Scotland has rejected independence from the UK in a historic vote with an unprecedented turnout.
With 31 out of 32 regions declared, 55.42 per cent had voted against going it alone compared to 44.58 per cent who wanted Scotland to break the 307-year-old union with England.
The result announced early on Friday UK time was the one favoured by Britain's political leaders, who had campaigned hard in recent weeks to convince Scottish voters to stay.
It dashed many Scots' hopes of breaking free and building their own nation.
Britain's leaders had argued successfully that Scots are better off staying part of the United Kingdom with England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The decision to reject independence will ease the worries of some business leaders who had warned they would have to shift their headquarters away from Scotland to England if Scots voted to become independent.
Alex Salmond, Scotland's First Minister and head of the independence campaign, conceded defeat in an emotional speech to supporters in Edinburgh.
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