List of islands of Scotland

This is a list of islands of Scotland, the mainland of which is part of the island of Great Britain. Also included are various other related tables and lists. The definition of an offshore island used in this list is "land that is surrounded by seawater on a daily basis, but not necessarily at all stages of the tide, excluding human devices such as bridges and causeways".
Scotland has around 900 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. 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 fresh water in Scotland including Loch Lomond and Loch Maree. 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, are well-known, despite their small size. Some 94 Scottish islands are permanently inhabited, of which 89 are offshore islands. Between 2001 and 2011, Scottish island populations as a whole grew by 4% to 103,702."Scotland's 2011 census: Island living on the rise". BBC News. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
The geology and geomorphology of the islands is varied. Some, such as Skye and Mull, are mountainous, while others like Tiree and Sanday are relatively low-lying. Many have bedrock made from ancient Archaean Lewisian Gneiss which was formed 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.McKirdy, Alan Gordon, John & Crofts, Roger (2007) Land of Mountain and Flood: The Geology and Landforms of Scotland. Edinburgh. Birlinn. Many of the islands are swept by strong tides, and the Corryvreckan tide race between Scarba and Jura is one of the largest whirlpools in the world.The Corryvreckan is regularly cited as the third largest whirlpool of the world - see for example "Corryvreckan Whirlpool " Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 19 September 2009. Some sources suggest it is the second largest after the Moskstraumen. Other strong tides are to be found in the Pentland Firth between mainland Scotland and Orkney, and another example is the "Grey Dog" between Scarba and Lunga.
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. Many of the Hebrides have names with 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.
A feature of modern life in the islands is the low crime rate, and they are considered to be among the safest places to live in Britain. Orkney was rated as the best place to live in Scotland in both 2013 and 2014, according to the Halifax Quality of Life survey.Harrison, Jody (20 December 2014) "Orkney best for quality of life". Glasgow. The Herald. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
Rockall is a small rocky islet in the North Atlantic which was declared part of Scotland by the Island of Rockall Act 1972. However, despite no possession by any other state and other precedents, the legality of the claim is disputed by the Republic of Ireland, Denmark and Iceland, and some say it may be unenforceable in international law.MacDonald (2006) pp. 627–647.
==Demographics==
The 2011 census records 94 Scottish islands as having a usually resident population, of which 89 are offshore islands. There are however various complications with both the definitions of an "island" and occasional habitation; and the National Records of Scotland also list a further 17 islands that were inhabited in 2001 but not in 2011, or are "included in the NRS statistical geography for inhabited islands but had no usual residents at the time of either the 2001 or 2011 censuses".National Records of Scotland (2013) pp. 11-13 There are a small number of other islands that are evidently inhabited but which are not recorded in this list.
The local government council areas with the most inhabited islands are Argyll and Bute with 23, Orkney with 20, Shetland with 16 and Highland and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar with 14 each. There are also three in North Ayrshire and one each in Fife, Perth and Kinross, Stirling and West Dunbartonshire. The last three named plus two islands in Argyll and Bute are freshwater rather than offshore.
In the past many smaller islands that are uninhabited today had permanent populations. Losses were severe in many areas during the 19th century when islands such as Pabbay and Fuaigh Mòr were subject to forcible evictions during the Highland Clearances.Haswell-Smith (2007) pp. 269, 306-07 Mass emigration from the Hebridean islands was at its height in the mid-19th century but it commenced as early as the 1770s in some areas.Symonds (1999) p. 101 The crofting counties held 20% of Scotland's population in 1755 but by 1961 this figure had declined to 5%.Turnock (1969) p. 190 Other examples are Mingulay, Noss and the St Kilda archipelago, which were abandoned during the course of the 20th century. Declines have been particularly significant in the more remote outlying islands, some of which remain vulnerable to ongoing losses.Wenham, Sheena "Modern Times" in Omand (2003) p. 110.
