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St Kilda, Scotland

St Kilda
Gaelic name Hiort
Pronunciation [hirˠʃt̪]
Norse name Possibly Skildir
Meaning of name Unknown, possibly Gaelic for "westland"
Location
St Kilda is located in Outer Hebrides
St Kilda
St Kilda
St Kilda shown within the Outer Hebrides
OS grid reference NF095995
Coordinates 57°48′N 8°36′W / 57.8°N 8.6°W / 57.8; -8.6
Physical geography
Island group St Kilda
Area 854.6 ha
Highest elevation Conachair 430 m
Administration
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Country Scotland
Council area Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Demographics
Population No permanent population since 1930
Largest settlement Am Baile (the Village)
Lymphad3.svg
References
UNESCO World Heritage Site
St Kilda
Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List
Village Bay, Hirta, St Kilda.
Location Scotland, UK
Type Mixed
Criteria iii, v, vii, ix, x
Reference 387
UNESCO region Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription 1986 (10th Session)
Extensions 2004; 2005

Coordinates: 57°49′N 8°35′W / 57.817°N 8.583°W / 57.817; -8.583

St Kilda (Scottish Gaelic: Hiort) is an isolated archipelago 64 kilometres (40 mi) west-northwest of North Uist in the North Atlantic Ocean. It contains the westernmost islands of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The largest island is Hirta, whose sea cliffs are the highest in the United Kingdom; three other islands (Dùn, Soay and Boreray) were also used for grazing and seabird hunting. The islands are administratively a part of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar local authority area.

The origin of the name St Kilda is a matter of conjecture. The islands' human heritage includes numerous unique architectural features from the historic and prehistoric periods, although the earliest written records of island life date from the Late Middle Ages. The medieval village on Hirta was rebuilt in the 19th century, but illnesses brought by increased external contacts through tourism, and the upheaval of the First World War contributed to the island's evacuation in 1930. The story of St Kilda has attracted artistic interpretations, including Michael Powell's film The Edge of the World and an opera.


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