Shetland,[Note 2] also called theShetland Islands, is anarchipelago inScotland lying betweenOrkney, theFaroe Islands, andNorway, marking the northernmost region of theUnited 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 theNorth Sea to the east. The islands' area is 1,467 km2 (566 sq mi) and the population totalled 23,190 in 2024.[2] The islands comprise theShetland constituency of theScottish Parliament. The islands' administrative centre, largest settlement and onlyburgh isLerwick, which has been the capital of Shetland since 1708, before which time the capital wasScalloway. Due to its location, it is accessible only by ferry or flight with an airport located in Sumburgh as well as a port and emergency airstrip in Lerwick.
The archipelago has anoceanic 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 km2),[3] and is thefifth-largest island in theBritish Isles. It is one of 16 inhabited islands in Shetland.
After Scotland and England united in 1707 to form theKingdom of Great Britain, trade between Shetland and continentalNorthern Europe decreased. The discovery ofNorth Sea oil in the 1970s significantly boosted Shetland's economy, employment and public-sector revenues.[6] Fishing has always been an important part of the islands' economy.
The local way of life reflects the Norse heritage of the isles, including theUp Helly Aa fire festivals and a strong musical tradition, especially the traditionalfiddle style. Almost all place names in the islands have Norse origin.[7] The islands' prose writers and poets have often written in the distinctiveShetland dialect of theScots language. Many areas on the islands have been set aside to protect the localfauna andflora, including a number of important seabird nesting sites. TheShetland pony andShetland Sheepdog are two well-knownShetland animal breeds. Other animals with local breeds include theShetland sheep,cow,goose, andduck. The Shetland pig, orgrice, has been extinct since about 1930.
The islands' motto, which appears on the Council'scoat of arms, is "Með lögum skal land byggja" ("By law shall the land be built").[a] The phrase is ofOld Norse origin, is mentioned inNjáls saga, and was likely borrowed from provincial Norwegian and Danish laws such as theFrostathing Law or the Law of Jutland.
Detailed map of Shetland, labelling many place names
The nameShetland may derive from theOld Norse wordshjalt ('hilt'), andland ('land'), the popular and traditional claim. Another possibility is that the first syllable is derived from the name of an ancientCeltic tribe.[8][9] Andrew Jennings has suggested a link with theCaledones.[10]
In AD 43, the Roman authorPomponius Mela made reference in his writing to seven islands he called theHaemodae. In AD 77,Pliny the Elder called these same lands theAcmodae. Scholars have inferred that both of these references are to islands in the Shetland group. Another possible early written reference to the islands isTacitus' report inAgricola in AD 98. After he described the Roman discovery and conquest of Orkney, he added that the Roman fleet had seen "Thule, too".[Note 3]
Inearly Irish literature, Shetland is referred to asInsi Catt — "the Isles of Cats" (meaning the island inhabited by the tribe calledCat). 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 (seeKingdom of Cat); and their name survives in the names of the county ofCaithness and in the Scottish Gaelic name forSutherland,Cataibh, which means "among the Cats".[13]
The oldest known version of the modern name Shetland isHetland; this may represent "Catland", the Germanic language softening theC- toH- according toGrimm's law (also coinciding with Jennings' hypothesis for the early sound shift necessary for descent from*kalid- to*halit-, fromCaledones). It occurs in a letter written by Harald, earl of Orkney, Shetland and Caithness, in ca. 1190.[14] By 1431, the islands were being referred to asHetland, after various intermediate transformations. It is possible that thePictish "cat" sound contributed to thisNorse name. In the 16th century, Shetland was calledHjaltland.[15][16][Note 4]
Gradually, the ScandinavianNorn language spoken by the inhabitants of the islands was replaced by the Shetland dialect ofScots andHjaltland becameȜetland. The initial letter is theMiddle Scots letter,yogh, the pronunciation of which is almost identical to the original Norn sound,/hj/. When the use of the letteryogh was discontinued, it was often replaced by the similar-looking letterz (which at the time was usually rendered with a curled tail: ⟨ʒ⟩) henceZetland, the form used in the name of the pre-1975county council.[17][18] This is the source of theZE postcode used for Shetland.[19]
Most of the islands haveNorse names, although the derivations of some may be pre-Norse,Pictish or even pre-Celtic.[20]
Shetland is around 106 miles (170 kilometres) north of Great Britain and 143 mi (230 km) west ofBergen,Norway. It covers an area of 567 sq mi (1,468 km2) and has a coastline 1,679 mi (2,702 km) long.[21]
Lerwick, the capital and largest settlement, has a population of 6,958. About half of the archipelago's total population of 22,920 people[22] live within 10 mi (16 km) of the town.[23]
Scalloway on the west coast, which was the capital until 1708, has a population of fewer than 1,000 people.[24]
