He had led the SNP to power when they won the Scottish Parliament election in 2007, having previously led the party between 1990 and 2000.
Salmond, Scotland’s first pro-independence first minister, then led the SNP to an unprecedented majority in the election four years later – which paved the way for the referendum to be held.
He had a spectacular fallout with his successor as SNP leader and first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, over her government’s mishandling of harassment complaints against him.
Salmond was also acquitted of serious sexual offence charges at a trial in Edinburgh in 2020.
After quitting the SNP in 2018, he set up an alternative independence supporting party, called Alba, of which he was the leader.
Alba has approached the UK foreign office for help in returning Mr Salmond’s body to the UK.
First Minister John Swinney said he was “deeply shocked and saddened” at the news and extended his condolences to Salmond’s wife Moira and his family.
Swinney added: “Alex worked tirelessly and fought fearlessly for the country that he loved and for her Independence.
“He took the Scottish National Party from the fringes of Scottish politics into government and led Scotland so close to becoming an Independent country.”
Former First Minister Humza Yousaf said he and Salmond had “obviously had our differences in the last few years”, but praised the “enormous contribution he made to Scottish and UK politics”.
Yousaf also said Salmond had helped to “transform the SNP into the dominant political force it is today”.
