Orkney Islands

Orkney Islands

The Orkney Islands, /ˈɔːrkni/ (Scottish Gaelic: Arcaibh) also known as Orkney, are a group of islands that are part of Scotland. Orkney is located off the north coast of Great Britain, 16 kilometers north of the coast of Caithness and consists of about 70 islands, 20 of which are inhabited.

The largest island, the Mainland, has an area of 990 square km, making it the sixth largest Scottish island and the tenth largest of the British Isles. The largest settlement and administrative center is Kirkwall. The total population on the island is 22,100 (2017)

Apart from the mainland, the islands can be divided into two groups, the North and South Islands, all of which have an underlying geological base of ancient red sandstone. The climate is mild and the soils are extremely fertile, most of the land being cultivated. Agriculture is the most important sector of the Orkney economy.

A form of the name dates back to pre-Roman times and the islands have been inhabited for at least 8,500 years, originally settled by Mesolithic and Neolithic tribes and then by the Picts. Orkney was invaded and forcibly annexed by Norway in 875 and settled by the Normans.

The Scottish Parliament then reinstated the earldom to the Scottish crown in 1472, following the failed payment of a dowry for James III's bride, Margaret of Denmark.

Orkney contains some of the oldest and best preserved Neolithic sites in Europe, and the "heart of Neolithic Orkney" is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Orkney is one of Scotland's 32 council areas, a Scottish Parliament constituency, a lieutenancy area and a historic county. The local council is Orkney Islands Council, one of only three councils in Scotland with a majority of elected members who are independent.

The significant wind and marine energy resources are growing in importance, and the island generates more than its own total annual electricity demand using renewable energy sources. The locals are known as Orcadians and have a distinctive Orcadian Scottish dialect and a rich heritage of folklore.

There is an abundance of marine and bird life.