The uninhabited islands includeMousa, known for theBroch of Mousa, the finest preserved example of anIron Agebroch;Noss to the east ofBressay, which has been a national nature reserve since 1955;St Ninian's Isle, connected to Mainland by the largest activetombolo in the United Kingdom; andOut Stack, thenorthernmost point of theBritish Isles.[25][26][27] Shetland's location means that it provides a number of such records:Muness is the most northerly castle in the United Kingdom andSkaw the most northerly settlement.[28]
Much of Shetland's economy depends on the oil-bearing sediments in the surrounding seas.[30] Geological evidence shows that in around 6100 BC atsunami caused by theStoregga 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 thevoes where modern populations are highest.[31]
The highest point of Shetland isRonas Hill at 450 m (1,480 ft). ThePleistocene glaciations entirely covered the islands. During that period, the Stanes of Stofast, a 2000-tonneglacial erratic, came to rest on a prominent hilltop inLunnasting.[32]
It has been estimated that there are about 275sea stacks in Scotland of which some 110 are around the coasts of Shetland. For many of them, there is no record of any attempt byrock climbers to ascend them.[33][34]
Shetland is anational scenic area which, unusually, includes some discrete locations: Fair Isle, Foula, South West Mainland (including theScalloway Islands), Muckle Roe,Esha Ness, Fethaland andHerma Ness.[35] The total area covered by the designation is 41,833ha, of which 26,347 ha is marine (i.e. below low tide).[36]
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 the rest of Scotland", so as make clear the islands' real distance from other areas.[37][38][39]
Shetland has an oceanic temperate maritime climate (Köppen:Cfb), bordering on, but very slightly above average in summer temperatures, thesubpolar variety, with long, relatively mild winters and short cool summers. The climate all year round is moderate owing to the influence of the surrounding seas, with average night-time low temperatures 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.[40] The highest temperature on record was 27.8 °C (82.0 °F) on 6 August 1910 atSumburgh Head[41] and the lowest −8.9 °C (16.0 °F) in the Januaries of 1952 and 1959.[42] The frost-free period may be as little as three months.[43]
The general character of 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 yearlyprecipitation 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 a day. Snow generally falls in the form ofcumulonimbus ortowering cumulusshowers produced by the resultantinstability whensea-surface temperatures are warm relative to colder air aloft. Snow very rarely, if ever, falls steady for prolonged periods. Somewhat less precipitation 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.[40][42]
Because of the islands'latitude, on clear winter nights thenorthern lights can sometimes be seen in the sky, while in summer there is almostperpetual daylight, a state of affairs known locally as the "simmer dim".[44] Annual bright sunshine averages 1110 hours, and overcast days are common.[45]
Climate data for Shetland Isles (S. Screen),[b] elevation 82 m (269 ft), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1930–present
^The motto is given (on the arms) in alluppercase but theeth inMeð is rendered using the Czech letterĎ rather thanÐ, which is the regular uppercase form of eth.
^Weather station is located 1.7 miles (2.7 km) from the Lerwick port centre.
Fortown planning purposes, Shetland Islands Council has identified eight 'Tier 1' settlements, being areas with the greatest concentration of services and facilities. They are the three settlements in the table above, plusAith,Baltasound,Mid Yell,Sandwick, andSymbister.[50]
The preserved ruins of awheelhouse andbroch atJarlshof, described as "one of the most remarkable archaeological sites ever excavated in the British Isles"[54]
Due to the practice, dating to at least the earlyNeolithic, 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.[55] Amidden site at West Voe on the south coast of Mainland, dated to 4320–4030 BC, has provided the first evidence ofMesolithic human activity in Shetland.[56][57] The same site provides dates for early Neolithic activity and finds atScord of Brouster inWalls have been dated to 3400 BC.[Note 6] "Shetland knives" are stone tools that date from this period made fromfelsite fromNorthmavine.[59]
Pottery shards found at the important site ofJarlshof also indicate that there was Neolithic activity there although the main settlement dates from theBronze Age.[60] This includes asmithy, a cluster ofwheelhouses and a later broch. The site has provided evidence of habitation during various phases right up untilViking times.[54][61]Heel-shaped cairns, are a style ofchambered cairn unique to Shetland, with a particularly large example inVementry.[59]
Numerous brochs were erected during theIron Age. In addition to Mousa there are significant ruins atClickimin,Culswick,Old Scatness andWest Burrafirth, although their origin and purpose is a matter of some controversy.[62] The later Iron Age inhabitants of theNorthern Isles were probably Pictish, although the historical record is sparse. Hunter (2000) states in relation to KingBridei I of the Picts in the sixth century AD: "As for Shetland, Orkney, Skye and 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".[63] In 2011, the collective site, "The Crucible of Iron Age Shetland", including Broch of Mousa, Old Scatness and Jarlshof, joined the UKs "Tentative List" ofWorld Heritage Sites.[64][65]
Shetland (boxed) in relation to surrounding territories includingNorway (to the east), theFaroe Islands (to the north west), andOrkney and the rest of theBritish Isles (to the south west)14th-centuryFlateyjarbók image ofHarald Fairhair (right, with fair hair), who took control ofHjaltland c. 875
The expanding population ofScandinavia led to a shortage of available resources and arable land there and led to a period ofViking expansion, so theNorse gradually shifted their attention from plundering to invasion.[66] Shetland was colonised during the late 8th and 9th centuries,[67] 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 the Viking Health Study are severely flawed as they account for only a tiny fraction of the population.[68]
Vikings used the islands as a base forpirate expeditions to Norway and the coasts of mainland Scotland. In response, Norwegian kingHarald Hårfagre ("Harald Fair Hair") annexed theNorthern Isles (comprising Orkney and Shetland) in 875.[Note 7]Rognvald Eysteinsson received theEarldom of Orkney, which then included Shetland, from Harald as reparation for the death of his son in battle in Scotland, and then passed the earldom on to his brotherSigurd the Mighty.[70] Sigurd went on to conquer further territory; by the time of his death in 892, the earldom of Orkney stretched from Shetland down toCaithness andSutherland on mainland Britain.[71]
The islands converted toChristianity in the late 10th century. KingOlaf I Tryggvason summoned thejarlSigurd 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.[72]
TheScottish crown claimed the overlordship of the Caithness and Sutherland area from Norway in 1098.[73] The jarls thereafter owed allegiance to the Scottish crown for their territory on mainland Britain, which they held as theMormaer of Caithness, but owed allegiance to the Norwegian crown for Orkney and Shetland.[71][74]
In 1194, whenHarald Maddadsson was Earl of Orkney, a rebellion broke out against KingSverre Sigurdsson of Norway. TheEyjarskeggjar ("Island Beards") sailed for Norway but were beaten in theBattle of Florvåg nearBergen. After his victory, King Sverre placed Shetland under direct Norwegian rule in 1195 as the 'Lordship of Shetland', removing it from the earldom of Orkney.[75][76][77]
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 byAlexander II and was continued by his successorAlexander III. This strategy eventually led to an invasion of Scotland byHaakon IV Haakonsson, King of Norway. His fleet assembled in Bressay Sound before sailing for Scotland. After the stalemate of theBattle 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, theHebrides and Mann were yielded to the Kingdom of Scotland as a result of the 1266Treaty of Perth, although the Scots recognised continuing Norwegian sovereignty over Orkney and Shetland.[78][79][80]
In the 14th century, Orkney and Shetland remained Norwegian possessions, but Scottish influence was growing.Jon Haraldsson, who was murdered inThurso in 1231, was the last of an unbroken line of Norse jarls,[81] and thereafter the earls were Scots noblemen of the houses ofAngus andSt Clair.[82] On the death ofHaakon VI in 1380,[83] Norway formed apolitical union with Denmark, after which the interest of the royal house in the islands declined.[75] In 1469, bothOrkney and Shetland waspledged byChristian I, in his capacity as King of Norway, as security against the payment of thedowry of his daughterMargaret, betrothed toJames III of Scotland. As the money was never paid, the connection with the Crown of Scotland became permanent.[Note 8] In 1470,William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness, ceded his title to James III, and the following year the Northern Isles were directly absorbed by the Crown of Scotland,[87] an action confirmed by theParliament of Scotland in 1472.[88] Nonetheless, Shetland's connection with Norway has proved to be enduring.[Note 9][75]
From the early 15th century onward Shetlanders sold their goods through theHanseatic League of German merchantmen. The Hansa would buy shiploads of salted fish, wool and butter, and importsalt,cloth,beer and other goods. The late 16th century and early 17th century were dominated by the influence of the despoticRobert Stewart, Earl of Orkney, who was granted the islands by his half-sisterMary Queen of Scots, and his sonPatrick. The latter commenced the building ofScalloway Castle, but after his imprisonment in 1609, the Crown annexed Orkney and Shetland again until 1643, whenCharles I granted them toWilliam Douglas, 7th Earl of Morton. These rights were held on and off by the Mortons until 1766, when they were sold byJames Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton toLaurence Dundas.[89][90]
The trade with the North German towns lasted until theAct 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 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.[91]
