Shetland - Exam
  • 1. Which language is predominantly spoken in Shetland?
A) Italian
B) French
C) Russian
D) English
  • 2. What is the capital of the Shetland Islands?
A) Lerwick
B) Kirkwall
C) Inverness
D) Stornoway
  • 3. Which bird species is commonly found in Shetland?
A) Flamingo
B) Puffin
C) Peacock
D) Parrot
  • 4. Which industry is important to the economy of Shetland?
A) Mining
B) Agriculture
C) Tourism
D) Fishing
  • 5. Which body of water surrounds the Shetland Islands?
A) Mediterranean Sea
B) Baltic Sea
C) North Sea
D) Arctic Ocean
  • 6. Which Scottish clan has historical ties to Shetland?
A) MacDonald
B) Sinclair
C) Murray
D) Campbell
  • 7. What is the traditional Shetland knitwear named after the islands?
A) Argyle
B) Cable
C) Intarsia
D) Fair Isle
  • 8. What type of sheep breed is native to Shetland?
A) Suffolk Sheep
B) Merino Sheep
C) Dorper Sheep
D) Shetland Sheep
  • 9. Which famous author has written a novel titled 'Raven Black' set in Shetland?
A) Agatha Christie
B) J.K. Rowling
C) Ann Cleeves
D) Stephen King
  • 10. What is the most populous island in Shetland?
A) Mainland
B) Fetlar
C) Yell
D) Unst
  • 11. When is Up Helly Aa, a fire festival, celebrated in Shetland?
A) October
B) January
C) July
D) March
  • 12. Which Vikings were known to have settled in Shetland?
A) Swedish
B) Norse
C) Finnish
D) Danish
  • 13. Where are the Shetland Islands located in relation to Orkney?
A) About 50 miles to the northeast
B) About 50 miles to the northwest
C) About 140 miles to the northeast
D) About 110 miles to the northeast
  • 14. What type of climate does Shetland have?
A) Oceanic climate
B) Desert climate
C) Continental climate
D) Mediterranean climate
  • 15. When did Norse settlement in Shetland begin?
A) 11th century
B) Late 8th and 9th centuries
C) 12th century
D) 10th century
  • 16. What was the reason for Shetland being pledged by King Christian I of Denmark and Norway?
A) To establish a trade agreement
B) As a gift to Scotland
C) As security for the unpaid dowry of his daughter Margaret
D) To pay off a war debt
  • 17. Which year did the Scottish Parliament issue an act of annexation for Shetland?
A) 1468
B) 1500
C) 1472
D) 1469
  • 18. What is the motto of Shetland?
A) Með lögum skal land byggja
B) Land of the free
C) Strength through unity
D) Unity in diversity
  • 19. What is the traditional fiddle style associated with Shetland?
A) A strong musical tradition
B) A weak musical tradition
C) A classical musical style
D) A modern musical style
  • 20. What is the significance of the phrase 'Með lögum skal land byggja'?
A) It appears on the Council's coat of arms
B) It is a famous battle cry
C) It is a modern slogan
D) It is a tourist slogan
  • 21. How many inhabited islands are there in Shetland?
A) 16
B) 20
C) 10
D) 25
  • 22. What is the area of the largest island in Shetland?
A) 1000 sq mi (2590 km2)
B) 373 sq mi (967 km2)
C) 500 sq mi (1296 km2)
D) 200 sq mi (518 km2)
  • 23. What is the population of Shetland as of 2024?
A) 30,000
B) 15,000
C) 50,000
D) 23,190
  • 24. What is the geographical significance of Shetland's location?
A) It marks the northernmost region of the United Kingdom
B) It marks the easternmost region of the United Kingdom
C) It marks the southernmost region of the United Kingdom
D) It marks the westernmost region of the United Kingdom
  • 25. What is the significance of the discovery of North Sea oil for Shetland?
