| Scots name | Rousee[1] |
|---|---|
| Old Norse name | Hrólfsey[2] |
| Meaning of name | Old Norse for "Hrolf's island" |
 Trumland House on Rousay, designed by David Bryce who also designed Balfour Castle on Shapinsay. | |
| Location | |
  Rousay Rousay shown within Orkney | |
| OS grid reference | HY407309 |
| Coordinates | 59°10′N 3°02′W / 59.17°N 3.03°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Orkney |
| Area | 4,860 hectares (18.8 sq mi) |
| Area rank | 23 [3] |
| Highest elevation | Blotchnie Fiold 249 metres (817 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Council area | Orkney Islands |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 219 www.aroundrousay.co.uk/rousay.shtml |
| Population rank | 30 [3] |
| Population density | 4.51 people/km2[4][5] |
| Largest settlement | Brinian |
 | |
| References | [5][6][7][8] www.aroundrousay.co.uk/rousay.shtml |
Rousay (/ˈraʊziː/, Scots: Rousee; Old Norse: Hrólfsey meaning Rolf's Island) is a small, hilly island about 3 km (1.9 mi) north of Mainland, the largest island in the Orkney Islands of Scotland. It has been nicknamed "Egypt of the north", due to its archaeological diversity and importance.
Like its neighbours Egilsay and Wyre, it can be reached by ro-ro ferry MV Eynhallow from Tingwall. This service is operated by Orkney Ferries, and can take up to 95 passengers (reduced to 50 in winter), and 10 cars. The ferry links the islands of Rousay, Egilsay, and Wyre with each other, and with the mainland of Orkney.[9]
- ^ "Map of Scotland in Scots - Guide and gazetteer" (PDF).
- ^ Orkney Placenames Archived 30 August 2000 at the Wayback Machine. Orkneyjar. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ a b Haswell-Smith (2004) pp. 383-86
- ^ Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 5 Orkney (Northern Isles) (Map). Ordnance Survey. 2008. ISBN 9780319228111.
- ^ Anderson, Joseph (Ed.) (1893) Orkneyinga Saga. Translated by Jón A. Hjaltalin & Gilbert Goudie. Edinburgh. James Thin and Mercat Press (1990 reprint). ISBN 0-901824-25-9
- ^ Pedersen, Roy (January 1992) Orkneyjar ok Katanes (map, Inverness, Nevis Print)
- ^ "M.V. Eynhallow" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2007. Retrieved 27 July 2007.