Outer Hebrides - Exam
  • 1. What is the largest island in the Outer Hebrides?
A) Lewis and Harris
B) Isle of Barra
C) Isle of Coll
D) Isle of Rum
  • 2. Which language is spoken by a minority of the population in the Outer Hebrides?
A) German
B) Gaelic
C) English
D) French
  • 3. What is the capital of the Outer Hebrides?
A) Stornoway
B) Portree
C) Kirkwall
D) Ullapool
  • 4. In which council area are the Outer Hebrides located?
A) Perth and Kinross
B) Argyll and Bute
C) Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
D) Highland
  • 5. Which ancient site on Lewis is known for its standing stones?
A) Callanish Stones
B) Ring of Brodgar
C) Stonehenge
D) Skara Brae
  • 6. What traditional craft is the Isle of Harris famous for producing?
A) Glassblowing
B) Weaving
C) Pottery
D) Harris Tweed
  • 7. What body of water separates the Outer Hebrides from the mainland of Scotland?
A) The Irish Sea
B) The Minch
C) The North Sea
D) The English Channel
  • 8. What is the name of the airport situated near Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis?
A) Heathrow Airport
B) JFK Airport
C) Edinburgh Airport
D) Stornoway Airport
  • 9. Which famous Scottish author set a novel in the Outer Hebrides titled 'The Blackhouse'?
A) Ian Rankin
B) Alexander McCall Smith
C) J.K. Rowling
D) Peter May
  • 10. What is the traditional heartland of the Gaelic language?
A) The Isle of Skye
B) The Inner Hebrides
C) The Scottish Highlands
D) The Outer Hebrides
  • 11. What is the Gaelic name for the council area of the Outer Hebrides?
A) An t-Eilean Fada
B) Na h-Innse Gall
C) Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
D) Na h-Eileanan an Iar
  • 12. What is the estimated population of the 19 inhabited islands in 2024?
A) 20,000
B) 15,000
C) 30,000
D) 26,020
  • 13. What is the approximate distance from Barra Head to the Butt of Lewis?
A) 300 kilometres (186 mi)
B) 150 kilometres (93 mi)
C) 250 kilometres (155 mi)
D) 210 kilometres (130 mi)
  • 14. Which ancient kingdom did the Western Isles become part of?
A) The Roman Empire
B) The Kingdom of the Scots
C) The Kingdom of the Picts
D) The Norse kingdom of the Suðreyjar
  • 15. In what year was sovereignty over the Outer Hebrides transferred to Scotland?
A) 1266
B) 1600
C) 1800
D) 1400
  • 16. Which clan was not one of the principal clan chiefs of the Outer Hebrides?
A) The Campbells
B) The MacDonalds
C) The MacLeods
D) The MacNeils
  • 17. What event in the 19th century had a devastating effect on many communities in the Outer Hebrides?
A) The Great Famine
B) The Industrial Revolution
C) The Jacobite Risings
D) The Highland Clearances
  • 18. What is a primary commercial activity in the Outer Hebrides?
A) Tourism
B) Agriculture
C) Manufacturing
D) Mining
  • 19. What is crucial for those who live and work in the Outer Hebrides?
A) Rail transport
B) Sea transport
C) Road transport
D) Air transport
  • 20. What type of rocks form most of the bedrock in the Outer Hebrides?
A) Igneous rocks
B) Sedimentary rocks
C) Ancient metamorphic rocks
D) Limestone
  • 21. What are some designated areas in the Outer Hebrides?
A) Commercial hubs
B) Urban districts
C) Conservation areas
D) Industrial zones
  • 22. What is a traditional craft in the Outer Hebrides?
A) Glassblowing
B) Blacksmithing
C) Weaving
D) Pottery
  • 23. What is the Gaelic term for 'Islands of the Strangers'?
A) An t-Eilean Fada
B) Na h-Innse Gall
C) Na h-Eileanan an Iar
D) Na h-Eileanan Siar
  • 24. Who made the earliest surviving written references to the Outer Hebrides?
A) Pytheas of Massilia
B) Pliny the Elder
C) Agricola
D) Ptolemy
  • 25. What does the name 'Dumna' mean according to early references?
