74-761: The Shetland Islands Council is the local authority for the Shetland Islands , one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It was established in 1975 by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and was largely unaffected by the Scottish local government changes of 1996. It provides services in the areas of Environmental Health, Roads, Social Work, Community Development, Organisational Development, Economic Development, Building Standards, Trading Standards, Housing, Waste, Education, Burial Grounds, Port and Harbours and others. The council collects Council Tax . The Fire Service
148-432: A day. Relatively less rain falls from April to July, although on average, no month receives less than 50 mm (2.0 in). Fog is common during summer due to the cooling effect of the sea on mild southerly airflows. Because of the islands' latitude , on clear winter nights the northern lights can sometimes be seen in the sky, while in summer there is almost perpetual daylight , a state of affairs known locally as
222-498: A different succeeding council area. For most administrative purposes, the base level of sub-division in Scotland is now that of communities , which may elect community councils . The main role of these bodies is to channel and reflect local opinion to other bodies; they otherwise have very limited powers. There are around 1,200 communities in Scotland. Not all communities have councils; some have joint councils. Scottish communities are
296-699: A little above 1 °C (34 °F) in January and February and average daytime high temperatures of near 14 °C (57 °F) in July and August. The highest temperature on record was 27.8 °C (82.0 °F) on 6 August 1910 at Sumburgh Head and the lowest −8.9 °C (16.0 °F) in the Januaries of 1952 and 1959. The frost-free period may be as little as three months. In contrast, inland areas of nearby Scandinavia on similar latitudes experience significantly larger temperature differences between summer and winter, with
370-622: A shortage of available resources and arable land there and led to a period of Viking expansion , so the Norse gradually shifted their attention from plundering to invasion. Shetland was colonised during the late 8th and 9th centuries, the fate of the existing indigenous Pictish population being uncertain. Modern Shetlanders still retain the Norse DNA with many family trees showing the Norse patronymic system (-sson/son, -dottir/daughter). Modern DNA studies such as
444-597: A strong musical tradition, especially the traditional fiddle style. Almost all place names in the islands have Norse origin. The islands have produced a variety of prose writers and poets, who have often written in the distinctive Shetland dialect of the Scots language . Many areas on the islands have been set aside to protect the local fauna and flora , including a number of important seabird nesting sites. The Shetland pony and Shetland Sheepdog are two well-known Shetland animal breeds . Other animals with local breeds include
518-406: Is 41,833 ha , of which 26,347 ha is marine (i.e. below low tide). In October 2018, legislation came into force in Scotland to prevent public bodies, without good reason, showing Shetland in a separate box in maps, as had often been the practice. The legislation requires the islands to be "displayed in a manner that accurately and proportionately represents their geographical location in relation to
592-400: Is divided into 871 civil parishes which often resemble same-named but legally different ecclesiastical parishes. Although they have had no administrative function since 1930, they still exist and are still used for statistical purposes such as the census. Many former civil parish areas also continued to form registration districts until 1 January 2007. Many boundary changes have occurred over
666-557: Is divided into 32 areas designated as "council areas" ( Scottish Gaelic : comhairlean ), which are all governed by single-tier authorities designated as "councils". They have the option under the Local Government (Gaelic Names) (Scotland) Act 1997 of being known (but not re-designated) as a " comhairle " when opting for a Gaelic name; only Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Council of the Western Isles) has chosen this option, whereas
740-1233: Is one of Europe's prolific petroleum provinces. As a result of the oil revenue and the cultural links with Norway, a small Home Rule movement developed briefly to recast the constitutional position of Shetland . It saw as its models the Isle of Man , as well as Shetland's closest neighbour, the Faroe Islands , an autonomous dependency of Denmark. The population stood at 17,814 in 1961. Council areas Charles III William , Duke of Rothesay Swinney government The Rt Hon John Swinney MSP The Rt Hon John Swinney MSP Kate Forbes MSP Sixth session Alison Johnstone MSP Angela Constance MSP Dorothy Bain KC The Rt Hon Lord Carloway KC PC United Kingdom Parliament elections European Parliament elections Local elections Referendums Starmer ministry The Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP The Rt Hon Ian Murray MP For local government purposes, Scotland
