St Kilda

57°49′2″N 8°34′36″W

St Kilda

Gaelic name	Hiort
Pronunciation	[hirˠʃt̪]
Norse name	Possibly Skildir
Meaning of name	Unknown, possibly Gaelic for "westland"
Location
St Kilda St Kilda shown within Scotland
OS grid reference	25
Coordinates	57.8°N 8.6°W / 57.8; -8.6
Physical geography
Island group	St Kilda
Area	854.6 ha
Highest elevation	Conachair 430 m
Administration
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Country	Scotland
Council area	Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Demographics
Population	Uninhabited since 1930
Largest settlement	Am Baile (the Village)
References	[1][2]

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 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

• List of World Heritage Sites of the United Kingdom