The island is home to a nature reserve and a number of sites of archaeological interest, including the only location in the British Isles where prehistoric mummies have been found.

In 2006 South Uist, together with neighbouring Benbecula and Eriskay, was involved in Scotland's biggest-ever community land buyout by Stòras Uibhist.

[13][14] In common with the rest of the Western Isles, South Uist is formed from the oldest rocks in Britain, Lewisian gneiss brought to the surface by old tectonic movements.

[15] On the east side of the island between Lochboisdale and Ornish – part of the Outer Hebrides Thrust Zone – is the Corodale gneiss, dominated by garnet-pyroxene rock.

In contrast, Clancy (2018) has argued that Ívist itself is an Old Norse calque on an earlier Gaelic name, *Ibuid or Ibdaig, which corresponds to Ptolemy’s Eboudai.

Later in the Bronze Age, a man was mummified,[note 2] and placed on display at Cladh Hallan, parts occasionally being replaced over the centuries; he was joined by a woman three hundred years later.

A short Ogham inscription has been found in Bornish, inscribed on a piece of animal bone, dating from this era;[25] it is thought that the Vikings used it as a gaming token, or perhaps for sortilege.

Malcolm III of Scotland acknowledged in writing that Suðreyjar was under Norwegian control , and laterKing Edgar was forced toquitclaim in favour of the invaders.

[note 7] As indicated by archaeological finds, residents had access to a wide trading network, stretching throughout the Norwegian empire, as well as adjacent lands like Ireland.

The MacRory, a branch of Somerled's heirs, ruled Uist, as well as Barra, Eigg, Rùm, the Rough Bounds, Bute, Arran and northern Jura.

[note 9] In the 13th century, despite Edgar's quitclaim, Scottish forces attempted to restore parts of Suðreyjar to Scotland, culminating in the Battle of Largs.

[note 10] The Treaty expressly preserved the status of the rulers of Suðreyjar; the MacRory lands, excepting Bute, Arran, and Jura, became the Lordship of Garmoran, a quasi-independent crown dependency.

Following this, the Norse longhouses were gradually abandoned, in favour of new Blackhouses[note 11] and a new parish church was built at Howmore for South Uist.

Nevertheless, following his usurpation, the Skye sheriffdom ceased to be mentioned,[note 13] and the Garmoran lordship (including Uist) was confirmed to the MacRory leader.

On arrival, many of the leaders were seized and imprisoned; Alexander MacGorrie, son of Godfrey, was considered to be one of the two most reprehensible, and after a quick show trial, was immediately executed.

Following the forfeiture, and in that same year, the Lord of the Isles granted Lairdship of the southern third of South Uist (traditionally called Lochboisdale[note 15]), together with Barra, to Giolla Adhamhnáin mac Néill, leader of the MacNeils.

[41] By the last decades of the century, John Moidartach had obtained a practical hold on Farquhar's former lands, though seemingly as a tenant of James MacDonald's heirs.

In 1633, Donald Gorm Òg decided to simply sell lairdship of South Uist to the Earl of Argyll;[note 28] in January 1634, this arrangement was confirmed by a crown charter.

[note 30] In the following year, Bonnie Prince Charlie was able to hide at Calvay Castle, after fleeing from the Battle of Culloden, until he was able to escape with the aid of Flora MacDonald.

Already accustomed to treating people as slaves, and seeing the financial advantages to livestock farming, Gordon was ruthless, evicting the population with short notice.

This development went ahead despite significant protests, some locals expressing concern that the Scottish Gaelic language would not survive the influx of English-speaking Army personnel.

The British Government claimed that there was an 'overriding national interest' in establishing a training range for their newly purchased Corporal, a weapon that was to be at the front line of Cold War defence.

[60] After a protracted campaign, South Uist residents took control of the island on 30 November 2006 in Scotland's biggest community land buyout to date.

The previous landowners, a sporting syndicate, sold the assets of the 92,000-acre (370 km2) estate for £4.5 million[61] to a Community Company known as Stòras Uibhist, which was set up to purchase the land and to manage it.

[68][69][70] Restoration of the course to Morris's original design was held up by disagreements with local crofters,[71][72] but after legal challenges were resolved in the courts, the course opened in August 2008.

The Explore South Uist Web site discusses attractions to tourists: Loch Druidibeg a National Nature Reserve, the Cladh Hallan Roundhouses archaeological site, Ormacleit Castle (completed in 1708 and destroyed by fire in 1715), Uist Sculpture Trail "of seven commissioned works by artists", the Statue of Our Lady of the Isles, the Askernish Golf Course, Flora MacDonald's Monument, Kildonan Museum and Crafts and some Standing Stones.

[75] The community group owner of South Uist, the Stòras Uibhist, owns the Lochcarnan 6.9MW wind farm project which began operation in 2013.

South Uist is considered the best place in the UK for the aquatic plant Slender Naiad (Najas flexilis),[79] which is a European Protected Species.

[80] The area, which is now protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, covers 1,675 hectares of machair, bog, freshwater lochs, estuary, heather moorland and hill.

[87][88][89] Along with the island's situation on the North Atlantic Ocean, its machair is considered to be one of the most vulnerable coasts in Scotland due to relative sea level rise and the potential effects of climate change.