Orkney is an island council area off the north coast of Scotland, separated from Caithness by the Pentland Firth. It covers 990 km2 (382 sq mi) across about 70 islands, 20 of them inhabited, and had a population of 21,958 at the 2022 census. The council is based in Kirkwall.
The largest island is called the Mainland and holds about three-quarters of the population, including both towns: Kirkwall in the east and Stromness in the west. The rest live in the North Isles beyond Shapinsay and the South Isles around Scapa Flow.
| Country | Scotland, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Status | Council area, islands area and lieutenancy area |
| Area | 382 sq mi (990 km2) |
| Population (2022) | 21,958 |
| Population (2011) | 21,349 |
| Density | 22 people per km2 |
| Islands | About 70, of which 20 are inhabited |
| Largest town | Kirkwall (7,150) |
| Administrative centre | Kirkwall |
| Council | Orkney Islands Council |
| Postcode areas | KW15–KW17 |
Towns and Villages in Orkney
Orkney has 152 named settlements. Almost all are farm townships and scattered clusters rather than nucleated villages; only Kirkwall and Stromness are towns. The list runs alphabetically, from Abune-the-Hill in Birsay to Yinstay in Tankerness.
- Abune-the-Hill
- Aikerness
- Aikers
- Aith
- Ancumtoun
- Backaland
- Balfour
- Beaquoy
- Bimbister
- Birsay
- Braeswick
- Brims
- Brinian
- Broughtown
- Burness
- Burray Village
- Burroughston
- Burwick
- Bustatoun
- Cairston
- Calfsound
- Cleat
- Clestrain
- Clouston
- Cornquoy
- Coubister
- Crockness
- Crookness
- Cursiter
- Cusbay
- Deerness
- Dishes
- Dounby
- Easting
- Eastside
- Everbay
- Evie
- Finstown
- Foubister
- Frotoft
- Georth
- Germiston
- Gorseness
- Greenigoe
- Grimbister
- Grimeston
- Grimness
- Grobister
- Guith
- Hackland
- Hackness
- Harray
- Heddle
- Herston
- Hestwall
- Hobbister
- Hollandstoun
- Horraldshay
- Hourston
- Houton
- Hoxa
- Hoy
- Huntscarth
- Hurliness
- Ireland
- Isbister
- Kettletoft
- Kirbest
- Kirbister
- Kirbuster
- Kirkwall
- Knarston
- Lady
- Laminess
- Liddel
- Linklet
- Little Ayre
- Longhope
- Lyness
- Marwick
- Melsetter
- Midbea
- Midland
- Mill Bay
- Mirbister
- Navershaw
- Nesstoun
- Nether Button
- Netherbrough
- Newark
- Newgarth
- Northdyke
- Northside
- Northtown
- Northwall
- Orphir
- Osmondwall
- Otterswick
- Outertown
- Overbister
- Petertown
- Pierowall
- Quatquoy
- Quholm
- Quindry
- Quoyness
- Rackwick
- Rapness
- Redland
- Rendall
- Rinnigill
- Rothiesholm
- Rusness
- Russland
- Saint Margaret's Hope
- Saint Mary's
- Sandwick
- Scapa
- Scarwell
- Sellibister
- Settiscarth
- Skeabrae
- Skelwick
- Smerquoy
- Smoogro
- Sourin
- South Walls
- Southtown
- Steinflett
- Stenness
- Stove
- Stromness
- Stronsay
- Swannay
- Tankerness
- Tenston
- The Barony
- Tingwall
- Toab
- Tronston
- Tuskerbister
- Upper Sanday
- Veness
- Voy
- Wardhill
- Wasbister
- West Side
- Whitehall
- Widewall
- Wyng
- Yesnaby
- Yinstay
Inhabited islands and their main settlements
| Mainland | Kirkwall, Stromness, Finstown, Dounby, Orphir, Deerness, St Mary’s |
|---|---|
| Hoy and South Walls | Lyness, Longhope, Rackwick, Melsetter, Brims |
| South Ronaldsay | St Margaret’s Hope, Burwick, Herston, Widewall, Hoxa |
| Burray | Burray Village |
| Flotta | Flotta, with the oil terminal |
| Graemsay | Scattered crofts, no village |
| Shapinsay | Balfour, Burroughston |
| Rousay | Brinian, Frotoft, Sourin, Wasbister |
| Egilsay and Wyre | Crofting townships, no village |
| Eday | Backaland, Calfsound |
| Stronsay | Whitehall, Rothiesholm |
| Sanday | Kettletoft, Lady, Burness, Broughtown, Overbister |
| Westray | Pierowall, Skelwick, Rapness |
| Papa Westray | Crofting townships around Holland |
| North Ronaldsay | Hollandstoun, Linklet |
Geography
Orkney is low and green. The Old Red Sandstone that forms the islands weathers into good soil, so the ground is farmed rather than moorland, and there are almost no trees. The highest point is Ward Hill on Hoy at 481 m; Hoy is the one island with real relief and holds the sea stack known as the Old Man of Hoy, 137 m high.
