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The '''Orkney Islands''', also known as '''Orkney''' or '''The Orkneys''', are a [[county]] and [[archipelago]] located 10km off the north coast of [[Scotland]] in the [[United Kingdom]]. The county consists of 70 [[island]]s and skerries. The largest town and administratie centre of the islands is [[Kirkwall]].<ref>http://www.orkneyjar.com/orkney/kirkwall/</ref>
The '''Orkney Islands''', also known as '''Orkney''' or '''The Orkneys''', are a [[county]] and [[archipelago]] located off the north coast of [[Scotland]] in the [[United Kingdom]]. The county consists of 70 [[island]]s and skerries. The islands are seperated from the Scottish mainland by the Pentland Firth, a 10km seaway which stretches from the north coast of Caithness to the Orkney island of South Ronaldsay.
The largest island, known as Mainland, is home to 15,000 of the total 20,000 population of the county, but the north islands of Shapinsay, Gairsay, Stronsay, Wyre, Rousay, Egilsay, Eday, Sanday, Westray, Papa Westray and North Ronaldsay and the south islands of Graemsay, Hoy, Burray, Flotta and South Ronaldsay are also populated.<ref>http://www.visitorkney.com/about_orkney.asp</ref>
The largest island of the Orkneys, known as Mainland, is home to 15,000 of the total 20,000 population of the county, but the north islands of Shapinsay, Gairsay, Stronsay, Wyre, Rousay, Egilsay, Eday, Sanday, Westray, Papa Westray and North Ronaldsay and the south islands of Graemsay, Hoy, Burray, Flotta and South Ronaldsay are also populated.<ref>http://www.visitorkney.com/about_orkney.asp</ref>
The largest town and administratie centre of the islands is [[Kirkwall]].<ref>http://www.orkneyjar.com/orkney/kirkwall/</ref>
==Geography==
Orkney lies between 58°41′and 59°24′North, and 2°22′and 3°26′West, measuring 80 kilometres from northeast to southwest and 47 kilometres from east to west, and covers 975 square kilometres in total.
The islands are largely low-lying with the exceptions of rising sandstone hills on the isles of Hoy and Rousay and rugged cliffs on the west coast of Mainland. The coastlines of the islands are indented, and are seperated from each other by straits, usually called "firths".
==Economy==
==Economy==
Agriculture, primarily animal husbandry, is the main industry in the Orkney Islands, with more than 90% of land in the islands being used for the growing of crops (mostly cereal production) and the grazing of sheep and cattle. The agricultural sector alone provides employment for over a quarter of Orkney's workforce.
Agriculture, primarily animal husbandry, is the main industry in the Orkney Islands, with more than 90% of land in the islands being used for the growing of crops (mostly cereal production) and the grazing of sheep and cattle. The agricultural sector alone provides employment for over a quarter of Orkney's workforce.