Lewis and Harris

Lewis and Harris
the northernmost island of the Hebrides, in NW Scotland. 825 sq. mi. (2135 sq. km).
Also, Lewis with Harris.

* * *

      largest and most northerly of Scotland's Outer Hebrides islands, lying 24 miles (39 km) from the west coast of the Scottish mainland and separated from it by the Minch channel. Although the island forms one continuous unit, it is usually referred to as two separate islands. The larger and more northerly portion is Lewis; Harris is in the south. Lewis is part of the historic county of Ross-shire in the historic region of Ross and Cromarty, while Harris belongs to the historic county of Inverness-shire. Both Lewis and Harris lie within the Western Isles council area.

      The terrains of the two areas contrast sharply. Lewis is covered by peat moor and has many small inland lakes, while Harris is hilly with more than 30 summits over 1,000 feet (300 metres). The coastline is deeply indented, and the many rivers abound with salmon, trout, and wild fowl. There is little cultivable land, but sheep and cattle are raised. Most of the land is tenanted by crofters (tenants of small farms) whose holdings average less than 7 acres (3 hectares). There are approximately 4,000 of these crofter holdings and 168 crofter townships, nearly all situated on the coast, for the crofters were formerly dependent on inshore fishing to supplement their livelihood. Since the advent of the steam trawler, the local fisheries—including the herring industry once located in Stornoway, in Lewis—have diminished considerably. In 1918 Lord Leverhulme, a British industrialist, bought estates on the island and planned, without success, to develop the fishing on more modern lines. About 3,000 people, mainly young men, left the island. The later rise of the Harris tweed industry compensated in part for the decline in fishing. The tweed industry provides employment in the country areas as well as at Stornoway, for it is essentially a cottage industry. The development of the North Sea oil industry has had little effect on the Western Isles. An attempt at supplying barges and steel fabrications for that industry experienced difficulty obtaining orders. Stornoway, the only sizable town in the Outer Hebrides, functions as a port and commercial and administration centre for the islands and accommodates more than half of the island's population. Gaelic (Scots Gaelic language) language and culture survive on Lewis and Harris, and tourism is an important part of the island's economy. Pop. (2001) 19,918.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Lewis and Harris — Inselhauptort Stornoway Gewässer Atlantischer Ozean Inselgruppe …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Lewis and Harris — Infobox Scottish island | latitude=58.25 longitude= 6.667 GridReference=NB240256 celtic name=Leòdhas is na Hearadh norse name=Ljóðhús og Hérað meaning of name= Old Norse: Ljóðhús = Poet s House + Hérað = a type of administrative district area=217 …   Wikipedia

  • Harris (Lewis and Harris) — Harris An Cliseam von der Abhainn Mharaig, direkt von der Hauptstraße zur Isle of Lewis Gewässer …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Lewis (Lewis and Harris) — Lewis Stoth Gewässer Geographische Lage …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Lewis and Harris Football League — The Lewis and Harris Football League is the annual football League contested between clubs from the Isle of Lewis and the Isle of Harris. Lewis contributes eight clubs to the League and Harris contributes one. The league is fully licensed with… …   Wikipedia

  • Lewis and Harris — the northernmost island of the Hebrides, in NW Scotland. 825 sq. mi. (2135 sq. km). Also, Lewis with Harris …   Useful english dictionary

  • Lewis with Harris —   [ luːɪs wɪȓ hærɪs], Lewis and Harris [ ænd ], Kurzform Lewis [ luːɪs], die größte Insel der Äußeren Hebriden, Schottland, umfasst mit ihrem Südteil Harris, mit ihrem Nordteil Lewis, 2 137 km2, 23 400 Einwohner; bis 799 m über dem Meeresspiegel… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Lewis et Harris — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Lewis et Harris. Lewis et Harris Lewis and Harris (en) …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Lewis y Harris — Isla Lewis y Harris Lewis and Harris Island na Leòdhas agus Hearadh Imagen de satélite de la Isla Localización País …   Wikipedia Español

  • Lewis v. Harris — 908 A.2d 196 (N.J. 2006), is a New Jersey Supreme Court case that held that same sex couples are entitled to the same equal protection as heterosexual couples under the state constitution.The court unanimously agreed that current state law is un …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”