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 theRoyal Navy. Some 3,000 served during theNapoleonic Wars from 1800 to 1815 andpress 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.[92][93] With the passing of theCrofters' Holdings (Scotland) Act 1886 theLiberal prime ministerWilliam 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.[94] By this time fishermen fromHolland, who had traditionally gathered each year off the coast of Shetland to fish forherring, triggered an industry in the islands that boomed from around 1880 until the 1920s when stocks of the fish began to dwindle.[95] The production peaked in 1905 at more than a million barrels, of which 708,000 were exported.[96]
Full-rigged shipMaella, ofOslo, in Bressay Sound, around 1922
DuringWorld War I, many Shetlanders served in theGordon 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 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.[93][97]
DuringWorld War II, a Norwegian naval unit nicknamed the "Shetland bus" was established by theSpecial Operations Executive in the autumn of 1940 with a base first atLunna 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 the sea, andLeif Larsen, the most highly decoratedallied naval officer of the war, made 52 of them.[98][99] Several RAF airfields and sites were also established at Sullom Voe and several lighthouses suffered enemy air attacks.[97]
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.[6] TheEast Shetland Basin is one of Europe's prolific petroleum provinces. As a result of the oil revenue and the cultural links with Norway, a smallHome Rule movement developed briefly to recast theconstitutional position of Shetland. It saw as its models theIsle of Man, as well as Shetland's closest neighbour, theFaroe Islands, an autonomous dependency of Denmark.[100]
As of February 2021, information on the Promote Shetland Web site indicated that "Shetland is less reliant on tourism than many Scottish islands" and that oil was an important sector of the economy. The "process of gradually transitioning from oil to clean renewable energy ... production of clean hydrogen" was also emphasized. Fishing remained the primary sector and was expected to grow.[106]
Fishing is central to the islands' economy today, with the total catch being 75,767 t (83,519 tons) in 2009, valued at over £73.2 million.Atlantic mackerel makes up more than half of the catch in Shetland by weight and value, and there are significant landings ofhaddock,cod,herring,whiting,monkfish andshellfish.[107]
A report published in October 2020 was optimistic about the future of this sector in: "With new fish markets in Lerwick and Scalloway, and plans to expand its aquaculture offerings in Yell, Shetland is preparing for more growth in its biggest industry".[108]
As of February 2021, the Promote Shetland website stated that "more fish is landed in Shetland than in England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined', that "Shetland harvests 40,000 tonnes of salmon a year, worth £180 million" and that "6,500 tonnes of mussels are grown in Shetland, more than 80 per cent of the total Scottish production".[109]
Oil and gas were first landed in 1978 atSullom Voe, which has subsequently become one of the largest terminals in Europe.[6][110] Taxes from the oil have increased public sector spending on social welfare, art, sport, environmental measures and financial development. Three-quarters of the islands' workforce is employed in the service sector,[111][112] and theShetland Islands Council alone accounted for 27.9% of output in 2003.[113][114] Shetland's access to oil revenues has funded the Shetland Charitable Trust, which in turn funds a wide variety of local programmes. The balance of the fund in 2011 was £217 million, i.e., about £9,500 per head.[115][Note 10]
In January 2007, the Shetland Islands Council signed a partnership agreement withScottish and Southern Energy for theViking Wind Farm, a 200-turbinewind farm and subsea cable. Thisrenewable energy project would produce about 600megawatts and contribute about £20 million to the Shetland economy per year.[117] The plan met with significant opposition within the islands, primarily resulting from the anticipated visual impact of the development.[118] However, in August 2024 the completion of the first part of the project saw Shetland connected to the mainland National Grid for the first time via a 600 MW HVDC link.[119]
The PURE project in Unst is a research centre which uses a combination of wind power andfuel cells to create awind-hydrogen system. The project is run by the Unst Partnership, the local community'sdevelopment trust.[120][121]
A status report on hydrogen production in Shetland, published in September 2020, stated that Shetland Islands Council (SIC) had "joined a number of organisations and projects to drive forward plans to establish hydrogen as a future energy source for the isles and beyond". For example, it was a member of the Scottish Hydrogen Fuel Cell Association (SHFCA). The ORION project, previously named the Shetland Energy Hub, was underway; the plan was to create an energy hub that would use clean electricity in the development of "new technologies such as blue and green hydrogen generation".[122]
