The Orkney Islands are located north of mainland Scotland. The islands had a population in 1991 of 19,450 and cover 376 sq mi (974 sq km). It is an archipelago of about 70 islands in the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. If you would like to explore the various islands orkney.com has a wonderful clickable map with description of each islands. Less than half of the islands are inhabited. Fishing, farming, and the exploitation and processing of nearby North Sea oil deposits are the principal industries. Ruled by Viking, then Scottish earls, the Orkneys passed to the Scottish crown in 1472.
The islands have been inhabited since before recorded history. I found this site a very good one for history.
Orkney is a beautiful place and Charles Tait, a local photographer, has the best selections of pictureson the WWW. The picture at the beginning of this article is one of his. His site is also rich in information about the various historic ruins in Orkney. Another site offers some moving panoramic views of the Orkney areas.
One of Orkney's claims to fame is the oldest whisky distillery in Scotland, Highland Park. Their web site has a wealth of information on Orkney as well as giving you an opportunity to order some great single malt whisky.
If you think you have relatives from Orkney then this genealogy site is well worth a look.
Finally if you are interested in visiting the Orkney Islands you will find ferry schedules here and tourist information here.
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