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