I.

Introduction

Orkney Islands, archipelago and island administrative region, Scotland, comprising some 90 islands and islets located 32 km (20 mi) off the north-east coast of the Scottish mainland, and bounded on the north and west by the Atlantic Ocean, on the east by the North Sea, and on the south by the Pentland Firth. The Orkney Islands local government administrative area is coterminous with the archipelago, and was established under the Scottish local government reforms of 1975. It has an area of 972 sq km (375 sq mi). The administrative centre and largest town is Kirkwall, on Mainland (or Pomona).

The islands are treeless, low lying, and the 18 that are inhabited are given over to agriculture. The islands to the west have rocky shores, the others have sandy shores. Mainland is the largest of the islands. Other major islands are Hoy, Sanday, Westray, Stronsay, and South Ronaldsay.