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Lerwick

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Geography of Great
Britain

   Location within the British Isles
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   Location within the British Isles
   "The Market Cross",Central Lerwick
   Enlarge
   "The Market Cross",Central Lerwick

   Lerwick is the only burgh and main port of the Shetland Islands in
   Scotland, found more than 160 km (100 miles) off the north coast of
   mainland Great Britain. Lerwick has a population of approximately 7,500
   residents and is by far the northernmost town in Scotland, as well as
   in the entirety of the United Kingdom. Lerwick is about 350 miles north
   of Glasgow, and nearly the same distance from Oslo, Norway, it's
   nearest major city.

   Lerwick lies on the east coast of the Shetland Mainland. It was founded
   in the seventeenth century as a herring and white fish seaport, and
   still thrives as a fishing and ferry port. The harbour is also busy
   with vessels supporting the offshore oil industry.

   Ferries from Lerwick sail to Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands, Aberdeen,
   Fair Isle, Bergen in Norway, Seyðisfjörður in Iceland and Tórshavn in
   the Faroe Islands, as well as to the Out Skerries, Bressay and Whalsay.

   Lerwick is the focus of most events in Shetland, including the largest
   of the annual Up Helly-Aa fire festivals.

   Significant buildings in Lerwick include Fort Charlotte, Lerwick Town
   Hall, the Böd of Gremista and Clickimin Broch.

   Local independent radio station SIBC broadcasts daily from Lerwick.
   Shetland College, a constituent partner institution of the University
   of the Highlands & Islands (UHI) Millennium Institute, is also based in
   the town, offering degree-level education (amongst several other
   courses) to locals who unsurprisingly find it difficult to study
   further afield. The next closest university-level institution is the
   University of Bergen in Norway.

   Lerwick is a name with roots in Old Norse and its local descendant,
   Norn that was spoken in Shetland till the mid-19th century. The words
   Ler Wich mean Bay of Clay. The corresponding Norwegian name is Leirvik.
   Leir means clay and vik means bay or headland.

   Lerwick has a friendship agreement with Måløy in Norway.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lerwick"
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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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