Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Faroe Islands shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Faroe Islands offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Faroe Islands at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Faroe Islands? Wrong! If the Faroe Islands is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Faroe Islands then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Faroe Islands? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Faroe Islands and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Faroe Islands wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Faroe Islands then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Faroe Islands site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Faroe Islands, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Faroe Islands, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
{{Infobox Country or territory|native_name =
FøroyarFærøerne|conventional_long_name = Faroe Islands|common_name = Faroe Islands|image_flag = Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg|image_coat = Vedur.svg|image_map = LocationFaroeIslands.png|national_motto =|national_anthem =
Tú alfagra land míttYou, my most beauteous land], Danish language|capital =
Tórshavn|leader_name1 = [Margrethe II of Denmark|leader_title2 = Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands|leader_name2 =
Jóannes Eidesgaard|area_rank = 180th|area_magnitude = 1 E9|area_km2 = 1,399|area_sq_mi = 540 -->|population_density_rank = 169th|GDP_PPP = $1.0 billion|GDP_PPP_rank = not ranked|GDP_PPP_year = 2005|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $22,000 (2001 estimate)|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = not ranked|HDI_year = 2006|HDI = 0.9431|HDI_rank = 15th|HDI_category = high|currency = Faroese króna2]|utc_offset =|time_zone_DST = European Summer Time|utc_offset_DST = +1|cctld =
.for, incorporates the same security features and uses the same sizes and standards as Danish coins and banknotes. Faroese krónur (singular króna) use the Danish [ISO 4217 code "DKK".-->
The
Faroe Islands or
Faeroe Islands or simply
Faroes or
Faeroes (, meaning "Sheep Islands", , ) are a group of islands in
Northern Europe, between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, roughly equidistant between
Iceland,
Scotland, and Norway. They have been an autonomous region of the Kingdom of
Denmark since
1948, making it a member of the Rigsfællesskabet. The Faroese have, over the years, taken control of most matters except defence (though they have a native coast guard), foreign affairs and the legal system. These three areas 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 people 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 people settlers, bringing the
Old Norse language to the islands, which locally evolved into the modern
Faroese language spoken today.The settlers are not thought to have come directly from Norway, but rather from the Norwegian settlements in Shetland, Orkney, and around the
Irish Sea, and to have been 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
9th century. Early in the
11th century, Sigmundur Brestirson, 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 I of Norway, 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
The British occupation of the Faroe Islands 1940-1945 by United Kingdom 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 1942–1943 the British
Royal Monmouthshire 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
in Tórshavn, seat of the government
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).
The Faroes and Denmark
The Treaty of Kiel in
1814 terminated the Denmark-Norway 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 Counties of Denmark, with the Prefect 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 Treaty of Rome, the Faroe Islands are not part of the
European Union. Moreover, a Special member state territories and their relations with the EU#Faroe Islands 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
Citizenship of the European Union. (Other EU nationals living there remain EU citizens.) The Faroes are not covered by the
Schengen treaty free movement agreement, but there are no border checks when travelling between the Faroes and any Schengen country .
Regions and municipalities
Administratively, the islands are divided into 34 Municipalities of the Faroe Islands within which 120 or so Cities and villages of the Faroe Islands lie.
Traditionally, there are also the
Regions of the Faroe Islands ("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
Thing (assembly) (assembly), the so-called
várting ("spring
ting").
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 square mile), and has no major lakes or rivers. There are 1,117 kilometres (694 mile) 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
- Sula Sgeir (Scotland): 240 kilometre (149 Mile#Statute_miles)
- Shetland (Scotland): 280 km (174 mi)
- Scotland (British Mainland): 310 km (193 mi)
- Iceland: 450 km (280 miles)
- Norway: 675 km (419 miles)
- Ireland: 678 km (421 miles)
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.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. As 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 Culture of the Faroe Islands. 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
enters the Faroe Islands
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
Tunnels of the Faroes, bridges, and causeways 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 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 Faroese people, of
Scandinavia and Celtic descent. Highly discrepant proportions of female and male Scandinavian and British Isles ancestry within the isolated population of the Faroe Islands, http://www.nature.com/ejhg/journal/v14/n4/full/5201578a.html, Thomas D Als, Tove H Jorgensen, Anders D Børglum, Peter A Petersen, Ole Mors and August G Wang, 25 January 2006
Recent DNA analyses have revealed that Y chromosomes, tracing male descent, are 87%
Scandinavian.The origin of the isolated population of the Faroe Islands investigated using Y chromosomal markers, http://www.springerlink.com/content/4yuhf5m7a22gc4qm/, Tove H. Jorgensen, Henriette N. Buttenschön, August G. Wang, Thomas D. Als, Anders D. Børglum and Henrik Ewald1, April 8 2004.The studies show that mitochondrial DNA, tracing female descent, is 84%
Scottish people /
Irish people. Wang, C. August. 2006. Ílegur og Føroya Søga. In:
Frøði pp.20-23
Of the approximately 48,000 inhabitants of the Faroe Islands (16,921 private households (2004)), 98% are realm citizens, meaning Faroese, Danish people, 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 is Icelanders comprising 0.4% of the population, followed by Norwegians and Polish people, each comprising 0.2%. Altogether, on the Faroe Islands there are people from 77 different nationalities.
