The council area covers parts of the historic counties of Dunbartonshire, Lanarkshire, and Stirlingshire.

The discovery of coal and iron ore deposits in the 19th century, as well as the building of the Glasgow to Edinburgh railway, transformed the region.

[5] The North Lanarkshire council area was established in 1996 as part of a reorganisation of local government in the United Kingdom.

[5] The highest population density of North Lanarkshire is in the urbanised south-west, which is part of the Greater Glasgow metropolitan area.

Northern and eastern areas are more rural in character, with agricultural activity such as dairy and meat farming.