Major Islands

The Hebrides is a series of islands off the north-west coast of Scotland. They consist of two groups, the Outer Hebrides, that Scots sometimes call simply the Western Isles, and the Inner Hebrides. One of theses islands called Iona is famous for a very beautiful abbey built by St. Columba. Another large island, Skye, has magnificent mountains and Highland cattle. People go there to climb. The main industries are farming, especially sheep, and the making of a cloth called tweed. This is made of wool light in weight but very warm. Many of the islanders speak Gaelic, the native Scottish tongue.

The Orkney Islands is a sizeable group of islands lying to the north of Scotland.

The Shetland Islands are situated further north and are famous for the long summer twilight. The largest island is Mainland and the most northerly is Unst. This has a reputation for two famous products – ‘lace-work’ shawls and ponies, or ‘shelties’. For many centuries, Scandinavia ruled the islands. This link is clear in the many Norse archeological sites and place names. From the 1970s, the Shetlands have become an increasingly important centre of the North Oil industry.

The Isle of Man is the island of motorcycle races and Manx cats (cats without tails or with very short ones). The Isle of Man is also famous for Manx sheep, a handsome four-horned breed, of which only one small flock is left.

The Isle of Anglesey lies off the coast of northern Wales.

The Isles of Scilly are a group of about 140 small islands off Cornwall, England. These are Britain’s warmest islands. Many semitropical plants and flowers grow there. Early vegetables and spring flowers are grown there in the fields with tall hedges and walls to protect them from Atlantic winds in all weathers.

The Isle of Wight lies off the southern coast of England across a stretch of water called the Solent. It is reachable by ferry from Portsmouth or Southampton. The island is a county of England and is a favourite place for about two million holidaymakers a year. Queen Victoria lived there after Prince Albert died.

The Channel Islands are found off the south-east coast of England in the Channel. The two largest islands are Jersey and Guernsey. They have been part of Britain since the Norman Conquest in 1066. Jersey and Guernsey have liberal tax laws and many rich people live there. The islands are popular with the British tourists in the summer.

The Isle of Man in the Irish Sea and the Channel Islands off the French coast are not part of the United Kingdom, although they are members of the Commonwealth. They are self-governing Crown Dependencies possessing their own administrative structures, legal systems and legislatures. However, the British government as a royal representative is responsible for their defence and international relations and can interfere if good administration is not maintained.

The Falklands are a group of small islands in the South Atlantic close to Argentina, with a population of about 1,200 British citizens. They have been British territories since 1892. Disputes about who own the islands date back to the 18^th century. Argentina has long claimed that the islands they call the Malvinas belong to them. They occupied the islands in April 1982. The Falklands War lasted until July 1982 when British forces won them back. This war had an enormous influence on Britain and is still controversial. Some people considered it a restoration of Britain’s old imperial power. Others saw the war as a political mistake turned into a piece of propaganda.