Orkney Islands: Quick Facts

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The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Oct. 28, 2026

News •

Orkney island's second recorded stoat trapped and killed • Oct. 23, 2026, 7:06 AM ET (BBC)

Armed police arrest man on small Orkney island • Oct. 15, 2026, 3:00 AM ET (BBC)

Photos

Mainland, Orkney Islands, Scotland: Ring of Brodgar

Map of the British Isles and surrounding areas highlighting the Orkney Islands in orange, located just north of mainland Scotland. The map labels major regions including Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland, and nearby countries such as Norway, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. A small inset globe in the top left shows the location of the British Isles within Europe.

Standing Stones of Stenness

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Queen Victoria's coronation, 1837. The Archbishop of Canterbury placing the crown on Victoria's head in Westminster Abbey.

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