814-577: Is part of the Highlands and Islands division of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service . Shetland had been administered by Commissioners of Supply from 1667 and then by Zetland County Council from 1890 to 1975. The county council was abolished in 1975 and replaced by the Shetland Islands Council, which also took over the functions previously exercised by Shetland's lower-tier authorities, being
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#1733085611766888-549: Is referred to as Insi Catt — "the Isles of Cats" (meaning the island inhabited by the tribe called Cat ). This may have been the pre-Norse inhabitants' name for the islands. Cat was the name of a Pictish people who occupied parts of the northern Scottish mainland (see Kingdom of Cat ); and their name survives in the names of the county of Caithness and in the Scottish Gaelic name for Sutherland , Cataibh , which means "among
962-542: Is the Middle Scots letter, yogh , the pronunciation of which is almost identical to the original Norn sound, /hj/ . When the use of the letter yogh was discontinued, it was often replaced by the similar-looking letter z (which at the time was usually rendered with a curled tail: ⟨ʒ⟩) hence Zetland , the form used in the name of the pre-1975 county council . This is the source of the ZE postcode used for Shetland. Most of
1036-598: Is the ophiolite in Unst and Fetlar which is a remnant of the Iapetus Ocean floor made up of ultrabasic peridotite and gabbro . Much of Shetland's economy depends on the oil-bearing sediments in the surrounding seas. Geological evidence shows that in around 6100 BC a tsunami caused by the Storegga Slide hit Shetland, as well as the west coast of Norway, and may have created a wave of up to 25 m (82 ft) high in
1110-648: Is the most northerly castle in the United Kingdom and Skaw the most northerly settlement. The geology of Shetland is complex, with numerous faults and fold axes . These islands are the northern outpost of the Caledonian orogeny , and there are outcrops of Lewisian , Dalradian and Moine metamorphic rocks with histories similar to their equivalents on the Scottish mainland. There are also Old Red Sandstone deposits and granite intrusions. The most distinctive feature
1184-507: The Broch of Mousa , the finest preserved example of an Iron Age broch ; Noss to the east of Bressay , which has been a national nature reserve since 1955; St Ninian's Isle , connected to Mainland by the largest active tombolo in the United Kingdom; and Out Stack , the northernmost point of the British Isles . Shetland's location means that it provides a number of such records: Muness
1258-588: The Faroe Islands , and Norway . It is the northernmost region of the United Kingdom . The islands lie about 50 miles (80 kilometres) to the northeast of Orkney, 110 mi (170 km) from mainland Scotland and 140 mi (220 km) west of Norway. They form part of the border between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. Their total area is 1,467 km (566 sq mi), and
1332-544: The Highland Council ( Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd ) has adopted its Gaelic form alongside its English equivalent, informally. The council areas have been in existence since 1 April 1996, under the provisions of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 . Historically, Scotland was divided into 34 counties or shires . Although these no longer have any administrative function, they are still used to some extent in Scotland for cultural and geographical purposes, and some of
1406-597: The Iron Age . In addition to Mousa there are significant ruins at Clickimin , Culswick , Old Scatness and West Burrafirth , although their origin and purpose is a matter of some controversy. The later Iron Age inhabitants of the Northern Isles were probably Pictish, although the historical record is sparse. Hunter (2000) states in relation to King Bridei I of the Picts in the sixth century AD: "As for Shetland, Orkney, Skye and
1480-509: The Kingdom of Great Britain , trade between Shetland and continental Northern Europe decreased. The discovery of North Sea oil in the 1970s significantly boosted Shetland's economy, employment and public-sector revenues. Fishing has always been an important part of the islands' economy. The local way of life reflects the Norse heritage of the isles, including the Up Helly Aa fire festivals and
