scottish known archipelago scotland united_kingdom situated north coast great_britain kilometres north coast comprises approximately islands inhabited largest island mainland referred mainland area square kilometres making sixth largest scottish island tenth largest island british isles largest settlement administrative centre form dates pre roman era islands inhabited years originally occupied tribes invaded forcibly annexed norway settled norse annexed following failed payment bride margaret denmark contains oldest best preserved sites europe heart designated council areas scotland constituency area county local council councils scotland majority elected members addition mainland islands groups north south isles underlying geological base old red sandstone climate mild soils extremely fertile land farmed agriculture important sector economy significant wind marine energy resources growing importance island generates total yearly electricity demand local people known distinctive dialect scots rich inheritance folklore abundance marine wildlife origin visited britain probably described triangular shape northern tip called referred visible writing 1st century roman called islands claiming father law discovered hitherto unknown previously referred islands usually interpret element tribal meaning young pig young speakers old irish referred islands island pigs archipelago known modern welsh modern representing case ending refers islands seminal work ecclesiastical history english people norwegian settlers arriving late ninth century seal added island end seal islands later shortened english according named earl called norse knew mainland horse island island referred stems sixteenth century rarely locally history shell recovered excavations mainland dated indicating presence nomadic tribes earliest known permanent settlement island dates village europe best preserved settlement believed inhabited remains era include passage grave ring standing stones settlements abandoned possibly changes climate bronze age fewer large stone structures built great ceremonial circles continued use slowly introduced scotland europe lengthy period relatively sites dating era impressive mound near ring islands sites remains houses iron age excavations mainland revealed atlantic built similar finds mainland impressive structures ruins later round towers called associated settlements nature origin buildings subject ongoing debate structures period include underground usually association earlier sites roman invasion britain king british leaders said submitted emperor fleet come gone possibly direct roman influence limited trade conquest late iron age kingdom archaeological remains period impressive reason suppose fertile soils rich seas provided comfortable living began influence islands close era principally role celtic missionaries evidenced islands bearing epithet commemoration presence establish gradually late 8th century onwards nature transition controversial theories range peaceful integration genocide norwegian rule saw significant influx norwegian settlers late 8th early 9th centuries islands headquarters pirate expeditions carried norway coasts mainland scotland response norwegian king fair hair annexed comprising clear story appears based later scholars believe received death son battle scotland passed brother mighty line barely survived son slave founded dynasty controlled islands centuries death succeeded son time deposed norwegian king raiding base killed death presumed burial led long period strife initially pagan culture detailed information return christian religion islands scotland elusive suggests islands stopped way ireland norway king summoned stout said order subjects baptised refuse killed spot swear island fire steel agreed islands christian stroke receiving bishop early 11th century mighty son grandson king mac scotland sons ruled half 11th century extended authority small maritime empire stretching dublin died sons paul succeeded fighting battle bridge paul adults dispute carried generation killed april cousin resulted building today dominating feature unusually onwards norse owed allegiance norway scottish crown holdings line norse ended murder granted second son earl angus norway confirmed earl death child princess margaret maid norway route mainland scotland created disputed succession led wars scottish independence passed family barons near edinburgh evidence viking presence widespread includes settlement vast majority place names inscriptions scottish rule pledged christian capacity king norway security payment daughter margaret scotland money paid connection crown scotland perpetual history prior time largely history ruling aristocracy ordinary people emerge greater clarity influx scottish helped create diverse independent community included farmers fishermen merchants called proved increasingly able defend rights feudal 16th century boats mainland scotland netherlands dominated local herring fishery little evidence fleet 19th century grew rapidly boats involved 1840s later leading centres development white fish dominant scottish ports 17th century formed overwhelming majority employees canada harsh climate reputation boat handling skills ideal candidates canadian north period burning briefly islands economy example long tons burned produced ash bringing local economy industry collapsed suddenly removal imported agricultural improvements beginning 17th century resulted enclosure ultimately victoria era emergence large managed farms shift rotation system producing high quality beef cattle 18th century largely sympathies end rebellion large number fled north mainland scotland sought refuge helped safety sweden islands ensured remained outlook safe place land supplies spain aid cause place british isles held month defeat main army 20th century site royal_navy base scapa_flow played major role world war armistice german high seas fleet transferred entirety scapa_flow await decision future german sailors opened sea scuttled ships ships salvaged remaining favoured recreational divers month world war german boat sank royal_navy battleship scapa_flow result barriers built close access channels additional advantage creating enabling travellers island island road instead obliged rely ferries constructed italian prisoners war constructed ornate italian chapel world war politicians german occupied norway asked german authorities norway sought new opportunities expansion navy base run war eventually closing problem declining population significant post war years decades 20th century recovery life focused growing prosperity emergence relatively society rated best place live scotland according survey overview population trends modern era population peaked mid 19th century declined century low fewer 1970s declines particularly significant outlying islands remain vulnerable ongoing losses ways distinct islands scotland trends similar experienced archipelago population grew decade recorded census period scottish island populations grew geography separated mainland scotland kilometre wide island lies north west measuring kilometres northeast southwest kilometres east west covers square kilometres islands mainly low lying sharply rising sandstone hills mainland rugged cliffs western coasts nearly islands merely streams draining high land coastlines islands divided straits generally called sounds tidal currents called locally isles swift frequent islands notable absence trees partly accounted wind islands mainland mainland largest island island heart transportation system ferry air connections islands outside world island densely populated population islands fertile farmland mainland split areas called east west