About the Shetland Islands

The Shetland Isles lie on the 60 degree north line of latitude, and range from the Shetland Mainland to tiny holms, with just a little green.

According to a local song, there are a hundred Shetland Islands. Of these hundred isles, just 16 islands are inhabited.

Within Shetland, ferries run to a regular timetable, and some islands are linked to the Shetladn Mainland by bridges. Some islands have a scheduled air service as well.

Our network of 1,000 miles of high quality roads are seldom busy.

Shetland has a population of about 22,000 people, approximately a third of those live in Lerwick, the main town.

With a coastline of almost 2000 miles, there are many beautiful beaches and much wild spectacular cliff scenery. On these cliffs hundreds of thousands of seabirds make their homes, especially in the breeding season. Visitors can be within a few feet of birds, such as the loveable puffins.

As well as the birds, that ornithologist Bill Oddie and so many others come to see, there is always a chance of spotting whales, dolphins and porpoises, while seals can by commonly seen.

Shetland ponies are a must and the native, multi-coloured sheep produce the very finest wool.

Visitors are as likely to see otters in Shetland as anywhere else - indeed there are road signs that warn of "Otters Crossing".

Hundreds of archaeological sites bear witness to the fact that Shetland has been inhabited for thousands of years. On the island of Mousa, the 2,000-year-old broch remains virtually intact and is therefore, unique.

The tiny, shy, storm petrels nest in the walls of the Mousa broch and can be seen during the Simmer Dim - the twilight that is the Shetland summer night.

Other fascinating archaeological sites date from Mesolithic times onwards.

Vikings came to Shetland in the ninth century and Norse rule prevailed for the next 600 years. Shetlanders are immensely proud of their Norse heritage manifested in the dialect, in placenames, and the Up Helly Aa fire festival celebrations.

More recent history tells heroic stories of the Shetland Bus and its contribution to the Norwegian resistance during World War 2.

Shetlanders can look back on a colourful and varied past but in recent years they have enjoyed a prosperous and buoyant economy with near full employment. Fishing, aquaculture, oil, agriculture and tourism all play their part as well as the knitwear industry including the world famous Fair Isle patterns.

Islanders have always moved with the times and today Shetland is a delightful blend of old and new.

In our 39 schools children learn to play traditional fiddle tunes along side computer skills.

Shetland is a multi-cultural, cosmopolitan, and truly friendly community.