1554-469: The Liberal prime minister William Gladstone emancipated crofters from the rule of the landlords. The Act enabled those who had effectively been landowners' serfs to become owner-occupiers of their own small farms. By this time fishermen from Holland , who had traditionally gathered each year off the coast of Shetland to fish for herring , triggered an industry in the islands that boomed from around 1880 until
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#17330856117661628-603: The Old Norse words hjalt (' hilt '), and land ('land'), the popular and traditional claim. Another possibility is that the first syllable is derived from the name of an ancient Celtic tribe . Andrew Jennings has suggested a link with the Caledones . In AD 43, the Roman author Pomponius Mela made reference in his writing to seven islands he called the Haemodae . In AD 77, Pliny
1702-562: The Royal Navy . Some 3,000 served during the Napoleonic wars from 1800 to 1815 and press gangs were rife. During this period 120 men were taken from Fetlar alone, and only 20 of them returned home. By the late 19th century 90% of all Shetland was owned by just 32 people, and between 1861 and 1881 more than 8,000 Shetlanders emigrated. With the passing of the Crofters' Holdings (Scotland) Act 1886
1776-715: The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS, Scottish Gaelic: Seirbheis Smàlaidh agus Teasairginn na h-Alba ). Prior to 1975 policing was the responsibility of the Cities and Burghs of Scotland (see List of burghs in Scotland ). Between 1975 and 2013 Scotland was subdivided into Police and fire service areas based on the regions and districts and island council areas that were also formed in 1975. The police and fire service regions used between 1975 and 2013 are listed below. Edinburgh City (E Division) Renfrewshire & Inverclyde (K Division) Ayrshire (U Division) Greater Glasgow (G Division) Lanarkshire (Q Division) Scotland
1850-653: The Shetland sheep , cow , goose , and duck . The Shetland pig, or grice , has been extinct since about 1930. The islands' motto, which appears on the Council's coat of arms , is " Með lögum skal land byggja " ("By law shall the land be built"). The phrase is of Old Norse origin, is mentioned in Njáls saga , and was likely borrowed from provincial Norwegian laws such as the Frostathing Law . The name Shetland may derive from
1924-576: The Special Operations Executive in the autumn of 1940 with a base first at Lunna and later in Scalloway to conduct operations around the coast of Norway. About 30 fishing vessels used by Norwegian refugees were gathered and the Shetland Bus conducted covert operations, carrying intelligence agents, refugees, instructors for the resistance, and military supplies. It made over 200 trips across
1998-641: The potato famine of 1846 and the government introduced a Relief Plan for the islands under the command of Captain Robert Craigie of the Royal Navy who stayed in Lerwick to oversee the project 1847–1852. During this period Craigie also did much to improve and increase roads in the islands. Population increased to a maximum of 31,670 in 1861. However, British rule came at a price for many ordinary people as well as traders. The Shetlanders' nautical skills were sought by
2072-530: The voes where modern populations are highest. The highest point of Shetland is Ronas Hill at 450 m (1,480 ft). The Pleistocene glaciations entirely covered the islands. During that period, the Stanes of Stofast, a 2000-tonne glacial erratic , came to rest on a prominent hilltop in Lunnasting . It has been estimated that there are about 275 sea stacks in Scotland of which circa 110 are located around
2146-425: The "simmer dim". Annual bright sunshine averages 1110 hours, and overcast days are common. There are only three settlements with a population over 500, being the town of Lerwick and the villages of Scalloway and Brae. 6,760 1,170 750 For town planning purposes, Shetland Islands Council has identified eight 'Tier 1' settlements, being areas with the greatest concentration of services and facilities. They are
2220-529: The 'Lordship of Shetland', removing it from the earldom of Orkney. From the mid-13th century onwards Scottish monarchs increasingly sought to take control of the islands surrounding their seas. The process was begun in earnest by Alexander II and was continued by his successor Alexander III . This strategy eventually led to an invasion of Scotland by Haakon IV Haakonsson , King of Norway. His fleet assembled in Bressay Sound before sailing for Scotland. After
