called archipelago scotland lies northeast island great_britain forms united_kingdom islands lie northeast southeast form division atlantic_ocean west north_sea east total area km2 population totalled comprising constituency council areas scotland islands administrative centre capital taking largest island known simply mainland area km2 making largest scottish island fifth largest british isles additional inhabited islands archipelago oceanic climate complex geology rugged coastline low rolling hills humans lived period earliest written references islands date roman times early historic period dominated scandinavian influences especially norway islands scotland 15th century scotland trade northern europe decreased fishing continued important aspect economy present day discovery north_sea oil 1970s significantly boosted employment public sector revenues local way life reflects joint norse scottish heritage including fire festival strong musical tradition especially traditional style islands produced variety writers prose poetry numerous areas set aside protect local fauna flora including number important nesting sites pony known animal breeds distinguished local breeds include sheep cow duck pig extinct approximately islands motto appears council coat arms land phrase taken danish basic law mentioned saga means law shall land built etymology derived old norse words land land roman authors elder referred seven islands respectively assumed possible early written reference islands report describing discovery conquest roman fleet seen early irish literature referred isles cats pre norse inhabitants islands cat tribe occupied parts northern scottish mainland found meaning cats oldest version modern form recorded letter count intermediate possible cat sound forms norse 16th century gradually replaced scots initial letter middle scots letter pronunciation identical original sound use letter discontinued replaced similar looking letter form describe county council source individual islands norse names obscure represent pre norse possibly pre celtic names elements geography geology kilometres north mainland scotland covers area square kilometres coastline kilometres long capital largest settlement population half archipelago total population people live kilometres town west coast capital population islands inhabited main island group known mainland largest lie north lie east east smaller islands west mainland inhabited islands west walls fair isle kilometres south west east islands include known finest preserved example scotland iron age round towers isle connected mainland largest active stack northernmost point british isles location means provides number records northerly castle united_kingdom northerly settlement geology complex numerous faults fold axes islands northern outpost rocks histories similar scottish mainland deposits granite distinctive features remnants floor economy depends oil bearing sediments surrounding seas geological evidence shows caused hit rest east coast scotland created wave metres high modern populations highest highest point reaches metres pleistocene entirely covered islands period glacial erratic came rest prominent unusually number locations south west mainland including climate oceanic temperate maritime climate bordering variety long cool winters short mild summers climate year round moderate influence surrounding seas average peak temperatures march july august temperatures rare highest temperature record july frost free period little months contrast inland areas nearby scandinavia similar latitudes experience significantly larger temperature differences summer winter average highs regular july days comparable time record heat demonstrating effect atlantic_ocean contrast winters considerably expected nearby continental areas comparable winter temperatures parts england wales south general character climate cloudy rain falling days year average yearly precipitation november december months snowfall usually confined period november february snow seldom lies ground day rain falls april august month receives fog common summer cooling effect sea mild southerly islands latitude clear winter nights northern lights seen sky summer perpetual daylight state affairs known locally dim annual bright sunshine averages hours overcast days common practice dating early building stone virtually islands extremely rich physical remains prehistoric eras archaeological sites told site south coast mainland dated provided evidence human activity site provides dates early activity finds walls dated knives stone tools date period pottery found important site indicate activity main settlement dates includes cluster later site provided evidence phases right viking times heel shaped style unique particularly large example numerous erected addition significant ruins old origin purpose matter controversy later iron age inhabitants northern isles probably historical record sparse hunter states relation king sixth century western isles inhabitants appear culture speech time likely regarded fairly distant presence collective site iron age including old joined tentative list history scandinavian expanding population scandinavia led shortage available resources land led period viking expansion norse gradually shifting attention invasion late 8th 9th centuries fate existing indigenous population uncertain identical proportions scandinavian genetic ancestry suggesting islands settled men women equal measure islands headquarters pirate expeditions carried norway coasts mainland scotland response norwegian king fair hair annexed comprising received death son battle scotland passed brother mighty islands late 10th century king summoned stout visit said order subjects baptised refuse killed spot swear island fire steel agreed islands christian stroke unusually onwards norse owed allegiance norway scottish crown holdings earl rebellion broke king norway island sailed norway beaten near bergen victory king placed direct norwegian rule state affairs continued nearly centuries increased scottish interest century onwards scottish monarchs increasingly sought control islands surrounding mainland process begun earnest continued successor strategy eventually led invasion king norway fleet assembled sound sailing scotland stalemate battle retreated died december entertained death bed death halted norwegian expansion scotland following ill fated expedition yielded result treaty perth scots recognised continuing norwegian sovereignty scotland 14th century remained norwegian province scottish influence growing murdered line norse scots houses angus death norway formed political union denmark interest royal house islands declined pledged christian capacity king norway security payment daughter margaret scotland money paid connection crown scotland perpetual 1st earl ceded title following year northern isles directly annexed crown scotland process confirmed parliament nonetheless connection norway proven enduring early 15th century sold goods german buy fish wool butter import salt cloth beer goods late 16th century early 17th century dominated influence earl granted islands half sister scots son patrick commenced building castle imprisonment crown annexed charles granted 7th earl rights held sold 14th earl early british rule trade north german towns lasted act union high salt duties prohibited german merchants trading went economic depression scottish local traders skilled trading fish local merchant took german merchants left fitted ships export fish continent independent farmers negative consequences fish merchant smallpox afflicted islands 17th 18th centuries common population increased maximum british rule came price ordinary people traders nautical skills sought royal_navy served napoleonic wars press gangs period men taken returned home late 19th century owned people emigrated passing act liberal prime minister rule act enabled effectively landowners owner small farms time fishermen holland traditionally gathered year coast fish herring triggered industry islands 1920s stocks fish began production peaked million barrels seven thousand exported 20th century world war served gordon served special local naval reserve 10th stationed single year march ships sailed escorted convoy system total lost