Welcome to Shetland Islands

Shetland islands lie about 80km to the north east of Orkney, 170km from mainland Scotland. Situated in the Northern Atlantic between the united Kingdom, the Faroe Islands and Norway its the most northern part of Scotland (and the wider United Kingdom).

The capital of the Shetland Isles is Lerwick and has a population of just under 7000 and half of the total population of the Shetland Isles ( just over 22,900) live within 16km of the town.

The largest island, known as “the mainland” has an area of 967 square km, there are an additional 15 inhabited islands in Shetland.  Some of the other inhabited islands include, Yell Unst, Whalsy, east and West Burra, Muckle Roe Papa Stour and Fair Isle.

Numerous areas on the islands have been set aside to protect the local flora and fauna.