The following table shows population trends for the ten most populous islands as of the 2011 census. The overall trends are typically growth in populations in the early part of the modern period, followed by declines from the mid 19th century onwards. In every case except Orkney the highest population was recorded prior to 1932 and the lowest post-Industrial Revolution figure after 1960. Subsequently, there has been modest growth overall, although some islands are continuing to show a decline. Between 1991 and 2001, the population of the islands as a whole fell by 3% to 99,739, although there were 35 islands whose population increased.General Register Office for Scotland (2003) By contrast, between 2001 and 2011 Scottish island populations as a whole grew by 4% to 103,702. The Scottish Community Alliance noted that "the largest rate of increase has been in the Western Isles (6%) where local people now own approximately 60% of the landmass. Where populations have fallen (Bute, Arran and Islay) community ownership is virtually non-existent.""Increase in islands’ population". Scottish Community Alliance. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
===Largest Scottish islands by population===
Rank	Island 	Local authority 	Population 	Population	Population	Population	Population	Population	Population	Population
Rank	Island 	Local authority 	c. 1801 	1841 	1891 	1931 	1961 	1981 	2001 	2011
1 	Lewis and HarrisHaswell-Smith (2004) p. 288 	Na h-Eileanan Siar	12,164 	20,046 	30,726 	28,042 	24,107 	22,476 	19,918 	21,031
2 	Mainland, ShetlandHaswell-Smith (2004) p. 434	Shetland 	 	20,572 	19,741 	15,172 	13,282 	17,722 	17,550 	18,765
3 	Mainland, OrkneyHaswell-Smith (2004) p. 354 	Orkney 	 	16,022 	16,498 	13,352 	13,495 	14,000 	15,315 	17,162
4 	SkyeHaswell-Smith (2004) p. 173 	Highland 	14,470 (in 1794)	23,082 	15,705 	9,908 	7,479 	7,276 	9,232 	10,008
5 	ButeHaswell-Smith (2004) p. 23 	Argyll and Bute 	4,759 (in 1792) 	7,147 	11,735 	12,112 	9,793 	7,306 	7,228 	6,498
6 	ArranHaswell-Smith (2004) p. 11 	North Ayrshire 	5,804 (in 1792) 	6,241 	4,730 	4,506 	3,700 	3,845 	5,045 	4,629
7 	IslayHaswell-Smith (2004) p. 41 	Argyll and Bute 	9,500 (in 1792) 	15,772 	7,375 	4,970 	3,860 	3,792 	3,457 	3,228
8 	MullHaswell-Smith (2004) p. 87 	Argyll and Bute 	8,016 (in 1794) 	8,316 	4,691 	2,903 	2,154 	2,197 	2,667 	2,800
9 	South UistHaswell-Smith (2004) p. 236 	Na h-Eileanan Siar	 	5,093 	3,708 	2,810 	2,376 	2,231 	1,818 	1,754
10 	Great CumbraeHaswell-Smith (2004) p. 18 	North Ayrshire 	509 (in 1793) 	1,413 	1,784 	2,144 	1,638 	1,300 	1,434 	1,376
 	Total 	 	 	123,704 	116,693 	95,919 	81,884 	82,145 	83,664 	87,251
 	Change 	 	 	 	−5.7% 	−7.8% 	−14.6% 	+0.3% 	+1.8% 	+4.3%
The following table compares the populations of the main Scottish archipelagos with that of the Faroe Islands for a similar time frame to the above.
Archipelago 	1801 	1851 	1901 	1931 	1971 	2011
HebridesMurray (1973) p. 216 	64,690 	88,615	76,780	60,390	45,480	46,632
Change 	 	37% 	–13% 	–21% 	–25% 	3%
Orkney"Orkney" GENUKI quoting census data. Retrieved 8 September 2013.	24,445 	31,318	27,763	21,933	17,007	21,349
Change 	 	28% 	–11% 	–21% 	–22% 	26%
ShetlandNicolson (1972) p. 92 	22,000 	31,000	28,000	21,000	17,500	23,167
Change 	 	41% 	–10% 	–25% 	–17% 	32%
Faroe Islands 	5,265Bailey (1998) p. 314	8,000 	15,230	24,500	38,612	48,515"Population and elections". Hagstova Føroya. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
Change 	 	52% 	90% 	61% 	58% 	26%
==Legislation==
In July 2013, the Scottish Government made the Lerwick Declaration, indicating an intention to decentralise power to the three island council areas of Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles and later that year made a commitment to do so. In 2017 an Islands bill was introduced to make "island proofing" (including for uninhabited islands) a statutory requirement for public bodies. The Bill completed Stage 1 on 8 February 2018."Islands (Scotland) Bill" Scottish Government. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
==Larger islands==
This is a list of Scottish islands that either have an area greater than 40 hectares (approximately 100 acres) and/or are inhabited. The main groups, from Haswell-Smith (2004), in many cases provide a more useful guide to location than local authority areas. These 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 part of either a recognisable smaller group or an 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.
Scotland's islands include thirteen Munros (mountains with a height over 3,000 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).
thumb|The cliffs of Eshaness, North Mainland, Shetland
Island 	Group 	Area(ha)Haswell-Smith (2004), save as otherwise stated. 	Population 	Height(m) The maps mark the height above sea level of a high point on most islands, but in a few cases this is not the highest peak.