mainland areas determined lie east west bulk mainland lies west comparatively little land lying east parishes east mainland parishes island low lying especially east mainland coastal cliffs north west mainland contains remnants numerous viking constructions main sites included heart world heritage site inscribed islands group classified north south mainland exceptions remote lie kilometres west archipelago form local government purposes island names represents norse meaning island described small northern group islands extensive consists large number moderately sized islands linked mainland ferries air services farming fishing tourism main sources income islands northerly lies kilometres nearest neighbour west population connected ferry air known centre centre island island main industries extraction limestone lie north west mainland sound known ancient monuments including ruins round church south east contains site castle lie east south population castle short distance north small islands group include south isles southern group islands surrounds scapa_flow second largest isles northern end highest elevation archipelago old man known lies east scapa_flow linked causeway hosts cultural events festival horse boys match saturday august location tomb eagles linked ferry mainland known large oil terminal 19th century tower connected south connected road mainland include lie south closer scottish mainland geology superficial rock entirely old red sandstone middle age neighbouring mainland county sandstone rests rocks series seen mainland narrow strip exposed small island represented grey granite divided main groups lower sequence age dominated beds lower upper deposited later formation found east mainland old man formed sandstone group metres thick places lies inclined interpretation matter continuing debate older rocks cut series faults active deposition sequences strong fold traverses axis north south volcanic rocks found western eastern mainland proposed differences chemistry means remains uncertain late age found glacial presence chalk flint originated bed north_sea demonstrate influence ice action islands boulder clay abundant cover substantial areas climate cool temperate climate remarkably mild steady northerly latitude influence average temperature year winter summer average annual rainfall varies millimetres millimetres winds key feature climate summer constant winter frequent strong winds average hours recorded annually tourists islands summers longest day sun rises sets complete darkness unknown long twilight known dim winter nights long shortest day sun rises sets time year aurora occasionally seen northern horizon moderate activity averages table largest settlement weather station politics represented house_of_commons constituency member parliament current incumbent seat held liberal democrats predecessors longer represent great_britain constituency member past post system current liberal democrats previously deputy minister highlands islands electoral region consists members independent stand representatives political party political party supported rest scotland contested general election movement coalition movement equivalent chose contest seat movement free run candidate came 4th votes cast experiment repeated scottish independence referendum voters voted question scotland independent country highest vote council area scotland turnout referendum votes cast area independence comparison votes independence economy soil generally fertile land taken farms agriculture far important sector economy providing employment quarter workforce agricultural land grazing sheep cattle production hectares acres woodland occupying hectares acres fishing declined importance employed individuals islands economically active population modern industry concentrating herring white fish crabs salmon fish farming today traditional sectors economy export beef cheese beer fish recent years growth areas including tourism food manufacture jewellery crafts production construction oil transportation oil terminal accounts total employment public services play significant role employing islands workforce registered enterprises agriculture forestry fishing manufacturing construction wholesale retail repairs hotels restaurants public service related businesses employ people power significant wind marine energy resources energy recently come prominence connected mainland generates net power comes mainly wind turbines situated right scottish government backed research facility installed wave testing system mainland tidal power testing station island official opening project site described kind world set provide developers wave tidal energy devices purpose built performance testing facility funding wave farm announced world largest capacity generated machines cost million scottish conjunction began implementation regional power zone scheme kind world involves active network management better use existing infrastructure allow new non firm generation output network transport air highland operates main airport airport franchise provides services scottish mainland glasgow airport council operates airfields larger islands including shortest scheduled air service world islands scheduled minutes duration minute wind right direction ferry ferries serve link rest scotland link islands ferry services operate scottish mainland following routes hope operated john south seasonal passenger service operated john ferries operated operated operated inter island ferry services connect inhabited islands mainland operated company owned media served weekly local newspaper local bbc radio station local opt broadcasts twice daily local news entertainment commercial radio station broadcast parts mainland closure november broadcasts outside community radio station broadcasts festivals islands home international festivals including september folk festival june language literature folklore beginning recorded history islands inhabited language script cited evidence pre norse existence old irish norse occupation wholly norse language changed local end 18th century finally died replaced dialect scots dialect low influences television education large number attempts writers radio use distinctive sing song accent dialect words norse origin remain use word frequently encountered visitors meaning small derived french rich folklore tales concern form draws islands scandinavian connections local customs past included marriage ceremonies stone formed king lot certain versions legend ruler sons major characters matter britain best known literary figures modern poet poet novelist novelist native term reflects strongly held identity tradition annexation scotland took place centuries ago regard scots second speaks scotland talking land immediate south speaks mainland mean mainland clans like traditions scottish highlands islands indigenous culture connections registered designed island residents pipe bands native refer non native residents islands ferry term use nearly centuries natural history abundance wildlife especially grey common seals seen coasts inland distinct subspecies common introduced humans endemic distinct varieties found islands south mainland remarkable species absent mainland britain coastline known colourful flowers including sea sea sea common sea bell common heather scottish found coasts nearby stands trees generally rare small forest named happy valley trees lush gardens created near second half 20th century sheep unusual breed animal largely diet confined year conserve limited grazing inland island habitat atlantic century live water considered locally extinct introduction alien prior natural predator common native bird populations
Orkney