The Outer Hebrides are made up of the islands of (from north to south) Lewis, Harris, Berneray, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, Eriskay, Barra, and Vatersay, and almost 200 other small islands and islets (most of which are uninhabited). The word Hebrides comes from a Norse word Havbredey, "the isles on the edge of the sea". The Outer Hebrides are a perfect place to get away from it all, with long white beaches backed with fertile grassland on the western sides of the islands and the more rugged scenery of rock-strewn flooded glaciated valleys to the east. In between these contrasting coasts lie peat moorlands. Wildlife, especially birdlife, abounds, and there are many sites of archaelogical interest. The Outer Hebrides is one of the major Gaelic-speaking areas of Scotland.