Ailsa Craig () 	Firth of Clyde 	 	0 	338
Arran () 	Firth of Clyde 	 	4,629 	874
Auskerry 	Orkney 	 	4 	18
Baleshare () 	Uists and Barra 	 	58 	12
Balta 	Shetland 	 	0 	44
Barra () 	Uists and Barra 	 	1,174 	383
Barra Head () 	Uists and Barra 	 	0 	193
Benbecula () 	Uists and Barra 	 	1,303 	124
Berneray () 	Uists and Barra 	 	138 	93
Bigga 	Shetland 	 	0 	34
Boreray () 	St Kilda 	United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre 	0 	384
Boreray () 	Uists and Barra 	 	0 	56
Bressay 	Shetland 	 	368 	226
Brother Isle 	Shetland 	 	0 	25
Bruray 	Out Skerries 	 	24 	53
Burray 	Orkney 	 	409 	80
Bute () 	Firth of Clyde 	 	6,498 	278
Calf of Eday 	Orkney 	 	0 	54
 	Edrachillis Bay 	 	0 	67
Calve Island 	Mull 	 	0 	20
Canna () 	Small Isles 	 	12 	210
Cara 	Islay 	 	0 	56
 	Mull 	 	0 	169
Cava 	Orkney 	 	0 	38
 	Uists and Barra 	 	0 	10
 	Uists and Barra 	 	0 	10
 	Monach Islands 	 	0 	17
 	Monach Islands 	 	0 	19
Coll () 	Mull 	 	195 	106
Colonsay () 	Islay 	 	124 	143
Copinsay 	Orkney 	 	0 	64
Danna 	Islay 	* 	1 	54
Davaar () 	Firth of Clyde 	* 	0 ° 	115
Dunglass Island (F) 	River Conon 	* 	0 	8
Easdale () 	Slate Islands 	<20 * 	59 	38
East Burra 	Shetland 	 	76 	81
Eday 	Orkney 	 	160 	101
Egilsay 	Orkney 	 	26 	35
Eigg () 	Small Isles 	 	83 	393
 	Garvellachs 	 	0 	80
 	Highland 	<10 * 	0 ° 	5
 	Lewis and Harris	 	0 	43
 	Lewis and Harris	 	0 	37
 	Islay 	* 	1 	16
 	Highland 	<1 * 	0 ° 	3
 	Slate Islands 	 	0 	53
Eilean Fladday () 	Inner Hebrides 	 	0 	39
 	Lewis and Harris	 	0 	76
Eilean Macaskin () 	Islay 	 	0 	65
 	Crowlin Islands 	 	0 	54
 	Lewis and Harris	 	0 	77
 	Islay 	* 	0 	63
 	Crowlin Islands 	 	0 	114
(F) 	Lewis 	* 	0 	64
 	Highland 	 	0 	76
 	Islay 	 	0 	55
Eilean Shona ( 	Small Isles 	 	2 	265
(F) 	Loch Maree 	* 	0 	36
 	Skye 	 	0 	111
 	Highland 	* 	6 	10
Eilean Trodday () 	Skye 	 	0 	45
 	Uists and Barra 	 	0 	23
Ensay () 	Uists and Barra 	 	0 	49
Eorsa 	Mull 	 	0 	98
Eriska () 	Loch Linnhe 	* 	- 	47
Eriskay () 	Uists and Barra 	 	143 	185
Erraid () 	Mull 	 	6 	75
Eynhallow 	Orkney 	 	0 	30
Fair Isle 	Shetland 	 	68 	217
Fara 	Orkney 	 	0 	43
Faray 	Orkney 	 	0 	32
Fetlar 	Shetland 	 	61 	158
 	Uists and Barra 	 	0 	30
 	Uists and Barra 	* 	7 	20
 	Uists and Barra 	 	0 	28
Flodday, Sound of Barra 	Uists and Barra 	 	0 	41
Flotta 	Orkney 	 	80 	58
Foula 	Shetland 	 	38 	418
 	Uists and Barra 	 	- 	11
 	Lewis and Harris	 	0 	67
Fuday () 	Uists and Barra 	 	0 	89
Fuiay () 	Uists and Barra 	 	0 	107
Gairsay 	Orkney 	 	3 	102
 	Garvellachs 	 	0 	110
 	Shiant Islands 	 	0 	160
, Loch Maree (F) 	Loch Maree 	* 	0 	25
Gigha () 	Islay 	 	163 	100
Gighay () 	Uists and Barra 	 	0 	95
Glimps Holm 	Orkney 	 	0 	32
Gometra () 	Mull 	 	2 	155
Graemsay 	Orkney 	 	28 	62
Great Bernera () 	Lewis and Harris	 	252 	87
Great Cumbrae () 	Firth of Clyde 	 	1,376 	127
Grimsay () 	Uists and Barra 	 	169 	22
Grimsay (South) () 	Uists and Barra 	* 	20 	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
Holm of Grimbister 	Orkney 	 	3 	8
Holy Island () 	Firth of Clyde 	 	31 	314
Horse Island 	Summer Isles 	 	0 	60
Housay 	Out Skerries 	 	50 	53
Hoy 	Orkney 	 	419The census does not list South Walls as an island, but includes the total in Hoy.	481
Hunda 	Orkney 	 	0 	41
Inchcailloch () (F) 	Loch Lomond 	 	0 	85
Inchcolm () 	Firth of Forth 	* 	0 ° 	34
Inchfad () (F) 	Loch Lomond 	c.40 * 	1 	24
Inch Kenneth () 	Mull 	 	0 	49
Inchlonaig (F) 	Loch Lomond 	 	0 	62
Inchmarnock () 	Firth of Clyde 	 	0 	60
Inchmurrin () (F) 	Loch Lomond 	 	8 	89
Inchtavannach () (F) 	Loch Lomond 	 	3 	84
