CUMBRAES, THE

two islands in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland. They lie between the island of Bute to the west and the coast of the Scottish mainland to the east. Administratively, the islands are part of the North Ayrshire council area on the mainland, but they belong to the historic county of Buteshire. Great Cumbrae, which measures 4.5 square miles (11.5 square km), is composed of ancient sandstone and reaches an elevation of 415 feet (126 metres). It is well farmed and has the holiday resort of Millport, with a marine biological station and museum. The collegiate church, built in 1849, became the Episcopal cathedral of Argyll and the Isles in 1876. Little Cumbrae measures 1 square mile (2.6 square km) and is separated from its larger neighbour by the Tan, a strait 0.5 mile (0.9 km) wide. It reaches an elevation of 406 feet (124 metres). Nearly all of the population of the two islands lives in Millport. Pop. (1991) Great Cumbrae, 1,393; Little Cumbrae, 6.