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The islands have been inhabited for at least {{formatnum:8500}} years, originally occupied by [[Mesolithic]] and [[Neolithic]] tribes and then by the [[Picts]]. Orkney was colonised and later annexed by the [[Kingdom of Norway]] in 875 and settled by the [[Norsemen]]. In 1472, the [[Parliament of Scotland]] absorbed the [[Earldom of Orkney]] into the [[Kingdom of Scotland]], following failure to pay a [[dowry]] promised to [[James III of Scotland]] by the family of his bride, [[Margaret of Denmark, Queen of Scotland|Margaret of Denmark]].<ref>Thompson (2008) p. 220.</ref>
In addition to the Mainland, most of the remaining islands are divided into two groups: the North Isles and the South Isles. The [[Orkney#Climate|local climate]] is relatively mild and the soils are extremely fertile; most of the land is farmed, and agriculture is the most important sector of the economy. The significant wind and marine energy resources are of growing importance; the amount of electricity that Orkney generates annually from renewable energy sources exceeds its demand.
The local people are known as Orcadians; they speak a distinctive [[Orcadian dialect|dialect]] of the [[Insular Scots|Scots language]] and have a rich body of folklore. Orkney contains some of the oldest and best-preserved Neolithic sites in Europe; the "[[Heart of Neolithic Orkney]]" is a designated [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]]. Orkney also has an abundance of marine and avian wildlife.
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