Inner Holm 	Orkney 	* 	1 	7
(F) 	Loch Awe 	* 	5 	62
Iona () 	Mull 	 	177 	100
Isay () 	Skye 	 	0 	28
Islay (Ìle) 	Islay 	 	3,228 	491
Isle Martin () 	Summer Isles 	 	0 	120
Isle of Ewe () 	Highland 	 	7 	72
Isle of May () 	Firth of Forth 	 	0 	50
Isle Ristol () 	Summer Isles 	* 	0 	71
Jura () 	Islay 	 	196 	785
Kerrera () 	Firth of Lorne 	 	34 	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	 	21,031 	799
Linga, Muckle Roe 	Shetland 	 	0 	69
Linga, Yell 	Shetland 	 	0 	26
Linga Holm 	Orkney 	 	0 	10
Lismore () 	Loch Linnhe 	 	192 	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 	 	195 	94
Lunga 	Slate Islands 	 	0 ° 	98
Lunga 	Treshnish Isles 	 	0 	103
Mainland, Orkney 	Orkney 	 	17,162 	271
Mainland, Shetland 	Shetland 	 	18,765 	450
Mingulay () 	Uists and Barra 	 	0 	273
Moncreiffe Island () (F)	River Tay 	* 	3 	5
Mousa 	Shetland 	 	0 	55
Muck () 	Small Isles 	 	27 	137
Muckle Roe 	Shetland 	 	130 	267
Muldoanich () 	Uists and Barra 	 	0 	153
Mull () 	Mull 	 	2,800 	966
North Rona () 	Atlantic Outlier	 	0 	108
North Ronaldsay 	Orkney 	 	72 	20
North Uist () 	Uists and Barra 	 	1,254 	347
Isle of Noss 	Shetland 	 	0 	181
Oldany Island 	Highland 	* 	0 	104
Oronsay () 	Islay 	 	8 	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 	 	15 	87
Papa Stronsay 	Orkney 	 	0 ° 	13
Papa Westray 	Orkney 	 	90 	48
Priest Island () 	Summer Isles 	 	0 	78
Raasay () 	Skye 	 	161 	443
Ronay () 	Uists and Barra 	 	0 	115
Rousay 	Orkney 	 	216 	250
 	Small Isles 	 	22 	812
Samphrey 	Shetland 	 	0 	29
Sanda Island () 	Firth of Clyde 	 	0 ° 	123
Sanday () 	Orkney 	 	494 	65
Sanday () 	Small Isles 	 	9 	59
Sandray () 	Uists and Barra 	 	0 	207
Scalpay () 	Skye 	 	2 	392
Scalpay () 	Lewis and Harris	 	291 	104
Scarba () 	Islay 	 	0 	449
Scarp () 	Lewis and Harris	 	0 	308
Seaforth Island () 	Lewis and Harris	 	0 	217
Seil () 	Slate Islands 	 	551 	146
 	Lewis and Harris	 	0 	57
Shapinsay 	Orkney 	 	307 	64
Shillay () 	Lewis and Harris	 	0 	79
Shuna () 	Slate Islands 	 	3 	90
Shuna () 	Loch Linnhe 	 	0 	71
Skye () 	Skye 	 	10,008 	993
Soay () 	Skye 	 	1 	141
Soay () 	St Kilda 	 	0 	378
Soay Mòr () 	Lewis and Harris	 	0 	37
South Havra 	Shetland 	 	0 	42
South Rona () 	Skye 	 	3 	125
South Ronaldsay 	Orkney 	 	909 	118
South Uist () 	Uists and Barra 	 	1,754 	620
South Walls 	Orkney 	Rick Livingstone’s Tables of the Islands of Scotland (pdf) Argyll Yacht Charters. Retrieved 12 Dec 2011.	- 	57
Stockinish Island () 	Lewis and Harris	 	0 	44
Stroma () 	Highland 	 	0 	53
Stromay () 	Uists and Barra 	 	0 	16
Stronsay 	Orkney 	 	349 	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 	 	4 	124
Taransay () 	Lewis and Harris	 	0 	267
Texa 	Islay 	 	0 	48
Tiree () 	Mull 	 	653 	141
Torsa 	Slate Islands 	 	0 	62
Trondra 	Shetland 	 	135 	60
Ulva () 	Mull 	 	11 	313
Unst 	Shetland 	 	632 	284
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 	 	90 	185
Vementry 	Shetland 	 	0 	90
West Burra 	Shetland 	 	776 	217
West Linga 	Shetland 	 	0 	52
Westray 	Orkney 	 	588 	169
Whalsay 	Shetland 	 	1,061 	119
Wiay () 	Skye 	 	0 	60
Wiay () 	Uists and Barra 	 	0 	102
Wyre 	Orkney 	 	29 	32
Yell 	Shetland 	 	966 	205
Four islands were recorded as inhabited in 2011 that were not mentioned in the 2001 census: , , Holm of Grimbister and Inner Holm.
These following are listed by the National Records of Scotland as "included in the NRS statistical geography for inhabited islands but had no usual residents at the time of either the 2001 or 2011 censuses." None except Lamb Holm are greater than 40 ha in area.
