18 interesting facts about the Faroe Islands

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We share the most interesting facts about the Faroe Islands that we collected on our short but strenuous journey to these wild Atlantic Islands

The Faroe Islands lie in the heart of the Gulf Stream, driving to 62 ° North in the North Atlantic, northwest of Scotland-about halfway between Norway and Iceland.

The remote archipelago consists of 18 rocky islands, which are connected by a series of tunnels, bridges and ferries. Just a stone's throw from Great Britain over Edinburgh, the islands are a paradise for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts.

We spent four days on the Faroe Islands and thanks to the strangely long days (sunset was around 11:30 p.m.) we were able to pack a lot, from the observation of parrot diving in Mykines to hiking on Lake Sørvágsvatn, where the largest lake of the Faroe Islands extends to the sea.

We share the most interesting facts about the Faroe Islands that we picked up on our trip.

interesting facts about the Faroe Islands

  1. Many houses on the Faroe Islands have frenzy, a tradition that goes back more than a thousand years. They not only look charming, they also offer thermal insulation and protection against rain. (Source: CNN)

    2. alt = "Rasiner roofs on the Faroe Islands"> Atlas & Boots Rasendachhäuser in Kirkjubøur

    1. Irish monks who arrived in the 6th century originally populated the Faroe Islands. The first Nordic settlers were farmers who arrived about 200 years later. (Source: BBC)

    2. Vikings then settled the Faroe Islands in the 9th century. (Source: The Independent)

    3. You can find the telephone number of the Prime Minister in the phone book. (Source: The Telegraph)

    4. The peat roof "Parliamentsteg" by Tinganes (translated "The thing") is considered one of the oldest parliamentary meeting places in the world and dates from 825 AD (source: the independent)

      5. alt = “Tinganes is one of the most interesting facts about the Färöer”> Atlas & Boots The peat roof "Parliamentsteg" by Tinganes

      1. About 50 % of electricity on the Faroe Islands currently comes from renewable sources. The nation wants to make it 100 % by 2030. (Source: State of Green)

      2. There are no official prisons on the Faroe Islands. In Mjørkadalur there is a short -term prison with a grass roof, which is used for non -violent criminals, the short prison terms. Prisoners who are held for more than a year and a half are sent to Danish prisons. (Source: Tourism Association of Faroe Islands)

      3. There are only three traffic lights on the entire Faroe Islands - all in the capital Tórshavn. Find out more in our tips on driving on the Faroe Islands. (Source: National Geographic)

      4. One of the most interesting facts about the Faroe Islands is that there are of course no trees grow on the islands. There are a handful of small plantations that are scattered everywhere, but there are no local trees. (Source: Belfast Telegraph)

        5. alt = "beautiful but traight view of the Faroe Islands"> Atlas & Boots The beautiful but treeless Faroe Islands

        1. In April 2019, the Färinger temporarily closed parts of the country to repair popular tourist attractions. Around 100 "voluntourists" worked with locals as part of a campaign to promote tourism and sustainability. (Source: The Guardian)

        2. There is a lack of women on the Faroe Islands, which is why men are increasingly finding women from countries in Southeast Asia. With a population of only 50,000, more than 300 women from Thailand and the Philippines live on the islands, which form the greatest ethnic minority on the Faroe Islands. (Source: BBC)

        3. You are never further than 5 km from the sea on the Faroe Islands. (Source: Google Maps)

          4. alt = "Interesting facts about the Faroe Islands The sea is never far away on the Faroe Islands"> Atlas & Boots The sea is never far away

          1. Together with Norway, the Faroe Islands belonged to the Kingdom of Denmark from 1380. In 1948 the Home Rule Act was adopted and the islands became an autonomous, self -managed region of the Kingdom of Denmark. (Source: BBC)

          2. The Faroe Islands are one of the few nations that continue to catch whales. Since it is not about profit, it does not violate the worldwide ban on commercial whaling, which has been in effect since the 1980s. The Faranian government describes whaling as a "natural component of Faranian life" and the residents continue to hunt grind whales that are not threatened with extinction. (Source: CNN)

          3. In 2006, National Geographic Traveler chose the Faroe Islands from a selected list of 111 islands and archipelago the most attractive island travel destination in the world. (Source: Original not available)

          4. The largest lake of the Faroe Islands, the Sørvágsvatn lake, is in the immediate vicinity of the ocean. It is famous for his view of "the lake above the ocean". Photographed from a certain perspective, it looks as if the lake is towering up on the cliffs high above the ocean. In truth, it is behind the cliff, only 30-40 m higher than the sea. (Source: National Geographic)

            5. alt = “hike at the lake sørvágsvatn”> Shutterstock The famous view of "the lake above the ocean"

            1. The fishing sector accounts for about 97 % of all exports and half of the national GDP. The second largest industry is tourism. (Source: Cia World Factbook)

            2. Niels Ryberg Finsen, a Faranian doctor, received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine "in recognition of his contribution to the treatment of diseases, especially Lupus vulgaris, with concentrated light radiation". (Source: The Nobel Prize)

              3. Mission statement: Atlas & Boots 
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