Scotland contains two archipelagos, each containing several hundred islands.
The Hebrides ( [ ˈhɛbrᵻdiːz ] Scottish Gaelic : Innse Gall ( [ ĩːʃə gau̯l̪ˠ ] ) ; Old Norse : Suðreyjar ) comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of mainland Scotland . The Northern Isles ( Northern Isles Na h-Eileanan a Tuath Norðreyjar ) is an archipelago comprising a chain of islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland . Scotland . In addition to the mainland , the country is made up of more than 790 islands , including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides .