Faroe Islands

Did you know?

• 🏝A picturesque archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean, located between Scotland, Norway, and Iceland. It is officially an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
• 🏳️The flag of the Faroe Islands (locally known as Merkið, meaning 'the banner' or 'the mark') was designed in 1919 by Faroese students in Copenhagen and officially adopted in 1940. The white field symbolizes the clear, bright Faroese sky as well as the foam of the waves breaking against the rocky shores. The Nordic cross reflects the historical, cultural and religious ties of the region to other Scandinavian countries. The red cross represents courage, vitality and traditional connections with Norway and Denmark. The blue border symbolizes the vast waters of the Atlantic Ocean surrounding the archipelago.
• 🐑More sheep than humans — the name of the islands literally translates to 'Sheep Islands.' The sheep population outnumbers the human population (roughly 80,000 sheep compared to ~54,000 people). Sheep once even helped Google Street View map the islands: a local resident strapped 360-degree cameras to sheep in a famous community project called Sheep View 360.
• 🏡Traditional turf roofs — many Faroese houses (both historic and modern) feature roofs covered with living turf and green grass. This is not just decorative: turf provides excellent insulation and protects homes from harsh ocean winds and heavy rainfall.
• 🌊Never far from the ocean — no point on the Faroe Islands is further than 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the Atlantic Ocean. The archipelago also features remarkable subsea road tunnels beneath the ocean floor, including one with the world's first underwater roundabout.