The Faroe Islands (in Faroese Føroyar) are 18 islands in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of Scotland and halfway between Iceland and Norway. The Islands are a self-governing island territory of Denmark, although they politically aim for higher independence. The Islands have a population of nearly 50.000 (48.290 march 2005), and a language and culture of their own. When visiting the Faroes you are never more than 5 km (3 miles) away from the ocean. The countryside is dominated by steep mountains and there are about 70.000 sheep and some 2 million pairs of seabirds, including the largest colony of storm petrels in the world. Most visitors to the islands come between early July and late August when the weather is fairest.
Regions
The archipelago is composed of 18 islands covering 1399 km2 (545.3 sq miles) and is 113 km (70 miles) long and 75 km (47 miles) wide. 17 islands are inhabited, leaving just one uninhabited island, the smallest island, Lítla Dímum. The precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands. The islands are connected by tunnels, causeways, and a regular public ferry service.
The Faroe Islands consist of the following regions
Towns and villages
Right until the late 19th century, people spent their entire lives in the same village. Towns didn’t start to appear until very late. For instance, the capital, Tórshavn, only counted about 100 inhabitants in 1900, whereas today the number has escalated into nearly 20.000. In the Faroe Islands the traditional village was to a certain extent self-sufficient. Historically there was a limit to how many families it could support. When the fishing industry took off in 1972, it was the beginning of the end for the traditional way of life in the small villages as fishing replaced farming and the growing population chose to settle in the fast growing towns instead.
Even so, today there are still over a hundred villages in the Faroe Islands. Nearly every single one of them is situated near the ocean, and to new visitors they all seem to be very much alike. The houses are either painted in bright colours or the traditional black, whilst the roofs are often turf covered. The buildings are usually built very close to each other, which is very cosy. Every village is surrounded by a cultivated infield, and surrounding it is the uncultivated outfield. In most places the sheep occupy the outfield troughout the whole year.
Towns
Villages
Other destinations
Understand
The Faroese tourist season is very short. It begins in May and ends by September. Most visitors come between July and August by far. If you would like to avoid the busiest season, it is best to visit the Faroes in late May or early June, although, you shouldn’t expect high temperatures during this period. The main reasons why people tend to visit the islands are because of the nature and scenery. But the tranquillity of the islands also plays a major part. Bus rides, horse trekking, mountain hikes and boat trips are all ways to enjoy the magnificant wild green landscape. And the islands are undeniably beautiful: green, rugged and wind-swept. Because the islands are so close to the Arctic Circle, the amount of daylight varies by season. The sun sets briefly each night in June, so there are several hours of twilight, before the sun comes back up again. During the winther there are no days of complete darkness, but about five hours of daylight.
The Faroe Islands have one of the smallest independent economic entities in the world. The Faroe Island´s primary industry is the fishing industry. It accounts for over 80% of the total export value of goods, which are mainly processed fish products and fish farming. The unemployment rate in the Faroes is extremely low.
People
The Faroes were colonised by Norwegians in the 9th century - according to history the first settler was Grímur Kamban, a Norwegian Viking who made his home in Funningur on Eysturoy in 825. The Faroese population has largely descended from these settlers. Recent DNA analyses have revealed that Y chromosomes, tracing male descent, are 87% Scandinavian. However, the studies also show that mitochondrial DNA, tracing female descent, is 84% Scottish or Irish. This means that a vast majority of the population is of Celtic descent.
Today the population is 48.220 (1st March 2006). About 19,300 people live in the metropolitan area which comprises Tórshavn, Kirkjubøur, Velabastaður, Nólsoy, Hestur, Koltur, Hoyvík, Argir, Kaldbak, Kaldbaksbotnur, Kollafjørður, Signabøur and Oyrareingir. About 4,700 people live in Klaksvík, the second largest town in the islands.
Faroese is the national language, it is rooted in Old Norse.
Politics
The viking settlers established their own parliament called "thing" around 800. Local things where established in different parts of the islands. The main thing was established on Tinganes in Tórshavn. About the turn of the millenium the Faroes came under control of the Norwegian king. In 1380 the Faroes along with Orkney, Shetland, Iceland and Greenland, came with Norway into a union with Denmark. At the end of the Napoleanic wars, by the Treaty of Kiel in 1814, Denmark was forced to cede Norway to Sweden, but kept the Faroes and Greenland. In 1816, two years later, the Faroes were made into a Danish County. The old parliament was abolished. The Danish Governor became the highest authority in the Faroes.
In 1849 the Danish parliamentary constitution was made to apply in the Faroe Islands. In 1852 the Faroese parliament was reinstated as a county council, but served mainly as an advisory power. The Danish governor presided at all meetings and was a co-optet member. At the same time the Faroes came to be representet at the Danish parliament. It should be stated that, although the Faroe Islands have recognised the Royal powers, they have never been a part of Denmark. Only the Danish kingdom.
