Isle of Arran

Isle of Arran

Gaelic name	Eilean Arainn
Norse name	Herrey
Meaning of name	Possibly Brythonic for "high place"
Location
Isle of Arran Arran shown within the Firth of Clyde
OS grid reference	NR950359
Coordinates	55°34′N 5°15′W / 55.57°N 5.25°W / 55.57; -5.25
Physical geography
Island group	Firth of Clyde
Area	43,201 hectares (167 sq mi)
Area rank	7
Highest elevation	Goat Fell 874 m (2,867 ft)
Administration
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Country	Scotland
Council area	North Ayrshire
Demographics
Population	4,629
Population rank	6
Pop. density	10.72 people/km2
Largest settlement	Brodick
References

Arran or the Isle of Arran (/ˈærən/; Scottish Gaelic: Eilean Arainn pronounced [elan ˈarɪɲ]), at 432 square kilometres (167 sq mi), is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde and the seventh largest Scottish island. It is in the unitary council area of North Ayrshire. In the 2011 census it had a resident population of 4,629. Though culturally and physically similar to the Hebrides, it is separated from them by the Kintyre peninsula. It is divided into highland and lowland areas by the Highland Boundary Fault and has been described as a "geologist's paradise".

Arran has been continuously inhabited since the early Neolithic period, and numerous prehistoric remains have been found. From the 6th century onwards, Goidelic-speaking peoples from Ireland colonised it and it became a centre of religious activity. During the troubled Viking Age, Arran became the property of the Norwegian crown, until formally absorbed by the kingdom of Scotland in the 13th century. The 19th century "clearances" led to significant depopulation and the end of the Gaelic language and way of life. The economy and population have recovered in recent years, the main industry being tourism. There is a diversity of wildlife, including three species of tree endemic to the area.