Editing Sutherland (section)

==Geography==
{{multiple image |direction = vertical |total_width = 250
|image1 = Suilven2.JPG | caption1 = [[Suilven]] from the Glencanisp Lodge path
|image2 = Sandwoodbay.jpg | caption2 = [[Sandwood Bay]]
}}
[[File:CapeWrathFromSeawardByColinWheatleyFeb2007.jpg|thumb|225px|[[Cape Wrath]] from the sea]]
Much of the population of approximately 13,000 inhabitants are situated in small coastal communities, such as [[Helmsdale]] and [[Lochinver]], which until very recently made much of their living from the rich fishing of the waters around the [[British Isles]]. Much of Sutherland is poor relative to the rest of the UK, with few job opportunities beyond government-funded employment, agriculture and seasonal tourism. Further education is provided by [[North Highland College]], part of the [[University of the Highlands and Islands]], which has campuses in Dornoch.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/research-enterprise/cultural/centre-for-history/|title=Centre for History - University of the Highlands and Islands|website=www.uhi.ac.uk|access-date=15 February 2019|archive-date=15 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190215215837/https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/research-enterprise/cultural/centre-for-history/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The inland landscape is rugged and very sparsely populated. Despite being Scotland's fifth-largest county in terms of area, it has a smaller population than a medium-size Lowland Scottish town. It stretches from the [[Atlantic]] in the west, up to the [[Pentland Firth]] and across to the [[North Sea]] in the east. The west and north coasts have very high sea cliffs and deep [[sea lochs]]. The east coast contains the sea lochs of [[Loch Fleet]] and [[Dornoch Firth]]. [[Cape Wrath]] is the most north-westerly point in Scotland. Several peninsulas can be found along the north and west coasts, most notably [[Strathy Point]], [[A' Mhòine]], [[Durness]]/[[Faraid Head]] (the latter two formed by the [[Kyle of Durness]], [[Loch Eriboll]] and the [[Kyle of Tongue]]), Ceathramh Garbh (formed by [[Loch Laxford]] and Loch Inchard), and [[Stoer Head]]. The county has numerous beaches, a remote example being [[Sandwood Bay]], which can only be reached by foot along a rough track.

Sutherland has many rugged [[mountains]] such as [[Ben Hope]], the most northerly [[Munro]], and [[Ben More Assynt]], the tallest peak in the county at 998&nbsp;m (3,274&nbsp;ft). The western part comprises [[Torridonian sandstone]] underlain by [[Lewisian complex|Lewisian gneiss]]. The spectacular scenery has been created by [[denudation]] to form isolated sandstone peaks such as [[Foinaven]], [[Arkle (hill)|Arkle]], [[Cùl Mòr]] and [[Suilven]]. Such [[mountains]] are attractive for [[hill walking]] and [[scrambling]], despite their remote location. Together with similar peaks to the south in [[Wester Ross]], such as [[Stac Pollaidh]], they have a unique structure with great scope for exploration. On the other hand, care is needed when bad weather occurs owing to their isolation and the risks of injury.

The county contains numerous [[List of lochs of Scotland|lochs]], some of which have been enlarged to serve as reservoirs. The larger inland lochs are:{{efn|Being the lochs (excluding sea lochs) shown on modern Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 maps labelled in all capital letters.}}
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
*[[Loch Assynt]]
*[[Loch Choire]]
*[[Loch Hope]]
*[[Loch Loyal]]
*Loch Meadie
*[[Loch More]]
*[[Loch Naver]]
*[[Loch Shin]]
{{div col end}}

Owing to its isolation from the rest of the country, Sutherland was reputedly the last haunt of the native [[wolf]], the last survivor being shot in the 18th century. However, other wildlife has survived, including the [[golden eagle]], [[sea eagle]] and [[pine marten]] amongst other species which are very rare in the rest of the country. There are pockets of the native [[Scots Pine]], remnants of the original [[Caledonian Forest]].

The importance of the county's scenery is recognised by the fact that four of Scotland's forty [[National scenic area (Scotland)|national scenic areas]] (NSAs) are located here.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gov.scot/Resource/Doc/1051/0058088.pdf|title=Map: National Scenic Areas of Scotland|publisher=Scottish Government|date=1998|access-date=2018-05-16|archive-date=10 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110132141/http://www.gov.scot/Resource/Doc/1051/0058088.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The purpose of the NSA designation is to identify areas of exceptional scenery and to ensure its protection from inappropriate development. The areas protected by the designation are considered to represent the type of scenic beauty "popularly associated with Scotland and for which it is renowned".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Environment/Countryside/Heritage/Areas|title=Countryside and Landscape in Scotland - National Scenic Areas|publisher=Scottish Government|date=2017-07-04|access-date=2018-01-31|archive-date=31 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131201226/http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Environment/Countryside/Heritage/Areas|url-status=dead}}</ref> The four NSAs within Sutherland are:

* The [[Assynt]]-[[Coigach]] NSA has many distinctively shaped mountains, including [[Quinag]], [[Canisp]], [[Suilven]], [[Cùl Mòr]], [[Stac Pollaidh]] and [[Ben More Assynt]], that rise steeply from the surrounding "cnoc and lochan" scenery.  These can often appear higher than their actual height would indicate due to their steep sides and the contrast with the moorland from which they rise.<ref name=nsa>{{cite web|url=https://www.nature.scot/sites/default/files/2017-07/Publication%202010%20-%20SNH%20Commissioned%20Report%20374%20-%20The%20Special%20Qualities%20of%20the%20National%20Scenic%20Areas.pdf|title=The special qualities of the National Scenic Areas|publisher=Scottish Natural Heritage|date=2010|access-date=2018-01-24|archive-date=25 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180125015417/https://www.nature.scot/sites/default/files/2017-07/Publication%202010%20-%20SNH%20Commissioned%20Report%20374%20-%20The%20Special%20Qualities%20of%20the%20National%20Scenic%20Areas.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Assynt lies within Sutherland, whilst Coigach lies within [[Ross and Cromarty]].
* The [[Dornoch Firth]] NSA also straddles the boundary between Sutherland and Ross and Cromarty, and covers a variety of landscapes surrounding the narrow and sinuous [[firth]].<ref name="nsa"/>
* The [[Kyle of Tongue]] NSA covers the mountains of [[Ben Hope]] and [[Ben Loyal]], as well as woodlands and [[crofting]] settlements on the shoreline of the kyle itself.<ref name="nsa"/>
* The [[North West Sutherland National Scenic Area|North West Sutherland NSA]] covers the mountains of [[Foinaven]], [[Arkle (Sutherland)|Arkle]] and [[Ben Stack]] as well as the coastal scenery surrounding [[Loch Laxford]] and [[Handa Island]].<ref name="nsa"/>

Sutherland includes numerous small islands, generally lying close to the coast of the mainland. None are now inhabited, although some formerly were, notably including [[Eilean Hoan]] in [[Loch Eriboll]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Eilean Hoan |url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/86191/eilean-hoan |website=Canmore |publisher=Historic Environment Scotland |access-date=25 September 2024}}</ref> [[Eilean nan Ròn]] off the north coast near [[Skerray]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Eilean Nan Ron|url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/73975/eilean-nan-ron |website=Canmore |publisher=Historic Environment Scotland |access-date=25 September 2024}}</ref> and [[Handa Island]] in [[Eddrachillis Bay]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Handa Island |url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/4584/handa-island |website=Canmore |publisher=Historic Environment Scotland |access-date=25 September 2024}}</ref>