St Kilda
Coordinates: 57°49′2″N 8°34′36″W / 57.81722°N 8.57667°W
St Kilda is a small archipelago of Hebridean islands. It is northwest of the coast of Scotland. The islands are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[3]
| St Kilda | |
|---|---|
| Location
| |
| OS grid reference: | NF095995 |
| Coordinates: | 57°48′N 8°36′W / 57.8°N 8.6°W |
| Names | |
| Gaelic name: |  Hiort (info • help)
|
| Norse name: | Possibly Skildir |
| Meaning of name: | Unknown, possibly Gaelic for "westland" |
| Area and Summit | |
| Area: | 854.6 ha |
| Highest elevation: | Conachair 430 m |
| Population | |
| Population (2001): | Uninhabited since 1930 |
| Main settlement: | Am Baile (the Village) |
| Groupings | |
| Island Group: | St Kilda |
| Local Authority: | Comhairle nan Eilean Siar |
 
| |
| References: | [1][2] |
St Kilda has large seabird colonies. The island has the largest colony of North Atlantic gannets in the world.[4]
History
It is known that people have lived on St Kilda for over 2000 years. The entire population was evacuated from the island in 1930. St Kilda was given to the National Trust for Scotland in 1957.
In the 21st century, the only year-round residents are defence personnel. Many conservation workers, volunteers and scientists spend time on the islands in the summer months.[5]
National Nature Reserve
St Kilda became a National Nature Reserves (NNR) in 1957. It is one of 71 NNRs in Scotland. In 2004, the NNR was expanded. The nearby marine features were added. The islands were also added.
In July 2005, it became one of the few World Heritage Sites to have a "mixed" status for its natural and cultural qualities.[6] They are also a National Scenic Area.
Gallery
Hirta, Village Bay
St Kilda cleits were small, turf-covered dry-stone structures used for storage
St Kilda sheep enclosure
St Kildans sitting on the village street, 1886
At the foot of the cliffs, Borrera, 1898
Catching puffins on St Kilda, 1898
Related pages
References
- ↑ Get-a-map Archived 2013-10-07 at the Wayback Machine "NF095995" Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 28 December 2007.
- ↑ Iain Mac an Tailleir. "Placenames" (PDF). Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-05-29. Retrieved 2007-07-23.
- ↑ UNESCO, "St Kilda"; retrieved 2012-4-20.
- ↑ National Trust for Scotland (National Trust), "Marine Environment gains World Heritage Protection," Archived 2013-06-03 at the Wayback Machine 2 July 2004; retrieved 2012-4-20.
- ↑ "The new residents of St Kilda archipelago". (29 August 2010). BBC News. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
- ↑ National Trust, "Dual World Heritage Status For Unique Scottish Islands," Archived 2006-10-02 at the Wayback Machine 14 July 2005; retrieved 2012-4-20.
Other websites
Media related to St Kilda, Scotland at Wikimedia Commons
- St Kilda website Archived 2013-06-03 at the Wayback Machine