Island 	Location
Castle Stalker () 	Firth of Lorn
Eilean Horrisdale ()	Gair Loch
 	Loch Sween
 	Uists and Barra
Ensay 	Lewis and Harris
Inch Kenneth () 	Mull
Inchlonaig () (F) 	Loch Lomond
Inchcruin () (F) 	Loch Lomond
Kisimul Castle () 	Uists and Barra
Lamb Holm 	Orkney
==Freshwater islands==
There 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 an important part in Scottish history.
Inchmurrin is the largest freshwater island in the British Isles.Dow, Jim (2005) Islands Galore. A Scottish Islands Handbook. Edinburgh. Black & White Publishing. It is in Loch Lomond, which contains over sixty other islands. Loch Maree also contains several islands, the largest of which are Eilean Sùbhainn, Garbh Eilean and Eilean Ruairidh Mòr but aren't as big as others.
==Smaller offshore islands==
thumb|right|Pladda
This is a continuing list of uninhabited Scottish islands smaller than 40 hectares in size.
Name 	Island group / location
Bac Mòr 	Inner Hebrides: Treshnish Isles
Bass Rock 	Firth of Forth
Bayble Island 	Outer Hebrides: Lewis and Harris
Bearasaigh 	Outer Hebrides: Lewis: Loch Ròg
Belnahua 	Inner Hebrides: Slate Islands
Bottle Island 	Summer Isles
Brough of Birsay 	Orkney
Bound Skerry 	Shetland
Cairn na Burgh Beag 	Inner Hebrides: Treshnish Isles
Cairn na Burgh Mòr 	Inner Hebrides: Treshnish Isles
Calbha Beag 	Sutherland: Edrachillis Bay
Calf of Flotta 	Orkney
Calvay 	Outer Hebrides: South Uist
Campaigh 	Outer Hebrides: Lewis: Loch Ròg
Castle Island 	Firth of Clyde
Clett 	Highland
Corn Holm 	Orkney
Craigleith 	Firth of Forth
Craiglethy 	Kincardineshire: Fowlsheugh
Cramond Island 	Firth of Forth
Damsay 	Orkney
Dore Holm 	Shetland
Dubh Artach 	Inner Hebrides
Dùn 	St Kilda
Dùn Chonnuill 	Inner Hebrides: Garvellachs
East Linga 	Shetland
Eilean Chathastail 	Inner Hebrides: Small Isles
Eilean Dubh 	Firth of Clyde
Eilean Ighe 	Inner Hebrides: Arisaig
Eilean Mhuire 	Outer Hebrides: Shiant Islands
Eilean Mòr, Loch Dunvegan	Skye
Eyebroughy 	Firth of Forth
Fidra 	Firth of Forth
Fish Holm 	Shetland
Fladda 	Inner Hebrides: Slate Islands
Fladda 	Treshnish Isles
Flodday near Vatersay 	Outer Hebrides: Barra Islands
Fuaigh Beag (Vuia Beg) 	Outer Hebrides: Lewis: Loch Ròg
Gasker 	Outer Hebrides: Harris
Garbh Sgeir 	Inner Hebrides: Small Isles
Gigalum Island 	Inner Hebrides: Gigha
Gloup Holm 	Shetland
Glunimore Island 	Firth of Clyde
Grunay 	Shetland: Out Skerries
Gruney 	Shetland
Gualan 	Outer Hebrides: Benbecula
Haaf Gruney 	Shetland
Harlosh Island 	Inner Hebrides: Skye
Haskeir 	Outer Hebrides
Haskeir Eagach 	Outer Hebrides
Hearnish 	Outer Hebrides: Monach Islands
Helliar Holm 	Orkney
Hestan Island 	Solway Firth
Holm of Faray 	Orkney
Holm of Huip 	Orkney
Holm of Papa 	Orkney
Holm of Scockness 	Orkney
Horse Isle 	Firth of Clyde
Huney 	Shetland
Inchgarvie 	Firth of Forth
Inchkeith 	Firth of Forth
Inchmickery 	Firth of Forth
Innis Mhòr 	Easter Ross
Kili Holm 	Orkney
Lady's Holm 	Shetland
Lady Isle 	Firth of Clyde
Lamb 	Firth of Forth
Little Linga 	Shetland
Little Roe 	Shetland
Linga, Samphrey 	Shetland
Lingeigh 	Outer Hebrides: Barra Islands
Lunna Holm 	Shetland
Maiden Island 	Inner Hebrides: Oban Bay
Mingay 	Inner Hebrides: Skye
Muckle Flugga 	Shetland
Muckle Green Holm 	Orkney
Muckle Skerry 	Pentland Skerries
Mugdrum Island 	Firth of Tay
Nave Island 	Inner Hebrides: Islay
North Havra 	Shetland
Oigh-Sgeir 	Inner Hebrides
Orfasay 	Shetland
Ornsay 	Inner Hebrides: Skye
Orsay 	Inner Hebrides: Islay
Out Stack 	Shetland
Pladda 	Firth of Clyde
Rockall 	North Atlantic
Rough Island 	Solway Firth
Rusk Holm 	Orkney
Rysa Little 	Orkney
Scaravay 	Outer Hebrides: Sound of Harris
Sgat Mòr and Sgat Beag 	Firth of Clyde
Sheep Island 	Firth of Clyde
Sibhinis 	Outer Hebrides: Monach Islands
Shillay 	Outer Hebrides: Monach Islands
Soay Beag 	Outer Hebrides: Harris
South Isle of Gletness 	Shetland
St Ninian's Isle 	Shetland
Stac an Armin 	St Kilda
Stac Biorach 	St Kilda
Stac Lee 	St Kilda
Stac Levenish 	St Kilda
Staffa 	Inner Hebrides
Stockay 	Outer Hebrides: Monach Islands
Stuley 	Outer Hebrides: South Uist
Sula Sgeir 	North Atlantic
Sule Skerry 	North Atlantic
Sule Stack 	North Atlantic
Sweyn Holm 	Orkney
Tarner Island 	Inner Hebrides: Skye