Faroese language 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 one of the smallest of the Germanic languages. Faroese grammar is most similar to Icelandic language and Old Norse language. In contrast, spoken Faroese differs much from Icelandic and is closer to
Norwegian language dialects from the west coast of Norway. In the twentieth century, Faroese became the official language and since the Faroes are a part of the Danish realm
Danish language 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 18th 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.
{] 4,000| 1350 ||align="right"| ca. 2,000| 1769 ||align="right"| 4,773| 1801 ||align="right"| 5,255| 1834 ||align="right"| 6,928| 1840 ||align="right"| 7,314| 1845 ||align="right"| 7,782| 1850 ||align="right"| 8,137| 1855 ||align="right"| 8,651| 1880 ||align="right"| 11,220| 1900 ||align="right"| 15,230| 1911 ||align="right"| ca. 18,800| 1925 ||align="right"| 22,835| 1950 ||align="right"| 31,781|}|{| class="wikitable"! Year !! Inhabitants| 1970 ||align="right"| ca. 38,000| 1975 ||align="right"| 40,441| 1985 ||align="right"| 45,749| 1989 ||align="right"| 47,787| 1995 ||align="right"| 43,358| 1996 ||align="right"| 43,784| 1997 ||align="right"| 44,262| 1998 ||align="right"| 44,817| 1999 ||align="right"| 45,409| 2000 ||align="right"| 46,196| 2001 ||align="right"| 46,996| 2002 ||align="right"| 47,704| 2003 ||align="right"| 48,214| 2004 ||align="right"| 48,353|}|}
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" referred 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 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) have tied together the islands, creating a coherent economic and cultural sphere that covers almost 90% of the entire population. From this perspective it is reasonable to perceive the Faroes as a dispersed city or even to refer to it as the
Faroese Network City.
Religion
from 1892According 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 years earlier, or more. 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),
Fríðrikur 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 language.
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
19th 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
Roman Catholic Church 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
29 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
31 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.Schei, Kjørsvik Liv and Moberg, Gunnie. 1991.
The Faroe Islands. ISBN 0-7195-5009-2 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 language Norðurlandahúsið) is the most important cultural institution in the Faroes. Its aim is to support and promote Scandinavia 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 (band), Goodiepal,
Gestir, Marius,
Tveyhundrað 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. Lamb (food) 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
:
See also: Public holidays in Denmark
New Year's Day,
January 1
Maundy Thursday
Good Friday
Easter Sunday
Easter Monday
Flag day, 25 April
General Prayer Day (Store Bededag), 4th Friday after Easter
Ascension Day
Whit Sunday, 4 June
Whit Monday, 5 June
Constitution Day,
5 June (½ day holiday)
Ólavsøka,
28 July (½ day holiday)
Ólavsøka,
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)
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
Foot (unit of length)) above sea level. There are areas below sea level.
Flora
(Caltha palustris) very common in the Faroe Islands in May-June. - @Faroenature/Finn
The natural vegetation of the Faroe Islands is dominated by Arctic-alpine plants, wild flowers, grasses, moss and lichen. 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
BirdsThe 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 woodland and other suitable habitats. Many species have developed special Faroese sub-species: Eider,
Starling,
Wren, Guillemot, and
Black Guillemot. ). The Faroese Fauna.
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 known 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.