In December 2020 the Scottish government released a hydrogen policy statement with plans for incorporating bothblue andgreen hydrogen for use in heating, transportation and industry.[123] The government also planned an investment of £100 million in the hydrogen sector "for the £180 million Emerging Energy Technologies Fund".[124] Shetland Islands Council planned to obtain further specifics about the availability of funding. The government had already agreed that the production of "green" hydrogen from wind power nearSullom Voe Terminal was a valid plan. A December 2020 report stated that "the extensive terminal could also be used for direct refuelling of hydrogen-powered ships" and suggested that the fourth jetty at Sullom Voe "could be suitable for ammonia export".[125]
Farming is mostly concerned with the raising ofShetland sheep, known for their unusually fine wool.[24][126][127] Knitwear is important both to the economy and culture of Shetland, and theFair Isle design is well known. However, the industry faces challenges due toplagiarism of the word "Shetland" by manufacturers operating elsewhere; a certification trademark, "The Shetland Lady", has been registered.[128]
Crofting, the farming of small plots of land on a legally restricted tenancy basis, is still practised and is viewed as a key Shetland tradition as well as an important source of income.[129] Crops raised include oats and barley; however, the cold, windswept islands make for a harsh environment for most plants.[130][131]
Television signals in Shetland are received from theBressay TV transmitter.[132] Shetland is served by a weekly local newspaper,The Shetland Times and the onlineShetland News[133] with radio service being provided byBBC Radio Shetland and the commercial radio stationSIBC.[134]
Victoria pier, Lerwick. The replica Viking longboat Dim Riv is bottom left and the town hall is on the hill. Taken from the Aberdeen ferry in Bressay Sound.
Shetland is a popular destination for cruise ships, and in 2010 theLonely Planet guide named Shetland as the sixth best region in the world for tourists seeking unspoilt destinations. The islands were described as "beautiful and rewarding" and the Shetlanders as "a fiercely independent and self-reliant bunch".[135] Overall visitor expenditure was £16.4 million in 2006, in which year just under 26,000 cruise liner passengers arrived at Lerwick Harbour. This business has grown substantially with 109 cruise ships booked in for 2019, representing over 107,000 passenger visits.[136] In 2009, the most popular visitor attractions were theShetland Museum, theRSPB reserve at Sumburgh Head, Bonhoga Gallery atWeisdale Mill and Jarlshof.[137]Geopark Shetland (now Shetland UNESCO Global Geopark) was established by the Amenity Trust in 2009 to boostsustainable tourism to the islands.[138]
According to the Promote Shetland organisation's website, tourism increased "by £12.6 million between 2017 and 2019 with more than half of visitors giving their trip a perfect rating".[109]
An October 2018 report stated that 91,000 passengers from cruise ships arrived that year (a record high), an increase over the 70,000 in 2017. There was a drop in 2019 to "over 76,000 cruise ship passengers".[139][140]
Tourism dropped significantly in 2020 (and into 2021) due to restrictions necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the major decline in the number of cruise ships that continued to operate worldwide.[141]
As of early February 2021, the Promote Shetland website was still stating this information: "At present, nobody should travel to Shetland from a Level 3 or Level 4 local authority area in Scotland, unless it's for essential purposes". That page reiterated the government recommendation "that people avoid any unnecessary travel between Scotland and England, Wales, or Northern Ireland".[142]
A September 2020 report stated that "The Highlands and Islands region has been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to date, when compared to Scotland and the UK as a whole". The tourism industry required short-term support for "business survival and recovery" and that was expected to continue as the sector was "severely impacted for as long as physical distancing and travel restrictions" remained in place.[143] As of 31 December 2020, the usage of ferries and buses was restricted to those travelling for essential purposes.[144] The Island Equivalent scheme was introduced in early 2021 by the Scottish government to financially assist hospitality and retail businesses "affected by Level 3 coronavirus restrictions". Previous schemes in 2020 included the Strategic Framework Business Fund and the Coronavirus Business Support Fund.[145]
Transport between islands is primarily by ferry, and Shetland Islands Council operates variousinter-island services.[146] Shetland is also served by a domestic connection from Lerwick toAberdeen on mainland Scotland. This service, which takes about 12 hours, is operated byNorthLink Ferries. Some services also call atKirkwall, Orkney, which increases the journey time betweenAberdeen and Lerwick by 2 hours.[147][148] There are plans for road tunnels to some of the islands, especiallyBressay andWhalsay; however, it is hard to convince the mainland government to finance them.[149]
