1. St. Kildare Tower (Scotland) The Kildare Islands off the distant Hebrides are the largest of the Scottish archipelagos. It is said that the Hirta may have been settled for about 2,000 years before they were finally abandoned in the 1930s. Life would have been difficult for the St. Kildaans, who faced cold winters and lived by hunting the island's seabirds. Today, the island is the largest seabird colony in this part of the Atlantic Ocean.
2. Porviglia (Italy) Over the years, this island has seen more gruesome use, with Napoleon reportedly using its vast expanse to store weapons. in the 1920s, a psychiatric hospital opened on the island, and rumors spread that an evil doctor tortured and murdered patients. The monstrous hospital building still stands today, and the entire island is off-limits to the public.
3. Ross Island (India) The seemingly idyllic Ross Island in India's Andaman Islands harbors a dark history. The British first tried to settle it in the 1780s, but changeable weather and harsh conditions claimed many lives, and any settlement was quickly abandoned. It was not until 1857 that the British again claimed sovereignty over the land. At this time, the British Empire decided to use Ross Island as a place of exile for Indian rebels.
4. Inishmurray (Ireland) Inishmurray Island floats in Donegal Bay, about 6.4 kilometers off the coast of County Sligo. The inhabitants of lived on the island until 1948 when Inishmurray was finally abandoned in favor of the mainland. Visitors to the island can still see remnants of this community, including some abandoned houses and the old schoolhouse.
5. The island of Tetipare (Solomon Islands) Although little is known about the tribal people who originally inhabited Tetipare, it is believed that they had a completely unique culture, language and customs that were different from those of the neighboring islands. However, for reasons that remain uncertain, these people either abandoned Tetipare or were captured around 1860. Possible explanations include an outbreak of disease or bloodthirsty headhunters attacking the island.
6. Bikini Atoll (Marshall Islands) Bikini Atoll looks like a paradise in the Pacific Ocean, with its sandy beaches and turquoise seas, but historical events mean it remains uninhabited. In the late 1940s and 1950s, this atoll was used as a nuclear test site by the United States. At the time, the atoll was home to more than 100 residents, all of whom were convinced to move to another island with the promise that they would soon be able to return home.
