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List of islands of Scotland
Map of the Inner and Outer Hebrides Scotland has over 790 offshore islands, most of which are to be found in four main groups: Shetland, Orkney, and the Hebrides, sub-divided into the Inner Hebrides and Outer Hebrides.[2] There are also clusters of islands in the Firth of Clyde, Firth of Forth, and Solway Firth, and numerous small islands within the many bodies of freshwater in Scotland including Loch Lomond and Loch Maree.</onlyinclude> Many of these islands are swept by strong tides, and the Corryvreckan tide race between Scarba and Jura is one of the largest whirlpools in the world. Other strong tides are to be found in the Pentland Firth between mainland Scotland and Orkney, and the Grey Dog between Scarba and Lunga.[2] The geology and geomorphology of the islands is quite varied. Some such as Skye and Mull are mountainous whilst others like Tiree and Sanday are relatively low lying. Many have bedrock made from ancient Archaen Lewisian Gneiss which was originally laid down 3 billion years ago, Shapinsay and other Orkney islands are formed from Old Red Sandstone, which is 400 million years old, and others such as Rùm from more recent Tertiary volcanoes[3] The largest island is Lewis and Harris which extends to 2,179 square kilometres, and there are a further 200 islands which are greater than 40 hectares in area. Of the remainder, several such as Staffa and the Flannan Isles have achieved considerable notability despite their small size.[2] Some 97 Scottish islands are populated, of which 92 are offshore islands. Many previously inhabited islands such as Mingulay, Noss and the St Kilda archipelago have been abandoned during the course of the past century and today only 14 islands are populated by over 1,000 people and 45 by over 100. Between 1991 and 2001, the population of the islands fell by 3 per cent overall, although there were 35 islands whose population increased. The total population of all the islands in 2001 was 99,739.[4] The culture of the islands has been affected by the successive influences of Celtic, Norse and English speaking peoples and this is reflected in names given to the islands. Most of the Hebrides have Scots Gaelic derivations, whilst those of the Northern Isles tend to be derived from the Viking names. A few have Brythonic, Scots and even perhaps pre-Celtic roots.[2] A feature of modern island life is the low crime rate and they are considered to be amongst the safest places to live in the UK.[5] Rockall, is a small rocky islet in the North Atlantic which was declared part of Scotland by the Island of Rockall Act 1972.[6][7] However, the legality of the claim is disputed by the Republic of Ireland, Denmark and Iceland and it is probably unenforceable in international law.[8][9] 
Eilean Donan castle Larger islandsThis is a list of Scottish islands either with an area greater than 40 hectares (approximately 100 acres) and/or which are inhabited. The 'Groups' which in many cases provide a more useful guide to location than local authority areas are after Haswell-Smith (2004). The main Groups are: Firth of Clyde, Islay, Firth of Lorn, Mull, Small Isles, Skye, Lewis and Harris, Uists and Barra, St Kilda, Orkney, Shetland and Firth of Forth. In a few cases where the island is either part of recognisable smaller group or archipelago, or is located away from the main groups, an archipelago, local authority or other descriptive name is used instead. "F" designates a freshwater island.<onlyinclude> 
Orkney aerial photomap 
The Shetland archipelago 
Bressay Lighthouse at Kirkabister Ness, Shetland 
Tobermory harbour, Isle of Mull 
The cliffs of Creag na Bruaich, Raasay 
'Dhu Heartach Lighthouse, During Construction' by Sam Bough (1822-1878). 
Ailsa Craig from the South Ayrshire coast 
Two of the Paps of Jura. Photo by John Shaw 
The cliffs of Eshaness, North Mainland, Shetland 
The Bass Rock from Tantallon Castle 
MV Isle of Lewis in The Minch 
Sula Sgeir from the South West. 
Fair Isle cliffs 
The east coast of Mousa towards the Peerie Bard.
