The Shetland Isles are the northernmost part of the United Kingdom and one of Scotland’s 32 council areas. The group covers 1,467 square kilometres (566 sq mi) and had a population of 22,986 at the 2022 census. Lerwick, on the east coast of the Mainland, is the only town and the seat of Shetland Islands Council.
Shetland lies about 100 miles north of the Scottish mainland and 130 miles west of Norway. Roughly 100 islands make up the group; about 16 are inhabited.
| Country | Scotland, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Status | Council area and island group |
| Area | 1,467 km2 (566 sq mi) |
| Population (2022) | 22,986 |
| Population (2011) | 23,167 |
| Largest town | Lerwick |
| Administrative centre | Lerwick |
| Council | Shetland Islands Council |
| Inhabited islands | About 16 |
| Postcode area | ZE1 to ZE3 |
Towns and Villages in Shetland
Shetland has 230 named settlements on record. Lerwick is the only one that reads as a town; Scalloway, Brae and Sandwick are the next largest. Everywhere else the pattern is a scattered township of crofts around a voe, often with no defined centre, which is why so many names below describe a bay, a headland or a stretch of shore.
- Aith
- Aithsetter
- Assater
- Ayres of Selivoe
- Aywick
- Baliasta
- Baltasound
- Bardister
- Belmont
- Beosetter
- Biggings
- Bigton
- Billister
- Bixter
- Boddam
- Brae
- Braewick
- Breiwick
- Bretabister
- Bridge End
- Brindister
- Brough
- Brough Lodge
- Browland
- Brunatwatt
- Bruray
- Burnside
- Burrafirth
- Burragarth
- Burraland
- Burravoe
- Busta
- Caldback
- Camb
- Cannygates
- Catfirth
- Cauldhame
- Challister
- Channerwick
- Clate
- Clibberswick
- Clivocast
- Clousta
- Collafirth
- Colvister
- Copister
- Cott
- Crooksetter
- Cullivoe
- Culswick
- Cunningsburgh
- Cunnister
- Da Hametoon
- Da Nort Toons
- Dale of Walls
- Dalsetter
- Duncansclett
- Dury
- East Burrafirth
- East Houlland
- Easter Quarff
- Easter Skeld
- Effirth
- Eswick
- Exnaboe
- Fetlar
- Firth
- Fladdabister
- Freefield
- Freester
- Funzie
- Garderhouse
- Gardie
- Gardin
- Garth
- Gillsbreck
- Girlsta
- Gletness
- Gloup
- Gonfirth
- Gossabrough
- Gott
- Graven
- Grindiscol
- Grunasound
- Gruting
- Grutness
- Gulberwick
- Gunnista
- Gunnister
- Gutcher
- Hadd
- Haggrister
- Ham
- Hamister
- Hamnavoe
- Haroldswick
- Harrier
- Hellister
- Heogan
- Herra
- Hestaford
- Hestingott
- Hestinsetter
- Heylor
- Hillswick
- Hogaland
- Hoswick
- Houbie
- Houlland
- Housabister
- Housay
- Housetter
- Houss
- Hulland
- Hultness
- Huxter
- Innbanks
- Ireland
- Isbister
- Kalliness
- Kirkabister
- Laxfirth
- Laxo
- Leeans
- Lerwick
- Levaneap
- Levenwick
- Littlester
- Lunning
- Mangaster
- Marrister
- Melby
- Mid Walls
- Mid Yell
- Midbrake
- Mossbank
- Muness
- Neap
- Nibon
- Noonsbrough
- Norbister
- Norby
- North Collafirth
- North Gluss
- North Roe
- North Sandwick
- Northdale
- Norwick
- Noss
- Ollaberry
- Ordale
- Otterswick
- Papil
- Quarff
- Quendale
- Quoys
- Ramnageo
- Reawick
- Rerwick
- Runn
- Saltness
- Sand
- Sandness
- Sandsound
- Sandvoe
- Sandwick
- Scalloway
- Scarff
- Scarvister
- Scatness
- Scatsta
- Scousburgh
- Sella Ness
- Sellafirth
- Semblister
- Setter
- Silwick
- Skaw
- Skelberry
- Skellister
- Sound
- South Nesting
- South Scousburgh
- South Stromness
- Stanydale
- Stebbligrind
- Stove
- Stromfirth
- Sullom
- Sumburgh
- Swining
- Symbister
- Tangwick
- The Houllands
- Tingwall
- Toab
- Toogs
- Tresta
- Tumblin
- Twatt
- Ulsta
- Underhoull
- Unifirth
- Uradale
- Urafirth
- Uyeasound
- Valsgarth
- Vassa
- Vats-houll
- Veensgarth
- Vidlin
- Virkie
- Voe
- Voxter
- Wadbister
- Walls
- Weisdale
- West Burrafirth
- West Heogaland
- West Houlland
- West Sandwick
- West Yell
- Wester Quarff
- Wester Skeld
- Westerwick
- Westing
- Wethersta
- White Ness
- Wick
Geography
The Mainland is by far the largest island and holds most of the population. North of it lie Yell, Unst and Fetlar; east are Whalsay, Bressay and the Out Skerries; west are Papa Stour and, 20 miles offshore, Foula. Fair Isle sits alone halfway to Orkney.