Given that the archipelago is exposed to wind and tide, there are numerous sites of wrecked ships.[154]Lighthouses are sited as an aid to navigation at various locations.[155]
The local authority is theShetland Islands Council, based in Lerwick. It meets at the former St Ringan's Church and has its main offices at 8 North Ness, overlooking the harbour.[156][157]
On its absorption into Scotland in 1472, the landholdings and jurisdictions of the old lordship of Shetland passed to the Scottish crown. The separate earldom of Orkney was absorbed into Scotland at the same time.[77] More typically Scottish forms of administration were gradually introduced to the Northern Isles. The position ofSheriff of Orkney and Shetland was created in 1541.[158] Shetland and Orkney retained their own legal systems until 1612, when the general laws of Scotland were applied.[159]
Commissioners of Supply were established in 1667 for each shire across Scotland. Unusually, despite being oneshire, Shetland and Orkney were given separate bodies of commissioners.[160][161][162] More local government functions were gradually given to the commissioners over time.[163] At a court case in 1829, theCourt of Session declined to rule on whether Shetland and Orkney were one county or two. They operated as one county for the purposes of the administration of justice,lieutenancy, andparliamentary constituencies, but operated as two counties for local government functions.[164]
County Buildings, Lerwick, completed 1875: Shetland's main courthouse, also served as headquarters of Zetland County Council 1890–1975
Elected county councils were created in 1890 under theLocal Government (Scotland) Act 1889, taking most of the functions of the commissioners (which were eventually abolished in 1930). The 1889 Act also directed that Shetland and Orkney were to be separate counties (with the act using the then-prevalent spelling of 'Zetland' for Shetland).[165] Zetland County Council held its first meeting on 22 May 1890 at theCounty Buildings, Lerwick, which had been built in 1875 and served as Shetland's main courthouse and also served as the meeting place for the commissioners of supply.[166][167]
Local government was reformed in 1975 under theLocal Government (Scotland) Act 1973, which replaced Scotland's counties,burghs andlandward districts. In most of Scotland a two-tier structure of upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts was used, but a single-tier structure ofisland areas was used for Shetland, Orkney and theWestern Isles.[168] 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 continued to provide the same services after 1996, but their areas were re-designated as council areas.[169]
Parishes existed from medieval times. From 1845 to 1894 they had parish boards and from 1894 to 1930 they had parish councils. They have had no administrative functions since 1930, but continue to be used for the presentation of statistics.[170]
Community councils were created in 1975 as part of the wider reforms that year. They have no statutory powers, but serve as a representative body for their communities. Shetland Islands Council designates community council areas, but a community council is only formed if there is sufficient interest from the residents. Shetland comprises the following communities, all of which have community councils operating as at 2024:[174]
As of early 2021, Shetland had 22 primary schools, five junior high schools, and two high schools:Anderson High School and Brae High School.[175][176] Shetland College UHI is a partner of theUniversity of the Highlands and Islands (UHI). UHI's Centre for Rural Creativity partners with Shetland Arts Development Agency to provide courses on film, music and media up to Masters level at Mareel. The North Atlantic Fisheries College (NAFC) also operates in partnership with UHI offering "a range of training courses relevant to the maritime industries".[175]
Haroldswick Church, the most northerly church building in the United Kingdom
TheReformation reached the archipelago in 1560. This was an apparently peaceful transition and there is little evidence of religious intolerance in Shetland's recorded history.[179] In the 2011 census, Shetland registered a higher proportion of people with no religion than the Scottish average.[178] Nevertheless, theMethodist Church has a relatively high membership in Shetland, which is a District of the Methodist Church (with the rest of Scotland comprising a separate District).[180] TheChurch of Scotland had aPresbytery of Shetland that includesSt. Columba's Church in Lerwick.[181]
On 1 June 2020 the Presbytery of Shetland merged with the Presbytery of Aberdeen becoming the Presbytery of Aberdeen and Shetland.[182] All 13 parishes in Shetland have been merged into one.[183]
TheWir Shetland movement was set up in 2015 to campaign for greater autonomy.[192] In September 2020, the Shetland Islands Council voted 18–2 to explore replacing the council with a new system of government which controls a fairer share of the islands revenue streams and has a greater influence over their own affairs, which could include very lucrative oil fields and fishing waters.[193]
