Arran is an island off the coast of Scotland, in the UK. It is the biggest island in the Firth of Clyde and also the seventh biggest Scottish island, at 432 square kilometres (167 sq mi). Historically part of Buteshire, it is in the unitary council location of North Ayrshire. In the 2011 demographics it had a resident populace of 4,629. Though culturally and literally similar to the Hebrides, it is separated from them by the Kintyre peninsula. Frequently referred to as "Scotland in Miniature", the island is split into highland and also lowland locations by the Highland Boundary Fault as well as has actually been described as a "geologist's heaven". Arran has been constantly populated considering that the very early Neolithic duration. Countless primitive remains have been discovered. From the 6th century onwards, Goidelic-speaking peoples from Ireland colonised it and also it came to be a centre of religious activity. In the struggling Viking Age, Arran became the home of the Norwegian crown, up until officially absorbed by the kingdom of Scotland in the 13th century. The 19th-century "clearances" resulted in significant depopulation as well as completion of the Gaelic language and lifestyle. The economic situation and also population have actually recouped recently, the major market being tourist. There is a variety of wildlife, consisting of 3 species of tree endemic to the area. The island includes miles of seaside pathways, numerous hillsides as well as hills, forested areas, rivers, little lochs as well as coastlines. Its primary beaches are at Brodick, Whiting Bay, Kildonan, Sannox as well as Blackwaterfoot.