A) Significantly boosted Shetland's economy, employment and public-sector revenues
B) Caused environmental degradation
C) Had no significant impact
D) Led to a decline in Shetland's economy
  • 26. Which ancient Celtic tribe might the first syllable of 'Shetland' be derived from?
A) Caledones
B) Cat
C) Haemodae
D) Pictish
  • 27. Which Roman author referred to the Shetland islands as 'Haemodae' in AD 43?
A) Pliny the Elder
B) Pomponius Mela
C) Julius Caesar
D) Tacitus
  • 28. What name did Pliny the Elder use for the Shetland islands in AD 77?
A) Insi Catt
B) Haemodae
C) Acmodae
D) Thule
  • 29. Which Roman historian mentioned 'Thule' in his report 'Agricola' in AD 98?
A) Pomponius Mela
B) Pliny the Elder
C) Tacitus
D) Cicero
  • 30. What is the early Irish name for Shetland referring to the tribe called Cat?
A) Insi Thule
B) Insi Hjalt
C) Insi Catt
D) Insi Acmodae
  • 31. Which Pictish people might have influenced the name 'Shetland'?
A) Caledones
B) Cat
C) Acmodae
D) Haemodae
  • 32. What is the oldest known version of the modern name 'Shetland'?
A) Hjaltland
B) Acmodae
C) Hetland
D) Zetland
  • 33. What does 'Hetland' possibly represent according to a hypothesis?
A) Thule
B) Catland
C) Hiltland
D) Haemodae
  • 34. By what year were the islands being referred to as 'Hetland'?
A) 1431
B) 1190
C) AD 43
D) AD 77
  • 35. What was Shetland called in the 16th century?
A) Acmodae
B) Hetland
C) Hjaltland
D) Zetland
  • 36. What language was gradually replaced by the Shetland dialect of Scots?
A) Greek
B) Old English
C) Norn
D) Latin
  • 37. What is the Middle Scots letter that almost matches the original Norn sound /hj/?
A) C
B) Z
C) Yogh
D) H
  • 38. What letter was often used to replace 'yogh' when its use was discontinued?
A) Y
B) H
C) C
D) Z
  • 39. Some island names in Shetland may be derived from which of the following languages?
A) Greek
B) Pictish
C) Old English
D) Latin
  • 40. Which of the following is a possible pre-Celtic derivation for some Shetland island names?
A) True
B) False
C) Latin
D) Norse
  • 41. During which conflict did 3,000 Shetlanders serve in the Royal Navy?
A) The Napoleonic Wars
B) The Crimean War
C) World War I
D) World War II
  • 42. What is the total catch weight in Shetland for the year 2009?
A) 75,767 tonnes
B) 80,000 tonnes
C) 65,000 tonnes
D) 70,000 tonnes
  • 43. Which island is 17 miles west of Walls?
A) Foula
B) Noss
C) Mousa
D) Fair Isle
  • 44. What geological feature is distinctive in Unst and Fetlar?
A) Granite
B) Limestone
C) Old Red Sandstone
D) Ophiolite
  • 45. Which league did Shetlanders sell their goods through from the early 15th century?
A) The British League
B) The Hanseatic League
C) The Scottish League
D) The Norse League
  • 46. Which radio station is a commercial service in Shetland?
A) Shetland FM
B) SIBC
C) Shetland Sound
D) Shetland Radio
  • 47. What unique style of chambered cairn is found in Shetland?
A) Long barrows
B) Heel-shaped cairns
C) Bell barrows
D) Round barrows
  • 48. Which island is the most northerly castle in the United Kingdom located on?
A) Yell
B) Mainland
C) Unst
D) Muness
  • 49. Which military unit was stationed at Swarbacks Minn during World War I?
A) The Shetland Bus
B) The Royal Navy
C) The 10th Cruiser Squadron
D) The Gordon Highlanders
  • 50. What was the population of Shetland at its peak in 1861?
A) 25,000
B) 17,814
C) 40,000
D) 31,670
  • 51. Which island was the capital of Shetland until 1708?
