Half of people in Scotland have registered to donate their organs or tissue after their death, new official figures show.

Around 2,724,000 Scottish residents are signed up to the UK Organ Donor Register - 50.4% of the population - the highest proportion in Britain.

The UK average sits at only 38% as of March this year.

Around 550 people in Scotland are waiting for an organ transplant despite a rise of around 300,000 registered donors from last December.

This increase comes after high-profile campaigns raising awareness of the issue, along with new legislation at Holyrood which aims to move Scotland to a "soft opt-out" system, with appropriate safeguards.

Under the proposed system, people will be presumed to consent to donating their organs and will otherwise have to opt out of doing so.

If somebody has not stated a preference their organs could still be used, however, families may be asked about their loved one's views to avoid unwanted donations.

Scottish health secretary Jeane Freeman announced the landmark organ donor figures at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow.

She said: "Just over half of Scotland's people have registered to donate their organs or tissue after death, reflecting both their incredible generosity and the progress we have made in highlighting the need for organ donors.

"However, we need more people to register.

"Most organ and tissue donations can only occur in tragic circumstances, and only 1% of people die in circumstances where they could be an organ donor.

"Registering only takes two minutes and could save or transform someone's life."

Freeman added: "We have introduced proposals to change the laws around organ and tissue donation to move to a soft opt-out system, to build on the significant progress we've already made and as part of the long-term culture change to encourage people to support donation.

"However, the most important step people can take now is to make a decision and tell their family and loved ones.

"In the event of a tragedy, this would make it much easier for them at a very difficult time and ensure your decision is followed."

Mr Marc Clancy, consultant transplant surgeon at the QEUH, said: "I have seen the unit grow from a small size performing 60 transplants a year to become the largest in Scotland.

"We are now transplanting 180 organs annually while achieving some of the best success rates in the UK.

"This is testament to the commitment of our staff and the national drive to expand organ donation."

Scotland's number of registered organ donors may be the highest in the UK, but it still lags behind a number of countries.

Internationally, organ donation figures are typically measured by deceased donors per million of the population (pmp).

On this metric, Spain is the highest performer in the world, with 46.9 deceased donors pmp, followed by Portugal, Belgium and Croatia, all at around 33 or 34 pmp.

The UK ranks at number 11 in the world, according to the International Registry in Organ Donation and Transplantation (IRODaT), at 23.1 pmp.

Spain has a system of presumed consent for organ donation, however, experts say its success stems more from improved logistical coordination and better education on the issue.