Scapa Flow, the sheltered basin of water ringed by the Mainland, Hoy, Flotta, Burray and South Ronaldsay, is one of the great natural harbours of the world at roughly 120 square miles.
The Pentland Firth separates Orkney from Caithness in Highland by about six miles at the narrowest point. Its tidal streams run at up to 16 knots and are among the fastest in the world. Shetland lies about 100 miles north-east.
Demographics
Scotland’s Census 2022 counted 21,958 residents, up 609 on 2011 — a rise of 2.9%. Density is 22 people per km2. About three-quarters live on the Mainland, and roughly a third in Kirkwall alone.
The outer islands hold small and ageing populations. North Ronaldsay, the most distant, has fewer than 60 residents; Papa Westray, Wyre, Egilsay and Graemsay each have fewer than 100. Several islands run their own primary schools with a handful of pupils.
Orcadian, a dialect of Scots with strong Norse vocabulary, is widely spoken. Norn, the Norse language of the islands, survived in ordinary use into the 1700s.
Economy and Local Life
Agriculture is the largest single industry: Orkney runs a substantial beef herd for its size, and cattle and sheep exports move south through Kirkwall. Fishing and shellfish, particularly brown crab, scallops and lobster, work out of Stromness, Westray and Stronsay.
Energy matters twice over. The Flotta oil terminal has handled crude from the Piper and Claymore fields since 1977. The European Marine Energy Centre, set up at Stromness in 2003, is the world’s first accredited test site for wave and tidal devices, with berths off Billia Croo and in the Fall of Warness at Eday. Orkney generates more renewable electricity than it consumes.
Tourism runs on archaeology, birdlife and diving on the sunken German fleet in Scapa Flow. Highland Park and Scapa distilleries are both at Kirkwall. The St Magnus International Festival each June is the main cultural event.
History
Orkney holds some of the best-preserved Neolithic remains in Europe. Skara Brae, a village of stone houses on the Bay of Skaill, was occupied from about 3180 BC and lay under sand until a storm uncovered it in 1850. With Maeshowe, the Ring of Brodgar and the Standing Stones of Stenness it forms the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1999. Excavation at the Ness of Brodgar since 2003 has found a large temple complex between the two stone circles.
Norse settlers arrived from about 800 and the islands became an earldom under the kings of Norway. St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall was begun in 1137 by Earl Rognvald in memory of his uncle Magnus. Orkney and Shetland were pledged to Scotland in 1468 as security for the dowry of Margaret of Denmark; the debt was never paid and the islands were annexed in 1472.
Scapa Flow was the main base of the British Grand Fleet in both world wars. The interned German High Seas Fleet was scuttled there by its own crews on 21 June 1919. HMS Royal Oak was torpedoed at anchor in October 1939 with the loss of 835 lives, after which the Churchill Barriers were built across the eastern approaches by Italian prisoners of war, who also built the Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm.
Getting There
NorthLink sails Scrabster to Stromness in about 90 minutes, and Aberdeen to Kirkwall overnight. Pentland Ferries runs Gills Bay to St Margaret’s Hope on South Ronaldsay in about an hour, and a summer passenger ferry crosses from John O’Groats to Burwick.
Kirkwall Airport has Loganair flights to Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Sumburgh. The inter-island air service links Westray, Papa Westray, Sanday, Stronsay, Eday and North Ronaldsay; the Westray to Papa Westray leg, at about 90 seconds, is the shortest scheduled flight in the world.
Orkney Ferries runs the inter-island boats from Kirkwall and Tingwall. On the Mainland the A960, A961, A964 and A965 link Kirkwall to the airport, the Barriers, Orphir and Stromness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Orkney?
21,958 at the 2022 census, up 2.9% from 21,349 in 2011.
How many islands are in Orkney?
About 70 in total, of which 20 are inhabited. The largest is the Mainland, which holds Kirkwall and Stromness.
What is the largest town in Orkney?
Kirkwall, with about 7,150 people. Stromness (2,490) is the only other town.
How do you get to Orkney?
By ferry from Scrabster, Gills Bay, John O’Groats or Aberdeen, or by air to Kirkwall from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow or Inverness.
What postcodes does Orkney use?
KW15 for Kirkwall, KW16 for Stromness and the west Mainland, and KW17 for the North and South Isles and the east Mainland.
Is Orkney part of Scotland or Norway?
Scotland. The islands were Norse territory until they were pledged to Scotland in 1468 and annexed in 1472. The Norse inheritance survives in place names, dialect and udal land law.