A) Bressay
B) Lerwick
C) Scalloway
D) Unst
  • 52. What causes snow to generally fall in Shetland?
A) Blizzards
B) Cumulonimbus or towering cumulus showers
C) Steady snowfall
D) Light snow showers
  • 53. What did the jarls owe allegiance to for their territory on mainland Britain?
A) The Scottish crown
B) The Pictish leaders
C) The Norwegian crown
D) The Viking leaders
  • 54. Which island is known for the Stanes of Stofast?
A) Mousa
B) Noss
C) Lunnasting
D) Foula
  • 55. Which country's company planned to launch spacecraft from the SaxaVord Spaceport?
A) Norway
B) United States
C) Germany
D) United Kingdom
  • 56. What is the term used locally in Shetland for almost perpetual daylight in summer?
A) Polar day
B) Midnight sun
C) Simmer dim
D) Eternal light
  • 57. What is the highest point in Shetland?
A) Unst Hill
B) St Ninian's Hill
C) Ronas Hill
D) Yell Hill
  • 58. Who was the Scottish king betrothed to Christian I's daughter Margaret?
A) James V
B) James III
C) James II
D) James IV
  • 59. What significant event around 6100 BC affected Shetland?
A) An earthquake
B) A volcanic eruption
C) A tsunami caused by the Storegga Slide
D) A meteor impact
  • 60. Which Scottish monarch began the process of taking control of the islands surrounding Scotland?
A) Alexander III
B) James III
C) Robert Stewart
D) Alexander II
  • 61. Who annexed the Northern Isles in 875?
A) Viking leader Sigurd the Mighty
B) Norwegian king Harald Hårfagre
C) Earl Rognvald Eysteinsson
D) King Bridei I of the Picts
  • 62. What is the total area covered by Shetland's national scenic area designation?
A) 30,000 ha
B) 41,833 ha
C) 60,000 ha
D) 50,000 ha
  • 63. In which year did Charles I grant Orkney and Shetland to William Douglas, 7th Earl of Morton?
A) 1643
B) 1766
C) 1472
D) 1609
  • 64. In what year were Orkney and Shetland pledged as security against the payment of a dowry?
A) 1470
B) 1380
C) 1469
D) 1266
  • 65. In what year did King Sverre Sigurdsson place Shetland under direct Norwegian rule?
A) 892
B) 875
C) 1098
D) 1195
  • 66. What is the population of Scalloway?
A) About 10,000 people
B) About 6,958 people
C) Fewer than 1,000 people
D) About 22,920 people
  • 67. How many hours of bright sunshine does Shetland average annually?
A) 800 hours
B) 1500 hours
C) 1110 hours
D) 900 hours
  • 68. What are 'Shetland knives'?
A) Bronze weapons used in the Iron Age
B) Stone tools made from felsite from Northmavine
C) Norse artifacts from the Viking Age
D) Pottery shards found at Jarlshof
  • 69. What was the purpose of the Shetland Bus during World War II?
A) Transporting oil
B) Fishing
C) Tourism
D) Conducting covert operations
  • 70. What type of energy is emphasized in Shetland's transition from oil?
A) Natural gas energy
B) Coal energy
C) Nuclear energy
D) Clean renewable energy
  • 71. What is the average high temperature in Shetland during July and August?
A) Near 14 °C (57 °F)
B) Near 20 °C (68 °F)
C) Near 18 °C (64 °F)
D) Near 10 °C (50 °F)
  • 72. What was the primary opposition to the Viking Wind Farm project?
A) Environmental damage
B) Cost
C) Anticipated visual impact
D) Noise pollution
  • 73. What type of power is planned for use in spacecraft launches from the SaxaVord Spaceport?
A) Hydrogen
B) Electric
C) Nuclear
D) Solar
  • 74. Who was the most highly decorated allied naval officer of World War II from Shetland?
A) William Gladstone
B) John Smith
C) James Gordon
D) Leif Larsen
  • 75. Which act emancipated crofters from the rule of landlords in Shetland?
