This is a
list of Orkney islands in
Scotland. The
Orkney archipelago is located north of mainland
Scotland and comprises over 70 islands and
skerries, of which 20 are permanently inhabited. In addition to the
Orkney Mainland there are three groups of islands. The North and South Isles lie respectively north and south of Mainland. The
Pentland Skerries are a group of small islands in the
Pentland Firth, a dangerous stretch of water between mainland Scotland and the larger islands of Orkney, through which run the strongest tidal streams in Britain.
The Isle of Stroma is often mistakenly included with the Orkney Islands, but is part of
Caithness.