The Northern Isles are a part of Scotland.
The Northern Isles ( Northern Isles Na h-Eileanan a Tuath Norðreyjar ) is an archipelago comprising a chain of islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland . Both island groups were absorbed into the Kingdom of Scotland in the 15th century and remained part of the country following the formation of the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707 , and later the United Kingdom after 1801 . Scotland . In addition to the mainland , the country is made up of more than 790 islands , including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides .