Hirta

"Not to be confused with Hitra"Infobox Scottish island |
latitude=57.80
longitude=-8.63
GridReference=NF092998
celtic name=Hiort
norse name=
meaning of name=
area= 670 ha
area rank= 65
highest elevation= 430 m
Population=abandoned in 1930
population rank=
main settlement=
island group=St Kilda
local authority=Na h-Eileanan Siar
references= [2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland] cite book| author=Haswell-Smith, Hamish| date=2004| title=The Scottish Islands| location=Edinburgh| publisher=Canongate| isbn=1-84195-454-3] [ [http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/ Ordnance Survey] ] [cite web| url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/language/gaelic/pdfs/placenamesP-Z.pdf| title=Placenames| author=Iain Mac an Tailleir| publisher=Pàrlamaid na h-Alba| accessdate=2007-07-28]

Hirta (Scottish Gaelic language Hiort) is the largest island in the St Kilda archipelago. The name "Hiort" (in Scottish Gaelic) and "Hirta" (historically in English) have also been applied to the entire archipelago.

It measures 3.4 km from east to west, and 3.3 km from north to south, has an area of 6.285 km², and about 15 km of coastline. Except at the landing place on the south-east, the cliffs rise sheer out of deep water, and on the north-east side the highest summit in the island, Conachair, forms a precipice 430 m (1400 ft) high. St Kilda is probably the core of a Tertiary volcano, but, besides volcanic rocks, contains hills of sandstone in which the stratification is distinct.

Dùn is separated from Hirta by a shallow strait about 50 metres wide. This is normally impassable but is reputed to dry out on rare occasions.

Although the islands had been continuously populated since prehistoric times, the original inhabitants were evacuated in 1930 due to disease and outside influences. cite web|url=http://heritage.scotsman.com/timelines.cfm?cid=1&id=1652132005 |title=St Kilda and the seas of change |accessdate=2007-10-12 |last=Maclean |first=Diane |date=2005-07-20 |work=The Scotsman |publisher=Scotsman Publications Ltd |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070710222939/http://heritage.scotsman.com/timelines.cfm?cid=1&id=1652132005 |archivedate=2007-07-10] cite book | last = Maclean | first = Charles | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Island on the Edge of the World: the Story of St. Kilda | publisher = Canongate Books Ltd | date = 2006-03-02 | location = Edinburgh | pages = | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = 978-1841957555 ]

For further information, please see the main St Kilda article.

References

* [http://www.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wh/stkilda.html World Heritage Sites Protected Areas Programme - St Kilda]
* [http://www.abandonedcommunities.co.uk/page39.html Abandoned communities ..... St Kilda]