Shetland Islands

Shetland Islands
Geography
Area:
- Total
- % Water
Ranked 12th
1,466 km²
? %
Admin HQ: Lerwick
: GB-ZET
ONS code: 00RD
Demographics
Population:
- Total (April 29, 2001)
- Density
Ranked 31st
21,988
15 / km²
Politics
Shetland Islands Council
http://www.shetland.gov.uk
Control: Independent
MP: Alistair Carmichael

The Shetland Islands (sometimes historically spelled Zetland, formerly Hjaltland) are one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland and a Lieutenancy Area. It is a Scottish island group between the Orkney Islands and the Faroe Islands, north of mainland Britain, with a total area of approximately 1466km2. The administrative centre and only burgh is Lerwick.

The Shetland Islands were originally a Norwegian colony, and were pawned to the crown of Scotland on February 20, 1472. Many people on the islands do not feel Scottish and feel even less British, feeling closer to their Scandinavian roots. During World War II, boats from the Shetlands provided a relief service to occupied Norway, known as the "Shetland bus".

Table of contents
1 Composition
2 Famous places
3 Main Industries
4 Language
5 External links

Composition

The main island of the group is known as Mainland. Other islands include:

The Fair Isle lies approximately halfway between Shetland and Orkney, but it is administered as part of Shetland and is often counted as part of the island group. The Out Skerries lie east of the main group.

Famous places

  • Clickimin broch
  • Jarlshof archaeological site
  • Mousa broch
  • Old Scatness archaeological site
  • Scalloway Castle
  • St Ninian's Isle
  • Sullam Voe oil terminal
  • Sumburgh Head
  • Wind Dog Cafe (Yell)

Main Industries

Language

External links


United Kingdom | Scotland | Council areas of Scotland
Aberdeen | Aberdeenshire | Angus | Argyll and Bute | Clackmannanshire | Dumfries and Galloway | Dundee | East Ayrshire | East Dunbartonshire | East Lothian | East Renfrewshire | Edinburgh | Falkirk | Fife | Glasgow | Highland | Inverclyde | Midlothian | Moray | North Ayrshire | North Lanarkshire | Orkney | Perth and Kinross | Renfrewshire | Scottish Borders | Shetland | South Ayrshire | South Lanarkshire | Stirling | West Dunbartonshire | West Lothian | Western Isles






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This article is from Wikipedia. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.