Alex Salmond has conceded defeat after voters rejected his dream of independence  in favour of staying part of the United Kingdom.

The SNP leader sounded a note of defiance, however, saying: "Scotland has decided not - at this stage - to become an independent country. [But]1.6m votes is a substantial vote for Scottish independence and the future of this country."

And he called on Westminster to honour its pledge to devolve more power to Scotland.

He said the drive for independence had struck fear into Westminster politicians.

And he added: "Let us dwell on the distance we have come... we shall go forward as one nation."

Despite winning a majority of votes in some areas - including the nation's largest city Glasgow - the Yes campaign failed to secure enough support to win the historic referendum, failing to take key targets like Clackmannanshire and the Western Isles and falling well behind in the capital Edinburgh.

After a night of drama, the result became a mathematical certainty shortly after 6am, as the returning officer in Fife announced a comfortable majority for No in the county.

Mr Salmond's deputy Nicola Sturgeon had already conceded defeat with a handful of results still to be declared, telling the BBC she felt a "real sense of disappointment that we have fallen narrowly short of securing a Yes vote".

The First Minister - whose failure to attend his local count in Aberdeenshire led to early speculation that Yes Scotland was heading for defeat - accepted in a speech at 6.15am before a One Scotland banner in Edinburgh that the country did not want independence "at this stage".

He said: "It is important to say that our referendum was an agreed and consented process and Scotland has by a majority decided not at this stage to become an independent country.

"I accept that verdict of the people and I call on all of Scotland to follow suit in accepting the democratic verdict of the people of Scotland."

In an early-morning phone call, Prime Minister David Cameron spoke to former Labour chancellor Alistair Darling, the leader of the cross-party Better Together campaign, to congratulate him on "a well-fought campaign".

The PM is due to make a televised address to the nation this morning in which he is expected to set out plans for further devolution to Scotland as well as a "rebalancing" of the representation of the four nations of the UK.

Mr Salmond's deputy Nicola Sturgeon conceded defeat with a handful of results still to be declared.

The Deputy First Minister told the BBC there was a "real sense of disappointment that we have fallen narrowly short of securing a Yes vote".

Prime Minister David Cameron revealed on Twitter he had congratulated Alistair Darling, the leader of the cross party Better Together campaign.

Mr Cameron said: "I've spoken to Alistair Darling - and congratulated him on a well-fought campaign."

Scottish First Minister Mr Salmond tweeted: "Well done to Glasgow and to the people of Scotland for such incredible support."

SNP MP Pete Wishart said on Twitter: "Obviously disappointed but congratulate the No campaign and will work with them and my fellow Scots to make my nation a better place."

While there was a comfortable majority for Yes in Dundee, the turnout in the city was 78.8% - lower than many other parts of Scotland, indicating that the Yes campaign has not managed to get voters out in sufficient numbers.

The turnout in Glasgow was even lower at 75%, with 194,779 Yes votes (53.49%) and 169,347 No votes (46.51%).

"I've got mixed emotions," Ms Sturgeon said.

"I'm absolutely thrilled at the Yes vote in Glasgow. This is our biggest city and it has voted Yes.

"I'm obviously deeply disappointed that it looks as if we, overall, are not going to secure a Yes vote, that we will fall narrowly short of that."

She added: "I'm quite exhilarated by the campaign. What is undoubtedly the case is that people have voted for change tonight.

"We've got more than a million people voting for independence. Many of those who didn't vote for independence will have voted No because they believed that substantial new powers were coming to the Scottish Parliament.

"Scotland's never going to be the same again as a result of this fantastic campaign and therefore, yes, I'm disappointed but also absolutely determined to make sure that the demand for change that has been expressed in this vote is delivered."

The victory for the pro-UK campaign comes after a long, hard fought contest.

In a bid to keep the UK together Mr Cameron, Labour leader Ed Miliband and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg were forced to promise more powers would be transferred from London to the Scottish Parliament.

The Westminster leaders also vowed to retain the Barnett formula, the method of distributing cash throughout the UK that sees Scotland receive more per head in public spending than some other areas - a move which is likely to be unpopular with some Tory backbenchers.

While the No campaign won the referendum, Yes secured majorities in some of Labour's traditional heartland areas - winning majorities in three local authority areas where it has a majority, Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire and North Lanarkshire.