See also
{{columns |width=40%|col1 =
- List of Faroese people
- University of the Faroe Islands
- Rigsfællesskabet
- British occupation of the Faroe Islands in World War II
|col2 =
-->
References
- Irvine, D.E.G. 1982. Seaweeds of the Faroes 1: The flora. Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. (Bot.) 10: 109 - 131.
- Tittley, I., Farnham, W.F. and Gray, P.W.G. 1982. Seaweeds of the Faroes 2: Sheltered fjords and sounds. Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. (Bot.) 10: 133 - 151.
- Irvine, David Edward Guthrie. 1982. Seaweed of the Faroes 1: The flora. Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. (Bot.) 10(3): 109 - 131.
External links
- Prime Minister's Office - Official site
- Gallery of stunning photos of the Faroe Islands
- Statistics - Data about the Faroese community
- Faroese banknote series Information about Faroese banknotes
- Visit Faroe Islands - Official tourist site
- Framtak in the Faroe Islands - A comprehensive introduction to the Faroe Islands
- Photo-gallery of Faroe Islands - Around 200 photographs of the Faroese archipelago including Mykines, Vagar, Saksun and many more
- Faroeislands.dk - Is a private page covering all villages on the Faroe Islands
- Nordic House - Official site of the Nordic House in the Faroe Islands
- Faroephotos - Site with pictures of the Faroe Islands
- FaroeNature - Discussions and gallery relating to the Faroese nature
- - March 2007 New York Times Travel section feature
- Homepage with island by island pictures of the Faroe Islands
- - Pictures from the Faroe Islands
{{Template group|title = Geographic locale|list =
-->{{Template group|title = International membership|list =-->
{{Infobox Country or territory|native_name =
FøroyarFærøerne|conventional_long_name = Faroe Islands|common_name = Faroe Islands|image_flag = Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg|image_coat = Vedur.svg|image_map = LocationFaroeIslands.png|national_motto =|national_anthem =
Tú alfagra land míttYou, my most beauteous land], Danish language|capital =
Tórshavn|leader_name1 = [Margrethe II of Denmark|leader_title2 =
Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands|leader_name2 = Jóannes Eidesgaard|area_rank = 180th|area_magnitude = 1 E9|area_km2 = 1,399|area_sq_mi = 540 -->|population_density_rank = 169th|GDP_PPP = $1.0 billion|GDP_PPP_rank = not ranked|GDP_PPP_year = 2005|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $22,000 (2001 estimate)|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = not ranked|HDI_year = 2006|HDI = 0.9431|HDI_rank = 15th|HDI_category = high|currency =
Faroese króna2]|utc_offset =|time_zone_DST = European Summer Time|utc_offset_DST = +1|cctld =
.for, incorporates the same security features and uses the same sizes and standards as Danish coins and banknotes. Faroese krónur (singular króna) use the Danish [ISO 4217 code "DKK".-->
The
Faroe Islands or
Faeroe Islands or simply
Faroes or
Faeroes (, meaning "Sheep Islands", , ) are a group of islands in
Northern Europe, between the
Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, roughly equidistant between Iceland,
Scotland, and Norway. They have been an autonomous region of the Kingdom of
Denmark since 1948, making it a member of the Rigsfællesskabet. The Faroese have, over the years, taken control of most matters except defence (though they have a native coast guard), foreign affairs and the legal system. These three areas 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 people 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 people settlers, bringing the
Old Norse language to the islands, which locally evolved into the modern
Faroese language spoken today.The settlers are not thought to have come directly from Norway, but rather from the Norwegian settlements in Shetland, Orkney, and around the
Irish Sea, and to have been 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 9th century. Early in the 11th century,
Sigmundur Brestirson, 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 I of Norway, 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
The British occupation of the Faroe Islands 1940-1945 by
United Kingdom 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–
1943 the British Royal Monmouthshire 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
in
Tórshavn, seat of the government
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).
The Faroes and Denmark
The Treaty of Kiel in
1814 terminated the
Denmark-Norway 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 Counties of Denmark, with the Prefect 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
Treaty of Rome, the Faroe Islands are not part of the European Union. Moreover, a
Special member state territories and their relations with the EU#Faroe Islands 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
Citizenship of the European Union. (Other EU nationals living there remain EU citizens.) The Faroes are not covered by the Schengen treaty free movement agreement, but there are no border checks when travelling between the Faroes and any Schengen country .
Regions and municipalities
Administratively, the islands are divided into 34
Municipalities of the Faroe Islands within which 120 or so Cities and villages of the Faroe Islands lie.
