Hoy, Orkney
| Scottish Gaelic name | Eilean Thothaigh |
|---|---|
| Scots name | Hoy |
| Old Norse name | Háey |
| Meaning of name | high island |
The Old Man of Hoy, at the western side of the island, seen from the south | |
| Location | |
Hoy Hoy shown within Orkney | |
| OS grid reference | ND263961 |
| Coordinates | 58°50′N 3°18′W / 58.83°N 3.3°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Orkney |
| Area | 14,318 ha (55.28 sq mi) |
| Area rank | 12 |
| Highest elevation | Ward Hill, 481 m (1,578 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Council area | Orkney Islands |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 392 |
| Population rank | 24 |
| Population density | 2.7/km2 (7.0/sq mi) |
| Largest settlement | Lyness |
| References | |
Hoy (from Old Norse Háey, meaning "high island") is an island in Orkney, Scotland, measuring 143 square kilometres (55 sq mi) – the second largest in the archipelago, after Mainland. A natural causeway, the Ayre, links the island to the smaller South Walls; the two islands are treated as one entity by the UK census. Hoy is also the name of a hamlet in the northwest of the island.