Outer Hebrides
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The Outer Hebrides is a group of islands located off the west coast of Scotland that also serves as a local government area. These islands are significant as a distinct region with their own administrative structure and cultural identity within Scotland.
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The Outer Hebrides or Western Isles, sometimes known as the Long Isle or Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of mainland Scotland. It is the longest archipelago in the British Isles. The islands form part of the archipelago of the Hebrides, separated from the Scottish mainland and from the Inner Hebrides by the waters of the Minch, the Little Minch, and the Sea of the Hebrides. The Outer Hebrides are considered to be the traditional heartland of the Gaelic language. The islands form one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, which since 1998 has used only the Gaelic form of its name, including in English language contexts. The council area is called Na h-Eileanan an Iar ('the Western Isles') and its council is Comhairle nan Eilean Siar ('Council of the Western Isles').
Most of the islands have a bedrock formed from ancient metamorphic rocks, and the climate is mild and oceanic. The 19 inhabited islands had an estimated population of 26,020 in 2024, and there are more than 50 substantial uninhabited islands. The distance from Barra Head to the Butt of Lewis is roughly 210 kilometres (130 mi).