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Archipelago

    Atlantic OceanUnited Kingdom

    56°30′N 6°00′W

    Inner Hebrides

    Part of Hebrides

    The Inner Hebrides is an archipelago off the west coast of mainland Scotland, to the south east of the Outer Hebrides. Together these two island chains form the Hebrides, which experience a mild oceanic climate.

    View of the Skye Bridge. The road bridge connects the Isle of Skye with the Scottish mainland. Skye is the largest island in the Inner Hebrides.
    View of the Skye Bridge. The road bridge connects the Isle of Skye with the Scottish mainland. Skye is the largest island in the Inner Hebrides.

    W. Bulach / CC BY-SA 4.0

    Chart

    3582 landforms

    Overview

    The Inner Hebrides is an archipelago off the west coast of mainland Scotland, to the south east of the Outer Hebrides. Together these two island chains form the Hebrides, which experience a mild oceanic climate. The Inner Hebrides comprise 35 inhabited islands as well as 44 uninhabited islands with an area greater than 30 hectares (74 acres). Skye, Mull, and Islay are the three largest, and also have the highest populations. The main commercial activities are tourism, crofting, fishing and whisky distilling. In modern times the Inner Hebrides have formed part of two separate local government jurisdictions, one to the north and the other to the south. Together, the islands have an area of about 4,130 km2 (1,594 sq mi), and had a population of 18,948 in 2011. The population density is therefore about 4.6 inhabitants per square kilometre (12 inhabitants per square mile). There are various important prehistoric structures, many of which pre-date the first written references to the islands by Roman and Greek authors. In the historic period the earliest known settlers were Picts to the north and Gaels in the southern kingdom of Dál Riada prior to the islands becoming part of the Suðreyjar kingdom of the Norse, who ruled for over 400 years until sovereignty was transferred to Scotland by the Treaty of Perth in 1266. Control of the islands was then held by various clan chiefs, principally the MacLeans, MacLeods and MacDonalds. The Highland Clearances of the 19th century had a devastating effect on many communities and it is only in recent years that population levels have ceased to decline. Sea transport is crucial and a variety of ferry services operate to mainland Scotland and between the islands. The Gaelic language remains strong in some areas; the landscapes have inspired a variety of artists; and there is a diversity of wildlife.

    From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Census, cataloged

    • Major islands4
    • Minor islands129
    • Islets997
    • Rocks & skerries2,452

    Major islands

    4
    • Isle of Skye

      Isle of Skye

      Area
      1,636 km²
      High point
      992 m

      The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye, is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous hub dominated by the Cuillin, the rocky slopes of which provide some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the country.

    • Isle of Mull

      Isle of Mull

      Area
      885 km²
      High point
      966 m

      The Isle of Mull, or simply Mull, is the second-largest island of the Inner Hebrides of the west coast of Scotland.

    • Islay

      Islay

      Area
      618 km²
      High point
      491 m

      Islay is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Known as "The Queen of the Hebrides", it lies in Argyll and Bute just south-west of Jura and around 40 kilometres (22 nautical miles) north of the Northern Irish coast.

    • Jura

      Jura

      Area
      365 km²
      High point
      785 m

      Jura ( JOOR-ə; Scottish Gaelic: Diùra) is an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, adjacent to and northeast of Islay.

    Minor islands

    129

    Rocks & skerries

    2452

    On the chart above, at its closest zooms.

    Listing 133 of 3582; the rest are on the chart.

    Figures

    Comparative heights

    Sea level500 m1,000 m992 mIsle of Skye966 mIsle of Mull812 mRùm785 mJura494 mRaasay491 mIslay449 mScarba396 mScalpay393 mEigg313 mUlva265 mEilean Shona210 mCanna189 mKerrera170 mCàrna
    High points by island, metres above sea level.

