This article is a list of some of the islands that form the British Isles that have an area of 1 square kilometre (247 acres) or larger, listing area and population data. The total area of the islands is 314,965 km2 (121,609 sq mi).[1] Great Britain accounts for the larger part of this area at 66%,[2] with Ireland accounting for 26%,[3] leaving the remaining 8%—an area of 23,996 km2 (9,265 sq mi)—consisting of thousands of smaller islands. The largest of the other islands are to be found in the Hebrides and the Northern Isles to the north, and Anglesey and the Isle of Man between Great Britain and Ireland. Not included are the Channel Islands which, positioned off the coast of France, are not part of the archipelago.

There are 188 permanently inhabited islands in total:

List of islands by area

List of islands showing area, population[4] and location
Name Area Area rank Population Population rank Location Country
km2 sq mi
Great Britain 209,331 80,823[2] 01 60,800,000[5] 01 — England, Scotland and Wales, United Kingdom
Ireland 81,638 31,521[3] 02 6,378,000[6] 02 —
Lewis and Harris[7] 2,179 841 03 19,918 09 Outer Hebrides Scotland, United Kingdom
Isle of Skye[7] 1,656 639 04 9,232 16 Inner Hebrides Scotland, United Kingdom
Mainland (Shetland)[7] 969 374 05 17,550 10 Shetland Islands Scotland, United Kingdom
Isle of Mull[7] 875 338 06 2,667 21 Inner Hebrides Scotland, United Kingdom
Anglesey (including Holy Island) 714 276 07 69,000 06 Irish Sea Wales, United Kingdom
Islay[7] 620 239 08 3,457 20 Inner Hebrides Scotland, United Kingdom
Isle of Man[8] 572 221 09 80,056 05 Irish Sea Isle of Man
Mainland (Orkney)[7] 523 202 10 15,315 12 Orkney Islands Scotland, United Kingdom
Isle of Arran[7] 432 167 11 5,045 19 Firth of Clyde Scotland, United Kingdom
Isle of Wight[9] 381 147 12 132,731 04 English Channel England, United Kingdom
Jura 367 142 13 188 53 Inner Hebrides Scotland, United Kingdom
South Uist[7] 320 124 14 1,818 23 Outer Hebrides Scotland, United Kingdom
North Uist[7] 303 117 15 1,271 26 Outer Hebrides Scotland, United Kingdom
Yell 212 82 16 957 32 Shetland Islands Scotland, United Kingdom
Achill Island[10] 147 57 17 2,620 22 County Mayo Republic of Ireland
Hoy 143 55 18 272 46 Orkney Islands Scotland, United Kingdom
Isle of Bute[7] 122 47 19 7,228 17 Firth of Clyde Scotland, United Kingdom
Unst 121 47 20 720 35 Shetland Islands Scotland, United Kingdom
Rùm 105 41 21 22 73 Small Isles Scotland, United Kingdom
Isle of Sheppey[11] 94 36 22 37,852 07 Kent England, United Kingdom
Benbecula[7] 82 32 23 1,219 27 Outer Hebrides Scotland, United Kingdom
Tiree 78 30 24 770 34 Inner Hebrides Scotland, United Kingdom
Coll 77 30 25 164 58 Inner Hebrides Scotland, United Kingdom
Raasay 64 25 26 192 52 Inner Hebrides Scotland, United Kingdom
Great Island 61 24 27 >13,000[12] 13 or 14 Cork Republic of Ireland
Barra[7] 59 23 28 1,078 29 Outer Hebrides Scotland, United Kingdom
Sanday 50 19 29 478 38 Orkney Islands Scotland, United Kingdom
South Ronaldsay 50 19 29 458 40 Orkney Islands Scotland, United Kingdom
Rousay 49 19 31 212 50 Orkney Islands Scotland, United Kingdom
Westray 47 18 32 563 37 Orkney Islands Scotland, United Kingdom
Fetlar 41 16 33 86 68 Shetland Islands Scotland, United Kingdom
Colonsay 41 16 33 108 63 Inner Hebrides Scotland, United Kingdom
Holy Island 39 15 35 13,579 13 or 14 Anglesey Wales, United Kingdom
Stronsay 33 13 36 343 43 Orkney Islands Scotland, United Kingdom
Inishmore 31 12 37 824 33 Aran Islands Republic of Ireland
Eigg 30 12 38 67 70 Small Isles Scotland, United Kingdom
Shapinsay 30 12 38 300 45 Orkney Islands Scotland, United Kingdom
Bressay 28 11 40 384 42 Shetland Islands Scotland, United Kingdom
Eday 27 10 41 121 62 Orkney Islands Scotland, United Kingdom
Hayling Island[13] 27 10 41 16,887 11 Hampshire England, United Kingdom
Foulness Island 26 10 43 212 50 Essex England, United Kingdom
Valentia Island 26 10 43 665 36 County Kerry Republic of Ireland
Scalpay 25 10 45 10 75 Inner Hebrides Scotland, United Kingdom
Gorumna[10] 24 9 46 1,010 31 County Galway Republic of Ireland
Portsea Island 24 9 46 147,088 03 Hampshire England, United Kingdom
Lismore 24 9 46 146 60 Inner Hebrides Scotland, United Kingdom
Great Bernera 21 8 49 233 47 Outer Hebrides Scotland, United Kingdom
Ulva 20 8 50 16 74 Inner Hebrides Scotland, United Kingdom
Whalsay[7] 20 8 50 1,034 30 Shetland Islands Scotland, United Kingdom
Canvey Island[14] 19 7 52 37,479 08 Essex England, United Kingdom
Mersea Island[15] 18 7 53 7,182 18 Essex England, United Kingdom
Muckle Roe 18 7 53 104 64 Shetland Islands Scotland, United Kingdom
Bere Island or Bear Island 17 7 55 218[16] 48 Cork Republic of Ireland
Arranmore or Aran Island 17 7 55 478[16] 39 County Donegal Republic of Ireland
Rathlin Island 14 5 57 100 65 Antrim Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Inch Island 14 5 57 396[16] 41 County Donegal Republic of Ireland
Walney Island[17] 13 5 59 11,388 15 Furness England, United Kingdom
Foula 13 5 59 38 71 Shetland Islands Scotland, United Kingdom
Inishbofin 13 5 59 184[16] 54 Galway Republic of Ireland
Great Cumbrae[7] 12 5 62 1,434 25 Firth of Clyde Scotland, United Kingdom
Inishmaan 10 4 63 157 59 Aran Islands Republic of Ireland
Papa Westray 9 3 64 90 67 Orkney Islands Scotland, United Kingdom
Lettermore 9 3 64 184[16] 54 Galway Republic of Ireland
St Mary's[18] 6 2 66 1,666 24 Isles of Scilly England, United Kingdom
Inisheer or Inishere 6 2 66 343[16] 43 Galway Republic of Ireland
Lindisfarne 4 2 68 180 56 Northumberland England, United Kingdom
Lundy 4 2 68 28 72 Devon England, United Kingdom
Tresco 3 1 70 180 56 Isles of Scilly England, United Kingdom
Lambay Island 3 1 70 7 76 County Dublin Republic of Ireland
Calf of Man 3 1 70 2
(seasonal)		 78 Irish Sea Isle of Man
Lettermullen or Lettermullan 3 1 70 214[16] 49 Galway Republic of Ireland
Thorney Island[19] 2 1 74 1,079 28 West Sussex England, United Kingdom
Bardsey Island[20] 2 1 74 4 77 Gwynedd Wales, United Kingdom
St Martin's 2 1 74 142 61 Isles of Scilly England, United Kingdom
St Agnes 1 0 77 73 69 Isles of Scilly England, United Kingdom
Bryher 1 0 77 92 66 Isles of Scilly England, United Kingdom

