Islet of Tjaldavik (Tjaldaviksholmur) with Tvoroyri in the background, Suduroy Island, Faroe Islands


The Faroe Islands, or simply the Faroes or Faeroes, are a North Atlantic archipelago and island country located in the North Sea. Like Greenland, it is a constituent country of the Kingdom of Denmark. The islands have a total area of about 1,400 square kilometres with a population of 53,882 as of April 2022. The terrain is rugged, and the subpolar oceanic climate is windy, wet, cloudy, and cool. Temperatures for such a northerly climate are moderated by the gulf stream, averaging above freezing throughout the year, and hovering around 12 °C in summer and 5 °C in winter. The northerly latitude also results in perpetual civil twilight during summer nights and very short winter days. Between 1035 and 1814, the Faroe Islands were part of the Kingdom of Norway, which was in a personal union with Denmark from 1380. In 1814, the Treaty of Kiel transferred Norway to Sweden, whereas Denmark kept its Atlantic territories, which included the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Iceland. While part of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Faroe Islands have been self-governing since 1948, controlling most areas apart from military defence, policing, justice, currency, and foreign affairs. Because the Faroe Islands are not part of the same customs area as Denmark, the Faroe Islands has an independent trade policy, and can establish trade agreements with other states. The Faroes have an extensive bilateral free trade agreement with Iceland, known as the Hoyvík Agreement. In the Nordic Council, they are represented as part of the Danish delegation. In certain sports, the Faroe Islands field their own national teams. They did not become a part of the European Economic Community in 1973, instead keeping the autonomy over their own fishing waters.


Size: 6016px × 4016px
Location: Suduroy Island, Faroe Islands
Photo credit: © Roberto Cornacchia / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

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