During World War II, Denmark was being occupied by the Germans, while the Faroes had a friendly occupation by the British. During this time the Faroese parliament carried both the legislative and the fiscal responsibility. The Faroese people had a taste of self-government and a return to status quo seemed impossible.
After a referendum, which led to a very small majority voting for independence, in 1946 negotiations took place between the two countries and the outcome was the Home Rule Act in 1948. The Faroese were from now on made responsible for most matters of governement. The parliament can legislate on matters of local importance, and Danish laws can be rejected. The parliament has between twenty-seven and thirty-two members. The leader of the cabinet has the status of prime minister. The Faroes are still representet in the Danish parliament by two representatives. Also, since 1970 the Faroes have had independant status in the Nordic Council. Furthermore, the Faroes have their own flag (merkið). And unlike Denmark the islands are not a member of the EU and all trade is governed by special treaties.
Climate
The weather is maritime and quite unpredictable. It can change quickly and it varies extremely, from moments of brilliant sunshine to misty hill fog, to showers - there can be sunshine on one side of the mountain range, while it's raining on the other side. During the summer the islands are often overcast by summerfog. The Gulf Stream encircling the islands tempers the climate. The harbours never freeze and the temperature in winter time is very moderate considering the high latitude. Snowfall occurs, but it is short-lived. The average temperature ranges from 3 C in the wintertime to 11 C during the summer, the temperature can be much higher, but the air is always fresh and clean no matter the season.
Landscape
With they´re volcanic origin the 18 islands are rugged and rocky. The average hight above sea level for the country is 300 m (982 ft). The highest peak, Slættaratindur, is 882 m (2883 ft) above sea level. There are 1100 km (687 miles) of coastline and at no time is one more than 5 km (3 miles) away from the ocean. Mountains and valleys mostly characterize the inner landscape. The only sandunes are located at the southern island Sandoy. The faroese west coast is characterized by steep slopes and bird cliffs, that in the summertime are full of nesting seabirds such as puffins. Something that first meets the eye of a traveller is the lack of trees in the Faroes. The reason for this are the thousands of sheep that occupy the islands.
Get in
By plane
By Boat
Getting to the Faroes by boat takes longer than by plane but has the advantage of allowing you to take your own vehicle.
For people arriving by yachts, there are several harbors around the islands. The best are found in the capital Tórshavn, Klaksvík, Tvøroyri, Vágur, Vestmanna, Sørvágur, Miðvágur, Runavík, and Fuglafjørður.
Get around
The Faroe Islands are a small country and getting around is easy. All of the Islands are connected by a public transport system.
Travelling between Islands
The two largest islands, Streymoy and Eysturoy, are connected by a bridge, Sundabrúgvin, or the Channel Bridge. Since 2002 a sub-sea tunnel connects the island of Vágar with Streymoy and since 2006 a sub-sea tunnel connects Borðoy to Eysturoy. These are toll tunnels and you have to pay when driving from Vágar to Streymoy and from Borðoy to Eysturoy. Road causeways connect Borðoy with Viðoy and Kunoy. The other main Islands Sandoy and Suðuroy have excellent car-ferry connections to Streymoy, making motoring in the Faroes easy and pleasent. Strandfaraskip Landsins, the Faroese public transport service, publishes an annual timetable (Ferðaætlan) containing details of all ferry and bus schedules. It is available from the Passenger Terminal in Tórshavn, and all tourist information centres. When using a car ferry please note that it is not possible to make advanced bookings. You should be at the pier no later than 20 minutes before scheduled departure, and on Friday and Saturday evenings it is advisable to be ahead of time if you want to secure a place for the car.
Sub Sea Tunnel Fares
Vehicles up to 3500 kg and up to 6 m, DKK 130. Vehicles between 6 and 12,5 m, DKK 350.
You shouldn´t pay your fare no later than three days after using the sub sea tunnel. You may pay at any petrol station on the islands. Otherwise an invoice will be sent to the car owner.
By Car
The first motor road connecting two villages wasn’t built until 1916, and travellers were limited to mountain paths and rowing boats. Nevertheless, today driving is easy with an excellent 600-km network of well maintained tarmaced roads and tunnels. The density of cars is one of the highest in Europe.
The numerous road tunnels in the Faroe Islands mean that drivers of large vehicles must plan their routes by finding out in advance which tunnel they can enter. Driving is on the right and most road signs follow international standards. Headlights must be on when driving and the use of seat belts is required. The speed limit is 80 kph (50 mph) and 50 kph (30 mph) in the towns and villages. For cars with trailers, the speed limit is 50 kph and for caravans the speed limit is 60 kph. The consequences for speeding are severe.
Parking in the towns of Tórshavn, Klaksvík and Runavík is restricted. Parking discs must be displayed in the lower right hand corner of the front windscreen showing the time you parked your car. These display discs are available at no charge from banks and the tourist offices. There is a fine of DKK 200 for parking violations.