|- | Bigga | Shetland | | 0 | 34 |- | Boreray | St Kilda | | 0 | 384 |- | Boreray | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 56 |- | Bressay | Shetland | | 384 | 226 |- | Brother Isle | Shetland | | 0 | 25 |- | Bruray | Out Skerries | | 26 | 53 |- | Burray | Orkney | | 357 | 80 |- | Bute | Firth of Clyde | | 7149 | 278 |- | Calf of Eday | Orkney | | 0 | 54 |- | Calve Island | Mull | | 0 | 20 |- | Canna | Small Isles | | 6 | 210 |- | Cara | Islay | | 0 | 56 |- | Càrna | Mull | | 0 | 169 |- | Cava | Orkney | | 0 | 38 |- | Ceallasaigh Mòr | Uists and Barra | * | 0 | 10 |- | Ceann Ear | Monach Islands | | 0 | 17 |- | Ceann Iar | Monach Islands | | 0 | 19 |- | Coll | Mull | | 164 | 104 |- | Colonsay | Islay | | 108 | 143 |- | Copinsay | Orkney | | 0 | 64 |- | Danna | Islay | * | 5 | 54 |- | Davaar | Firth of Clyde | * | 2 | 115 |- | Easdale | Slate Islands | <20 * | 58 | 38 |- | East Burra | Shetland | | 66 | 81 |- | Eday | Orkney | | 121 | 101 |- | Egilsay | Orkney | | 37 | 35 |- | Eigg | Small Isles | | 67 | 393 |- | Eileach an Naoimh | Garvellachs | | 0 | 80 |- | Eilean Bàn, Lochalsh | Highland | <10 * | 2 | 5 |- | Eilean Chaluim Chille | Lewis and Harris | | 0 | 43 |- | Eilean Donan | Highland | <1 * | 1 | 3 |- | Eilean Dubh Mòr | Slate Islands | | 0 | 53 |- | Eilean Liubhaird | Lewis and Harris | | 0 | 76 |- | Eilean Kearstay | Lewis and Harris | | 0 | 37 |- | Eilean Macaskin | Islay | | 0 | 65 |- | Eilean Mòr | Crowlin Islands | | 0 | 114 |- | Eilean nan Ròn | Highland | | 0 | 76 |- | Eilean Righ | Islay | | 0 | 55 |- | Eilean Ruairidh Mòr (F) | Loch Maree | * | 0 | 51 |- | Eilean Shona | Small Isles | | 9 | 265 |- | Eilean Sùbhainn (F) | Loch Maree | * | 0 | 36 |- | Eileanan Iasgaich | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 23 |- | Ensay | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 49 |- | Eorsa | Mull | | 0 | 98 |- | Eriska | Loch Linnhe | * | 0 | 47 |- | Eriskay | Uists and Barra | | 133 | 185 |- | Erraid | Mull | | 8 | 75 |- | Eynhallow | Orkney | | 0 | 30 |- | Fair Isle | Shetland | | 69 | 217 |- | Fara | Orkney | | 0 | 43 |- | Faray | Orkney | | 0 | 32 |- | Fetlar | Shetland | | 86 | 158 |- | Fiaray | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 30 |- | Flodaigh | Uists and Barra | * | 11 | 20 |- | Flodaigh Mòr | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 28 |- | Flodday | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 42 |- | Flotta | Orkney | | 81 | 58 |- | Foula | Shetland | | 31 | 418 |- | Fuaigh Mòr (Vuia Mòr) | Lewis and Harris | | 0 | 67 |- | Fuday | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 89 |- | Fuiay | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 107 |- | Gairsay | Orkney | | 3 | 102 |- | Garbh Eileach | Garvellachs | | 0 | 110 |- | Garbh Eilean | Shiant Islands | | 0 | 160 |- | Garbh Eilean, Loch Maree (F) | Loch Maree | * | 0 | 25 |- | Gigha | Islay | | 110 | 100 |- | Gighay | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 95 |- | Glims Holm | Orkney | | 0 | 32 |- | Gometra | Mull | | 5 | 155 |- | Graemsay | Orkney | | 21 | 62 |- | Great Bernera | Lewis and Harris | | 233 | 87 |- | Great Cumbrae | Firth of Clyde | | 1434 | 127 |- | Grimsay | Uists and Barra | | 201 | 22 |- | Grimsay (South) | Uists and Barra | * | 19 | 20 |- | Gruinard Island | Highland | | 0 | 106 |- | Gunna | Mull | | 0 | 35 |- | Handa | Highland | | 0 | 123 |- | Hascosay | Shetland | | 0 | 30 |- | Hellisay | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 79 |- | Hermetray | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 35 |- | Hildasay | Shetland | | 0 | 32 |- | Hirta | St Kilda | | 0 | 430 |- | Holy Isle | Firth of Clyde | | 13 | 314 |- | Horse Island | Summer Isles | | 0 | 60 |- | Housay | Out Skerries | | 50 | 53 |- | Hoy | Orkney | | 272[12] | 479 |- | Hunda | Orkney | | 0 | 41 |- | Iona | Mull | | 125 | 100 |- | Inchcolm | Firth of Forth | * | 2 | 34 |- | Inchfad (F) | Loch Lomond | c.40 * | 2 | 24 |- | Inch Kenneth | Mull | | 0 | 49 |- | Inchlonaig (F) | Loch Lomond | * | 0 | 62 |- | Inchmarnock | Firth of Clyde | | 0 | 60 |- | Inchmurrin (F) | Loch Lomond | * | 13 | 89 |- | Inchtavannach (F) | Loch Lomond | * | 3 | 84 |- | Innis Chonain (F) | Loch Awe | * | 1 | 62 |- | Isay | Skye | | 0 | 28 |- | Islay | Islay | | 3457 | 491 |- | Isle Martin | Summer Isles | | 0 | 120 |- | Isle of Ewe | Highland | | 12 | 72 |- | Isle of May | Firth of Forth | | 0 | 50 |- | Isle Ristol | Summer Isles | * | 0 | 71 |- | Jura | Islay | | 188 | 785 |- | Kerrera | Mull | | 42 | 189 |- | Killegray | Lewis and Harris | | 0 | 45 |- | Kirkibost | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 7 |- | Lamba | Shetland | | 0 | 35 |- | Lamb Holm | Orkney | | 0 | 20 |- | Lewis and Harris | Lewis and Harris | | 19918 | 799 |- | Linga near Muckle Roe | Shetland | | 0 | 69 |- | Linga near Yell | Shetland | | 0 | 26 |- | Linga Holm | Orkney | | 0 | 10 |- | Lismore | Mull | | 146 | 127 |- | Little Bernera | Lewis and Harris | | 0 | 41 |- | Little Colonsay | Mull | | 0 | 61 |- | Little Cumbrae | Firth of Clyde | | 0 | 123 |- | Longa Island | Highland | | 0 | 70 |- | Longay | Skye | | 0 | 67 |- | Luing | Slate Islands | | 212 | 94 |- | Lunga | Slate Islands | | 7 | 98 |- | Lunga | Treshnish Isles | | 0 | 103 |- | Mainland, Orkney | Orkney | | 15315 | 271 |- | Mainland, Shetland | Shetland | | 17550 | 450 |- | Mealista | Lewis and Harris | | 0 | 77 |- | Mingulay | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 273 |- | Moncrieffe Island (F) | River Tay | * | 3 | 5 |- | Mousa | Shetland | | 0 | 55 |- | Muck | Small Isles | | 30 | 137 |- | Muckle Roe | Shetland | | 104 | 267 |- | Muldoanich | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 153 |- | Mull | Mull | | 2667 | 966 |- | North Rona | Atlantic Outlier | | 0 | 108 |- | North Ronaldsay | Orkney | | 70 | 20 |- | North Uist | Uists and Barra | | 1271 | 347 |- | Noss | Shetland | | 0 | 181 |- | Oldany Island | Highland | * | 0 | 104 |- | Oronsay | Islay | | 5 | 93 |- | Oronsay | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 25 |- | Oronsay | Mull | * | 0 | 58 |- | Oxna | Shetland | | 0 | 38 |- | Pabay | Skye | | 0 | 28 |- | Pabay Mòr | Lewis and Harris | | 0 | 68 |- | Pabbay | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 171 |- | Pabbay | Lewis and Harris | | 0 | 196 |- | Papa | Shetland | | 0 | 32 |- | Papa Little | Shetland | | 0 | 82 |- | Papa Stour | Shetland | | 23 | 87 |- | Papa Stronsay | Orkney | | 10 | 13 |- | Papa Westray | Orkney | | 65 | 48 |- | Priest Island | Summer Isles | | 0 | 78 |- | Raasay | Skye | | 192 | 443 |- | Ronay | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 115 |- | Rousay | Orkney | | 212 | 250 |- | Rùm | Small Isles | | 22 | 812 |- | Samphrey | Shetland | | 0 | 29 |- | Sanda Island | Firth of Clyde | | 1 | 123 |- | Sanday | Orkney | | 478 | 65 |- | Sanday | Small Isles | | 6 | 59 |- | Sandray | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 207 |- | Scalpay | Skye | | 10 | 392 |- | Scalpay | Lewis and Harris | | 322 | 104 |- | Scarba | Islay | | 0 | 449 |- | Scarp | Lewis and Harris | | 0 | 308 |- | Scotasay | Lewis and Harris | | 0 | 57 |- | Seaforth Island | Lewis and Harris | | 0 | 217 |- | Seil | Slate Islands | | 560 | 146 |- | Shapinsay | Orkney | | 300 | 64 |- | Shillay | Lewis and Harris | | 0 | 79 |- | Shuna | Slate Islands | | 1 | 90 |- | Shuna | Loch Linnhe | | 0 | 71 |- | Skye | Skye | | 9232 | 993 |- | Soay | Skye | | 7 | 141 |- | Soay | St Kilda | | 0 | 378 |- | Soay Mòr | Lewis and Harris | | 0 | 37 |- | South Havra | Shetland | | 0 | 42 |- | South Rona | Skye | | 2 | 125 |- | South Ronaldsay | Orkney | | 854 | 118 |- | South Uist | Uists and Barra | | 1818 | 620 |- | South Walls | Orkney | * | 120 (est)[12] | 57 |- | St Serf's Inch (F) | Loch Leven | * | 0 | 110 |- | Stockinish Island | Lewis and Harris | | 0 | 44 |- | Stroma | Highland | | 0 | 53 |- | Stronsay | Orkney | | 343 | 44 |- | Stuley | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 40 |- | Switha | Orkney | | 0 | 29 |- | Swona | Orkney | | 0 | 41 |- | Tahay | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 65 |- | Tanera Beag | Summer Isles | | 0 | 83 |- | Tanera Mòr | Summer Isles | | 5 | 124 |- | Taransay | Lewis and Harris | | 0 | 267 |- | Texa | Islay | | 0 | 48 |- | Tiree | Mull | | 770 | 141 |- | Torsa | Slate Islands | | 0 | 62 |- | Trondra | Shetland | | 133 | 60 |- | Ulva | Mull | | 16 | 313 |- | Unst | Shetland | | 720 | 284 |- | Uyea, Northmavine | Shetland | | 0 | 70 |- | Uyea, Unst | Shetland | | 0 | 50 |- | Vaila | Shetland | | 2 | 95 |- | Vacsay | Lewis and Harris | | 0 | 34 |- | Vallay | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 38 |- | Vatersay | Uists and Barra | | 94 | 185 |- | Vementry | Shetland | | 0 | 90 |- | West Burra | Shetland | | 753 | 217 |- | West Linga | Shetland | | 0 | 52 |- | Westray | Orkney | | 563 | 169 |- | Whalsay | Shetland | | 1034 | 119 |- | Wiay | Skye | | 0 | 60 |- | Wiay | Uists and Barra | | 0 | 102 |- | Wyre | Orkney | | 18 | 32 |- | Yell | Shetland | | 957 | 205 |} 
Loch Lomond from Beinn Dubh and Creag an t-Seilich Freshwater islandsThere are numerous other freshwater islands, of which the more notable include Lochindorb Castle Island, Loch Leven Castle Island, St Serf's Inch, and Inchmahome, each of which have played a highly important part in Scottish history. Inchmurrin in Loch Lomond is the largest freshwater island in the British Isles,[13][14]. It is in Loch Lomond, which contains over sixty other islands.[14] Smaller offshore islandsThis is a continuing list of uninhabited Scottish islands smaller than 40 hectares in size.
Small archipelagos
Highest islands
Scotland's islands include thirteen Munros (mountains with a height over 3000 feet or 914.4 metres), twelve of them found on Skye, and a total of 227 Marilyns (hills with a relative height of at least 150 metres, regardless of absolute height).[15] The following list is of all islands with a highest elevation greater than 300 metres (984 feet).
Former islands
Inchgarvie can be seen just below the Forth Bridge The following is a list of places which were formerly islands, but by some definitions are no longer so, due to silting up, natural processes and harbour building.