    Islands by area

    0.11101001,00010,000Isle of Skye: 1,636 km²Isle of SkyeIsle of Mull: 885 km²Isle of MullIslay: 618 km²IslayJura: 365 km²JuraRùm: 107 km²RùmTiree: 79 km²TireeColl: 74.3 km²CollRaasay: 62.4 km²RaasayColonsay: 41 km²ColonsayEigg: 29.7 km²EiggScalpay: 24.7 km²ScalpayLismore: 21.8 km²LismoreUlva: 18.5 km²UlvaScarba: 14.5 km²ScarbaGigha: 14.3 km²GighaLuing: 14.2 km²LuingSeil: 13.6 km²SeilKerrera: 12.1 km²KerreraCanna: 11.2 km²CannaSoay: 10.1 km²SoayRona: 9.7 km²RonaIona: 8.5 km²IonaEilean Shona: 6.4 km²Eilean ShonaMuck: 5.2 km²MuckOronsay: 5.1 km²OronsayGometra: 4.6 km²GometraShuna: 4.5 km²ShunaIsle of Ewe: 3.6 km²Isle of EweHanda: 3.3 km²HandaIsland of Danna: 3.2 km²Island of DannaTanera Mòr: 3 km²Tanera MòrErraid: 2.4 km²ErraidOldany: 2.3 km²OldanyLunga: 2 km²LungaCeann Ear: 2 km²Ceann EarGruinard: 2 km²GruinardCàrna: 1.9 km²CàrnaEilean Mòr: 1.9 km²Eilean MòrSanday: 1.9 km²SandayWiay: 1.8 km²Wiay
    km², log scale. 2 without a known area.
    Isle of Skye1,636 km²
    Isle of Mull885 km²
    Islay618 km²
    Jura365 km²
    Rùm107 km²
    Tiree79 km²
    Coll74.3 km²
    Raasay62.4 km²
    Colonsay41 km²
    Eigg29.7 km²
    Scalpay24.7 km²
    Lismore21.8 km²
    Ulva18.5 km²
    Scarba14.5 km²
    Gigha14.3 km²
    Luing14.2 km²
    Seil13.6 km²
    Kerrera12.1 km²
    Canna11.2 km²
    Soay10.1 km²
    Rona9.7 km²
    Iona8.5 km²
    Eilean Shona6.4 km²
    Muck5.2 km²
    Oronsay5.1 km²
    Gometra4.6 km²
    Shuna4.5 km²
    Isle of Ewe3.6 km²
    Handa Island3.3 km²
    Island of Danna3.2 km²
    Tanera Mòr3 km²
    Erraid2.4 km²
    Oldany Island2.3 km²
    Lunga2 km²
    Ceann Ear2 km²
    Gruinard Island2 km²
    Càrna1.9 km²
    Eilean Mòr1.9 km²
    Sanday1.9 km²
    Wiay1.8 km²
    Isle Martin1.6 km²
    Shuna Island1.6 km²
    Eilean Fladday1.4 km²
    Isle Ristol1.4 km²
    Sanda Island1.4 km²
    Pabay1.3 km²
    Garbh Eileach1.3 km²
    Longa Island1.2 km²
    Ceann Iar1.2 km²
    Priest Island1.2 km²
    Torsa1.1 km²
    Eilean Rìgh0.96 km²
    Eorsa0.96 km²
    Tanera Beag0.86 km²
    Little Colonsay0.76 km²
    Horse Island0.69 km²
    Gunna0.67 km²
    Eilean Tigh0.66 km²
    Island Macaskin0.65 km²
    Calve Island0.65 km²
    Cara Island0.63 km²
    Texa0.61 km²
    Lunga0.6 km²
    Eileach an Naoimh0.59 km²
    Isay0.59 km²
    Eilean Meadhonach0.54 km²
    Eilean Dubh Mòr0.52 km²
    Longay0.51 km²
    Eilean Trodday0.49 km²
    Inch Kenneth0.48 km²
    Eilean Dubh0.44 km²
    Eilean Mullagrach0.42 km²
    Nave Island0.4 km²
    Harlosh Island0.38 km²
    Ornsay0.37 km²
    Bernera Island0.37 km²
    Insh Island0.37 km²
    Eilean Flodigarry0.31 km²
    Staffa0.3 km²
    Tarner Island0.3 km²
    Easdale0.29 km²
    Dubh Eilean0.28 km²
    Orsay0.28 km²
    Fladda0.28 km²
    South Ascrib0.27 km²
    Glas-leac Mòr0.26 km²
    Soa0.26 km²
    Eilean Chathastail0.26 km²
    Bac Mòr0.25 km²
    Staffin Island0.25 km²
    Fladda Chuain0.24 km²
    Sibhinis0.24 km²
    Eilean Fada Mòr0.23 km²
    Rubha Fiola0.23 km²
    Oronsay0.23 km²
    A' Chùli0.22 km²
    Eilean nan Each0.22 km²
    Gairbh Eilein0.21 km²
    Eilean Mòr0.2 km²
    Fiola Meadhonach0.2 km²
    Eilean Mor0.2 km²
    Eilean Iomarsaigh0.2 km²
    Eilean Beag0.18 km²
    Eilean a'Chalmain0.17 km²
    Eilean Dubh Beag0.17 km²
    Eilean nam Ban0.17 km²
    Eilean Mòr0.16 km²
    Eilean Garave0.16 km²
    Hyskeir0.16 km²
    Eilean nan Gobhar0.15 km²
    Eilean Heast0.15 km²
    Eilean Ornsay0.15 km²
    Mingay0.14 km²
    Eilea Dubh0.14 km²
    Unnamed island0.14 km²
    Eilean Dioghlum0.14 km²
    Eilean Mhic Coinnich0.13 km²
    Garbh Eilean0.13 km²
    Unnamed island0.12 km²
    Eilean Mhic Chiarain0.12 km²
    Brosdale Island0.12 km²
    Eag na Maoile0.11 km²
    Glas-leac Beag0.11 km²
    Eilean Arsa0.11 km²
    Corr Eilean0.11 km²
    Eilean Dubh0.11 km²
    Eilean a' Chùirn0.11 km²
    Eilean Dubh0.11 km²
    Guirasdeal0.1 km²
    Sgeir na h-Èireann0.1 km²
    Am Fraoch Eilean0.1 km²

    Groups within

    13

    Overlapping groups

    Sources

    Facts

    • Geometry, areas and high points: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Copernicus GLO-30, via Talus.
    • Wikidata
    • Talus
    • Wikipedia

    Photographs