Orkney and Shetland Islands

Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands, is an archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands, and Norway. It is the northe…
Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands, is an archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands, and Norway. It is the northernmost region of the United Kingdom. The islands lie about 50 miles to the northeast of Orkney, 110 mi from mainland Scotland and 140 mi west of Norway. They form part of the border between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. Their total area is 1,467 km², and the population totalled 23,020 in 2022. The islands comprise the Shetland constituency of the Scottish Parliament. Shetland forms one of the 32 council areas of Scotland; the local authority is the Shetland Islands Council. The islands' administrative centre, largest settlement and only burgh is Lerwick, which has been the capital of Shetland since 1708, before which time the capital was Scalloway.
  • Area: 1,467 km² (566 sq mi)
  • Highest elevation: Ronas Hill 450 m (1,480 ft)
  • Country: Scotland
  • Population: 23,020 (2022)
  • Scottish Gaelic name: Sealtainn
  • Scots name: Shetland (Shitlin, Insular Scots)
  • Old Norse name: Hjaltland

Nearby

Things to do

See all

Suggested Itineraries

Data from: en.wikipedia.org