Texa 	Inner Hebrides: Islay
Trialabreac 	Outer Hebrides
Urie Lingey 	Shetland
Uyea, Northmavine 	Shetland
Uynarey 	Shetland
Vacsay 	Outer Hebrides: Lewis: Loch Ròg
==Small archipelagos==
There are various small archipelagos which may be better known than the larger islands they contain. These include:
Name 	Island group / location
Ascrib Islands 	Skye
Burnt Islands 	Firth of Clyde
Crowlin Islands 	Skye
Flannan Isles 	Lewis and Harris
Islands of Fleet 	Solway Firth (Wigtown Bay)
Garvellachs 	Firth of Lorn
MacCormaig Islands 	Islay
Monach Islands 	Uists
Out Skerries 	Shetland
Pentland Skerries 	Orkney
Rabbit Islands (Eileanan nan Gall)	Highland (N Sutherland)
Ramna Stacks 	Shetland
Scalloway Isles 	Shetland
Shiant Islands 	Lewis and Harris
Slate Islands 	Firth of Lorn
St Kilda 	Lewis and Harris
Summer Isles 	Inner Hebrides
Treshnish Isles 	Mull
==Former islands==
The following is a list of places which were formerly islands, but which are no longer so due to silting up, harbour building etc.
*Ardeer Peninsula, North Ayrshire 
*Bodinbo Island near to Erskine on the River Clyde is now partly joined to the river bank.
*Broch of Clickimin is a former island in Loch of Clickimin, Lerwick, in Shetland. Originally an offshore island, the loch became cut off from the sea around 200 BC and the island is now connected to dry land by a permanent causeway."Broch of Clickimin" Undiscovered Scotland. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
* Bunglan was once a separate island, but is now connected to Samphrey by two tombolos.
* Eilean-a-beithich was once one of the Slate Islands and located in Easdale Sound. However, it was quarried to a depth of below sea level leaving only the outer rim of the island. This was eventually breached by the sea and little visible sign of the island now remains."Slate Islands - The Islands that Roofed the World" southernhebrides.com. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
* Eilean Chaluim Chille is a former island near Kilmuir on Skye in a now drained loch that was associated with the 13th century Hebridean lord Páll, son of Bálki.
* Inchbroach, also known as Rossie Island, is now part of Montrose harbour.
* Inch of Culter is a former island in the River Dee near Maryculter."Local Names" Culter.net. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
* Innis Bheag or Paterson Island near Portmahomack in Easter Ross is now permanently attached to the Morrich More due to shifting sands.Hansom, JD and Black, SDL (1996) "The Geomorphology of Morrich More: Management Prescription Review" (pdf) SNH. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
* Keith Inch (not to be confused with Inchkeith), is now part of Peterhead Harbour, and is the easternmost point of mainland Scotland.
* King's Inch on which stood Inch Castle.
* Milton Island or Green Inch was an island in the Clyde's estuarine waters close to the old ford across the river at Dumbuck near Dumbarton.
* Newshot Island or Newshot Isle was an island of circa 50 acres or 20 hectares lying in the River Clyde close to Park Quay, Renfrewshire, Scotland. It is now partly joined to the river bank.
* North Inch, one of the "Inches" in Perth, formerly an island in the River Tay.
* Preston Island, an artificial construction south of Low Valleyfield, has now been fully reclaimed, using ash slurry from Longannet power station.
* Rosyth Castle also stands on what was once a tidal island in the Firth of Forth, now surrounded by reclaimed land.
* Sand Inch was a small island in the River Clyde next to King's Inch
* Scalp na Caoraich, Cridhe An Uisge, Rònach and Scalp Phàdraig Mhòir - four small islands at the delta of the River Ness in Inverness which were removed in the 19th century.
* Scottle Holm was an islet north of Lerwick, Shetland. It has since become part of an industrial estate.“Map of Shetland Sheet 053”. British History Online. Retrieved 12 September 2021.“Scottle Holm, Shetland Islands”. Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
* White Inch, now an area of Glasgow.
==Bridged islands==
thumb|Skye Bridge, Isle of Skye
right|thumb|Inchgarvie can be seen just below the Forth Bridge.