Traditionally, there are also the
Regions of the Faroe Islands ("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
Thing (assembly) (assembly), the so-called
várting ("spring
ting").
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 square mile), and has no major lakes or rivers. There are 1,117 kilometres (694
mile) 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
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.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. As 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
Culture of the Faroe Islands. 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
enters the Faroe Islands
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 Tunnels of the Faroes, bridges, and causeways 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 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
Faroese people, of
Scandinavia and Celtic descent. Highly discrepant proportions of female and male Scandinavian and British Isles ancestry within the isolated population of the Faroe Islands, http://www.nature.com/ejhg/journal/v14/n4/full/5201578a.html, Thomas D Als, Tove H Jorgensen, Anders D Børglum, Peter A Petersen, Ole Mors and August G Wang, 25 January 2006
Recent DNA analyses have revealed that Y chromosomes, tracing male descent, are 87% Scandinavian.The origin of the isolated population of the Faroe Islands investigated using Y chromosomal markers, http://www.springerlink.com/content/4yuhf5m7a22gc4qm/, Tove H. Jorgensen, Henriette N. Buttenschön, August G. Wang, Thomas D. Als, Anders D. Børglum and Henrik Ewald1, April 8 2004.The studies show that mitochondrial DNA, tracing female descent, is 84% Scottish people /
Irish people. Wang, C. August. 2006. Ílegur og Føroya Søga. In:
Frøði pp.20-23
Of the approximately 48,000 inhabitants of the Faroe Islands (16,921 private households (2004)), 98% are realm citizens, meaning Faroese, Danish people, 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 is
Icelanders comprising 0.4% of the population, followed by
Norwegians and Polish people, each comprising 0.2%. Altogether, on the Faroe Islands there are people from 77 different nationalities.
Faroese language 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 one of the smallest of the
Germanic languages. Faroese grammar is most similar to
Icelandic language and
Old Norse language. In contrast, spoken Faroese differs much from Icelandic and is closer to Norwegian language dialects from the west coast of
Norway. In the twentieth century, Faroese became the official language and since the Faroes are a part of the Danish realm
Danish language 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
18th 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.
{] 4,000| 1350 ||align="right"| ca. 2,000| 1769 ||align="right"| 4,773| 1801 ||align="right"| 5,255| 1834 ||align="right"| 6,928| 1840 ||align="right"| 7,314| 1845 ||align="right"| 7,782| 1850 ||align="right"| 8,137| 1855 ||align="right"| 8,651| 1880 ||align="right"| 11,220| 1900 ||align="right"| 15,230| 1911 ||align="right"| ca. 18,800| 1925 ||align="right"| 22,835| 1950 ||align="right"| 31,781|}|{| class="wikitable"! Year !! Inhabitants| 1970 ||align="right"| ca. 38,000| 1975 ||align="right"| 40,441| 1985 ||align="right"| 45,749| 1989 ||align="right"| 47,787| 1995 ||align="right"| 43,358| 1996 ||align="right"| 43,784| 1997 ||align="right"| 44,262| 1998 ||align="right"| 44,817| 1999 ||align="right"| 45,409| 2000 ||align="right"| 46,196| 2001 ||align="right"| 46,996| 2002 ||align="right"| 47,704| 2003 ||align="right"| 48,214| 2004 ||align="right"| 48,353|}|}
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" referred 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 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) have tied together the islands, creating a coherent economic and cultural sphere that covers almost 90% of the entire population. From this perspective it is reasonable to perceive the Faroes as a dispersed city or even to refer to it as the
Faroese Network City.
Religion
from 1892According 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 years earlier, or more. 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),
Fríðrikur 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 language.
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
19th 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
Roman Catholic Church 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
29 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
31 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.Schei, Kjørsvik Liv and Moberg, Gunnie. 1991.
The Faroe Islands. ISBN 0-7195-5009-2 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 language Norðurlandahúsið) is the most important cultural institution in the Faroes. Its aim is to support and promote
Scandinavia 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 (band), Goodiepal, Gestir, Marius,
Tveyhundrað 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.