2294-460: The 14th century, Orkney and Shetland remained Norwegian possessions, but Scottish influence was growing. Jon Haraldsson , who was murdered in Thurso in 1231, was the last of an unbroken line of Norse jarls, and thereafter the earls were Scots noblemen of the houses of Angus and St Clair . On the death of Haakon VI in 1380, Norway formed a political union with Denmark, after which the interest of
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2368-522: The 1920s when stocks of the fish began to dwindle. The production peaked in 1905 at more than a million barrels, of which 708,000 were exported. During World War I , many Shetlanders served in the Gordon Highlanders , a further 3,000 served in the Merchant Navy, and more than 1,500 in a special local naval reserve. The 10th Cruiser Squadron was stationed at Swarbacks Minn (the stretch of water to
2442-573: The Cats". The oldest known version of the modern name Shetland is Hetland ; this may represent "Catland", the Germanic language softening the C- to H- according to Grimm's law (also coinciding with Jennings' hypothesis for the early sound shift necessary for descent from *kalid- to *halit- , from Caledones ). It occurs in a letter written by Harald, earl of Orkney, Shetland and Caithness, in ca. 1190. By 1431,
2516-643: The Elder called these same lands the Acmodae . Scholars have inferred that both of these references are to islands in the Shetland group. Another possible early written reference to the islands is Tacitus ' report in Agricola in AD 98. After he described the Roman discovery and conquest of Orkney, he added that the Roman fleet had seen " Thule , too". In early Irish literature, Shetland
2590-529: The German merchants had left off, and fitted out their own ships to export fish from Shetland to the Continent. For the independent farmers of Shetland this had negative consequences, as they now had to fish for these merchant-lairds. Smallpox afflicted the islands in the 17th and 18th centuries (as it did all of Europe), but as vaccines became available after 1800, health improved. The islands were very badly hit by
2664-586: The Mortons until 1766, when they were sold by James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton to Laurence Dundas . The trade with the North German towns lasted until the Act of Union 1707 , after which high salt duties prevented the German merchants from trading with Shetland. Shetland then went into an economic depression, as the local traders were not as skilled in trading salted fish. However, some local merchant-lairds took up where
2738-649: The Scottish crown for their territory on mainland Britain, which they held as the Mormaer of Caithness , but owed allegiance to the Norwegian crown for Orkney and Shetland. In 1194, when Harald Maddadsson was Earl of Orkney, a rebellion broke out against King Sverre Sigurdsson of Norway. The Eyjarskeggjar ("Island Beardies") sailed for Norway but were beaten in the Battle of Florvåg near Bergen . After his victory, King Sverre placed Shetland under direct Norwegian rule in 1195 as
2812-530: The Stout during a visit to Orkney and said, "I order you and all your subjects to be baptised. If you refuse, I'll have you killed on the spot and I swear I will ravage every island with fire and steel". Unsurprisingly, Sigurd agreed, and the islands became Christian at a stroke. The Scottish crown claimed the overlordship of the Caithness and Sutherland area from Norway in 1098. The jarls thereafter owed allegiance to
2886-586: The Viking Health Study are severely flawed as they account for only a tiny fraction of the population. Vikings then used the islands as a base for pirate expeditions to Norway and the coasts of mainland Scotland. In response, Norwegian king Harald Hårfagre ("Harald Fair Hair") annexed the Northern Isles (comprising Orkney and Shetland) in 875. Rognvald Eysteinsson received the Earldom of Orkney , which then included Shetland, from Harald as reparation for
2960-517: The Western Isles, their inhabitants, most of whom appear to have been Pictish in culture and speech at this time, are likely to have regarded Bridei as a fairly distant presence". In 2011, the collective site, " The Crucible of Iron Age Shetland ", including Broch of Mousa, Old Scatness and Jarlshof, joined the UKs "Tentative List" of World Heritage Sites . The expanding population of Scandinavia led to
3034-405: The average highs of regular July days comparable to Lerwick's all-time record heat that is around 23 °C (73 °F), further demonstrating the moderating effect of the Atlantic Ocean. In contrast, winters are considerably milder than those expected in nearby continental areas, even comparable to winter temperatures of many parts of England and Wales much further south. The general character of
