The Shetland pig, or grice, has been extinct since about 1930. Other animals with local breeds include the Shetland sheep, cow, goose, and duck. The Shetland pony and Shetland Sheepdog are two well-known Shetland animal breeds. Numerous areas on the islands have been set aside to protect the local fauna and flora, including a number of important seabird nesting sites.

The islands have produced a variety of prose writers and poets, who have often written in the distinctive Shetland dialect. The local way of life reflects the Norse heritage of the isles, including the Up Helly Aa fire festivals and a strong musical tradition, especially the traditional fiddle style.

Fishing has always been an important part of the islands’ economy. The discovery of North Sea oil in the 1970s significantly boosted Shetland's economy, employment and public-sector revenues. In 1707, when Scotland and England united to form the Kingdom of Great Britain, trade between Shetland and continental Northern Europe decreased. In the Early Middle Ages, the islands were dominated by Scandinavian influences, especially from Norway. Humans have lived in Shetland since the Mesolithic period. The archipelago has an oceanic climate, complex geology, rugged coastline, and many low, rolling hills. There are an additional 15 inhabited islands in Shetland. The largest island, known as ' the Mainland', has an area of 967 km 2 (373 sq mi), and the fifth-largest island in the British Isles. The islands' administrative centre and only burgh is Lerwick, which has been the capital of Shetland since 1708, before which time the capital was Scalloway. The local authority, the Shetland Islands Council, is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. The islands comprise the Shetland constituency of the Scottish Parliament. Their total area is 1,466 km 2 (566 sq mi), and the population totalled 22,920 in 2019. They form part of the border between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. The islands lie about 80 km (50 mi) to the northeast of Orkney, 170 km (110 mi) from mainland Scotland and 220 km (140 mi) west of Norway. It is the northernmost part of the United Kingdom, and lies 1° West of the Prime Meridian. Shetland ( Old Norse: Hjaltland), also called the Shetland Islands and formerly Zetland, is a subarctic archipelago in the Northern Atlantic, between Great Britain, the Faroe Islands and Norway.

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