List of Inner Hebrides

This list of Inner Hebrides summarises a chain of islands and skerries located off the west coast of mainland Scotland. There are over 30 inhabited islands in this archipelago, of which Islay, Mull and Skye are the largest and most populous.
The islands of Scotland's west coast are known collectively as the Hebrides; the Inner Hebrides are separated from the Outer Hebrides by The Minch to the north and the Sea of the Hebrides to the south. The Inner Hebrides that lie respectively north and south of Ardnamurchan are administered by two separate local authorities as part of larger territories. The northern Inner Hebrides, including Skye, the Small Isles and the Summer Isles, are part of the Highland unitary council region. The southern group, including Islay, Jura, the Slate Islands and Gigha are part of the Argyll and Bute council region.
In the past, the Hebrides as a whole were a strong Scottish Gaelic-speaking area, and in 1921 more than 50% of the populations of most of these islands, including Skye, Mull and Islay, were proficient in the language. However, although the Outer Hebrides have retained many Gaelic speakers, in the 2001 census only Skye and Tiree had more than 25% of the resident population able to speak Gaelic; Mull, Jura, Gigha and Coll each recorded figures of less than 15%.
The modern economy centres on tourism, crofting, farming, fishing, and whisky distilling. The archipelago is exposed to wind and tide. There are numerous lighthouses as an aid to navigation.
There are various descriptions of the scope of the Hebrides. The Collins Encyclopedia of Scotland describes the Inner Hebrides as lying "east of The Minch", which would include any and all offshore islands. There are various islands that lie in the sea lochs, such as Eilean Bàn and Eilean Donan, that might not ordinarily be described as "Hebridean", but no formal definition exists and for simplicity they are included in this list rather than elsewhere.

Etymology

Various Gaelic names are used repeatedly. The suffix ay or aigh or aidh is generally from the Norse øy meaning "island". Eilean also means "island". Beag and mòr mean "little" and "big" and are often found together. Sgeir is "skerry" and often refers to a rock or rocks that lie submerged at high tide. Dubh is "black", dearg is "red" and glas means "grey" or "green". Orasaigh is from the Norse Örfirirsey meaning "tidal" or "ebb island".

Inhabited islands

The inhabited islands of the Inner Hebrides had a population of 18,257 in 2001, and 18,948 at the time of the 2011 census. The highest peaks of the islands have names deriving from both Gaelic and Old Norse, indicating the historical importance of these two cultures. The archaeological record for the period of Viking domination during the Early Historic period is, however, limited.
In the Outer Hebrides all of the inhabited islands are now connected to at least one other island by a land transport route, but only four Inner Hebridean islands are connected by road, all to the mainland. The Clachan Bridge from Argyll to Seil was designed by Thomas Telford and dates from 1792. Skye has been connected to Kyle of Lochalsh by the Skye Bridge since 1995. Danna is also connected to the Tayvallich peninsula in Argyll by a stone causeway.

