By John Lewington, RSGS Collections Team

2025 is the fortieth anniversary of the establishment of the Island Games, (currently known as the Nat West International Island Games for sponsorship reasons). The Games are a biennial international multi-sports event, organised by the International Island Games Association and 2025’s Games will be the largest multi-sports event in Europe this year. Competitor teams each represent different island communities (with one team from the peninsula of Gibraltar) which are members of the I.I.G.A. Currently, all competitor teams represent non-sovereign territories of European nations – some within European waters and some further overseas.

The Inter-Island Games began in 1985, part of the Isle of Man International Year of Sport, and were intended to be a one-off sporting celebration only.   The islands surrounding the U.K. were encouraged to attend as were the countries of Iceland and Malta, and the territories of the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Saint Helena, the Channel Islands and others.

Initially, fifteen islands with 600 competitors and officials took part in seven sports. These first Games were so successful that organisers decided to hold a similar event two years later, and the rest is history!  

The Island participants who will be involved in the 2025 Games in Orkney are:

On the assumption that not all the readers of this blog will be familiar with all of these islands, I have added a snap shot of the non-UK islands.

The closest to home are the Scandinavian islands – one of the two Danish islands, Faroe, plus the two Norwegian islands of Froya and Hitra. Then the Baltic islands of Aland, Saarema and Gotland, followed by the Atlantic islands of Greenland, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, St Helena and the Falkland Islands, and finally the Mediterranean islands of Gibraltar, Menorca and Gozo..

The Scandinavian Islands

Faroe
The Faroe Islands, an autonomous Danish territory, lie in the North Atlantic between Iceland and Scotland, 322 km (200 miles) north of the UK. Covering 1,399 sq km (540 square miles) across 18 volcanic islands, they feature steep cliffs, grassy slopes, and fjords.   Slættaratindur, at 882 metres (2,894 feet), is the highest peak.  Strong winds and a sub-polar climate define the treeless terrain, with a population of 54,000. Connected by tunnels and ferries, the islands’ rugged isolation fosters a unique maritime culture.

Frøya 
Frøya, a Norwegian island, lies off Trondheim in the Norwegian Sea, connected by a tunnel to the mainland. Spanning 241 sq km (93 square miles), it is a flat, windswept archipelago of rocky shores and small islets.  Its highest point reaches about 75 metres (246 feet).  Surrounded by rich fishing waters, Frøya’s landscape includes peat bogs and heathland, with a population of 5,000.   Its maritime climate and northern location (63°N) bring harsh winters and mild summers, shaping a stark, coastal environment.

Hitra
Hitra, a Norwegian island, sits in the Norwegian Sea off Trondheim, linked by a tunnel to the mainland.   Spanning 567 sq km (219 square miles), it is a rugged, low-lying archipelago with rocky shores and small hills, peaking at 346 metres (1,135 feet) on Mørkdalstuva.   Surrounded by fishing grounds, its population of 5,000 thrives in a windy, maritime climate.   Forests and bogs define its northern landscape.

The Baltic islands

Åland Islands 
The Åland Islands, an autonomous Finnish territory, lie in the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Finland. Covering 1,580 sq km (610 square miles) across 6,700 islands, they feature flat, rocky terrain and pine forests.  Södragby, at 129 metres (423 feet), is the highest point.  With 30,000 residents, it’s maritime climate and archipelago setting define a scenic isolation.

Gotland
Gotland, Sweden’s largest island, lies in the Baltic Sea, 60 miles east of the mainland. Covering 3183 sq km (1,229 square miles), it is a flat limestone plateau with sandy beaches and low cliffs.   Visborg, at 82 metres (269 feet), is its highest point.   Forests, meadows, and unique rock formations dot the landscape, supporting 60,000 residents.   Its temperate climate and isolation foster a distinct ecosystem, with smaller islets like Fårö nearby.

Saaremaa
Saaremaa, Estonia’s largest island, lies in the Baltic Sea, south of Hiiumaa. Spanning 2,673 sq km (1,032 square miles), it is a flat limestone expanse with forests, bogs, and rocky shores.   Its highest point, Raunamägi, reaches 54 metres (177 feet).   With 33,000 residents, its mild maritime climate and isolation foster a tranquil, natural environment with smaller surrounding islets.

The Atlantic islands

Greenland
Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, is the world’s largest island, spanning 2,166,086 sq km (836,000 square miles) in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans.   Located between Canada and Iceland, it is 80% ice-covered, with coastal fjords and mountains like Gunnbjørn Fjeld 3,670 metres (12,139 feet), the highest peak.   Its sparse population of 56,000 clusters along the ice-free southwest coast.  The harsh Arctic climate shapes a vast, rugged wilderness.