Car Rental
Vágar
Vágar airport, FO-380 Sørvágur.
Tel. 358800/212765
Vágar airport/Hotel Vágar
FO-380 Sørvágur
Tel.340036/213546
E-mail: hertzl@ff.fo
FO-360 Sandavágur
Tel. 332527
E-mail:unicar@post.olivant.fo
By Bus
Passenger road transport is run by private companies, but is coordinated by a public body.
The inter-town bus system (Bygdaleiðir), has together with the public ferry company established a coherent and well-developed public transport system which takes in all settlements on the islands. This means that there are bus services to all places - maybe not often, but every day!
Bygdaleiðir´s buses are in the colour of blue. A schedule (Ferðaætlan) listing the various timetables for the inter-town buses (and ferries) may be purchased from the tourist office, as well as the central bus station near the harbour in Tórshavn. Transport is quite expensive, so check for student discount or multiple-ride-cards. Students as well as children and pensioners are eligible for discounts on fares provided they show a student or pensioner identity card.
The capital Tórshavn offers a local bus service (Bussleiðin) with four routes that reach most area of the town. Transport is free! The red coloured-buses operate every half-hour during the day and hourly in the evening, as well as on Saturday and on Sundays. The buses don´t operate on Saturday or on Sunday evening. This is very inconvenient for tourists. Route maps and schedules may be obtained on the buses, at Kiosk Steinatún in the centre of town, or at Kunningarstovan, the local tourist information in Tórshavn.
By Helicopter
You can splurge, and take a helicopter (or a cheaper ferry) to all the faraway places. - fx to Mykines, the picturesque island far west.
Atlantic Airways offers a helicopter service to selected towns and villages throughout the Faroes. Contact Atlantic Airways directly at phone no. 341060. Booking is required.
Talk
The native and official language of the Faroes is Faroese, which is a West Nordic or West Scandinavian language. It is one of three insular Scandinavian languages descended from the Old Norse language spoken in Scandinavia in the Viking Age, the others being Icelandic and the extinct Norn, which was thought to be mutually intelligible with Faroese.
Until the 15th century, Faroese had a similar orthography to Icelandic and Norwegian, but after the Reformation 1538, the ruling Danes outlawed its use in schools, churches and official documents. The islanders continued to use the language in ballads, folktales, and everyday life. This maintained a rich spoken tradition, but for 300 years the language was not written down.
In 1854 Venceslaus Ulricus Hammershaimb published a written standard for Modern Faroese that exists to this day. He produced an orthography consistent with a continuous written tradition extending back to Old Norse. The letter ð, for example, has no specific phonemes attached to it. Also, although the letter 'm' corresponds to the bilabial nasal as it does in English, it corresponds to the alveolar nasal in the dative ending -um .
In 1937, Faroese replaced Danish as the official school language, in 1938 as church language, and in 1948 as national language by the Home Rule Act of the Faroes. Today, Danish is considered a foreign language, though it is a required subject for students from 3rd grade and up.
English is also widely spoken. Other Nordic languages are also understood.
Buy
Currency
The Faroese currency is the Danish crown (in Danish: den danske krone), abbreviated kr. But since the Faroe Islands are a self-governing region of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Faroese government prints its own currency, the Króna , although Danish coins are used. The coins come in 25 and 50 scents, 1, 5, 10, and 20 króna. Paper notes come in 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 króna. the exhange value on notes is equivalent to the Danish crown, and there is no service charge on exchange, as Danish notes are equally acceptable as the Faroese króna throughout the country.
; Faroese Notes : Faroese banknote series
Costs
You should note that almost everything in the Faroe Islands is expensive; particularly if you're not from Northern Europe. All consumer sales include a 25% sales tax but displayed prices are legally required to include this, so they are always exact. If you are from outside the EU/Scandinavia you can have some of your sales tax refunded when leaving the country.
Shopping
Opening hours in the Faroes are better than they used to be, but many smaller stores still close early on Saturday (usually at 2PM ) and nearly everything is closed on Sundays.
It is very modern to wear wool and woolen clothing on the Faroe Islands. You definitely will find trendy sweaters, jackets and (cheaper) huts and gloves. Check out the shops "Sirri" and "Guðrun og Guðrun".
You can buy coffee roasted on the Faroes at a roaster shop "Brell" at Dr. Jakobsensgøta down town. Nice - and a rather rare souvenir for your mum.
Eat
Most traditional Faroese cuisine involves meat, either lamb or fish. The traditional Faroese kitchen mainly owns its food traditions to the archipelago´s harsh climate. This results in the fact that in earlier days the food culture on the islands was not very extensive. It is hard to find a Faroese dish on the menu of a restaurant, but it is possible at certain restaurants and hotels.