A) The Crofters' Holdings (Scotland) Act 1886
B) The Home Rule Act
C) The Act of Union 1707
D) The Shetland Autonomy Act
  • 76. What percentage of Shetland's workforce is employed in the service sector?
A) One-third
B) Three-quarters
C) Two-thirds
D) Half
  • 77. What is the annual worth of the salmon harvested in Shetland?
A) £200 million
B) £180 million
C) £150 million
D) £170 million
  • 78. What was the main settlement at Jarlshof from?
A) The Neolithic
B) The Iron Age
C) The Bronze Age
D) The Viking Age
  • 79. Which of the following is NOT a main revenue producer in Shetland?
A) Mining
B) Aquaculture
C) Agriculture
D) Renewable energy
  • 80. What is the Fair Isle design known for?
A) Painting
B) Pottery
C) Knitwear
D) Weaving
  • 81. What fish makes up more than half of Shetland's catch by weight and value?
A) Herring
B) Haddock
C) Cod
D) Atlantic mackerel
  • 82. What is the Shetland sheep known for?
A) High meat yield
B) Fast growth
C) Large size
D) Unusually fine wool
  • 83. When was Shetland connected to the mainland National Grid via a 600 MW HVDC link?
A) August 2024
B) June 2023
C) December 2022
D) January 2020
  • 84. In what year did herring production peak in Shetland?
A) 1905
B) 1880
C) 1920
D) 1915
  • 85. Which of the following is not one of the three settlements with a population over 500 in Shetland?
A) Lerwick
B) Scalloway
C) Baltasound
D) Brae
  • 86. Who received the Earldom of Orkney from King Harald Hårfagre?
A) Sigurd the Mighty
B) Harald Maddadsson
C) Rognvald Eysteinsson
D) King Olaf I Tryggvason
  • 87. Who was the last Norse jarl of Orkney and Shetland?
A) Jon Haraldsson
B) Patrick Stewart
C) William Sinclair
D) Haakon IV Haakonsson
  • 88. What percentage of Shetland was owned by just 32 people by the late 19th century?
A) 90%
B) 50%
C) 70%
D) 30%
  • 89. What is the most northerly settlement in the British Isles?
A) Unst
B) Scalloway
C) Lerwick
D) Skaw
  • 90. What was the name of the rebellion against King Sverre Sigurdsson of Norway?
A) The Shetland uprising
B) The Norse rebellion
C) The Pictish rebellion
D) The Eyjarskeggjar rebellion
  • 91. In which year did oil and gas first land at Sullom Voe?
A) 1985
B) 1980
C) 1975
D) 1978
  • 92. Which island is the northernmost point of the British Isles?
A) Foula
B) Mousa
C) Out Stack
D) Noss
  • 93. How many 'Tier 1' settlements are identified by the Shetland Islands Council?
A) Five
B) Eight
C) Ten
D) Three
  • 94. Which transmitter provides television signals in Shetland?
A) Sumburgh TV Facility
B) Bressay TV transmitter
C) Lerwick TV Station
D) Shetland Radio Transmitter
  • 95. Which industry is Shetland less reliant on compared to many Scottish islands?
A) Tourism
B) Agriculture
C) Fishing
D) Petroleum
  • 96. How many trips did the Shetland Bus make across the sea during World War II?
A) 50 trips
B) 300 trips
C) Over 200 trips
D) 100 trips
  • 97. Which of the following is a significant landing in Shetland's fishing industry?
A) Tuna
B) Salmon
C) Monkfish
D) Sardines
  • 98. What was the population of Shetland in 1961?
A) 31,670
B) 17,814
C) 25,000
D) 20,000
  • 99. Which island is known for the Broch of Mousa?
A) St Ninian's Isle
B) Mousa
C) Noss
D) Out Stack
  • 100. What is the population of Lerwick?
A) 6,958
B) 1,000
C) 22,920
D) 10,000
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