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Revision as of 01:06, 18 November 2001
The Orkney Islands are a group of about 200 small islands 10 miles north of Caithness in northern Scotland. The largest island in the group is known as "Mainland"; about 20 are inhabited in total.
Orkney's administrative capital is Kirkwall on Mainland, a small city (due to the Saint Magnus Cathedral) with a large port. The only other sizeable town is Stromness at the western end of Mainland.
Frequent ferry services operate on the following routes:
- Aberdeen to Stromness
- Scrabster to Stromness
- John o' Groats to St Mary's
A locally owned cargo service also takes passengers on its services from Kirkwall to Invergordon.
The most significant islands in the group are:
- Mainland, which is connected by causeway to:
- South Ronaldsay
- Burray
- /Hoy (which is also the highest)
- Flotta (a large oil processing centre is located here)
- Eday
- Westray
- Stronsay
The famous Neolithic sites of Skara Brae and Maes Howe are located on the Mainland.