Shetland

a group of islands north of Scotland. The Shetlands lie about fifty miles northeast of the Orkneys. There are about one hundred islands, with a total area of 566 square miles. They are for the greater part hilly and rocky. The inhabitants speak English, but they are largely of Norwegian descent. They are occupied chiefly in fishing. The soil is too rocky and the summers are too rainy and cool to mature crops with any certainty. Much of the surface is covered by peat bogs. Oats, barley, potatoes, and other vegetables are raised to some extent. Sheep, cattle, and horses pasture on the moors. The islands are celebrated for the small breed of horses known as Shetland ponies. The "shelties," as the ponies are called, are a stout, hardy race. There are small manufactures of woolen cloth. The chief exports are herrings, fish, oil, cattle, ponies, eggs, and gloves. The scene of Scott's The Pirate is laid on the main island of Zetland or Shetland. See Scotland