Orkney Islands

Area
1,014 sq km/391 sq mi

Towns
Kirkwall (administrative headquarters), Stromness, both on Mainland (Pomona)

Physical
there are 90 islands and inlets in the group. The surface of the islands is irregular and indented by many inlets. Next to Mainland, the most important of the islands are North and South Ronaldsay, Hoy, Rousay, Stronsay, Flotta, Shapinsay, Eday, Sanday, and Westray. The highest peak is Ward Hill in Hoy, which has an elevation of 479 m/1,572 ft. The Old Man of Hoy is an isolated stack of red sandstone 137 m/450 ft high, off Hoy's northwest coast

Features
Skara Brae Neolithic village, Stones of Steness, and Maes Howe burial chamber; Scapa Flow; oil terminal on Flotta

Industries
offshore oil, woollen weaving, wind-powered electricity generation, distilling, boat-building, fish curing

Agriculture
fishing, beef cattle, dairy products

Population
(2001) 19,250

Famous people
Edwin Muir, John Rae

History
population of Scandinavian descent; Harald I (Fairhair) of Norway conquered the islands in 876; pledged to James III of Scotland in 1468 for the dowry of Margaret of Denmark; Scapa Flow, between Mainland and Hoy, was a naval base in both world wars, the German fleet scuttled itself here on 21 June 1919