Island	Gaelic name	Group	Area	Population	Highest point	Height
Canna	Canaigh	Small Isles	1130	9	Càrn a' Ghaill	210
Coll	Cola	Mull	7685	176	Ben Hogh	104
Colonsay	Colbhasa	Islay	4074	117	Carnan Eoin	104
Danna	Danna	Islay	315	5	Cruiadh Bharr	54
Easdale	Eilean Èisdeal	Slate Islands	20	61	–	38
Eigg	Eige	Small Isles	3049	95	An Sgurr	393
Eilean Buidhe	Eilean Buidhe	Craobh Haven	4	6		9
Eilean dà Mhèinn	Eilean dà Mhèinn	Knapdale	4	1	–	16
Eilean Loain	Eilean Loain	Loch Sween	15	2	–	28
Eilean Shona	Eilean Seona	Loch Moidart	525	9	Beinn a' Bhàillidh	265
Eilean Tioram	Eilean Tioram	North Highland	5	6	–	10
Eriska		Loch Linnhe	310	21	Ceann Garbh	47
Erraid	Eilean Earraid	Mull	187	6	Cnoc Mòr	75
Gigha	Giogha	Islay	1395	187	Creag Bhàn	100
Gometra	Gòmastra	Mull	425	7	–	155
Isle of Ewe	Eilean Iùbh	North Highland	309	7	Creag Streap	72
Iona		Mull	877	178	Dùn Ì	101
Islay		Islay	61956	3180	Beinn Bheigeir	491
Jura	Diùra	Islay	36692	258	Beinn an Òir	785
Kerrera	Cearrara	Firth of Lorn	1214	61	Carn Breugach	189
Lismore	Lios Mòr	Firth of Lorn	2351	190	Barr Mòr	127
Luing	Luinn	Slate Islands	1430	178	Binneinn Furachail	87
Lunga	Lunga	Slate Islands	254	2	Bidean na h-Iolaire	98
Muck	Eilean nam Muc	Small Isles	559	28	Beinn Airein	137
Mull	Muile	Mull	87535	3063	Ben More	966
Oronsay	Orasaigh	Islay	543	7	Beinn Orasaigh	93
Raasay	Ratharsair	Skye	6231	187	Dùn Caan	444
Rona	Rònaigh	Skye	930	2	Meall Acairseidh	125
Rùm	Rùm	Small Isles	10463	31	Askival	812
Sanday	Sandaigh	Small Isles	184	4	Tallabric	59
Seil	Saoil	Slate Islands	1329	580	Meall Chaise	146
Shuna	Siuna	Slate Islands	451	2	Druim na Dubh Ghlaic	90
Skye	An t-Eilean Sgitheanach	Skye	165625	10496	Sgurr Alasdair	993
Soay	Sòdhaigh	Skye	1036	3	Beinn Bhreac	141
Tiree	Tiriodh	Mull	7834	700	Ben Hynish	141
Ulva	Ulbha	Mull	1990	6	Beinn Chreagach	313

Eilean Bàn had a population of 2 and Eilean Donan a single resident in 2001 but none recorded a usually resident population in 2011 or 2022. Eilean Donan is dominated by its castle and has had a connection to the mainland perhaps from as early as the 13th century. The arched bridge in use today was constructed in the early 20th century. Scalpay and Tanera Mòr both had a population of 4 in 2011 but no permanent residents in 2022.
Castle Stalker, Eilean Horrisdale, Eilean Loain and Inch Kenneth were "included in the NRS statistical geography for inhabited islands but had no usual residents at the time of either the 2001 or 2011 censuses".

Uninhabited islands

There are 43 uninhabited Inner Hebrides with an area greater than 30 hectares. Records for the last date of settlement for the smaller uninhabited islands are incomplete, but most of the islands listed here would have been inhabited at some point during the Neolithic, Iron Age, Early Historic or Norse periods.
In common with the other main island chains of Scotland many of the more remote islands were abandoned during the 19th and 20th centuries, in some cases after continuous habitation since prehistoric times. These places had been perceived as relatively self-sufficient agricultural economies, but both island residents and outsiders later came to consider that the more remote islands lacked the essential services of a modern industrial economy.
Some of the islands continue to contribute to modern culture. Staffa came to prominence in the late 18th century after a visit by Sir Joseph Banks. He and his fellow travellers extolled the natural beauty of the basalt columns in general, and in particular of the island's main sea cavern, which Banks renamed "Fingal's Cave". Many other prominent personalities visited Staffa over the next two centuries, including Felix Mendelssohn, whose Hebrides Overture brought further fame to the island. During the Second World War, Gruinard was the site of a biological warfare test by British military scientists. At that time there was an investigation by the British government to test both the vulnerability of Britain to attack and the possibility of attacking Germany using anthrax.
The difficulties of definition are considerable in some cases. For example, Haswell-Smith treats Lunga as a single island, although during high tides it becomes one inhabited island and numerous uninhabited tidal islets. Another example is the smaller island of Eilean Mòr in Loch Dunvegan, which joins with nearby Eilean Dubh and Garay Island at low tides.