In 2022, as part of theLevelling Up White Paper, an "Island Forum" was proposed, which would allow local policymakers and residents in Shetland to work alongside their counterparts inOrkney, theWestern Isles,Anglesey and theIsle of Wight on common issues, such as broadband connectivity, and provide a platform for them to communicate directly with the government on the challenges island communities face in terms of levelling up.[194][195]
After the islands were officially transferred from Norway to Scotland in 1472, several Scots families from theScottish Lowlands emigrated to Shetland in the 16th and 17th centuries.[196][197] Studies of the genetic makeup of the islands' population, however, indicate that Shetlanders are just under half Scandinavian in origin, and sizeable amounts of Scandinavian ancestry, both patrilineal and matrilineal, have been reported in Orkney (55%) and Shetland (68%).[197] This combination is reflected in many aspects of local life. For example, almost every place name in use can be traced back to the Vikings.[198]
The LerwickUp Helly Aa is one of several fire festivals held in Shetland annually in the middle of winter, starting on the last Tuesday of January.[199] The festival is just over 100 years old in its present, highly organised form. Originally held to break up the long nights of winter and mark the end ofYule, the festival has become one celebrating the isles' heritage and includes a procession of men dressed as Vikings and the burning of a replicalongship.[200]
Thecuisine of Shetland is based on locally produced lamb, beef and seafood, some of itorganic. Thereal ale-producingValhalla Brewery is the most northerly in Britain. The Shetland Black is a variety ofblue potato with a dark skin and indigo-coloured flesh markings.[202]
TheNorn language was a form ofOld Norse spoken in theNorthern Isles, and continued to be spoken until the 18th century. It was gradually replaced in Shetland by an insular dialect ofScots, known asShetlandic, which is in turn being replaced byScottish English. Although Norn was spoken for hundreds of years, it is now extinct and few written sources remain, although influences remain in theInsular Scots dialects.[203] The Shetland dialect is used in local radio and dialect writing, and is kept alive by organisations such as Shetland Forwirds, and theShetland Folk Society.[204][205][206]
The 2022 Scottish Census reported that out of 22,406 residents aged three and over, 9,179 (41%) considered themselves able to speak or read theScots language.[207]
The 2022 Scottish Census reported that out of 22,403 residents aged three and over, 137 (0.6%) considered themselves able to speak or readGaelic.[208]
Shetland's culture and landscapes have inspired a variety of musicians, writers and film-makers.The Forty Fiddlers was formed in the 1950s to promote the traditional fiddle style, which is a vibrant part of local culture today.[209] Notable exponents of Shetland folk music includeAly Bain,Jenna Reid,Fiddlers' Bid, and the lateTom Anderson andPeerie Willie Johnson.Thomas Fraser was acountry musician who never released a commercial recording during his life, but whose work has become popular more than 20 years after his death in 1978.[210]
The annual Shetland Folk Festival began in 1981 and is hosted on the first weekend of May.[211]
Hugh MacDiarmid, the Scots poet and writer, lived in Whalsay from the mid-1930s through 1942, and wrote many poems there, including a number that directly address or reflect the Shetland environment, such as "On A Raised Beach", which was inspired by a visit toWest Linga.[213] The 1975 novelNorth Star byHammond Innes is largely set in Shetland andRaman Mundair's 2007 book of poetryA Choreographer's Cartography offers a British Asian perspective on the landscape.[214] TheShetland Quartet byAnn Cleeves, who previously lived inFair Isle, is a series of crime novels set around the islands.[215] In 2013, her novelRed Bones became the basis ofBBC crime drama television seriesShetland.[216]
There is one monthly magazine in production:Shetland.[221] The quarterlyThe New Shetlander, founded in 1947, is said to be Scotland's longest-running literary magazine.[222] For much of the later 20th century, it was the major vehicle for the work of local writers – and of others, including early work byGeorge Mackay Brown.[223]
TheBBC One television seriesShetland, a crime drama, is set in the islands and is based on the book series byAnn Cleeves. The programme is filmed partly in Shetland and partly on the Scottish mainland.[229][230]
An earlyornithologist who wrote about the wealth of birdlife in Shetland wasEdmund Selous (1857–1934) in his bookThe Bird Watcher in the Shetlands (1905).[246]
The geographical isolation and recent glacial history of Shetland have resulted in a depleted mammalian fauna and thebrown rat andhouse mouse are two of only three species of rodent present in the islands. TheShetland field mouse is the third and the archipelago's fourth endemic subspecies, of which there are three varieties in Yell, Foula, and Fair Isle.[244] They are variants ofApodemus sylvaticus and archaeological evidence suggests that this species was present during the MiddleIron Age (around 200 BC to 400 CE). It is possible thatApodemus was introduced from Orkney where a population has existed since at the least theBronze Age.[247]
