Outer Hebrides

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Outer Hebrides
Gaelic nameAbout this soundNa h-Eileanan Siar
Meaning of nameWestern Isles
Outer Hebrides UK relief location map.jpg
Outer Hebrides is located in Scotland
Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides shown within Scotland
OS grid referenceNB426340
Physical geography
Area3,058 km2 (1,181 sq mi)[1]
Highest elevationClisham 799 m (2,621 ft)[2]
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Council areaComhairle nan Eilean Siar
Population density8 per km2
Largest settlementStornoway

The Outer Hebrides, often called the Western Isles,[4] make up an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. It is also a parliamentary constituency. The northern island is Lewis and Harris. South of Lewis and Harris is a series of islands, such as South Uist, Benbecula and North Uist. The Outer Herides includes a number of even smaller islands.

The isles form part of the Hebrides, and are separated from the Scottish mainland and from the Inner Hebrides by the stormy waters of the Minch, the Little Minch and the Sea of the Hebrides.

Formerly the dominant language of the Islands, Scottish Gaelic remains spoken even though it has now been largely supplanted by English in some parts.


History[change | change source]


Geology & geography[change | change source]

Most of the islands have a bedrock formed from ancient metamorphic rocks and the climate is mild and oceanic. The Gulf Stream runs nearby. The 15 inhabited islands have a total population of about 26,500 and there are more than 50 substantial uninhabited islands.

Flora and fauna[change | change source]

Much of the archipelago is a protected habitat including both the islands and the surrounding waters. There are 53 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) of which the largest are Loch an Duin, North Uist at 15,100 hectares (37,000 acres) and North Harris, which is 12,700 hectares (31,000 acres) in extent.[5][6]

The open landscapes of Benbecula


Other websites[change | change source]

Historical footnote: Many websites of the Outer Hebrides derive content from the Eolas Virtual Hebrides, website. This was once the largest rural website in the world.[source?] Eolas went bankrupt in 2000 and the Eolas TV company became MacTV. The web design team became Reefnet and the content has largely found a home on GlobalGuide.Org.

Sites deriving partly from the original Virtual Hebrides

Other Outer Hebrides websites

Notes[change | change source]

  2. Thompson (1968) p. 14
  4. Although officially known by the Gaelic name, Na h-Eileanan Siar, this name is not understood in English.
  5. "Western Isles transitional programme strategy" Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  6. Rotary Club (1995) p. 10
  7. "Loch Druidibeg National Nature Reserve: where opposites meet". (pdf) SNH. Retrieved 29 July 2007.