Island	Gaelic name	Group	Area	Last inhabited	Highest point	Height
Calbha Beag	Calbha Beag	Eddrachillis Bay	31		–	41
Calbha Mor	Calbha Mòr	Eddrachillis Bay	70		–	67
Calve Island	Eilean Chailbhe	Mull	72		–	20
Cara	Cara	Gigha	66		–	56
Càrna	Càrna	Loch Sunart	213		Cruachan Chàrna	169
Eileach an Naoimh	Eileach an Naoimh	Garvellachs	56	10th century	–	80
Eilean an Ròin Mòr	Eilean an Ròin Mòr	North Highland	33		–	63
Eilean Bàn	An t-Eilean Bàn	Skye		2001	–	c. 6
Eilean Donan	Eilean Donnain	Loch Duich	1	2001	–	3
Eilean Dubh Mòr	An t-Eilean Dubh Mòr	Slate Islands	65		–	53
Eilean Fladday	Eilean Fhladaigh	Skye	137	1970s	–	39
Eilean Horrisdale	Eilean Thòireasdal	North Highland	32		Carn Garbh	38
Eilean Ighe	Eilean Ighe	Sound of Arisaig	35		–	20
Eilean Macaskin	Eilean MhicAsgain	Loch Craignish	50		–	65
Eilean Meadhonach	An t-Eilean Meadhanach	Crowlin Islands	77		–	54
Eilean Mhic Chrion	Eilean MhicChrìon	Loch Craignish	54		–	63
Eilean Mòr	An t-Eilean Mòr	Crowlin Islands	170		Meall a' Chòis	114
Eilean Rìgh	Eilean Rìgh	Loch Craignish	86		Dùn Righ	55
Eilean Tigh	Eilean an Taighe	Skye	58		Meall Mòr	111
Eilean Trodday	Eilean Throdaigh	Skye	42		–	45
Eorsa	Eòrsa	Mull	122		–	98
Garbh Eileach	Garbh Eileach	Garvellachs	142		–	110
Gruinard	Eilean Ghruinneart	North Highland	196		An Eilid	106
Gunna	Gunnaigh	Mull	69		–	35
Handa	Eilean Shannda	North Highland	309	1848	Sithean Mòr	123
Harlosh Island	Eilean Heàrrlois	Skye	34		–	51
Horse Island	Eilean nan Each	Summer Isles	53		Sgurr nan Uan	60
Inch Kenneth	Innis Choinnich	Mull	55	1970s	–	49
Insh	An Innis	Slate Islands	36		–	69
Isay		Skye	60	1860	–	28
Isle Martin	Eilean Mhàrtainn	Summer Isles	157	1948	–	120
Isle Ristol	Eilean Ruisteil	Summer Isles	225		–	71
Little Colonsay	Colbhasa Beag	Mull	88	1940s	–	61
Longa Island	Longa	North Highland	126		Druim am Eilean	70
Longay	Longaigh	Skye	50		–	67
Lunga	Lungaigh	Mull	81	1857	Cruachan	103
Oldany Island	Eilean Alltanaidh	Eddrachillis Bay	200		Sidhean nan Ealachan	104
Ornsay	Eilean Iarmain	Skye	c. 35		–	46
Oronsay	Orasaigh	Loch Sunart	230		Druim Mòr	58
Pabay	Pabaigh	Skye	122		–	28
Priest Island	Eilean a' Chlèirich	Summer Isles	122		–	78
Scalpay	Sgalpaigh	Skye	2483	2011	Mullach na Càrn	396
Scarba	Sgarba	Islay	1474	1960s	Cruach Scarba	449
Shuna	Siuna	Mull	155	1960s	Tom an t-Seallaidh	71
Staffa	Stafa	Mull	33		–	42
Tanera Beag	Tannara Beag	Summer Isles	66		–	83
Tanera Mòr	Tannara Mòr	Summer Isles	310	2011	Meall Mòr	124
Texa	Teacsa	Islay	48		Ceann Garbh	48
Torsa	Torsa	Slate Islands	113		–	62
Wiay	Fuidheigh	Skye	148		–	60