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