Bruce Fletcher's website - What is Orkney?
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Orkney consists of 67 islands, 18 of which are inhabited, situated some seven miles north of the Scottish mainland and covering an area of just under 100,000 hectares. Of the county's population of about 20,000, 16,500 inhabit the main island (called the Mainland) and two southern isles linked with it by causeways whilst most of the remaining 3,500 inhabitants live on the islands of Hoy and Walls, Flotta and Fara, and the Northern Isles - Shapinsay, Rousay, Eday, Westray, Papa Westray, Sanday, Stronsay, Papa Stronsay and North Ronaldsay. Orkney's two main towns of Kirkwall (population 7,500) and Stromness (population 2,200) are situated on Mainland. The main industries of Orkney are agriculture, tourism, fishing, and oil processing and handling. Other important activities are aquaculture, jewellery manufacture, knitwear manufacture, food processing, quarrying, brewing and distilling.

• (following figures taken from The Times, 23 May 2005)
• Orcadian women have highest life expectancy in Scotland, at 81.3 years, and one of the highest in the UK
• Men can expect to live to 74, compared with Scottish average of 73
• Lowest infant mortality rate in Scotland, at 1.6 deaths per 1,000 live births, compared with UK average of 5.3
• One of the lowest population densities in the UK, 0.25 persons per hectare, compared with national average of 2.5
• Crime rate of 0.02 per cent, barely 200 crimes recorded per 10,000 population, compared with UK average of 10 per cent
• Average yearly income of £8,949, compared with UK average of £20,760

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Last updated 04 August 2005