The county of Fife is divided into three districts and its functions are exercised by the unitary Fife Council. Going by the population numbers, it is the third largest local authority of Scotland. Most of its public lives in three major cities Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes and Dunfirmline. The oldest university in Europe is situated at St Andrews which also is the home of golf.

The Kingdom of Fife, got divided into 7 sub kingdoms after the death of its king, Cruithne, one of which later became known as Fife. It was recorded as Fife in 1150 and its boundaries have changed very seldom later in history. Fife adventurers were twelve men that were assigned by King James VI in 1598 to colonize the Isle of Lewis and start agriculture in a proper manner. All of them were called Fife adventurers and they stayed until 1609, when they faced opposition from other colonists and left.

King James VI described this kingdom as beggars mantle fringed with gold, both fishing and trading at the coastline were described as gold. Scotlands richest fertile land lies here and many minerals, especially coal lie beneath it. It had many ports along the sea shore and they did sound trading in salt, coal, wool and linen. Local thatched roofs were replaced by a nearby manufactured red clay pan tiles and sometimes traded as a balance against boat hire.

History tells us that Fife had a dense population of heavy industry, after the victory of local Victorian engineering with the Tay and Forth rail bridges. Shipbuilding was also very popular at Methil and Rosyth. Linoleum was produced at Kirkcaldy and flax grown here was transferred into linen.

A new town grew up, Glenrothes, which was supposed to be erected around a coal mine and it later attracted many Silicon Glen companies to come and settle in this region. Even Fife council started functioning from Glenrothes.

Heritage Scotland or National Trust for Scotland manage most of historical buildings here. Some notable among them are the Palace in Culross, Dysart Harbor Area, Falkland Palace that was the hunting palace of Scottish Kings, Dunfermline abbey the last residence of Scottish Royalty, St Andrews Castle with its gruesome bottle underground prison and many more.