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3108-455: The capital and largest settlement, has a population of 6,958. About half of the archipelago's total population of 22,920 people live within 10 mi (16 km) of the town. Scalloway on the west coast, which was the capital until 1708, has a population of fewer than 1,000 people. Only 16 of about 100 islands are inhabited. The main island of the group is known as Mainland . The next largest are Yell , Unst , and Fetlar , which lie to
3182-415: The climate is windy, cloudy and often wet, with at least 2 mm (0.08 in) of rain falling on more than 250 days a year. Average yearly precipitation is 1,252 mm (49.3 in), with November through January the wettest months, averaging 5.6 to 5.9 inches of precipitation, mostly rain. Snowfall is usually confined to the period November to February, and snow seldom lies on the ground for more than
3256-458: The coasts of Shetland. For many of them there is no record of there having been any attempt by rock climbers to ascend them. Shetland has a national scenic area which, unusually, includes a number of discrete locations: Fair Isle, Foula, South West Mainland (including the Scalloway Islands ), Muckle Roe, Esha Ness , Fethaland and Herma Ness . The total area covered by the designation
3330-457: The council chamber in 2022. Council meetings were previously held at Lerwick Town Hall . The council's main offices are at 8 North Ness in Lerwick, overlooking the harbour. The building was completed in 2012 to bring together the council's departments in one building. Shetland Islands Shetland , also called the Shetland Islands , is an archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney ,
3404-474: The council has comprised 23 councillors representing 7 wards , with each ward electing two, three or four councillors. Elections are held every five years. Council meetings are held at the Council Chamber on Lower Hillhead in Lerwick. The building was formerly St Ringan's Church and was built in 1886. After the church closed the building was used as a library for some years, before being converted to become
3478-620: The councils. There are several joint boards for electoral registration and the purposes of property valuation for assessing council tax and rates . See also NHS Scotland Until 1 April 2014 the towns of Cambuslang and Rutherglen were in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area despite being located in South Lanarkshire. They are now part of NHS Lanarkshire. The Scottish Government has created seven "Regional Transport Partnerships", for establishing transport policy in
3552-445: The current council areas are named after them. There are also a number of other administrative divisions, some of which are handled by joint boards of the councils. At the most local level, Scotland is divided into civil parishes , which are now used only for statistical purposes such as the census. The lowest level of administrative subdivision are the communities , which may elect community councils . Traditionally burghs have been
3626-467: The death of his son in battle in Scotland, and then passed the earldom on to his brother Sigurd the Mighty . Sigurd went on to conquer further territory; by the time of his death in 892, the earldom of Orkney stretched from Shetland down to Caithness and Sutherland on mainland Britain. The islands converted to Christianity in the late 10th century. King Olaf I Tryggvasson summoned the jarl Sigurd
3700-737: The following year the Northern Isles were directly absorbed by the Crown of Scotland, an action confirmed by the Parliament of Scotland in 1472. Nonetheless, Shetland's connection with Norway has proved to be enduring. From the early 15th century onward Shetlanders sold their goods through the Hanseatic League of German merchantmen. The Hansa would buy shiploads of salted fish, wool and butter, and import salt , cloth , beer and other goods. The late 16th century and early 17th century were dominated by
3774-554: The four cities of Aberdeen , Dundee , Edinburgh , and Glasgow form separate areas from the surrounding countryside, with the Lord Provost of each city acting ex officio as the lord-lieutenant. Not shown: The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 resulted in the merger of local police and fire services on 1 April 2013 to form the Police Service of Scotland ( Scottish Gaelic : Seirbheis Phoilis na h-Alba ) and
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#17330856117663848-425: The individual islands have Norse names, although the derivations of some are obscure and may represent pre-Norse, Pictish , or even pre- Celtic names or elements. Shetland is around 106 miles (170 kilometres) north of Great Britain and 143 mi (230 km) west of Bergen , Norway . It covers an area of 567 sq mi (1,468 km ) and has a coastline 1,679 mi (2,702 km) long. Lerwick ,