Bermuda

Bermuda, a British Overseas Territory, sits in the North Atlantic Ocean, 1,046 km (650 miles) east of North Carolina, USA.   Spanning 54 sq km (21 square miles), this subtropical island chain comprises over 180 islands, with the largest forming a fishhook shape.   Volcanic in origin, it is capped with limestone and coral reefs, boasting pink-sand beaches and turquoise waters.   Its highest point, Town Hill, rises to 79 metres (259 feet)  . Bermuda’s mild climate and isolation — 1,609 km (1,000 miles) from the UK — supports a lush landscape of palms and mangroves, with a population of about 64,000.

Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands, a British Overseas Territory, lie in the western Caribbean Sea, 241 km (150 miles) south of Cuba.   Covering 259 sq km (100 square miles) across three islands — Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman — they feature flat limestone terrain and vibrant coral reefs.   Grand Cayman, the largest, hosts the capital, George Town.   The highest point, The Bluff on Cayman Brac, reaches 43 metres (141 feet).   Surrounded by warm, clear waters, the islands enjoy a tropical climate, with mangroves and beaches defining the coast.   The population is around 70,000.

Saint Helena
Saint Helena, a remote British Overseas Territory, sits in the South Atlantic, 1,931 km (1,200 miles) west of Angola. Covering 47 square miles, this volcanic island features steep cliffs, lush valleys, and Diana’s Peak at 2,690 feet. Its 4,500 residents live amidst a subtropical climate, 4,000 miles from the UK, surrounded by vast ocean isolation.

Falkland Islands 
The Falkland Islands, a remote British Overseas Territory, sit in the South Atlantic, 483 km (300 miles) east of southern Argentina.   Spanning 12,1734 sq km (4,700 square miles), the archipelago includes two main islands — East and West Falkland — and hundreds of smaller islets. Rugged hills, peat bogs, and rocky coasts dominate, with Mount Usborne 705 metres (2,313 feet) as the highest peak.  The cold, windy climate and surrounding stormy seas shape a treeless landscape, home to 3,000 residents.   Its isolation,12,875 km (8,000 miles) from the UK, enhances its stark beauty.

The Mediterranean islands

Gibraltar
Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory, occupies a 6.8 sq km (2.6 square mile) peninsula on Spain’s southern coast, bordering the Mediterranean Sea.   It is of course not an island, but a peninsula.   Dominated by the limestone Rock of Gibraltar, which rises to 426 metres (1,398 feet), overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar, 22 km (14 miles) from Africa.   Its rugged cliffs, caves, and narrow coastal strip contrast with its urban density.   Home to 32,000 people, its strategic location linking the Atlantic and Mediterranean defines its geography and history.  

                                                                                    
Menorca
Menorca, a Spanish Balearic Island, sits in the western Mediterranean, 209 km (130 miles) southeast of Barcelona.   Spanning 694 sq km (268 square miles), it is a flat limestone island with sandy beaches and rocky coves.   Monte Toro, at 358 metres (1,174 feet), is its highest point. Its 95,000 residents enjoy a warm climate, with pine forests and prehistoric sites dotting the terrain.

Gozo

Gozo is an island in the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Republic of Malta.   After the island of Malta itself, it is the second-largest island in the archipelago.  The island has a population of around 31,232 (out of Malta's total 443,227) in 2021.   It is rich in historic locations such as the Ġgantija temples, which, along with the other Megalithic Temples of Malta, are amongst the world's oldest free-standing structures.   The island is rural in character and less developed than the island of Malta.   Gozo is known for its scenic hills.   The Azure Window in Dwejra, San Lawrenz, a natural limestone arch, was a remarkable geological feature until its collapse on March 8, 2017.   The island has other notable natural features, including the Inland Sea and Wied il-Mielaħ Window.   There are a few sandy beaches on the island, namely Ramla Bay in Xagħra and Nadur, as well as seaside resorts that are popular with both locals and tourists, the most popular being Marsalforn and Xlendi.   Gozo is considered one of the top diving destinations in the Mediterranean and a centre for water sports.

The Orkney 20^th International Island Games will take place from July 12 to 18, 2025. It will be the largest event ever hosted in Orkney with an expected 2,000 competitors and officials, and 2,500 – 3,000 visitors.  

The host country chooses between twelve and fourteen different sports from this list - archery, athletics, badminton, bowls, cycling, football, golf, gymnastics, sailing, squash, swimming and triathlon, depending on the available facilities on the host Island.   Orkney has chosen not to include basketball, judo, table tennis, tennis or volleyball.   Most of the events will take place in the Orkney capital, Kirkwall, although others will take place in Stromness.