Scotland is becoming a nation of loners with more than 30% of its population living by themselves, new figures have revealed.

Two thirds of people north of the border live either alone, or with only one person, in homes which they own, the Scottish Executive survey found.

The results of the Scottish Household Survey indicated that the traditional nuclear family was being replaced by single homeowners.

The report aimed to provide a snapshot of life in a Scottish household in 2001.

64% of respondents owned their own home

Nine out of 10 people surveyed said they like the area where they lived, but 19% said they did not feel safe walking in their neighbourhood at night.

The survey showed that the number of traditional nuclear families was declining with 27% of households consisting of two parents with children, 2% lower than last year.

The study also revealed that 21% of households were headed by a single parent.

Other findings include:

• 61% lived in homes where there were only one or two people

• 64% owned their own home

• 51% of adults were in paid employment

• Computers were in 39% of homes

• 65% of households owned at least one car

• Pensioner households accounted for 31% of homes

• 26% had taken part in an activity to help their community in the last year.

The Scottish Household Survey was carried out for the executive by NFO System Three and Mori Scotland.

The survey was based on a random sample of private households in Scotland.

More than 1,500 interviews were carried out during 2001.