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VisitShetland, Market Cross, Lerwick, Shetland, ZE1 0LU, UK
Welcome to Shetland
Location
Shetland's Location
Shetland is on longitude 01ºW of Greenwich and straddles latitude 60ºN, 598 miles (962km) north of London and just 400 miles (643km) south of the Arctic Circle. This is as far north as St Petersburg, Russia, or Anchorage, Alaska.
Cape Farewell, the southern tip of Greenland, is 1450 miles (2333km) due west of Shetland, while Bergen is just 225 miles (362km) east. Even cold places like Labrador, the Aleutian Islands and Kamchatka lie far to the south.
With good transport links to Shetland by air and sea, getting here is easy.
Geology
Geologically, the Shetland Islands are the drowned summits of a range of low hills, rising from the continental shelf about 100 miles north of Scotland. The 50-mile-wide Fair Isle Channel separates Shetland from the similarly-sized but more low-lying Orkney Islands which lie just off the coast of the Scottish mainland.
Climate
For somewhere so far north, Shetland has a remarkably mild climate. In winter, it's the warmest place on earth - at this latitude. Around Shetland the warm Atlantic currents flowing along the edge of the shelf meet colder water from the Norwegian Sea to the north. These mix with water from the North Sea to give Shetland its temperate maritime climate.
Advertising Feature
2008 Wildlife Holidays In Shetland
Shetland offers the best wildlife-watching in Scotland - FACT.
Over a million breeding seabirds, the highest density of Otters in Europe, regular sightings of Killer Whales and superb displays of rare sub-arctic flora. Our award-winning holidays offer everything from fully guided wildlife weeks and long weekends, dedicated birdwatching holidays plus photographic, walking and insight holidays.
Visit our extensive website www.shetlandwildlife.co.uk or call Shetland Wildlife on 01950 422483 for a choice of over 30 holidays!
Feature
Swan Trips 2008
Enjoy a trip on the Swan this summer and experience the world of a resilient vessel restored to glory. Join a crew who love the sea, and be part of a learning experience!
Feature
Focus on Wildlife - Spring 2008
Fair Isle is famous in spring for its huge seabird colonies and rare migrants. Shetland birder Hugh Harrop is your expert guide on the ‘Mecca’ of British birding…
Feature
White Nights
'White Nights', Ann Cleeves' sequel to her award-winning 'Raven Black', has now been published. Don't miss a reading and signing from Ann in the Lerwick tourist office, Market Cross at 11.30am on Saturday 17th May.
Feature
21st Century Shetland Travelogue
'Between Weathers', the new Shetland Travelogue will be launched in Lerwick on 6th June 2008...
News
The Centre for Nordic Studies
A new campus is to be set up in Lerwick for the new interdisciplinary Centre for Nordic Studies.
More Info (pdf)
News
Shetland's First Ever Festival of Nature
Organisers of Shetland’s first ever Festival of Nature, to be piloted from 4th to 12th July 2008, are calling on local businesses...
Read full Press Release (pdf)
News
Shetland Museum shortlisted for The Art Fund Prize
The Shetland Museum and Archives on short list for The Art Fund Prize for museums and galleries 2008...