ORK'NEY ISLANDS. An archipelago lying north of Scotland, and separated from Caithness by the Pentland Firth (Slap: Scotland. F 1). It consists of about 70 islands; and islets, of which 29 are inhabited. The principal islands are Pomona or Mainland. Hoy. South and North Bonaldsay, Flotay, Burray, Bonsay, Shapinsay, Stronsay, Eday, \\e-.tray, and Sanday. The area of the islands is 375 square miles. With the ) x ception of Hoy, which is mountainous, the islands are generally low, with an irregular. partly rocky, partly sandy coast line. The highest bill is the Ward of Hoy. 1555 feet. The rocks are of the Old Red Sandstone formation, except a small granite district near Stroniness. The cli mate is mild owing to the proximity of the Gulf Stream. The annual rainfall varies from about 28 inches on the east side of the isles to 37 inches on the west. The soil is fertile and produces barley. oats, potatoes, and turnips. The inhabit ants also engage in cattle, sheep. and poultry raising. and fishing. Live stock. sea food, poultry. and eggs are largely exported. Though Orkney is a separate county- of Scotland. it combines with the Shetlands to return one member to Par liament. The only towns are Kirkwall (q.v.), the capital. and Stromness, with a fine harbor admitting the largest vessels. both in Pomona. The population of the islands was, in 1891, 30.450: in 1901, 20.698.
The O-cm/ex, (whence the modern adjective Orcadian) are mentioned by elassical writers, hut of their inhabitants almost nothing is known till the :Middle Ages. They were probably of the
same stock as the British Celts. From an early period, however, the Norsemen resorted to these islands, and in the tenth century they were rile,] by independent Scandinavian jarls (earls). but in 1095 they were made subject to the Norwegian Crown. In 1231 the Scandinavian feudal lords were succeeded by Scotch nobles under the over lordship of the Norwegian kings. In 1468 the islands were given to James III. of Scotland as a security for the dowry of his wife, Margaret of Denmark. In 1590 Denmark formally re signed all pretensions to the sovereignty of the Orkneys. The present inhabitants are generally of Scandinavian and scotch descent. The anti• ((Indies include the standing stones of Stennis, the Maeshowe tumulus, and an old Pictish fort.
Consult : Low, .1 Tour Through the Islands of Orkney and Shtibind ( Kirkwall, 1879) ; Tudor, The Orkneys and ( London, 1883) ; Wal lace, Description. of Orkney (Edinburgh, 18S3); Brand. d Brig f Description of Orkney, Zetland, ttunel. Firth, and cnithurss 1583) ; Buckley and Haure-lirown, 1 cricbrafr Fauna of the Orkney Islands (Di., 1591) ; Craven. ili8tory in orkney, 166.?- (Kirkwall, 1S93) ; id., The Church in Orkney, ' lib., 1893).