A) Deep-sea isle
B) Land of the Fomorians
C) Isle of the gods
D) Edge of the sea
  • 26. Which ancient writer distinguished between the Ebudes and Dumna?
A) Pytheas of Massilia
B) Agricola
C) Ptolemy
D) Pliny the Elder
  • 27. What is the possible meaning of Ptolemy's 'Eboudai'?
A) Five islands
B) Unknown, possibly pre-Celtic
C) Isles on the edge of the sea
D) Deep-sea isle
  • 28. What type of coastline is found on the western side of the Outer Hebrides?
A) Exposed rock
B) Treeless moors
C) Machair, a fertile low-lying dune pastureland
D) Mountainous areas
  • 29. Which loch is the most voluminous on the island of Lewis?
A) Loch Ròg
B) Loch Suaineabhal
C) Loch Langavat
D) Loch Seaforth
  • 30. What is the highest peak in Harris?
A) Clisham
B) Beinn Mhòr
C) Mealisval
D) Loch nam Madadh
  • 31. Which loch is noted for its irregularity and complexity of outline?
A) Loch Sgadabhagh on North Uist
B) Loch Langavat
C) Loch Suaineabhal
D) Loch Bì
  • 32. How many freshwater lochs are there in the Outer Hebrides?
A) More than 7,500
B) 24% of Scotland's total
C) 745.4
D) 841
  • 33. Which loch nearly cuts South Uist in two?
A) Loch Ròg
B) Loch Suaineabhal
C) Loch Langavat
D) Loch Bì
  • 34. What is the highest eminence on Lewis?
A) Beinn Mhòr
B) Loch nam Madadh
C) Mealisval at 574 m
D) Clisham
  • 35. Which island has a rugged interior surrounded by machair and extensive beaches?
A) Lewis
B) North Uist
C) Harris
D) Barra
  • 36. What is the highest peak in The Uists?
A) Beinn Mhòr at 620 metres
B) Clisham
C) Loch nam Madadh
D) Mealisval
  • 37. Which loch on Lewis is 11 kilometres long and has several large islands in its midst?
A) Loch Langavat
B) Loch Ròg
C) Loch Seaforth
D) Loch Suaineabhal
  • 38. Which national scenic area is located on the southwest coast of South Uist?
A) South Lewis, Harris and North Uist National Scenic Area
B) St Kilda National Scenic Area
C) South Uist Machair National Scenic Area
D) North Uist National Scenic Area
  • 39. Which loch on North Uist is known for its irregularity and complexity?
A) Loch Sgadabhagh
B) Loch Bì
C) Loch Langavat
D) Loch Suaineabhal
  • 40. What is the European Protected Species found in South Uist?
A) Basking Shark
B) Slender Naiad
C) Hen Harrier
D) Hedgehog
  • 41. How much electricity does Beinn Ghrideag generate annually?
A) 25 GWh
B) 40 GWh
C) 20 GWh
D) 30 GWh
  • 42. What is the average annual rainfall in Lewis?
A) 1,500 millimetres (59 in)
B) 1,100 millimetres (43 in)
C) 800 millimetres (31 in)
D) 2,000 millimetres (79 in)
  • 43. What is the capacity of each wind turbine at Beinn Ghrideag?
A) 3 MW
B) 4 MW
C) 2 MW
D) 5 MW
  • 44. What industry failed in the Hebrides after the Napoleonic Wars?
A) Coal mining industry
B) Kelp industry
C) Whale oil industry
D) Textile industry
  • 45. Who controlled the Outer Hebrides after the partitioning in 1156?
A) Scotland
B) England
C) Ireland
D) Norway
  • 46. How many people reside in the Stornoway settlement Laxdale, Sandwick, and Newmarket?
A) 8,100
B) 26,720
C) 27,684
D) 6,953
  • 47. How much investment is planned for the Stornoway Deep Water Terminal?
A) £49 million
B) £40 million
C) £60 million
D) £55 million
  • 48. What century do the Lewis chessmen date from?
A) The late 13th century
B) The early 10th century
C) The mid 12th century
D) The early 11th century
  • 49. What name was used for the Outer Hebrides after the 1975 reforms?
