| Scots name | Balta |
|---|---|
| Old Norse name | Baltey |
| Location | |
  Balta Balta shown within Shetland | |
| OS grid reference | HP661081 |
| Coordinates | 60°44′59″N 0°47′28″W / 60.749746°N 0.791144°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Shetland |
| Area | 80 ha (198 acres) |
| Area rank | 162 [1] |
| Highest elevation | 44 m (144 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Council area | Shetland Islands |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
 | |
| References | [2][3][4][5] |
| Balta Sound Lighthouse | |
 South end of the Isle of Balta and lighthouse | |
| Constructed | 1895 (first) |
| Foundation | concrete base |
| Construction | metal skeletal tower (current) concrete tower (first) |
| Automated | 2004 |
| Height | 6.5 metres (21 ft) |
| Shape | quadrangular tower covered by aluminium panels with light on the top (current) cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern (first)[7] |
| Markings | white tower |
| Power source | solar power  |
| First lit | 2004 (current) |
| Focal height | 17 metres (56 ft) |
| Range | white: 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) red: 7 nautical miles (13 km; 8.1 mi) [6] |
| Characteristic | Fl WR 10s. |
Balta (Scots: Balta; Old Norse: "Baltey"[5]) is an uninhabited island in Shetland, Scotland.
- ^ Area and population ranks: there are c. 300 islands over 20 ha in extent and 93 permanently inhabited islands were listed in the 2011 census.
- ^ National Records of Scotland (15 August 2013). "Appendix 2: Population and households on Scotland's Inhabited Islands" (PDF). Statistical Bulletin: 2011 Census: First Results on Population and Household Estimates for Scotland Release 1C (Part Two) (PDF) (Report). SG/2013/126. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
- ^ Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN 978-1-84195-454-7.
- ^ Ordnance Survey. "Sheet 1 - Shetland Islands (Yell & Unst) - Ordnance Survey One-inch to the mile maps of Great Britain, Seventh Series, 1952-1961". National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
- ^ a b Anderson, Joseph (ed.) (1873) The Orkneyinga Saga. Translated by Jón A. Hjaltalin & Gilbert Goudie. Edinburgh. Edmonston and Douglas. The Internet Archive. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
- ^ Balta Sound Light Lighthouses Explorer. Retrieved 30 May 2016
- ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Scotland: Shetland". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 30 May 2016.