Many of Scotland's islands are connected to the mainland and/or other islands by bridge or causeway. Although some people consider them no longer to be 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:
* Baleshare
* Benbecula
* Berneray
* Eriskay
* Grimsay
* North Uist
* South Uist
* Vatersay, which is connected to Barra (but not to the above islands), by the Vatersay Causeway.
To the north, Scalpay and Great Bernera are connected to Lewis and Harris.
Inner Hebrides
* Skye is connected to the mainland by the Skye Bridge which now incorporates Eilean Bàn.
* Eilean Donan by causeway to the mainland
* Eriska by causeway to the mainland
* Seil (to mainland) via John Stevenson's 1792 "Bridge over The Atlantic".
* Danna by causeway to the mainland
Orkney Islands
Similarly, four Orkney islands are joined to the Orkney Mainland by a series of causeways known as the Churchill Barriers. They are:
* South Ronaldsay
* Burray
* Lamb Holm
* Glimps Holm
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.
An undersea tunnel between the archipelago and Caithness, at a length of about and a tunnel connecting Orkney Mainland to Shapinsay have been discussed, although little has come of it.
Shetland Islands
Several Shetland islands are joined to the Shetland Mainland:
* West Burra and East Burra (via Trondra)
* Muckle Roe
* Trondra
* Broch of Clickimin is a freshwater islet joined to the mainland by a stone causeway.Clickimin Broch Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
* Holm of Mel was a tidal island linked to the west coast of Bressay at low tide but it is now linked permanently to its larger neighbour by a 75m stone causeway.For images see "Island 478 - Holm of Mel, Bressay, Shetland". alifetimeofislands.com. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
There is also a bridge which joins Housay and Bruray in the Out Skerries.
Others
Various other islands are also connected by bridges or causeways, to the mainland or other islands, including:
* Inchgarvie (part of Forth Bridge), thus joined to both Fife and Lothian on the Mainland.
* Garbh Eilean at the entrance to Loch Glencoul is now joined to the mainland by both the Kylesku Bridge to the south and its associated roadworks to the north.
* Innis Chonan, an inhabited island in Loch Awe is connected to the mainland by a small road bridge.
* Moncreiffe Island connected to the mainland by the Tay Viaduct
==Tidal islands and tombolos==
There are a large number of small tidal islands in Scotland. The more notable ones include:
* Baleshare
* Bernera
* Calve Island
* Castle Island
* Corn Holm
* Cramond Island
* Island Davaar
* Dunnicaer
* Eilean Mhic Chrion
* Eilean Shona
* Eriska
* Erraid
* Helliar Holm
* Kili Holm
* Isle Ristol
* Sanday
* Torsa
Oronsay means "ebb island" and there are several tidal islands of this name.Pàrlamaid na h-Alba placenames Retrieved 16 July 2007.
The three main islands of the Monach Islands (Heisgeir), Ceann Iar, Ceann Ear and Shivinish are connected at low tides. It is said that at one time it was also possible to walk all the way to Baleshare, and on to North Uist, away at low tide. In the 16th century, a large tidal wave was said to have washed the route away.
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.Fettes College Shetland Landscapes Retrieved 3 August 2007.
Dùn in St Kilda is separated from Hirta by a shallow strait about wide. This is normally impassable but is reputed to dry out on rare occasions.
==Complex islands==
There are a number of offshore islands that defy easy classification.
* Ceallasaigh Mòr and Ceallasaigh Beag are islands in Loch Maddy, North Uist which are both c. in extent at high tide. At low tide they are connected to one another and several other small tidal islets in the shallow lagoon that surrounds them.
* Eileanan Iasgaich in Loch Boisdale, South Uist comprises five small islands and several other islets at high tide but forms a single large one of at low tide.
* Eileanan Chearabhaigh. At low tide these islands form a peninsula with a total area of , which is connected to Benbecula by drying sands. At high tide the connection to Benbecula is lost and a number of small islets stretching for over from east to west appear, the largest of which is about in extent.
* The Crowlin Islands, located in the Inner Sound off Raasay are three separate islands at high tide and a single one of at low tide.
* Similarly, Lunga in the Firth of Lorn is six or more separate islets at high tide but a single one of at low tide.
==Castle islands==
There 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 are often tidal or bridged. Due to their picturesque nature some of them are well known from postcards and films. Examples are:
* Bass Rock
* Broch of West Burrafirth
* Castle Island
* Calvay
* Castle Stalker
* Castle Tioram
* Eilean Aigas (F)
* Eilean Dearg, Loch Riddon
* Eilean Donan
* Inchtalla (F)
* Inveruglas Isle (F)
* Kilchurn Castle (F)
* Kisimul Castle
* Lochindorb Castle (F)
* Loch Leven Castle (F)
* Mousa
* Threave Castle (F)
* Wyre
Many of the Islands of the Forth and southern Orkney Islands have fortifications from the two world wars. Rosyth Castle stands on a former island.