Lamb (food) 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
:
See also: Public holidays in Denmark
New Year's Day,
January 1
Maundy Thursday
Good Friday
Easter Sunday
Easter Monday
Flag day, 25 April
General Prayer Day (Store Bededag), 4th Friday after Easter
Ascension Day
Whit Sunday,
4 June
Whit Monday, 5 June
Constitution Day, 5 June (½ day holiday)
Ólavsøka, 28 July (½ day holiday)
Ólavsøka,
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)
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
Foot (unit of length)) above sea level. There are areas below sea level.
Flora
(Caltha palustris) very common in the Faroe Islands in May-June. - @Faroenature/Finn
The natural vegetation of the Faroe Islands is dominated by Arctic-alpine plants, wild flowers,
grasses, moss and lichen. 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
BirdsThe 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 woodland and other suitable habitats. Many species have developed special Faroese sub-species: Eider,
Starling, Wren, Guillemot, and
Black Guillemot. ). The Faroese Fauna.
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 known 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.
See also
{{columns |width=40%|col1 =
|col2 =
-->
References
- Irvine, D.E.G. 1982. Seaweeds of the Faroes 1: The flora. Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. (Bot.) 10: 109 - 131.
- Tittley, I., Farnham, W.F. and Gray, P.W.G. 1982. Seaweeds of the Faroes 2: Sheltered fjords and sounds. Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. (Bot.) 10: 133 - 151.
- Irvine, David Edward Guthrie. 1982. Seaweed of the Faroes 1: The flora. Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. (Bot.) 10(3): 109 - 131.
External links
- Prime Minister's Office - Official site
- Gallery of stunning photos of the Faroe Islands
- Statistics - Data about the Faroese community
- Faroese banknote series Information about Faroese banknotes
- Visit Faroe Islands - Official tourist site
- Framtak in the Faroe Islands - A comprehensive introduction to the Faroe Islands
- Photo-gallery of Faroe Islands - Around 200 photographs of the Faroese archipelago including Mykines, Vagar, Saksun and many more
- Faroeislands.dk - Is a private page covering all villages on the Faroe Islands
- Nordic House - Official site of the Nordic House in the Faroe Islands
- Faroephotos - Site with pictures of the Faroe Islands
- FaroeNature - Discussions and gallery relating to the Faroese nature
- - March 2007 New York Times Travel section feature
- Homepage with island by island pictures of the Faroe Islands
- - Pictures from the Faroe Islands
{{Template group|title = Geographic locale|list =
-->{{Template group|title = International membership|list =-->
Faroe Islands
UK Trade & Investment is the Government organisation that supports companies in the UK doing business internationally and overseas enterprises seeking to set up or expand in the UK
Faroe Islands - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Faroe Islands or Faeroe Islands or simply Faroe(s) or Faeroes (Faroese: Føroyar, meaning "Sheep Islands", Danish: Færøerne, Old Norse: Færeyjar) are a group of islands in ...
Faroe Islands Tourist Guide 2008
Faroe Islands Tourist Guide 2008 ... FACTS ABOUT THE FAROES Situated in the heart of the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic at 62°00’N, the Faroe Islands lie northwest of ...
Faroe Islands
Description of the flag. The flag of the Faroe Islands is a red Scandinavian cross, fimbriated blue. The horizontal dimensions of the flag are 6:1:2:1:12, the vertical ones 6:1:2:1 ...
Faroe Islands
Mission of the Faroe Islands to the United Kingdom, established as a section at the Royal Danish Embassy in London. Provides general information about the Faroe Islands and about ...
Faroe Islands national football team - Wikipedia, the free ...
The Faroe Islands national football team is the national football team of Faroe Islands and is controlled by the Faroe Islands Football Association.
Faroe Islands 0-1 Romania
Jakub a Borg is replaced by Bartal Eliasen. Manchester City vs Liverpool at Middle Eastland... signings of the season so far... Manchester City vs Liverpool at Middle Eastland ...
Faroe Islands SMS
Cheap Faroe Islands SMS text messaging from CardBoardFish. Specialists in low cost SMS termination and hard to reach destinations. Covers over 700 GSM, 3G, CDMA, IDEN and Satellite ...
Faroe Islands Matches
Full details of all the World Cup 2002 matches for ALL Confederations plus the finals All latest updates on World Cup 2006 and the 2004 European Championships
Match Report - Faroe Islands 1 - 4 Wales - Football Association of ...
Officials. Referee: Richard Liesveld (Netherlands) Assistant referee 1: Patrick Lamgkamp (Netherlands) Assistant referee 2: Jose Luis Melo (Portugal)