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