A) Ross and Cromarty
B) Western Isles
C) Inverness-shire
D) Na h-Eileanan an Iar
  • 50. In what year did the Western Isles Council change its English name to Na h-Eileanan an Iar?
A) 1996
B) 1889
C) 1998
D) 1975
  • 51. Which clan was considered a growing threat to the Scottish crown in the 15th century?
A) Clan Donald
B) Clan MacNeil
C) Clan MacLeod
D) Clan Mackenzie
  • 52. In what year was Norse control of the Hebrides formalized?
A) 1066
B) 1266
C) 1156
D) 1098
  • 53. What scale is used by islanders to forecast the weather?
A) Kelvin Scale
B) Beaufort Scale
C) Celsius Scale
D) Fahrenheit Scale
  • 54. What is the economic value generated by tourism in the Outer Hebrides?
A) £50m
B) £75m
C) £80m
D) £65m
  • 55. Which geological feature is similar in composition to rocks found on the Moon?
A) Basalt
B) Sandstone
C) Lewisian gneiss
D) Anorthosite granite
  • 56. What was the role of the British Association for the Relief of Distress in Ireland and the Highlands and Islands of Scotland during the famine?
A) Ignored the famine
B) Opposed relief efforts
C) Provided assistance
D) Focused only on Ireland
  • 57. What is the projected population of the Outer Hebrides by 2043?
A) 25,000
B) 23,500
C) 22,709
D) 20,000
  • 58. Which scheme is not listed as a funding option for crofters in the Hebrides?
A) Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme (CAGS)
B) Suckler beef support scheme
C) Basic Payment Scheme
D) Upland sheep support scheme
  • 59. What action was taken regarding hedgehogs in 2003?
A) They were relocated to the mainland
B) Culls were undertaken
C) Their population was left to grow
D) They were introduced to other islands
  • 60. When were hedgehogs introduced to the Uists?
A) 1960s
B) 1980s
C) 1990s
D) 1970s
  • 61. What was the Roman impact on Scotland's environment, economy, and society?
A) Dramatic and transformative
B) Moderate and beneficial
C) Very limited
D) Negligible and short-lived
  • 62. How many visitors do the Outer Hebrides receive per year?
A) 200,000
B) 219,000
C) 250,000
D) 180,000
  • 63. How many townships are there in the Outer Hebrides?
A) 100
B) 280
C) 500
D) 50
  • 64. In what year did the Treaty of Union make the Hebrides part of the Kingdom of Great Britain?
A) 1707
B) 1745
C) 1800
D) 1815
  • 65. In what year did the 'Gentleman Adventurers' successfully establish a colony in Lewis?
A) 1610
B) 1598
C) 1607
D) 1605
  • 66. Which church was particularly helpful during the Highland potato famine?
A) Presbyterian Church
B) Free Church
C) Church of England
D) Roman Catholic Church
  • 67. What caused the Highland potato famine starting in 1846?
A) A blight
B) Drought
C) Overproduction of potatoes
D) Pest infestation
  • 68. Who took control of the Inner Hebrides after the partitioning in 1156?
A) Somerled
B) Edgar
C) Magnus III
D) Haakon IV
  • 69. What type of rock forms the bedrock of most islands in the Outer Hebrides?
A) Sandstone
B) Basalt
C) Lewisian gneiss
D) Granite
  • 70. In what year was Inverness-shire split, resulting in the creation of Ross-shire?
A) 1975
B) 1889
C) 1661
D) 1996
  • 71. When were the Hebrides originally settled?
A) Roman era
B) Neolithic era
C) Mesolithic era
D) Iron Age
  • 72. What is the approximate date range for the construction of Eilean Dòmhnuill?
A) 2900 BC
B) 3200–2800 BC
C) 1000 BC
D) 500 AD
  • 73. Which bumblebee species is endemic to the Hebrides?
A) Bombus jonellus var. hebridensis
B) Bombus pascuorum
C) Bombus terrestris
D) Bombus lapidarius
  • 74. In what year were the Western Isles partitioned?
A) 1098
B) 1266
C) 872
D) 1156
  • 75. Which era's way of life re-asserted itself in Scotland after the Roman legions left?