Distinctive Faroese foods include:
Restaurants
There is an increased number of restaurants in Tórshavn (the capital), a few good ones are mentioned below. Outside Tórshavn, however, the quality of the restaurants isn't as good.
There is no McDonalds on the Faroes, but Burger King has arrived. In Tórshavn you can find fast food restaurants at the shopping centre SMS and City Burger is situated in the Town center.
All over the Faroes you will find gas-stations, Statoil and Shell. Nearly every gas-station will serve fast-food, espescially sausagues.
Drink
The legal drinking age in the Faroes is eighteen. There are two brands of Faroese beer: Restorff´s and Føroya Bjór. Alcoholic drinks are very expensive. Light beer my be purchased in shops and unlicensed restaurants and cafés. Stronger beer, wine and spirits can only be purchased in the Government Monopoly stores in major towns and in licensed restaurants, café´s and bars etc.
Government Monopoly Stores
Rúsdrekkasøla Landsins,
Hoyvíksvegur 51, FO-100 Tórshavn
Rúdrekkasøla Landsins
Heiðavegur,
FO-600 Saltangará
Rúdrekkasøla Landsins
Bøgøta 38, FO-700 Klaksvík
Rúdrekkasøla Landsins
á Mølini,
FO-220 Skálavík
Rúsdrekkasøla Landsins
Drelnes, FO-800 Tvøroyri
Rúsdrekkasøla Landsins
Norðuri á heiðum,
FO-370 Miðvágur
Nightlife
There are few bars and nightclubs outside of the capital. The bars in Tórshavn, are the same as in your hometown. Manhattan and Café Natúr are situated in the centre of Tórshavn. Another place is Kaggin which is further up town.
A popular disco is Rex, at third floor in the same building as "Havnar Bio", the cinema. Get there early, or you won't get in. It's very popular. You need to be 21 to get in.
For young people the disco Eclipse is a popular place to visit. It is the same as in most European cities. You have to be eighteen to get in, and you shouldn´t be older than 25!
Cafés
For a cozy and old fashioned cafe, go to the Western harbour "Vágsbotn" - just below Tórshavn Dome and have a cup of coffee at café Karlsborg. However, it isn´t open at regular hours. Other Cafés include the very popular Gallarí Jinx and Café Condittaríi, both right in the centre of Tórshavn.
Sleep
Hotels
The best hotels in Tórshavn
Recommendable outside the capital
Youth Hostels
The youth Hostels of the Faroes are spread across the islands. The limited geographical size of the Faroes ensures that the next Youth Hostel is always well within one day’s walking distance allowing visitors to travel from one Youth Hostel to the next one at will.
Accommodation is mostly in 2 to 6 rooms of limited size but of good standard. There are no dormitory accommodations at the Faroese Youth Hostels. Most of the Youth Hostels don´t have a regular reception with daily opening hours, so be sure to make arrangements with your host by e-mail or phone before arriving at the hostel.
Prizes vary slightly around 130 to 160 DKK per night/person for adults. Variable discounts for children 2-11 years old. YHF members get a 20 DKK discount while groups get special discounts.
These are the seven Youth Hostels
On the small islands you can find some nice guesthouses.
For further information, contact the local tourist information.
See
Work
Unemployment is the lowest in Scandinavia and wages are high.
Stay safe
Stay healthy
There are emergency wards at the hospital in Tórshavn, Klaksvík on Borðoy and Tvøroyri on Suðuroy. Doctors around the islands provide emergency assistence. The coast guard and and Atlantic Airways have helicopters that may be used in emergencies. Police stations are found in most parts of the Country.
Health Insurance
Citizens of the Nordic countries and the UK are covered by their own national health insurance. It is advisable for citizens of other countries to take out travel health insurance.
Emergency or Fire
Pharmacies
Car Problems
For breakdown and immidiate help on the two larger islands Streymoy and Eysturoy, contact the Fire Station in Tórshavn, tel 302100. It is advisable to arrange for insurance coverage for your car to save you the worry of a spoilt holiday due to unexpected garage bills.
Respect
Contact
There is widespread cellular phone and Internet access.
The Faroe Islands or Faeroe Islands or simply Faroes or Faeroes (Føroyar, meaning "Sheep Islands", Færøerne) are a group of islands in Northern Europe, between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about halfway from Iceland to Norway. They have been an autonomous region of the Kingdom of Denmark since 1948. The Faroese have, over the years, taken control of most matters except defence (though they have a native coast guard), foreign affairs and legal system which are the responsibility of Denmark.
The Faroes have close traditional ties to Iceland, Shetland, Orkney, the Outer Hebrides and Greenland. The archipelago was politically detached from Norway in 1814. The Faroes are represented in the Nordic Council as a part of the Danish delegation.