No point in Shetland is more than three miles from the sea. The coast is cut by long narrow voes, and the land is peat moor and rough grazing with almost no natural tree cover. Ronas Hill in Northmavine, at 450 metres, is the highest ground. Muckle Flugga and the Out Stack off Unst are the northernmost points of the United Kingdom.
Shetland has no land neighbour. The nearest council area is Orkney, about 50 miles south across the Fair Isle Channel.
Demographics
The 2022 census recorded 22,986 residents, down 181 on 2011. Density is about 16 people per square kilometre. Around 7,000 people live in Lerwick, and most of the rest are on the central and southern Mainland within commuting distance of it.
The outer isles carry small and ageing populations, with Fair Isle, Foula and Papa Stour each holding fewer than 100 residents. Shetland’s own dialect, built on Scots with a substantial layer of Norn words left by Norse settlement, is still in everyday use.
Economy and Local Life
Fishing is the anchor. Lerwick handles one of the largest catches by value of any UK port, mackerel and herring above all, and Whalsay and Burra run their own pelagic fleets. Salmon and mussel farming operate in the voes.
Oil and gas have paid for much of Shetland’s infrastructure since the 1970s. The Sullom Voe terminal in Northmavine, opened in 1978, remains one of the largest oil terminals in Europe, and the Shetland Gas Plant sits beside it. The Viking wind farm on the central Mainland began generating in 2024. Crofting, knitwear, the Fair Isle and Shetland lace traditions, and tourism take up the remainder. Up Helly Aa, the fire festival held in Lerwick on the last Tuesday of January, is the fixed point of the local year.
History
People have lived here for at least 5,000 years. Jarlshof at the southern tip of the Mainland shows Bronze Age, Iron Age, Norse and medieval building on one site, and the broch on Mousa is the best preserved in Scotland.
Norse settlers arrived in the ninth century and Shetland was ruled from Norway for some 500 years. It passed to Scotland in 1469 as security against the unpaid dowry of Margaret of Denmark, and the debt was never settled. Traces of the Norse period survive in the place names, in udal land tenure, and in the dialect. Herring fishing boomed from the 1880s to the 1930s, and the “Shetland Bus” ran clandestine crossings to occupied Norway during the Second World War.
Getting There
NorthLink Ferries sails nightly from Aberdeen to Lerwick, a crossing of about 12 hours, with some sailings calling at Kirkwall in Orkney. Freight and livestock move the same way.
Sumburgh Airport at the southern tip of the Mainland has flights to Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Kirkwall. Tingwall airstrip near Lerwick handles inter-island flights to Foula, Fair Isle and Papa Stour. The A970 runs the length of the Mainland from Sumburgh to North Roe, and council-run car ferries link Yell, Unst, Fetlar, Whalsay and Bressay.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Shetland?
22,986 at the 2022 census, down 181 on 2011.
What is the largest town in Shetland?
Lerwick, with about 7,000 residents. Scalloway on the west side of the Mainland is next.
How many islands are inhabited?
About 16 of roughly 100 islands, including the Mainland, Yell, Unst, Whalsay, Bressay, Fetlar, Foula and Fair Isle.
How do you get to Shetland?
By overnight ferry from Aberdeen to Lerwick, or by air to Sumburgh from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness or Kirkwall.
Is Shetland part of Scotland or Norway?
Scotland. Shetland was Norwegian until 1469, when it was pledged to Scotland against a royal dowry that was never paid.
What postcodes cover Shetland?
ZE1 covers Lerwick and the central Mainland, ZE2 the rest of the islands, and ZE3 Fair Isle.