==Holy islands==
right|thumb|Oronsay Priory
A large number of the islands of Scotland have some kind of culdee/church connection, and/or are dominated by a church. The more notable include:
* Island Davaar
* Egilsay
* Eynhallow
* Holy Island
* Inchcolm
* Inch Kenneth
* Inchmahome (F)
* Iona
* Isle Maree
* North Rona
* Oronsay
* Papa Stronsay (current Transalpine Redemptorist monastery. Islands called "Papa" or "Pabbay" tend to be former saints' islands)
* St Ninian's Isle
* St Serf's Inch (F)
* Tiree ("land of Iona")
Brother Isle's name is not ecclesiastical in origin as is sometimes stated.
==Islands named after people==
This is a list of islands, which are known to be named after someone. In some cases such as North Ronaldsay this status may not be obvious (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, and also Colonsay & Egilsay where the derivation is disputed.
* Eilean Chaluim Chille - Saint Columba
* Island Davaar - Saint Barr
* Eilean Donan - Saint Donan
* Flannan Isles - Saint Flannan
* Frank Lockwood's Island (south of Lochbuie, Mull)
* Inchcolm - Saint Columba
* Inch Kenneth - Saint Kenneth
* Inchmarnock - Saint Mearnag
* Inchmahome (F) - Saint Colmag
* Inchmurrin (F) - Saint Meadhran/Mirin
* Innis Chonan (F) - Saint Conan
* Isle Maree (F) - Maelrubha
* Isle Martin - Saint Martin
* North Rona - Saint Ronan
* St Serf's Inch (F) - Saint Serf
* Sweyn Holm – Sweyn Asleifsson
* Taransay - Saint Taran
Iqbal Singh, the owner of Vacsay, has also expressed wishes to rename it after Robert Burns.
==Places called "island" etc. that are not islands==
Some places in Scotland with names including "isle" or "island" are not islands. They include:
Name 	Island group / location	It actually is
Barmore Island 	Knapdale 	part of mainland
Black Isle (An t-Eilean Dubh) 	Ross and Cromarty 	peninsula
Burntisland 	Fife 	part of mainland
Eilean na h-Eaglaise 	Torsa 	peninsula
Eilean Garbh 	Gigha 	a peninsula of Gigha
Isle of Fethaland 	Shetland 	place on mainland of Shetland
Gluss Isle 	Shetland 	joined to mainland of Shetland
Isle of Harris (Na Hearadh) 	Outer Hebrides 	part of an island
Isle of Lewis (Eilean Leòdhais)	Outer Hebrides 	part of an island
Isleornsay (Eilean Iarmain) 	Skye 	place on Skye
Islesteps (south of Dumfries) 	Dumfries and Galloway 	inland place in Scotland
Isle of Whithorn 	Dumfries and Galloway 	place on coast of Scotland
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".Burntisland Online Retrieved 22 June 2007.
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===
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 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). 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 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 areas===
Likewise, 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.
The name Easdale appears to be the combination of eas, which is Gaelic for "waterfall" and dal, the Norse for "valley". However, it is not clear why either description should apply to this tiny island which is low-lying and has no waterfalls and the name may have come from the nearby village of the same name on Seil.
==Stacks==
It has been estimated that there are about 275 sea stacks in Scotland, of which around 110 are located around the coasts of Shetland. The highest are Stac an Armin and Stac Lee, St Kilda. In July 1967, 15 million people watched the climbing of the Old Man of Hoy live on BBC television. However, for many of the remoter stacks, especially in Shetland, there is no record of there having been any attempt by rock climbers to ascend them.
==Crannogs==
Crannogs are prehistoric artificial islands created in lochs. There are several hundred sites in Scotland. Today, crannogs typically appear as small, circular islands, between 10 and 30 metres (30–100 feet) in diameter. Scottish crannogs include:
* Breachacha on Coll
* Cherry Island in Loch Ness
* Dùn Anlaimh on Coll
* Eilean Dòmhnuill on North Uist
* Keppinch (or The Kitchen) in Loch Lomond
==See also==
* British Isles
* Geography of Scotland
* List of the British Isles by area
* List of lochs on Scottish islands
* List of Marilyns on Scottish islands
* List of Munros on Skye and Mull
* List of Orkney islands
* List of Outer Hebrides
* List of Shetland islands
* Scottish island names
==References and footnotes==
Notes
Specific references
General references
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* Murray, W.H. (1973) The Islands of Western Scotland: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. London. Eyre Methuen. 
*
* 
* Nicolson, James R. (1972) Shetland. Newton Abbot. David & Charles.
* Omand, Donald (ed.) (2003) The Orkney Book. Edinburgh. Birlinn. 
*Symonds, James (June 1999) "Toiling in the Vale of Tears: Everyday Life and Resistance in South Uist, Outer Hebrides, 1760—1860". International Journal of Historical Archaeology/JSTOR. 3 No. 2, Archaeologies of Resistance in Britain and Ireland, Part II, pp. 101–122. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
* 
==External links==
*Scottish Island Network - Population Statistics
*Scottish Islands Access Rights
*
Scotland, List of islands of
 
Scotland