in Scotland, and the country's sixth-largest locality by population.

The area lies on a raised plateau to the south of the Cathkin Braes, about eight miles (thirteen kilometres) southeast of Glasgow and close to the boundary with East Renfrewshire.

[2] These findings have found further support through ongoing research indicating that many East Kilbride Cairns first noticed by the Reverend David Ure in his History of Rutherglen and East Kilbride (1793), are embedded, alongside other monuments, into a ritual landscape related to ancestor cults and relationships with key topographical features and annual solar events.

[3][4][5] A flint arrow head was discovered by Allan Forrest, a then child resident whilst groundworks were taking place in his family's garden at Glen Bervie, St Leonards in 1970 which later was identified as dating to 1500 BC (Bronze Age).

The Scots anglicisation kil takes its root from the Gaelic cille, borrowed from the Latin for cell or chapel, of St Brigit.

the use of cille to mark a probable dedication to an Irish saint in this part of Scotland is problematic due to linguistic dating issues, but some analysis suggests that churches with cille place-names in the south west represent an early and short-lived influx of Irish church influence in or before the eighth century, which may or may not have involved the Céilí Dé who were monastics.

[11] However, this view is unpopular amongst academic audiences due to a complete lack of evidence supporting such earlier origins, thus making it an unfalsifiable concept.

[10] Alternatively, the later dedication may commemorate the Scottish St Bryde, who is alleged to have been born in 451 AD and died at Abernethy 74 years later.

In 1946, the Clyde Valley Regional Plan allocated sites where overspill satellite "new towns" could be constructed to help alleviate the housing shortage.

Industrial estates were concentrated on the outskirts of the town in northern, western and south-eastern directions (Nerston, College Milton and Kelvin respectively).

[22] The Calderglen gorge bordering the eastern fringe of East Kilbride, was celebrated in a high number of printed works as a picturesque forest and 'magnificent in its grouping of craggy heights, sprinkled with trees and [...] the richly wooded and festooned valley', and with 'delightful cascades', and described as indescribable, or as 'the GRAND, the ROMANTIC, and BEAUTIFUL' - the latter being the only part of David Ure's book where he emphasised the descriptive characteristics of a place in bold characters.

[29] The factory was scheduled for closure in 2017[30] and was subsequently demolished and the land (at Nerston Industrial Estate) used for housing; a monument consisting of one of the unrepaired engines was installed at the town's South Lanarkshire College in 2019.

[33] Rutherglen and Cambuslang lie about the same distance to the north-east and are linked to East Kilbride via the dual carriageway A749 road which continues into Glasgow.

The majority of land in the area in between is taken up by Whitelee Wind Farm on the moorland hills to the southwest, including Elrig close to where one of the principal feeder burns of the Calder Water originates.

[36] The Calder itself flows northwards past East Kilbride adjacent to Blantyre, before joining the River Clyde opposite Daldowie near Newton.

Part of the new town design was that each of these would be a self-contained entity, with a variety of housing types, local shops and primary schools, and accessed safely for pedestrians via paths and underpasses separate from main roads.

[22] This is true for the original areas of the new town (principally Calderwood, Greenhills, The Murray, St Leonards and Westwood) while newer developments, such as Stewartfield, Lindsayfield and Mossneuk do not adhere as closely to this model and have a more generic suburban layout of low-density private housing, arranged mainly in cul-de-sacs fed by distributor roads.

[43] This seat was abolished for the 2024 general election and largely replaced by East Kilbride and Strathaven which was won by Joani Reid, the Scottish Labour candidate.

[47] There are plans to demolish a large part of the Centre West segment and turn this into housing with the overall retail space to be reduced and new civic amenities to be built.

Three main roads connect East Kilbride with surrounding suburbs and the city, one being the A727 (formerly A726) leading west to Busby and on to Clarkston Toll.

The brief given to the designers was that they were "to achieve a fast turn around of buses, safe pedestrian/vehicular segregation and a secure and accessible environment set within an attractive urban realm".

[64] Many of the busy roundabouts in East Kilbride feature underpasses which allow pedestrians and cyclists safe access across roads.

[67] Incidentally East Kilbride prior to new town development was a prized health resort, with cycling being a popular pastime there from the late 19th to early 20th centuries.

[68] East Kilbride as a new town was designed to provide elements of culture, sport, and heritage for residents so as to create a sense of belonging and place.

of the Scottish Lowland Football League are based in the town, and play at the K-Park Training Academy at Calderglen Country Park.

[90] East Kilbride Pirates are the country's top American football team and play in the BAFA Community Leagues.