Uist
Uist | ||
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Waters | Atlantic Ocean | |
Geographical location | 57 ° 25 ′ N , 7 ° 18 ′ W | |
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Number of islands | 4th | |
Main island | North Uist , South Uist | |
Total land area | 714 km² | |
Residents | 5025 (2001) | |
Map Joan Blaeu 1665 |
Uist (spoken: [ˈjuːɪst], [ˈuːɪst] , Scottish Gaelic : Uibhist ) refers to a Scottish island chain that belongs to the Outer Hebrides . The islands are grouped together because of their close proximity and scenic similarity.
Originally the following inhabited islands belonged to Uist , which have been connected by road embankments since the middle of the 20th century:
- North Uist (Gaelic: Uibhist a Tuath )
- Grimsay ( Griomasaigh )
- Benbecula ( Beinn na Faoghla )
- South Uist ( Uibhist a Deas )
Since around the turn of the millennium, the inhabited island of Berneray to the north and the also inhabited island of Eriskay to the south have been accessible via road embankments.
The Uist Archipelago also has a number of small, uninhabited islands that can only be reached by boat, some of which are used as sheep pastures during the summer.
Uist can be reached via the following transport connections:
- direct by plane from Glasgow to the airport in Balivanich on Benbecula; this is also served from Inverness with a stopover in Stornoway on Lewis and Harris
- direct from Oban on mainland Scotland by car ferry to Lochboisdale on South Uist
- indirectly via neighboring islands by car ferry: from Castlebay (Barra) to Eriskay, from Uig ( Isle of Skye ) to Lochmaddy (North Uist), and from Leverburgh ( Isle of Harris ) to Berneray