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Shetland Islands

© Sharma Krauskopf

The Shetland Islands are an archipelago of 552 sq mi. To many people on the UK mainland and beyond: think of the Shetland Isles as a peripheral region somewhere up at the top of the map of Great Britain or often as not omitted altogether. In fact Shetland is located in the North Atlantic, strategically placed in relation to fertile fishing grounds and major oil reserves. It consists of a group of 100 islands, some 550 square miles in area with 3,000 miles of coastline and a population of 23,000. It is as close to Norway as it is to Aberdeen.

Oil, produced offshore in the North Sea since the 1970s, supplements income from traditional sheep, cattle, and knit ware industries. The largest oil terminal in Europe is located in the Shetlands at Sullom Voe.

Tourism is also important. The islands has two major web sites which give a great deal of information about the area. Those sites are The Shetland Times and The Shetland News. If you are interested in visiting then the Tourist Boardvis a good resource.

The Shetlands are noted for many products of which fish is one. You will find just-shetland has a good variety of other native things.

The Shetlands have added some rare animals to the world population. The Shetland Sheep from which the beautiful Fair Isle weaving is done. The hardy Shetland pony and the Shetland Sheepdog. originated there.

Occupied by Norsemen by the 9th century, the islands were annexed to Scotland in 1472. Because they are so far away from mainland Scotland the Shetlanders do not always identify themselves as Scottish. They are just Shetlanders and many of them fly the Shetland flag.

The Shetland Islands are where my husband and I have our Scottish Lighthouse. If you are interested in our Scottish Home you will find pictures by others here and my pictures here.