- Also called:
- Zetland or Shetland
Shetland Islands
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What are the Shetland Islands?
The Shetland Islands are a group of approximately 100 islands, less than 20 of which are inhabited. They are located 130 miles (210 km) north of the Scottish mainland, at the northernmost point of the United Kingdom, and constitute the Shetland Islands council area and the historic county of Shetland.
The largest island in the group is called Mainland. Lerwick, also on Mainland, is the largest town and serves as the islands' commercial and administrative center.
The islands have a wild and beautiful scenery, with steep hills enclosing deeply indented coasts. Though located only 400 miles (640 km) south of the Arctic Circle, the climate is mild due to the North Atlantic Current.
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Where are the Shetland Islands located?
The Shetland Islands are a group of approximately 100 islands, fewer than 20 of which are inhabited. They are located 130 miles (210 km) north of the Scottish mainland, at the northern extremity of the United Kingdom. They constitute the Shetland Islands council area and the historic county of Shetland. The islands are northeast of the Orkney Islands. The scenery of the Shetland Islands is wild and beautiful, with deeply indented coasts enclosed by steep hills.
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What are some physical features of the Shetland Islands?
The Shetland Islands, part of Scotland, are a group of approximately 100 islands, fewer than 20 of which are inhabited. These islands feature a wild and beautiful scenery with deeply indented coasts called voes, enclosed by steep hills.
Strong, nearly continuous winds contribute to the sparseness of trees. Despite their high latitude, being only 400 miles (640 km) south of the Arctic Circle, the islands have a mild climate due to the warming influence of the North Atlantic Current. The soil in the Shetland Islands is generally poor and rocky, limiting cultivation to river mouths, glens, and coastal strips.
Muckle Flugga, a lighthouse and group of rocks, marks the most northerly point in the United Kingdom, located one mile off the coast of Unst, the most northerly island. Fair Isle, which lies 24 miles (39 km) south of Mainland, is home to an important ornithological observatory and belongs to the National Trust for Scotland.
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Who lives on the Shetland Islands and what languages do they speak?
The Shetland Islands are home to a population that has historically looked to Scandinavia due to their Norse heritage. The islands are located 130 miles north of mainland Scotland and constitute the Shetland Islands council area and the historic county of Shetland.
While the primary language spoken is English, a distinct dialect known as Shetlandic is also present. Historically, the Norse language Norn was spoken until the 18th century, and many Norse customs remain.
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What makes the culture of the Shetland Islands unique?
The Shetland Islands possess a unique culture due to their history and geographical location. Originally settled by the Picts, the islands were invaded by Norsemen in the 8th and 9th centuries, who ruled until the 15th century. The principal language was Norn, derived from Old Norse, until the 18th century, and many Norse customs remain. Shetlanders have largely remained apart from the Celtic Scots and Anglo-Saxons, looking to Scandinavia as the mirror of their Norse heritage. The Shetland breed of sheep produces fine wool that is spun and knitted by the island workers in distinctive patterns.
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How do the Shetland Islands connect to Scotland and the United Kingdom today?
The Shetland Islands are a group of about 100 islands that lie 130 miles north of the Scottish mainland, marking the northernmost point of the United Kingdom. They form one of the 32 council areas of Scotland and also constitute the historic county of Shetland.
The islands were invaded by Norsemen in the 8th and 9th centuries and remained under their rule until the 15th century, when they were annexed to the Scottish crown in 1472. Even after annexation, the Shetland Islands have maintained a degree of cultural distinction, standing somewhat apart from mainstream Scottish history and traditions. Many islanders still look to Scandinavia as a reflection of their Norse heritage.
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Shetland Islands, group of about 100 islands, fewer than 20 of them inhabited, in Scotland, 130 miles (210 km) north of the Scottish mainland, at the northern extremity of the United Kingdom. They constitute the Shetland Islands council area and the historic county of Shetland. Among the settlements on Mainland, the largest island, is Scalloway, a fishing port. Lerwick, also on Mainland, is the islands’ largest town and commercial and administrative centre.
East of Mainland are the islands of Whalsay and Bressay. North of Mainland lie the islands of Yell, Fetlar, and Unst, the most northerly island. One mile off the coast of Unst is the most northerly point in the United Kingdom, Muckle Flugga—a lighthouse and group of rocks. Fair Isle, 24 miles (39 km) south of Mainland, belongs to the National Trust for Scotland and has an important ornithological observatory. The scenery of the Shetland Islands is wild and beautiful, with deeply indented coasts (the sea lochs, or fjords, are locally called voes) enclosed by steep hills. The winds are nearly continuous and strong, and trees are therefore sparse, but the climate is very mild for such a high latitude—only 400 miles (640 km) south of the Arctic Circle—because of the warming influence of the North Atlantic Current, an extension of the Gulf Stream system.
The main form of agriculture is crofting, each croft having a few acres of arable land and the right to graze sheep on the “scattald,” or common grazings. The Shetland breed of sheep produces fine wool that is spun and knitted by the island workers in the distinctive patterns known as Shetland and Fair Isle. Many of the crofts cannot adequately support a family, so islanders seek work in the North Sea oil industry, abroad, or in the Royal Navy. Fishing has always been important, and crofters fish to supplement their diet or their income. The herring fishery centred on Lerwick has declined since the mid-20th century, and fishing for other species is now more important. Only after the discovery of oil in the North Sea northeast of Shetland was the long-persisting depopulation slowed. The most-advanced technology entered into Shetland’s traditional way of life when a major oil terminal was built in the 1970s at Sullom Voe in the north of Mainland. Pipelines extend from the North Sea fields to that depot, which is approached by tankers using the sheltered deep water provided by Yell Sound. The oil developments increased the importance of Sumburgh Airport in the southern tip of Mainland, and the economy of the Shetlands has gained by supplying goods and services to the oil industry.
Stone circles and brochs (circular stone towers) furnish evidence of prehistoric settlement, probably by Picts. During the 7th and 8th centuries missionaries from Ireland or western Scotland began conversion of the population to Christianity. In the 8th and 9th centuries Shetland was invaded by Norsemen, who ruled the islands until the 15th century. The principal language of the islands until the 18th century was Norn, derived from Old Norse, and many Norse customs survive. In 1472 the islands, with Orkney, were annexed to the Scottish crown. The islands have nevertheless stood outside the mainstream of Scottish history and traditions. The Shetland Museum and Archives (2007) in Lerwick contains artifacts that reflect the islands’ heritage. Area 567 square miles (1,468 square km). Pop. (2001) 21,988; (2006 est.) 21,880.