CAITHNESS, a county occupying the extreme north-east of Scotland, bounded west and south by Sutherlandshire, east by the North Sea, and north by the Pentland Firth. Its area (excluding water) is 438,833 acres. The formation is mainly middle Old Red Sandstone, and the surface consists of barren moors, almost destitute of trees. It slopes from the north and east up to a belt of metamorphic rocks in the south and west, where the chief mountains are Morven (2,313 ft.), Scaraben (2,054 ft.) and Maiden Pap (1,587 ft.). Morven is a shapely peak of sandstones and conglomerates on a platform of quartzose rocks. The principal rivers are the Thurso ("Thor's River"), rising in Cnoc Crom Uillt (i,199 ft.) near the Sutherlandshire border, and reaching the sea in Thurso Bay; the Forss, which, emerging from Loch Shurrery, enters the sea at Crosskirk, a fine cascade about a mile from its mouth giving the river its name (fos, Scandinavian, "waterfall" ; in English the form is force) ; and Wick Water, which, draining Loch Watten, flows into the sea at Wick. Small lochs are numerous, the largest being Loch Watten, 2 m. by m., and Loch Calder, 21,- by 1 m. So much of the land is flat and boggy that there are no glens, except in the mountainous south west, although towards the centre of the county are Strathmore and Strathbeg (the great and little valleys). Most of the coast line is precipitous ; Dunnet Head (346 ft.) is the most northerly point of Scotland. From Berriedale at frequent intervals round the coast occur "stacks" or detached pillars of red sandstone.
Caithness is separated from the Orkneys by the Pentland Firth, a strait about 14 miles long and from 6 to 8 miles broad. The tidal wave races at a speed which varies from 6 to 12 M. an hour. At the meeting of the western and eastern currents the waves at times rise into the air like a waterspout. The breakers caused by the sunken reefs off Duncansbay Head create the Bores of Dun cansbay, and eddies off St. John's Point are the origin of the Merry Men of Mey, while off the island of Stroma occurs the whirlpool of the Swalchie, and off the Orcadian Swona is the vor tex of the Wells of Swona. Nevertheless, as the most direct road from Scandinavian ports to the Atlantic the Firth is used by many vessels. In the eastern entrance to the Firth lies the group of islands known as the Pentland Skerries. On Muckle Skerry, the largest, stands a lighthouse with twin towers, ioo ft. apart. The island of Stroma (pop. 277) also belongs to Caithness.
History.—Picts' houses, Norse names and Danish mounds attest that these peoples displaced each other in turn, and the number and strength of old fortified keeps point to long periods of unrest. There are a few circles of standing stones, as at Stemster Loch and Bower, and ruins of Roman Catholic chapels and places of pilgrimage occur in almost every district. The most important remains are those of Bucholie Castle, Girnigo Castle, and the tower of Keiss ; and, on the south-east coast, the castles of Clyth, Swiney, Forse, Laveron, Knockinnon, Berriedale, Achastle and Dunbeath, the last of which is finely situated on a detached stack of sandstone rock. About six miles from Thurso stand the ruins of Braal Castle, the residence of the ancient bishops of Caithness. On the coast of the Pentland Firth, i. miles west of Duncansbay Head, is the site of John o' Groat's house.
Agriculture.—Only about two-fifths of the arable land, form ing a broad belt along the coast, is good, and about half the county consists of rough moor, sparsely inhabited, used for grazing, and rich in game. In spite of this poverty and a damp and windy climate, progressive landlords and tenants keep a considerable part of the acreage of large farms successfully tilled. In 1824 James Traill of Ratter, near Dunnet, recognizing that it was im possible to expect tenants to reclaim and improve the land on a system of short leases, advocated large holdings on long terms, so that farmers might enjoy a substantial return on their capital and labour. Oats and turnips are the chief crops. Sheep—chiefly Leicester and Cheviots—of which the wool is in especial request in consequence of its fine quality, cattle, horses and pigs are raised for southern markets.
Other Industries.—The great source of profit to the inhabi tants is to be found in the fisheries for cod, haddock, etc., and herring. The last is the most important, particularly in summer, the centre of operations being at Wick. The fisheries give employ ment to a large number of coopers, curers, packers and helpers. The salmon fisheries on the coast and in the rivers are valuable. The Thurso is one of the best salmon streams in the north. Of manufacture there is little beyond tweeds, nets and ropes, and whisky, with saw-milling, all at Wick. Caithness flagstones have long been quarried for paving. The London, Midland and Scot tish railway crosses the shire in a rough semicircle from a point near Altnabreac via Halkirk, to Wick, with a branch from George mas Junction to Thurso, and a light line from Wick to Lybster. Road motor services radiate from %Vick. There is communication by steamer between Wick and Thurso and the Orkneys and Shet lands, Aberdeen and Leith.
Population and Government.—The population of Caithness in 1921 was 28,284, and in 1931 25,656, of whom 633 spoke Gaelic and English. The only burghs are Wick (pop. in 1931 and Thurso (2,446). The county returns one member to parliament with Sutherland, and unites with Orkney and Shetland, to form a sheriffdom. There is a resident sheriff-substitute at Wick, who sits also at Thurso and Lybster.