History
The early history of the Faroe Islands is not well known. Irish hermits (monks) settled in the sixth century, introducing sheep and oats to the islands. Saint Brendan, who lived circa 484–578, is said to have visited the Faroe Islands on two or three occasions, naming two of the islands Sheep Island and Paradise Island of Birds.
Later the Vikings replaced the Irish settlers, bringing the Old Norse language to the islands, which locally evolved into the modern Faroese language spoken today.
Although the settlers were Norwegians, most of them probably didn't come directly from Norway, but rather from the Norwegian settlements in Shetland, Orkney, and around the Irish Sea, and were so-called Norse-Gaels.
According to Færeyinga Saga, emigrants who left Norway to escape the tyranny of Harald I of Norway settled in the islands about the end of the ninth century. Early in the eleventh century, Sigmund, whose family had flourished in the southern islands but had been almost exterminated by invaders from the northern islands, escaped to Norway and was sent back to take possession of the islands for Olaf Tryggvason, king of Norway. He introduced Christianity and, though he was subsequently murdered, Norwegian supremacy was upheld. Norwegian control of the islands continued until 1380, when Norway entered the Kalmar Union with Denmark, which gradually evolved into Danish control of the islands. The reformation reached the Faroes in 1538. When the union between Denmark and Norway was dissolved as a result of the Treaty of Kiel in 1814, Denmark retained possession of the Faroe Islands.
The trade monopoly in the Faroe Islands was abolished in 1856 and the country has since then developed towards a modern fishing nation with its own fleet. The national awakening since 1888 was first based on a struggle for the Faroese language, and thus more culturally oriented, but after 1906 was more and more politically oriented with the foundation of the political parties of the Faroe Islands.
On April 12, 1940, the Faroes were occupied by British troops. The move followed the invasion of Denmark by Nazi Germany and had the objective of strengthening British control of the North Atlantic (see Second Battle of the Atlantic). In 1942–43 the British Royal Engineers built the only airport in the Faroes, Vágar Airport. Control of the islands reverted to Denmark following the war, but in 1948 a home-rule regime was implemented granting a high degree of local autonomy. The Faroes declined to join Denmark in entering the European Community (now European Union) in 1973. The islands experienced considerable economic difficulties following the collapse of the fishing industry in the early 1990s, but have since made efforts to diversify the economy. Support for independence has grown and is the objective of the government.
Politics
The government of the Faroes holds the executive power in local government affairs. The head of the government is called the Løgmaður or prime minister in English. Any other member of the cabinet is called a landsstýrismaður.
Today, elections are held in the municipalities, on a national level for the Løgting, and inside the Kingdom of Denmark for the Folketing. For the Løgting elections there are seven electoral districts, each one comprising a sýsla, while Streymoy is divided into a northern and southern part (Tórshavn region).
Regions and municipalities
Administratively, the islands are divided into 34 municipalities within which 120 or so cities and villages lie.
Traditionally, there are also the six sýslur ("regions"; Norðoyar, Eysturoy, Streymoy, Vágar, Sandoy and Suðuroy). Although today sýsla technically means "police district", the term is still commonly used to indicate a geographical region. In earlier times, each sýsla had its own ting (assembly), the so-called várting ("spring ting").
The Faroes and Denmark
The Treaty of Kiel in 1814 terminated the Danish-Norwegian union. Norway came under the rule of the King of Sweden, but the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Greenland remained as possessions of Denmark. Subsequently, the Løgting was abolished (1816), and the Faroe Islands were to be governed as a regular Danish amt, with the Amtmand as its head of government. In 1851 the Løgting was resurrected, but served mainly as an advisory power until 1948.
At the end of the Second World War a portion of the population favoured independence from Denmark, and on September 14 1946 a public election was held on the question of secession. It is not considered a referendum, as the parliament was not bound to follow the decision of the vote. This was the first time that the Faroese people were asked if they favoured independence or if they wanted to continue as a part of the Danish kingdom. The outcome of the vote produced a small majority in favour of secession, but the coalition in parliament could not reach a resolution on how this election should be interpreted and implemented, and because of these irresolvable differences the coalition fell apart. A parliamentary election was held just a few months later, in which the political parties that favoured staying in the Danish kingdom increased their share of the vote and formed a coalition. Based on this increased share of the votes, they chose to reject secession. Instead, a compromise was made and the Folketing passed a home-rule law, which came into effect in 1948. The Faroe Islands' status as a Danish amt was brought to an end with the home-rule law; the Faroe Islands were given a high degree of self-governance, supported by a substantial annual subsidy from Denmark.
The islanders are about evenly split between those favouring independence and those who prefer to continue as a part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Within both camps there is, however, a wide range of opinions. Of those who favour independence, some are in favour of an immediate unilateral declaration. Others see it as something to be attained gradually and with the full consent of the Danish government and the Danish nation. In the unionist camp there are also many who foresee and welcome a gradual increase in autonomy even as strong ties to Denmark are maintained.
