Coatbridge is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland approximately 9 miles east of Glasgow. At the 2001 Census it had a population of 41,170 making it the 23rd largest town or city in Scotland.

Settlement of the area which is now Coatbridge stretches back to the stone age with flint tools of stone age man being found on the shores of Woodend Loch. Lochend Loch once boasted of a fine example of a crannog - an Iron Age dwelling house made from wood and thatch, on an artificial island. This was designed as a protection against robbers and wolves. The crannog was joined to the shore by a narrow causeway hidden under the surface of the water. People continued to live in Crannogs up until about AD 1450.

The area around Coatbridge was described in the 1799 Statistical Account as an "immense garden" and "orchard". It was not until the 1830s that the character of the district began to change from a rural landscape of small hamlets and farmhouses to a crowded industrial town. The town was further described in the late 19th century: The numerous foundries gave the town its nickname of the Iron Burgh.

In the 19th century, fuelled by the local discovery of ironstone, Coatbridge became a major centre for the iron and steel industry. The town expanded quickly and the new industries assisted the massive impact Glasgow made on the world of shipbuilding. However, with the decline of shipbuilding on the River Clyde in the mid 1900s the demand for iron and steel dropped. This led the iron and coal industries to collapse which led to poverty and deprivation which in turn led to drastic population fall from approximately 90,000 at the end of the 19th century to today's level.

Coatbridge is sometimes referred to as ‘Little Ireland’ due to the large numbers of Irish who emigrated to the town in the late 19th and early 20th century. Large St. Patrick's Day celebrations have been held in the town in recent years and there are a high number of Catholic churches and schools in the area.

Nowadays Coatbridge is a modern town that has been regenerated by Government and European Union grants. It is seen as something of a transport hub to which all major destinations in Scotland can be reached; it is adjacent to the M8 and M73 motorways, and the M74 motorway is a short drive away. The town is also very well served by passenger trains and has six railway stations on the four train lines that cross the town (see Transport Links section below).

Coatbridge is home to Scotland's First College. Today Coatbridge College meets the needs of the people who live in North Lanarkshire, particularly Coatbridge and Airdrie. With more than 100 years of history, Coatbridge is the oldest College in Scotland and has over 250 members of staff and over 4,000 students come here to study each year. The 1970’s witnessed a move away from the traditional heavy industries. Rising to this challenge Coatbridge College changed its focus from traditional industry courses to commerce. In 1984 work began on extending the original College building to create computing suites, hairdressing and beauty salons, a spacious refectory, a theatre and sports facilities. In 1991, ‘Scotland’s First College’ entered its second century in a community that has seen vast changes in its structure and industries since the College’s doors were first opened. As in the past, Coatbridge College will continue to fulfil whatever demands the industry and the community place upon it. http://www.coatbridge.ac.uk/index.cfm/display_page/home

Property prices in Coatbridge have undergone rapid growth in recent years, reflecting the town's newfound popularity. In 2004-2005, house prices rose by 36%, the largest such increase in Scotland.http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=2127742005