men higher proportion britain waves emigration 1920s 1930s world war norwegian naval unit nicknamed bus established autumn base later conduct operations coast norway fishing vessels norwegian refugees gathered bus conducted covert operations carrying intelligence agents refugees instructors resistance military supplies trips sea highly decorated allied naval officer war making raf bases established suffered enemy air attacks oil reserves discovered later 20th century seas east west provided needed alternative source income islands europe largest oil fields result oil revenue cultural links norway small independence movement developed briefly recast constitutional position saw model closest neighbour autonomous denmark economy today main revenue producers agriculture fishing energy petroleum industry crude oil natural gas production creative industries tourism fishing remains central islands economy today total catch tonnes long tons short tons valued million makes half catch weight value significant landings herring farming concerned raising sheep known unusually fine wool crops raised include cold islands harsh environment plants farming small plots land legally restricted basis practised viewed key tradition important source income oil gas landed subsequently largest europe taxes oil increased public sector spending social welfare art sport environmental measures financial development quarters islands workforce employed service sector accounted output access oil revenues funded turn funds wide variety local programmes balance fund million head january signed partnership agreement scottish southern energy turbine wind farm cable energy project produce contribute million economy year plan meeting significant opposition islands primarily resulting anticipated visual impact development pure project research centre uses combination wind power fuel cells create wind hydrogen system project run local community development trust important economy culture fair isle design known industry faces challenges word manufacturers operating certification trademark lady registered served weekly local newspaper online radio service provided commercial radio station popular destination cruise ships lonely planet guide named sixth best region world tourists seeking destinations islands described beautiful rewarding fiercely independent self reliant bunch overall visitor expenditure worth million year cruise liner passengers arrived harbour popular visitor attractions reserve transport transport islands primarily ferry operates inter island services served domestic connection mainland scotland service takes hours operated services increases journey time hours plans road tunnels islands hard convince mainland government finance airport main airport located close south operates flights parts scotland times day destinations glasgow edinburgh located west operated partnership devoted inter island flights inhabited islands airport near allows frequent charter flights transport workers small terminal fifth largest number international passengers scotland public bus services operated mainland archipelago exposed wind tide numerous sites wrecked ships sited aid navigation locations public services local government authority islands based town hall sub divided community council areas civil parishes statistical purposes education high schools anderson junior high schools primary schools home associated islands sport islands represented football team regularly compete islands senior football league churches religion reformation reached archipelago apparently peaceful transition little evidence religious recorded history variety religious denominations represented islands relatively high membership district rest scotland comprising separate district includes catholic population served church sacred heart parish diocese regular worship church chapel christ maintained northerly remote anglican religious order congregation print works offices local newspaper converted chapel politics represented house_of_commons constituency member parliament current incumbent seat held liberal democrats predecessors longer represent constituency member past post system current scottish liberal democrats highlands islands electoral region political composition council councils scotland majority elected members representing political party founded local chapter designed flag cooperation mark anniversary transfer islands norway scotland colours identical flag scotland shaped cross unsuccessful attempts including lord king arms approved official flag local culture arts islands transferred scotland thousands scots families emigrated 16th 17th centuries studies genetic makeup islands population indicate half scandinavian origin component scandinavian ancestry reported combination reflected aspects local life example place use traced language form continued spoken 18th century replaced dialect scots known turn replaced spoken hundreds years extinct written sources remain local radio dialect writing kept alive variety fire festivals held annually middle winter started tuesday january festival years old present highly organised form originally festival held break long nights winter mark end festival celebrating isles heritage includes procession men dressed burning replica cuisine based locally produced lamb beef organic inevitably real producing northerly britain black variety blue potato dark skin coloured flesh markings competes international island games hosted music culture landscapes inspired variety musicians writers film makers formed 1950s promote traditional style vibrant local culture today notable folk music include bid late country musician released commercial recording life work popular years death writers novel pirate set remote inspired visit islands meaning earl mansion doctor born published work descriptive historical graduation thesis inhabitants islands description country scots poet writer lived mid-1930s wrote poems including number directly address reflect environment inspired visit novel largely set book poetry choreographer offers british asian perspective landscape quartet previously lived series crime novels set islands novel basis bbc crime drama television series grew walls arguably finest poet 20th century historian poet novelist socialist best known poets recent times 20th 21st century poets include grew late late monthly magazines production quarterly new founded said scotland longest running literary magazine later 20th century major vehicle work local writers including early work films edge world based true story evacuation inhabitants remote island august lies atlantic_ocean kilometres west outer unable permission film film months summer film events years later documentary return edge world filmed capturing reunion cast crew film revisited island number films including life devil gate nice north comedy documentary annual film festival takes place newly built cinema music education venue wildlife national nature reserves colonies keen preserve flora cover land surfaces mainland separate sites flora landscape marked grazing sheep harsh conditions limited total number plant species native trees crab apple found isolated places cliffs islands flora dominated arctic alpine plants wild flowers moss spring horn scots sea abundant especially sheltered places mouse ear endemic flowering plant found recorded botanist reported sites nineteenth century currently grows hills island nationally scarce found islands recorded fauna numerous colonies birds found islands include atlantic storm red northern great locally called numerous recorded including black snow single pair snowy bred subspecies endemic populations birds golden geographical isolation recent glacial history resulted depleted fauna brown rat house mouse species present islands field mouse archipelago fourth endemic subspecies varieties variants archaeological evidence suggests species present possible introduced population existed bronze age animals variety indigenous breeds pony probably best known important farming tradition written record pony size strongest horse breeds endangered cattle sheep believed originated prior breed semi pig habit attacking extinct lists list counties islands law battle timeline prehistoric status western isles
Shetland