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| Scottish Gaelic name | Eige |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | [ˈekʲə] |
| Scots name | Eigg[1] |
| Old Norse name | Unknown |
| Meaning of name | Scottish Gaelic for 'notched island' (eag) |
 An Sgùrr | |
| Location | |
  Eigg Eigg shown within Lochaber | |
| OS grid reference | NM476868 |
| Coordinates | 56°54′N 6°09′W / 56.9°N 6.15°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Small Isles |
| Area | 3,049 ha (11.8 sq mi) |
| Area rank | 28 [2] |
| Highest elevation | An Sgùrr, 393 m (1,289 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Council area | Highland |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 105[3] |
| Population rank | 47 [2] |
| Population density | 2.7 people/km2[4] |
| Largest settlement | Cleadale |
 | |
| References | [4][5] |
Eigg (/ɛɡ/ eg; Scottish Gaelic: Eige; Scots: Eigg) is one of the Small Isles in the Scottish Inner Hebrides. It lies to the south of the island of Skye and to the north of the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Eigg is 9 kilometres (5.6 miles) long from north to south, and 5 km (3 mi) east to west. With an area of just over 3,000 ha (11.6 sq mi) it is the second-largest of the Small Isles after Rùm. The highest eminence on Eigg is The Sgùrr, which is formed from the Sgurr of Eigg Pitchstone Formation, which erupted into a valley of older lavas during the Eocene epoch.
There are numerous archaological sites dating from the prehistoric period of human occupation with the earliest written references relating to the Irish monk Donnán who arrived on Eigg around 600 AD. Commencing in the early 9th century Norse settlers established the Kingdom of the Isles throughout the Hebrides. The 1266 Treaty of Perth transferred the territories of the Kingdom of the Isles to King Alexander III of Scotland. From the late 14th century the island became a possession of Clanranald during which time a notorious massacre took place during a period of clan warfare. After more than four centuries in Clanranald's hands the island was sold during the 19th century and the new laird evicted many of his tenants en masse and replaced them with herds of sheep.
There were then a series of owners until the island was purchased by the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust in 1997. The trust is a form of community ownership and another stakeholder, the Scottish Wildlife Trust, manages the island as a nature reserve.[6] Eigg now generates virtually all of its electricity using renewable energy.[7][8] In April 2019, National Geographic discussed the island in an online article, estimating the average number of annual visitors at 10,000.[9]
- ^ "Map of Scotland in Scots - Guide and gazetteer" (PDF).
- ^ a b Area and population ranks: there are c. 300 islands over 20 ha in extent and 93 permanently inhabited islands were listed in the 2011 census.
- ^ "New baby helps boost Isle of Eigg's population". BBC News. 18 April 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
- ^ a b Haswell-Smith (2004) pp. 134–35
- ^ Ordnance Survey. OS Maps Online (Map). 1:25,000. Leisure.
- ^ "History A Snapshot of the Small Isles History". Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
- ^ 60 Minutes (US TV series), 26 November 2017
- ^ "The 20 Most Beautiful Islands to visit in Scotland". Condé Nast Traveler. 26 April 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
- ^ Bernabe, Danielle (26 April 2019). "Visit a wild and beautiful Scottish island owned by its residents". www.nationalgeographic.com. Retrieved 26 March 2024.