3922-414: The influence of the despotic Robert Stewart , Earl of Orkney, who was granted the islands by his half-sister Mary Queen of Scots , and his son Patrick . The latter commenced the building of Scalloway Castle , but after his imprisonment in 1609, the Crown annexed Orkney and Shetland again until 1643, when Charles I granted them to William Douglas, 7th Earl of Morton . These rights were held on and off by
3996-555: The islands were being referred to as Hetland , after various intermediate transformations. It is possible that the Pictish "cat" sound contributed to this Norse name. In the 16th century, Shetland was referred to as Hjaltland . Gradually, the Scandinavian Norn language previously spoken by the inhabitants of the islands was replaced by the Shetland dialect of Scots and Hjaltland became Ȝetland . The initial letter
4070-536: The key unit of the local government of Scotland , being highly autonomous entities, with rights to representation in the old Parliament of Scotland . Even after the Acts of Union 1707 , burghs continued to be the principal subdivision. Until 1889, administration was on a burgh and parish basis. The years following 1889 saw the introduction of a hierarchy of local government administration comprising counties , counties of cities , large burghs and small burghs. With effect from 16 May 1975 and until 31 March 1996
4144-422: The local government divisions of Scotland consisted of an upper tier of regions each containing a lower tier of districts except for the single-tier island council areas . Since 1996 there has only been a single tier of government, and the former island council areas are of equal status to the other councils. Scotland has several other administrative divisions, some of which are handled by joint boards of
4218-421: The north, and Bressay and Whalsay , which lie to the east. East and West Burra , Muckle Roe , Papa Stour , Trondra , and Vaila are smaller islands to the west of Mainland. The other inhabited islands are Foula 17 mi (28 km) west of Walls , Fair Isle 24 mi (38 km) south-west of Sumburgh Head , and the Out Skerries to the east. The uninhabited islands include Mousa , known for
4292-489: The original inhabitants of the islands, before the Norse conquest and subsequent colonisation in the Early Middle Ages . From the 10th to 15th centuries, the islands formed part of the Kingdom of Norway . In 1472, the Parliament of Scotland absorbed the Lordship of Shetland into the Kingdom of Scotland , following the failure to pay a dowry promised to James III of Scotland by the family of his bride, Margaret of Denmark . After Scotland and England united in 1707 to form
4366-399: The population totalled 23,020 in 2022. The islands comprise the Shetland constituency of the Scottish Parliament . Shetland forms one of the 32 council areas of Scotland; the local authority is the Shetland Islands Council . The islands' administrative centre, largest settlement and only burgh is Lerwick , which has been the capital of Shetland since 1708, before which time the capital
4440-454: The pre-1975 administrative counties with Glasgow being the only current city to form a registration county. Sheriffdoms are judicial areas. Since 1 January 1975, these have been six in number: The Lieutenancy areas of Scotland are the areas used for the ceremonial lord-lieutenants , the monarch 's representatives. The areas are similar to the Historic Counties and the Registration Counties, but are not identical to either. Most notably,
4514-428: The regions. They broadly follow council area groupings. In the Eurostat Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS), Scotland is a level-1 NUTS region, coded "UKM", which is subdivided as follows: The current land registration system in Scotland divides Scotland into 33 Registration Counties , each coming into effect on various dates between 1981 and 2003. These areas in most cases resemble those of
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#17330856117664588-432: The rest of Scotland", so as make clear the islands' real distance from other areas. Shetland has an oceanic temperate maritime climate ( Köppen : Cfb ), bordering on, but very slightly above average in summer temperatures, the subpolar variety, with long but cool winters and short warm summers. The climate all year round is moderate owing to the influence of the surrounding seas, with average night-time low temperatures
4662-415: The royal house in the islands declined. In 1469, Shetland was pledged by Christian I , in his capacity as King of Norway, as security against the payment of the dowry of his daughter Margaret , betrothed to James III of Scotland . As the money was never paid, the connection with the Crown of Scotland became permanent. In 1470, William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness , ceded his title to James III, and
