Orkney is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland. It is set 10 miles north of the coast of Caithness and includes 70 islands, of which 20 have settlements. The archipelago has a total area of 523 square miles, meaning that it is the 6th largest Scottish island and the tenth largest island in the UK. Kirkwall is Orkney's most comprehensive administrative centre. Orkney constitutes one of the 32 council regions of Scotland, in addition to being a constituency of the Scottish Parliament, a lieutenancy region and an one-time county. The local council is Orkney Islands Council, being one out of 3 councils in Scotland that have a majority of elected members who are independents. The majority of the islands are divided into 2 groups, the North and South Isles, and a characteristic of all the islands is the presence of Old Red Sandstone. With a mild climate and greatly fertile soil, farming remains to be the most significant portion of the economy. Exportation of beef, cheese, whisky, beer and fish also continues to have a role in the economy, however there has been an increase in areas like retail, making up 17 percent of total employment. Increasing in notability are the wind and marine energy sources, and the island produces in excess of its annual electricity demand through these methods. In accordance with the 2011 census, Orkney has a population of 20100, growing 11 per cent since the 2001 census. A number of festivals occur on the islands which attract great deals of citizens and residents, for instance the Orkney International Science Festival and the St. Magnus International Arts Festival happening annually in June. For all of your home upgrades, make sure to make use of reliable professionals in Orkney to make certain of quality.