Old Norse name | Ǫmstr[1] |
---|---|
Location | |
OS grid reference | HP600091 |
Coordinates | 60°45′N 0°53′W / 60.75°N 0.89°W |
Physical geography | |
Island group | Shetland |
Area | 120.68 km² |
Area rank | 14 [2] |
Highest elevation | Saxa Vord, 284 m (932 ft) |
Administration | |
Council area | Shetland Islands |
Country | Scotland |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Demographics | |
Population | 632 (2011) [3] |
Population rank | 19 [2] |
Population density | 5.2 people/km² [3][4] |
Largest settlement | Baltasound |
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References | [4][5] |
Unst (/ˈʌnst/; Norn: Ønst) is one of the North Isles of the Shetland Islands, Scotland. It is the northernmost of the inhabited British Isles and is the third-largest island in Shetland after Mainland and Yell. It has an area of 46 sq mi (120 km2).[4]
Unst is largely grassland, with coastal cliffs. Its main village is Baltasound, formerly the second-largest herring fishing port after Lerwick and now the location of a leisure centre and the island's airport. Other settlements include Uyeasound, home to Greenwell's Booth (a Hanseatic warehouse) and Muness Castle (built in 1598 and sacked by pirates in 1627); and Haroldswick, location of a boat museum and a heritage centre.