See also

References

  1. ^ COUNTRY/TERRITORY INDEX, ISLAND DIRECTORY Archived 13 December 2018 at the Wayback Machine, United Nations Environment Programme. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
    Island Facts Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Isle of Man Government. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
    According to the UNEP, the Republic of Ireland has a land area of 70,282 km2 (27,136 sq mi), and the United Kingdom has a land area of 244,111 km2 (94,252 sq mi). According to the Isle of Man Government, the Isle of Man has a land area of 572 km2 (221 sq mi). Therefore, the overall land area of the British Isles is 315,159 km2 (121,684 sq mi)
  2. ^ a b Great Britain, ISLAND DIRECTORY Archived 8 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine, United Nations Environment Programme. Retrieved 9 August 2015. According to the UNEP, Great Britain has an area of 209,331 km2 (80,823 sq mi).
  3. ^ a b Ireland, ISLAND DIRECTORY Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, United Nations Environment Programme. Retrieved 9 August 2015. According to the UNEP, Ireland has an area of 81,638 km2 (31,521 sq mi).
  4. ^ Population figures are from 2001 Census, except: Great Britain and Ireland both from 2011; Isle of Portland from 2005; Achill, Gorumna, Isle of Man, Jersey all from 2006.
  5. ^ 2011 Census: Population Estimates for the United Kingdom. In the 2011 census, the population of England, Wales and Scotland was estimated to be approximately 61,370,000, composed of 60,800,000 on Great Britain and 570,000 on other islands. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  6. ^ "Historical Population Trends – 1841 – 2011, NISRA" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 October 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2015. In 2011, the population of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland was 6,399,115, composed of approximately 6,378,000 on Ireland and 21,000 on other islands.[dead link]
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n General Register Office for Scotland – Statistics for Inhabited Islands Archived 21 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Isle of Man Census 2006 Archived 17 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine (excluding the population of 2 living on the Calf of Man)
  9. ^ National Statistics – Isle of Wight (Local Authority). Neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk. Retrieved on 2012-05-22.
  10. ^ a b Census 2006 – Table 11 – Population of Inhabited Islands off the Coast (PDF)
  11. ^ National Statistics – Leysdown and Warden (Ward) Archived 15 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Minster Cliffs (Ward) Archived 16 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Queenborough and Halfway (Ward), Sheerness East (Ward) Archived 15 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Sheerness West (Ward) Archived 16 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine and Sheppey Central (Ward)
  12. ^ 2011 Census gives 6500 for Cobh Town and 7534 for Cobh Rural ED; most were on Great Island but 148 were on Haulbowline and some on Fota Island.
  13. ^ National Statistics – Hayling East (Ward) Archived 16 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine and Hayling West (Ward) Archived 16 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ National Statistics – Canvey Island Central (Ward) Archived 15 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine, East (Ward), North (Ward) Archived 16 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine, South (Ward), West (Ward) and Winter Gardens (Ward) Archived 15 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ National Statistics – West Mersea CP (Parish) Archived 16 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine and East Mersea CP (Parish) Archived 16 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ a b c d e f g Population of Inhabited Islands Off the Coast (Report). Central Statistics Office. 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  17. ^ National Statistics – Walney North (Ward) Archived 14 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine and Walney South (Ward)
  18. ^ National Statistics – St. Mary's (Ward) Archived 6 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk. Retrieved on 2012-05-22.
  19. ^ National Statistics – West Thorney CP (Parish). Neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk. Retrieved on 2012-05-22.
  20. ^ Article on Bardsey Island residents. Guardian. Retrieved on 2012-05-22.
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