The Faroes and the European Union
As explicitly asserted by both Rome treaties, the Faroe Islands are not part of the European Union. Moreover, a protocol to the treaty of accession of Denmark to the European Communities stipulates that Danish nationals residing in the Faroe Islands are not to be considered as Danish nationals within the meaning of the treaties. Hence, Danish people living in the Faroes are not citizens of the European Union. (Other EU nationals living there remain EU citizens.) The Faroes are not covered by the Schengen free movement agreement, but there are no border checks when travelling between the Faroes and any Schengen country.
Geography
The Faroe Islands are an island group consisting of eighteen islands off the coast of Northern Europe, between the Norwegian Sea and the north Atlantic Ocean, about halfway between Iceland and Norway; the closest neighbours being the Northern and Western Isles of Scotland.
Its coordinates are .
Its area is 1,399 square kilometres (540 sq. mi), and has no major lakes or rivers. There are 1,117 kilometres (694 mi) of coastline, and no land boundaries with any other country. The only island that is uninhabited is Lítla Dímun.
Distances to nearest countries and islands
Climate
The Faroe Islands generally have cool summers and mild winters, with a usually overcast sky and frequent fog and heavy winds. The fog often causes air traffic delays. The islands are rugged and rocky with some low peaks; the coasts are mostly bordered by cliffs. The highest point is Slættaratindur, 882 metres (2,894 ft) above sea level. There are areas below sea level.
Flora
The natural vegetation of the Faroe Islands is dominated by Arctic-alpine plants, wild flowers, grasses, moss and lichen, consisting of ca. 400 different plant species. Most of the lowland area is grassland and some is heather mainly Calluna vulgaris.
The faroese nature is characterized by the lack of trees, and resembles that of Connemara and Dingle in Ireland and the Scottish Islands.
A few small plantations consisting of plants collected from similar climates like Tierra del Fuego in South America and Alaska have been planted and are doing fine.
Fauna
Birds
The Bird fauna of the Faroe Islands is dominated by Sea-birds and Birds attracted to open land like Heather, probably due to the lack of wood-land and other suitable habitats. Many species have developed special Faroese sub-species: Eider, Starling, Wren, Guillemot, and Black Guillemot. )..
Mammals:
Only a few species of wild land mammals are found in the Faroe Islands today, all introduced by man.
Grey Seals (Halichoerus grypus) are very common around the Faroese shores.
Several species of Whales live in the waters around the Faroe Islands. Best know are the Short-finned Pilot Whales (Globicephala melaena). but the more exotic Killer whales (Orcinus orca) sometimes visit the Faroese fjords.
Natural history and biology
A collection of Faroese marine algae resulting from a survey sponsored by NATO, the British Museum (Natural History) and the Carlsberg Foundation, is preserved in the Ulster Museum (catalogue numbers: F3195—F3307). It is one of ten exsiccatae sets.
Economy
After the severe economic troubles of the early 1990s, brought on by a drop in the vital fish catch and poor management of the economy, the Faroe Islands have come back in the last few years, with unemployment down to 5% in mid-1998. The practice of whaling by the Faroese has, however, drawn international criticism. In 2006 unemployment declined to 3%, one of the lowest rates in Europe. Nevertheless, the almost total dependence on fishing means that the economy remains extremely vulnerable. The Faroese hope to broaden their economic base by building new fish-processing plants. An agrarian society, other than fishing, the raising of sheep is the main industry of the islands. Petroleum found close to the Faroese area gives hope for deposits in the immediate area, which may provide a basis for sustained economic prosperity.
Since 2000, new information technology and business projects have been fostered in the Faroe Islands to attract new investment. The introduction of Burger King in Tórshavn was widely publicized and a sign of the globalization of the Faroese Culture. It is not yet known whether these projects will succeed in broadening the islands' economic base. While having one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe, this should not necessarily be taken as a sign of a recovering economy, as many young students move to Denmark and other countries once they are finished with high school. This leaves a largely middle-aged and elderly population that may lack the skills and knowledge to fill newly developed computing positions on the Faroes.
Transportation
Vágar Airport has scheduled service to destinations from Vágoy Island. The largest Faroese airline is Atlantic Airways.
Due to the rocky terrain and relatively small size of the Faroe Islands, its transportation system was not as extensive as other places of the world. This situation has changed, and today the infrastructure has been developed extensively. Some 80% of the population in the islands is connected by under-ocean tunnels, bridges, and embankments which bind the three largest islands and three other large islands to the northeast together, while the other two large islands to the south of the main area are connected to the main area with brand new fast ferries. There are good roads that lead to every village in the islands, except for seven of the smaller islands with only one village each.
Demographics
The vast majority of the population are ethnic Faroese, of Norse and Celtic descent.
