6 Curiosities Of The Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands are located in the North Atlantic, between Iceland and Scotland. They are an autonomous region that belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark. Among the many curiosities of the Faroe Islands, its unusual beauty and an exemplary model of coexistence can be highlighted .

This archipelago, made up of 18 islands and more than 750 islets, covers an area of ​​1,300 square kilometers, with more than 1,100 kilometers of coastline. It has a rugged geography and a geology dominated by cliffs and low mountains, where seagulls and puffins nest. Here are six more facts about this curious corner of the planet.

1. Lambs and Nobel laureates

By 625, the islands were inhabited by monks, then by pirates and finally by Vikings, who ended up taking over them. The origin of its name comes from Danish and means ‘Islands of the Lambs’. The reason is simple: the sheep population is twice that of humans.

The economy of these islands depends fundamentally on fishing, especially for shellfish, salmon and mackerel. Its number of inhabitants  is small, approximately 50,000 people.

Based on this data, it can be stated that they have the highest number of Nobel Prizes per capita : one, awarded to Niels Ryberg Finsen, who won the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Psychology in 1903. There are more than 80 different nationalities in their territory, whose life expectancy is 80 years.

2. Special customs, one of the curiosities of the Faroe Islands

The vegetation is scarce, especially in the case of trees, particularly due to the strong winds that impede their development. The Faroese make up for this absence with the ingenious idea of ​​covering the roofs of their houses with grass, which also provides shelter from the inclement cold.

Among the best curiosities of the Faroe Islands is that public transport is free. In addition, it is a place where traffic is not a problem : three traffic lights are enough to regulate vehicular traffic. In this paradise there are no branches of the powerful American company McDonald’s.

The sale of liquor that exceeds 2.8 ° of alcohol is the exclusive monopoly of the State; It is only sold in six stores  throughout the country and its price is high. Unfortunately, not everything is perfect, since around 800 whales are still hunted per year, in part because their ancestors have been doing it for more than 1000 years.

3. The national language and sport

Although most Faroese speak English, the official language of these islands is Faroese. It is a Scandinavian language that originated from Old Norse at the time the Vikings settled on the islands.

As for sports, without a doubt, football is the most popular in this territory. It gathers about 20% of the population as registered players, not counting all those who practice it for fun; It is something unprecedented in the world and is part of the curiosities of the Faroe Islands.

The Faroe Islands Football Federation was created in 1942 and has been responsible for organizing the Effodeildin league since 2008. The Faroe Islands Premier League has 10 teams and is currently ranked 51st in UEFA.

4. Some traditions

Within the ancestral tradition of the Faroese, there is a legend to explain the solitude of the island of the peaks. It is said that an eagle kidnapped a child and carried it to its nest; his mother, to rescue him, ascended one of the five peaks to this place. However, she found her son dead and without eyes. Since then, the family has left Trundholm Island forever.

In the Faroe Islands, after leaving the main roads, the roads that lead to the towns only allow the transit of one vehicle, even if they are two-way. To solve this problem, the authorities set up areas every 150 meters so that vehicles can temporarily park to give way to those coming from the opposite direction.

This situation, more than a nuisance, has become the perfect excuse to rest, relax and even take pictures of the extraordinary landscape. Undoubtedly, one of the curiosities of the Faroe Islands that are most striking for visitors.

5. Artistic manifestations

Within the field of the arts, music and dance stand out. The first is characterized by being mainly vocal and not being accompanied by musical instruments. In the past, violin accompaniment was only allowed in its capital, Tórshavn.

As for dance, the tradition of the chain dance is kept alive, a dance prohibited in the past by the Church because it was considered pagan. In this group dance, a circle is formed that rotates, while its members dance. Spontaneously, one of the members breaks the circle and goes to the center to express themselves individually; then he returns to the circle and so the dance goes on.

On the traditional gastronomy side, this revolves around fish and lamb meat. The latter seeks to take advantage of absolutely everything, which is why soups, sausages and blood sausages of this animal are common.

Traditionally, there are dishes such as garnatálg , which is a meat sausage; or seyðahøvd , which consists of making soup with sheep’s heads. There’s also skerpikjot , which is consumed only after the meat has been air-dried for at least a year.

6. Poetry and wisdom

Finally, one of the biggest attractions of the Faroe Islands is the presence of the Northern Lights. The phenomenon, which can be observed between September and April, is not only beautiful, but always different, to illuminate the sky and the lives of those who have the fortune to witness them.

Seen from the air, the Faroe Islands look like raw emeralds, shrouded in dense fog and icy waters. They are the favorite destination of those who have already seen it all. In short, a place that can only be enjoyed slowly.

These islands are a humid space where the rivers descend from the mountains like melancholic seas to welcome visitors. In addition, they have a culture so warm that even the cold shelters, where you learn to be patient because nothing is said and changes happen from one moment to another.