The Faroe Islands are a group of islands in the North Atlantic between the British Isles, Norway and Iceland. With the exception of Litla Dium, all 18 islands are inhabited. Like Greenland, the Faroe Islands are an equal nation within the Kingdom of Denmark and are largely autonomous.
The Faroes are volcanic origin and originated in the tertiary. They are around 60 million years old. The only thermal spring Varmakelda reminds of this time.
The weather on the Faroe Islands is maritime, humid and extremely changeable. Due to its location on the Gulf Stream, the Faroe Islands have comparatively mild temperatures in view of the geographical latitude.
No point in the Faroe Islands is further than 5 kilometers from the sea. Most of the places are on protected natural sites Ports, Fjords and bays. Tórshavn is the capital of the Faroe Islands. Here you can find a maritime atmosphere atHarbor, picturesque corners on Tinganes and historical buildings in the center. A detour to the most interesting viewpoints is always worthwhile. That is the diverse range that the small port city offers its visitors.
Since the archipelago is very isolated, nature also developed on its own. There are no reptiles, toads or freshwater fish here. The only mammals that can be found here are whales and gray seals.
The bird species on the islands are all the more colorful. The Faroe Islands are among the busiest breeding grounds in the North Atlantic. The oystercatcher is one of the most common seabirds in the Faroe Islands. The fulmars breed here in large numbers. The puffin with 350,000 breeding pairs and the petrel with 250,000 breeding pairs are also represented here in large numbers. Extinct however, are the giant alk and the white and colored raven, two species of birds that were only found on the Faroe Islands.
For – key data
Area: 1,393 km²
Population: 49,267 (2011 estimate, CIA).
Population density: 35 people per km²
Population growth: 0.428% per year (2011, CIA)
Capital: Thorshavn (12,293 residents, 2007,Commune 19,339 residents)
Highest point: Slaettaratindur, 882 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean, 0 m
Form of government: The Faroe Islands are an equal nation within the Kingdom of Denmark (Greenland has the same status). However, the Faroe Islands have been relatively autonomous since 1948. The Løgting is one of the world’s oldest parliaments. The Faroe Islands send two MEPs to the Danish Folketing Parliament.
The Faroe Islands do not belong to the European Union and also not to the customs territory of the EU. Since November 1, 2006, Iceland and the Faroe Islands have merged to form an economic union.
Head of State: Queen of Denmark Margrethe II, since January 14, 1972, represented by the imperial ombudsman Dan Michael Knudsen
Head of Government: Prime Minister Kaj Leo Johannesen, since September 26, 2008
Language: the Faroese language comes from Old Norse, it is one of the smallest Germanic languages. Most Faroese understand Norwegian, Swedish and Icelandic. other important foreign languages are German and French.
R eligion: Evangelical Lutheran 83.8%, other and no information 16.2% (2006)
Local time: CET -1 h. The Faroe Islands have summer time (CET) between the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October.
The time difference to Central Europe in both winter and summer is -1 h.
International phone code: +298
Internet identifier:.fo
Mains voltage: 220 V, 50 Hz. The plugs comply with European standards, adapters are not required.
Faroe Islands Geography
According to franciscogardening, the Faroe Islands are an equal nation within the Kingdom of Denmark and are made up of 18 small islands with a total area of 1,399 square kilometers. The archipelago is located in the North Atlantic between Iceland, Norway and the British Isles.
The Faroe Islands are just as volcanic as Iceland and lie on the Wyville-Thompson Ridge, which rose from the waters of the Atlantic 70 million years ago and runs through Iceland to Greenland. The different ice ages left fjords, sundes and valleys on the archipelago , which divide the Faroe Islands with its multitude of islands like a mosaic.
The whole Archipelago has the shape of an upside-down triangle and, especially in the north, south and west, has pronounced cliffs that protrude steeply upwards for several hundred meters. At 829 meters, Cape Kunoy is the highest cape in the world and the highest mountain in the Faroe Islands, Slaettaratindur, is only slightly higher at 882 meters. The stair-like stepped landscape of the islands, which the locals call “Hamrar”, slopes gently towards the sea to the east.
The Faroe Islands, also known as the “Green Islands”, are often foggy or drenched in constant drizzle. The areas on the coast that are overgrown with grass and exposed to the constant wind are treeless and are used as pastureland for sheep breeding. Although the vegetation appears rather barren and monotonous due to constant grazing, over 400 plant species thrive on the wet, swampy soils which is particularly evident in the ravines inaccessible to sheep. In addition to mosses, cotton grass and rushes, the plants typical of this country such as stonecrop, angelica, lady’s mantle and even orchids grow. The always humid and foggy weather is ideal for the vegetation and lets the islands light up in a multitude of shades of green should the sun fight its way through the stubborn fog.