Recent DNA analyses have revealed that Y chromosomes, tracing male descent, are 87% Scandinavian. The studies show that mitochondrial DNA, tracing female descent, is 84% Scottish or Irish.
Of the approximately 48,000 inhabitants of the Faroe Islands (16,921 private households (2004)), 98% are realm citizens, meaning Faroese, Danish, or Greenlandic. By birthplace one can derive the following origins of the inhabitants: born on the Faroes 91.7%, in Denmark 5.8%, and in Greenland 0.3%. The largest group of foreigners are Icelanders comprising 0.4% of the population, followed by Norwegians and Polish, each comprising 0.2%. Altogether, on the Faroe Islands there are people from 77 different nationalities.
Faroese is spoken in the entire country as a first language. It is not possible to say exactly how many people worldwide speak the Faroese language. This is for two reasons: Firstly, many ethnic Faroese live in Denmark and few who are born there return to the Faroes with their parents or as adults. Secondly, there are some established Danish families on the Faroes who speak Danish at home.
The Faroese language is the smallest of the Germanic languages. It is most similar to Icelandic and Old Norse. In the twentieth century Faroese became the official language and since the Faroes are a part of the Danish realm Danish is taught in schools as a compulsory second language.
Faroese language policy provides for the active creation of new terms in Faroese suitable for modern life.
Population Trends (1327-2004)
If the first inhabitants of the Faroe Islands were Irish monks, then they must have lived as a very small group of settlers. Later, when the Vikings colonised the Islands, there was a considerable increase in the population. However, it never exceeded 5000 until the eighteenth century. Around 1349, about half of the islands' people died of the plague.
Only with the rise of the deep sea fishery (and thus independence from difficult agriculture) and with general progress in the health service was rapid population growth possible in the Faroes. Beginning in the eighteenth century, the population increased tenfold in 200 years.
At the beginning of the 1990s the Faroe Islands entered a deep economic crisis with heavy, noticeable emigration; however, this trend reversed in subsequent years to a net immigration.
Urbanization and regionalization
The Faroese population is spread across most of the country; it was not until recent decades that significant urbanization occurred. Industrialisation has been remarkably decentralised, and the country has therefore maintained quite a viable rural culture. Nevertheless, villages with poor harbour facilities have been the losers in the development from agriculture to fishing, and in the most peripheral agricultural areas, also known as the the outer islands, there are scarcely any young people left. In recent decades, the village-based social structure has nevertheless been placed under pressure; instead there has been a rise in interconnected "centres" that are better able to provide goods and services than the badly connected periphery. This means that shops and services are now relocating en masse from the villages into the centres, and in turn this also means that slowly but steadily the Faroese population concentrates in and around the centres.
In the nineties the old national policy of developing the villages (Bygdamenning) was abandoned, and instead the government started a process of regional development (Økismenning). In the nineties the term "region" was highly corresponding to the large islands of the Faroes. Nevertheless the government was not able to press through the structural reform of merging the small rural municipalities in order to create sustainable, decentralized entities that could drive forward the regional development. As the regional development has been difficult on the administrative level, the government has instead made heavy investments in infrastructure, interconnecting the regions.
Altogether it becomes less meaningful to perceive of the Faroes as a society based on various islands and regions. The huge investments in roads, bridges and sub-sea tunnels (see also Transportation in the Faroe Islands) has tied together the islands, creating a coherent economic and cultural sphere that covers almost 90% of the entire population. From this perspective it becomes reasonable to conceive of the Faroes as a dispersed city or even to refer to the Faroese Network City.
Religion
According to Færeyinga Saga, Sigmundur Brestisson brought Christianity to the islands in 999. However, archaeology from a site in Leirvík suggests that Celtic Christianity may have arrived 150 or more years earlier. The Faroe Islands' church Reformation was completed on 1 January 1540. According to official statistics from 2002, 84.1% of the Faroese population are members of the state church, the Faroese People's Church (Fólkakirkjan), a form of Lutheranism. Faroese members of the clergy who have had historical importance include V. U. Hammershaimb (1819-1909), Frederik Petersen (1853-1917) and, perhaps most significantly, Jákup Dahl (1878-1944), who had a great influence in making sure that the Faroese language was spoken in the church instead of Danish.
In the late 1820s, the Christian Evangelical religious movement the Plymouth Brethren was established in England. In 1865, a member of this movement William Gibson Sloan travelled to the Faroes from Shetland. At the turn of the nineteenth century the Faroese Plymouth Brethren numbered thirty. Today, approximately 10% of the Faroese population are members of the Open Brethren community (Brøðrasamkoman). About 5% belong to other Christian churches, such as the Adventists, who operate a private school in Tórshavn. Jehovah's Witnesses also number four congregations (approximately 80 to 100 members). The Catholic congregation comprises approximately 170 members. The municipality of Tórshavn operates their old Franciscan school. There are also around fifteen Bahá'ís who meet at four different places. Unlike Iceland, there is no organized Ásatrú community.
