The
Faroe Islands (
Danish:
Færøerne, or "Sheep Islands")
are an
island group of 22 islands (18 inhabited) in the North Atlantic,
between the
Shetland Islands and
Iceland. They are nominally under the
Danish Crown,
but have been self-governing since 1948, when the
Faroes' official
status
was changed from "county of
Denmark" to "self governing community
within the
Kingdom of
Denmark".
Of the 18 inhabited islands, the chief ones
are
Strømø, Østerø, and Vågø; chiefly hilly, the terrain -- whilst
breathtaking -- limits agriculture to sheep raising, and the
production of
hay and potatoes. Fishing and fish processing are also important. The
coastal
cliffs provide nesting sites for large numbers of sea birds, such as
puffins, fulmars and kittiwakes, and inland one can find great
skuas,
ducks and species of wading birds. Land mammals are mainly cattle
and
sheep, and trees are virtually non-existent, partly due to the large
numbers
of sheep. Therefore, the classic image of the islands --
underrated -- is of
bare grassy hill-sides soaring out of the sea.
The islands have
come under
criticism in recent years for the traditional grindadráp, or
pilot
whale culling.
The capital is Tórshavn, and the chief language
spoken is
Faroese (q.v.), though Danish has equal status in official
matters.