Bridged islands
Churchill Barrier 1, blocking Kirk Sound Many of Scotland's islands are connected to the mainland/other islands by bridge or causeway. Although some people consider these to be no longer islands, they are generally treated as such. Outer Hebrides Many of the islands of the southern Outer Hebrides have been joined to other islands by causeways and bridges. These include:
To the north, Scalpay and Great Bernera are connected to Lewis and Harris. Inner Hebrides
Orkney Islands 
Looking south across Wind Wick, South Ronaldsay. Hunda is in turn connected to Burray via a causeway. South Walls and Hoy are connected by a causeway called the Ayre. The islands are treated as one entity (Hoy) by the UK census. There are ideas being discussed to build an undersea tunnel between the archipelago and Caithness, at a length of about 9-10 miles (15-16 km) or (more likely) one connecting Orkney Mainland to Shapinsay,[16][17] although little has come of it. Shetland Islands Several Shetland islands are joined to the Shetland Mainland:
There is also a bridge from Housay to Bruray. Others Various other islands are also connected by bridges or causeways, to the mainland or other islands, including:
Tidal islands and tombolos
St Ninian's Isle and tombolo There are a large number of small tidal islets in Scotland. The more notable ones include:
Oronsay means 'ebb island' and there are several tidal islands of this name.[18] The three main islands of the Monach Islands (Heisgeir), Ceann Iar, Ceann Ear and Shivinish are connected at main tide. It is said that it was at one time possible to walk all the way to Baleshare, and on to North Uist, five miles away at low tide. In the 16th century, a large tidal wave was said to have washed this away.[2] St Ninian's Isle is connected to Mainland Shetland by a tombolo. Although greater than 40 hectares in size it fails to meet the definition of an island used in this list as it is only surrounded by water during occasional spring tides and storms.[19] Dùn in St Kilda is separated from Hirta by a shallow strait about 50 metres wide. This is normally impassable but is reputed to dry out on rare occasions.[2] Castle Islands
Castle Stalker, as seen in Monty Python and the Holy Grail Ther are several small Scottish islands that are dominated by a castle or other fortification. The castle is often better known than the island, and the islands themselves are often tidal or bridged. Due to their picturesque nature some of them are well-known from postcards and films. Examples include:
Many of the Islands of the Forth and southern Orkneys have fortifications from the two world wars. Rosyth Castle stands on a former island. Holy islands
The Tibetan Buddhist Centre for world peace and health on Holy Isle 
Oronsay Priory A huge number of the islands of Scotland have some kind of culdee/church connection, and/or are dominated by a church. The more notable include:
Brother Isle's name is not ecclesiastical in origin as sometimes stated. List of Scottish islands named after peopleThis is a short list of islands, which are known to be named after someone. In the case of the likes of North Ronaldsay, this may be open to contention (it isn't named after a "Ronald", unlike South Ronaldsay). This list omits names such as Hildasay, where the person in question is mythological, or Ailsa Craig, where the individual in question is not known.
Places called "island" or "isle" etc which are not islands
Burntisland - not actually an island Some places in Scotland with names including "isle" or "island" are not islands. They include:
Lewis and Harris are separated by a range of hills but form one island, and are sometimes referred to as "Lewis and Harris". Isle of Whithorn and the Black Isle are peninsulas, and Isleornsay is a village which looks out onto the island of Ornsay. There is no commonly accepted derivation for "Burntisland" which had numerous other forms in the past, such as "Brintilun" and "Ye Brint Eland".[20] Gluss Isle at the western entrance to Sullom Voe is one of the many promontories in Orkney and Shetland connected to a larger body of land by an ayre. Other elements
Vementry Farm, on Mainland Shetland, with Isle of Vementry in hinterground The name "Inch" (Innis) can mean island (e.g. Inchkenneth, Inchcolm), but is also used for terra firma surrounded by marsh e.g. Markinch, Insch. Eilean is Gaelic for "island". However, Inistrynich, Eilean na Maodail, Eilean Dubh and Liever Island are all promontories on Loch Awe as opposed to islands, despite their names. Likewise Eilean Aoidhe on Loch Fyne. The Black Isle is also "An t-Eilean Dubh" in Gaelic, while Eilean Glas is part of Scalpay. -holm is also very common as a suffix in various landlocked placenames, especially in the far south of mainland Scotland e.g. Langholm, Kirk Yetholm, Holmhead (by Cumnock), Holmhill (next to Thornhill, Nithsdale) et al. Some of these were river islands in their time, or dry land surrounded by marsh. Holm can be found in an element in Holmsgarth, now more or less a suburb of Lerwick and the Parish of Holm on Mainland Shetland and Mainland Orkney respectively. Neither of these is an island in its own right.Islands named after mainland areasLikewise, occasionally an island may be named after a location on the nearby mainland, or a major neighbouring island - or vice versa. Examples of this include Vementry, which was originally the name of an island, but whose name has been transferred to a nearby farm on Mainland Shetland, Oldany Island, whose name has been transferred to Oldany; Cramond Island which is named after neighbouring Cramond (a district of Edinburgh) and Eilean Mhealasta in the Outer Hebrides, which is named after Mealista on Lewis. < |
