The
Hebrides (;
Scottish Gaelic:
Innse Gall;
Old Norse:
Suðreyjar) comprise a widespread and diverse
archipelago off the west coast of mainland
Scotland. There are two main groups: the
Inner and
Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the
Mesolithic, and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive influences of
Celtic,
Norse, and English-speaking peoples. This diversity is reflected in the names given to the islands, which are derived from the languages that have been spoken there in historic and perhaps
prehistoric times.