4736-423: The sea, and Leif Larsen , the most highly decorated allied naval officer of the war, made 52 of them. Several RAF airfields and sites were also established at Sullom Voe and several lighthouses suffered enemy air attacks. Oil reserves discovered in the later 20th century in the seas both east and west of Shetland have provided a much-needed alternative source of income for the islands. The East Shetland Basin
4810-430: The seats on the council have been held by independent councillors since 1975. In 2011, structural reforms saw the creation of the Political Leader position, with the Convener becoming a civic leadership post. The conveners have been: Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections later in 2022, the composition of the council was: The next election is due in 2027. Since the last boundary changes in 2022,
4884-446: The south coast of Mainland, dated to 4320–4030 BC, has provided the first evidence of Mesolithic human activity in Shetland. The same site provides dates for early Neolithic activity and finds at Scord of Brouster in Walls have been dated to 3400 BC. "Shetland knives" are stone tools that date from this period made from felsite from Northmavine . Pottery shards found at the important site of Jarlshof also indicate that there
4958-408: The south of Muckle Roe), and during a single year from March 1917 more than 4,500 ships sailed from Lerwick as part of an escorted convoy system. In total, Shetland lost more than 500 men, a higher proportion than any other part of Britain, and there were further waves of emigration in the 1920s and 1930s. During World War II , a Norwegian naval unit nicknamed the " Shetland Bus " was established by
5032-462: The stalemate of the Battle of Largs , Haakon retreated to Orkney, where he died in December 1263, entertained on his deathbed by recitations of the sagas. His death halted any further Norwegian expansion in Scotland and following this ill-fated expedition, the Hebrides and Mann were yielded to the Kingdom of Scotland as a result of the 1266 Treaty of Perth , although the Scots recognised continuing Norwegian sovereignty over Orkney and Shetland. In
5106-427: The three settlements in the table above, plus Aith , Baltasound , Mid Yell , Sandwick , and Symbister . List of islands by largest population: Due to the practice, dating to at least the early Neolithic , of building in stone on virtually treeless islands, Shetland is extremely rich in physical remains of the prehistoric eras and there are over 5,000 archaeological sites all told. A midden site at West Voe on
5180-506: The town council of the burgh of Lerwick and the councils of the area's landward districts . The new council created in 1975 was an islands council of an area legally called Shetland. Further local government reform in 1996 introduced single-tier council areas across all of Scotland. The councils of the three island areas created in 1975, including Shetland, continued to provide the same services after 1996, but their areas were re-designated as council areas. The geographic area's legal name
5254-422: The years and an area currently derived from an old parish might no longer contain a place previously within that parish. Similarly, county boundaries (as still used for land registration) have also changed over the years such that a parish mentioned historically (generally before the 1860s) as being in one county (or sometimes two due to straddling a border) might now be in a neighbouring county and consequentially in
5328-525: Was Scalloway . The archipelago has an oceanic climate , complex geology, rugged coastline, and many low, rolling hills. The largest island, known as " the Mainland ", has an area of 373 sq mi (967 km ), and is the fifth-largest island in the British Isles . It is one of 16 inhabited islands in Shetland. Humans have lived in Shetland since the Mesolithic period. Picts are known to have been
5402-524: Was Neolithic activity there although the main settlement dates from the Bronze Age . This includes a smithy , a cluster of wheelhouses and a later broch. The site has provided evidence of habitation during various phases right up until Viking times. Heel-shaped cairns , are a style of chambered cairn unique to Shetland, with a particularly large example in Vementry . Numerous brochs were erected during
5476-464: Was changed from Shetland to 'Shetland Islands' as part of the 1996 reforms, allowing the council to retain the name 'Shetland Islands Council'. The council has been a member of the Islands Forum since 2022. The first election was held in 1974, with the council initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new system came into force on 16 May 1975. A majority of
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