There is a variety of indigenous breeds, of which the diminutiveShetland pony is probably the best known, as well as being an important part of the Shetland farming tradition. The first written record of the pony was in 1603 in the Court Books of Shetland and, for its size, it is the strongest of all the horse breeds.[248][249] Others are theShetland Sheepdog or "Sheltie", the endangeredShetland cattle[250] andShetland goose[251][252] and theShetland sheep which is believed to have originated prior to 1000 AD.[253] TheGrice was a breed of semi-domesticated pig that had a habit of attacking lambs. It became extinct sometime between the middle of the nineteenth century and the 1930s.[254]
^Watson (1926) is sure that Tacitus was referring to Shetland, although David Breeze (2002) is more sceptical. The nameThule was mentioned byPytheas ofMassilia when he described visiting Britain sometime between 322 and 285 BC, but it is unlikely he was referring to Shetland, because he also wrote that he believed Thule was a six-day sail north of Britain and a one-day sail from "the frozen sea".[11][12]
^As with all western dialects of Norse, the stresseda shifts toe and so theja becameje as with Norsehjalpa which becamehjelpa. Then the pronunciation changed through a process ofreverse lenition of the initial/hj/ to/ʃ/. This is also found in some Norwegian dialects, for example in the word hjå ("with") and the place namesHjerkinn andSjoa (meaning from*Hjó). Lastly, thel before thet disappeared.[9]
^Shetland Islands Council state there are 15 inhabited islands, and count East and West Burra, which are joined by a bridge, as a single unit. Out Skerries has two inhabited islands:Housay andBruray.[21]
^The Scord of Brouster site includes a cluster of six or seven walled fields and three stone circular houses that contains the earliesthoe-blades found so far in Scotland.[58]
^Some scholars believe that this story, which appears in theOrkneyinga Saga is apocryphal and based on the later voyages ofMagnus Barelegs.[69]
^Historians have expressed different views on whether Christian I and James III and their advisors actually expected the dowry would eventually be paid in money, or whether there was a tacit understanding between them that the transfer of the islands as the security was the more likely outcome.[84] Christian had apparently proceeded without the knowledge of the NorwegianRigsraadet (Council of the Realm), initially pawning Orkney for 50,000 Rhenishguilders. On 28 May 1470, he also pawned Shetland for 8,000 Rhenish guilders.[85] He had secured a clause in the contract which gave future kings of Norway the right to redeem the islands for a fixed sum of 210 kg of gold or 2,310 kg of silver. Several attempts were made during the 17th and 18th centuries to redeem the islands, without success.[86]
^After Norway becameindependent again in 1905, the Shetland authorities sent a letter to KingHaakon VII in which they stated: "Today no 'foreign' flag is more familiar or more welcome in our voes and havens than that of Norway, and Shetlanders continue to look upon Norway as their mother-land, and recall with pride and affection the time when their forefathers were under the rule of the Kings of Norway".[75]
^No other part of the United Kingdom has any such oil-related fund. By comparison, as of 31 December 2010, the total value of theGovernment Pension Fund of Norway wasNOK 3 077 billion (US$525 billion),[116] i.e., circa £68,000 per head.
^Hansom, J.D. (2003)"St Ninian's Tombolo".Archived 23 October 2008 at theWayback Machine (pdf) Coastal Geomorphology of Great Britain.Geological Conservation Review. Retrieved 13 March 2011
^Kent, Alexander (11 October 2018)."Remapping the Shetland Isles".canterbury.ac.uk. Canterbury Christ Church University.Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved10 June 2020.
^Fleming (2005) p. 47, quoting Clarke, P.A. (1995)Observations of Social Change in Prehistoric Orkney and Shetland based on a Study of the Types and Context of Coarse Stone Artefacts, M.Litt. thesis, University of Glasgow
^"Support for businesses – Island Equivalent Payment".Shetland Islands Council. 2 February 2021. Retrieved6 February 2021.from 28 December 2020 to 24 January 2021, businesses in Level 3 island areas, including Shetland, can now apply for a payment of £2,000 or £3,000
^Macdougall, Norman (1982).James III: a political study. J. Donald. p. 91.ISBN978-0-85976-078-2. Retrieved19 February 2012.What James III had acquired from Earl William in return for this compensation was the comital rights in Orkney and Shetland. He already held a wadset of the royal rights; and to ensure his complete control, he referred the matter to parliament. On 20 February 1472, the three estates approved the annexation of Orkney and Shetland to the crown...
^Nicholson, R.A.; Barber, P.; Bond, J.M. (2005). "New Evidence for the Date of Introduction of the House Mouse,Mus musculus domesticus, Schwartz & Schwartz, and the Field Mouse,Apodemus sylvaticus (L.) to Shetland".Environmental Archaeology.10 (2):143–151.Bibcode:2005EnvAr..10..143N.doi:10.1179/env.2005.10.2.143.S2CID83897428.
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