The best known church buildings in the Faroe Islands include St. Olafs Church and the unfinished Magnus Cathedral in Kirkjubøur; the Vesturkirkjan and the Maria Church, both of which are situated in Tórshavn; the church of Fámjin; the octagonal church in Haldarsvík; Christianskirkjan in Klaksvík and also the two pictured here.
In 1948, Victor Danielsen (Plymouth Brethren) completed the first Bible translation. It was translated into Faroese from different modern languages. Jacob Dahl and Kristian Osvald Viderø (Fólkakirkjan) completed the second translation in 1961. The latter was translated from the original languages into Faroese.
Culture
Ólavsøka
The national holiday, Ólavsøka, is on the 29th July, commemorating the death of Saint Olaf. The celebrations are held in Tórshavn. They commence on the evening of the 28th, and carry on until the 31st July.
The official part of the celebration starts on the 29th, with the opening of the Faroese Parliament, a custom which dates back some 900 years. This begins with a service held in Tórshavn Cathedral, all members of parliament as well as civil and church officials walk to the cathedral in a procession. All of the parish ministers take turns giving the sermon. After the service, the procession returns to the parliament for the opening ceremony.
Other celebrations are marked by different kind of sports competitions, the rowing competition (in Tórshavn harbour) being the most popular, art exhibitions, pop concerts, and the famous Faroese dance. The celebrations have many facets, and only a few are mentioned here.
Another way many people mark the occasion is to wear the national Faroese dress.
The Nordic House in the Faroe Islands
The Nordic House in the Faroe Islands (in Faroese Norðurlandahúsið) is the most important cultural institution in the Faroes. Its aim is to support and promote Nordic and Faroese culture, locally and in the Nordic region. Erlendur Patursson (1913-1986), Faroese member of the Nordic Council, brought forward the idea of a Nordic cultural house in the Faroe Islands. A Nordic competition for architects was held in 1977, in which 158 architects participated. Winners were Ola Steen from Norway and Kolbrún Ragnarsdóttir from Iceland. By staying true to folklore, the architects built the Nordic House to resemble an enchanting hill of elves. The house opened in Tórshavn in 1983. The Nordic House is a cultural organization under the Nordic Council of Ministers. The Nordic House is run by a steering committee of eight, of which three are Faroese and five from the other Nordic countries. There is also a local advisory body of fifteen members, representing Faroese cultural organizations. The House is managed by a director appointed by the steering committee for a four-year term.
Music
The Faroe Islands have a very active music scene. The islands have their own symphony orchestra, the classical ensemble Aldubáran and many different choirs; the most well-known being Havnarkórið. The most well-known Faroese composers are Sunleif Rasmussen and the Dane Kristian Blak.
The first Faroese opera ever was by Sunleif Rasmussen. It is entitled Í Óðamansgarði (The Madman´s Garden), and it opened on the October 12, 2006, at the Nordic House. The opera is based on a short story by the writer William Heinesen.
Young Faroese musicians who have gained much popularity recently are Eivør (Eivør Pálsdóttir), Lena (lena Andersen), Teitur (Teitur Lassen), Høgni Lisberg and Brandur Enni.
Well-known bands include Týr, Goodiepal, Gestir, Marius, 200 and the former band Clickhaze.
The festival for contemporary and classical music, Summartónar, is held each summer. Large open-air music festivals for popular music with both local and international musicians participating are G! Festival in Gøta in July and Summarfestivalurin in Klaksvík in August.
Traditional food
Traditional Faroese food is mainly based on meat and potatoes and uses few fresh vegetables. Mutton is the basis of many meals, and one of the most popular treats is skerpikjøt, well aged, wind-dried mutton which is quite chewy. The drying shed, known as a hjallur, is a standard feature in many Faroese homes, particularly in the small towns and villages. Other traditional foods are ræst kjøt (semi-dried mutton) and ræstur fiskur, matured fish. Another Faroese specialty is Grind og spik, pilot whale meat and blubber. Well into the last century meat and blubber from the pilot whale meant food for a long time. Fresh fish also features strongly in the traditional local diet, as do seabirds, such as Faroese puffins, and their eggs.
Public holidays
: New Year's Day, January 1st
: Maundy Thursday
: Good Friday
: Easter Sunday
: Easter Monday
: Flag day, 25 April
: General Prayer Day, 17 May
: Ascension Day
: Whit Sunday, 4 June
: Whit Monday, 5 June
: Constitution Day, 5 June (½ day holiday)
: St.Olav’s Eve, 28 July (½ day holiday)
: St.Olav’s Day, 29 July (National holiday)
: Christmas Eve, 24 December
: Christmas Day, 25 December
: Boxing Day, 26 December
: New Year’s Eve, 31 December (½ day holiday)
References
External links
