Lothian forms a traditional region of Scotland, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills. It takes its name from the semi-legendary Brythonic King Loth or Lot. Subsequent Scottish administrative history saw it subdivided into the shires of West Lothian, Midlothian and East Lothian.

It was resurrected as a government region of Scotland in 1975, only to be split up in 1996 into West Lothian, City of Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian, which had previously been the region's districts.