Scottish voters have voted in favor of keeping the country's 307-year union with Britain intact in a historic independence referendum
Results from 31 out of 32 election councils show that 55 percent of votes were in favor of remaining part of Britain, compared to 45 percent who voted for independence.
In Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, 61 percent of voters chose 'Yes' to independence, with 39 percent voting against it. However, voters in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen, the country's third largest city, rejected independence by wide margins.
“Scotland has by a majority decided not at this stage to become an independent country. I accept that verdict of the people,” Scottish Nationalist leader Alex Salmond told independence supporters in the Scottish capital.
Leaders of Britain's three main parties, shocked by the strong showing of the independence campaign in recent weeks, scrambled to offer Scots more devolved powers if they remained part of the United Kingdom.
“Scotland will expect these to be honored in rapid course,” Salmond said.
Nearly all of Scotland's 4 million eligible voters - 97 percent - registered to cast their ballot in the referendum.
Material for this report came from Reuters.