A) Medieval era
B) Viking era
C) Roman era
D) Celtic Iron Age
  • 76. How many inhabitants of Lewis were employed in Wick during the summer season in the 1860s and 1870s?
A) Two thousand
B) One thousand
C) Ten thousand
D) Five thousand
  • 77. What was the outcome of the legal action taken by Lady Gordon Cathcart against the 'raiders' in 1906?
A) The judge ruled in her favor
B) The raiders were imprisoned
C) The case was dismissed
D) The judge ruled she had neglected her duties
  • 78. What is Eilean Dòmhnuill on North Uist believed to be?
A) A Pictish settlement
B) A Viking longhouse
C) Scotland's earliest crannog
D) A Roman fort
  • 79. When did the Romans abandon any permanent occupation in Scotland?
A) 400 AD
B) 300 AD
C) 100 AD
D) 211 AD
  • 80. Which year did Ross-shire merge with Cromartyshire to form Ross and Cromarty?
A) 1996
B) 1661
C) 1975
D) 1889
  • 81. Who was the King of Scotland that signed the Hebrides over to Magnus III of Norway?
A) Edgar
B) Alexander III
C) Robert the Bruce
D) David I
  • 82. What percentage of the Western Isles woodland project is funded by Beinn Ghrideag's profits?
A) 70%
B) 60%
C) 90%
D) 80%
  • 83. How many active crofters were there on Lewis and Harris according to a 2020 report?
A) Around 1500
B) Approximately 500
C) Over 920
D) Less than 300
  • 84. What was the Outer Hebrides part of after the Scottish crown claimed control?
A) Ross-shire
B) Orkney-shire
C) Inverness-shire
D) Cromartyshire
  • 85. What is the average number of sunshine hours per year in Lewis?
A) 1,500 to 1,600 hours
B) 1,300 to 1,400 hours
C) 800 to 900 hours
D) 1,100 to 1,200 hours
  • 86. How many jobs does tourism sustain in the Outer Hebrides?
A) Around 500
B) Around 1500
C) Around 2000
D) Around 1000
  • 87. What did Cromwell's troops do in Stornoway?
A) Built a new castle
B) Constructed a harbor
C) Established a university
D) Destroyed the old castle
  • 88. What is the estimated trade deficit of the Western Isles?
A) £163.4 million
B) £180 million
C) £150 million
D) £200 million
  • 89. What was the population of the Outer Hebrides in 2011?
A) 26,020
B) 27,684
C) 26,502
D) 103,702
  • 90. What is the projected population decline in the Outer Hebrides by 2043?
A) 16%
B) 10%
C) 25%
D) 20%
  • 91. What percentage of the world's northern gannet population is found on St Kilda?
A) 13%
B) 30%
C) 6.3%
D) 24%
  • 92. What is the population of Lewis and Harris according to the text?
A) 25,000
B) 18,000
C) 23,000
D) 21,000
  • 93. Who was the dominant Norse figure in the Hebrides during the mid-9th century?
A) Harald Fairhair
B) Magnus III
C) Ketill Flatnose
D) Haakon IV
  • 94. Who dissolved the Lordship of the Isles in 1493?
A) James VI
B) James V
C) Charles I
D) James IV
  • 95. Which act helped improve conditions in the Hebrides in 1886?
A) Crofting Act
B) Agricultural Act
C) Land Reform Act
D) Housing Act
  • 96. What is the role of development trusts on the larger islands?
A) Support the local economy
B) Manage fishing activities
C) Oversee tourism
D) Control renewable energy projects
  • 97. Approximately when were the Callanish Stones constructed?
A) 2900 BC
B) 500 AD
C) 3200–2800 BC
D) 1000 AD
  • 98. Which island was abandoned in 1912?
A) North Uist
B) Barra
C) Lewis
D) Mingulay
  • 99. What was Stornoway's sheltered harbour originally named by Vikings?
A) Viking Bay
B) Steering Bay
C) Lewis Bay
D) Harbor Bay
  • 100. Who were the 'Gentleman Adventurers' authorized by King James VI in 1598?
A) Adventurers from Glasgow
B) Adventurers from Edinburgh
C) Adventurers from Fife
D) Adventurers from Aberdeen
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