About our area

About Shetland

Shetland lies at the north-western frontier of the European Union, over 200 miles north of Aberdeen and nearly 1,000 miles from Brussels. It comprises more than 100 islands, 16 of which are inhabited. The main sources of economic activity in the islands are the offshore oil industry, fisheries and aquaculture, agriculture, knitwear and tourism.

Constraints facing the economy of Shetland include high transport costs, the marginal viability of services, deficiencies in infrastructure, labour market problems and an often harsh climate.