The Faroe Islands, located between Iceland and Scotland, are mostly independent from Denmark and have their own prime minister and cabinet. The islands have a rich history, including settlement by Irish hermit monks and Viking conquest. Tórshavn is the capital and largest city, and Faroese is the first language. The weather is mild, but winds and fog are common. The Vestmanna Cliffs are known for their bird population.
The Faroe Islands are eighteen islands located roughly between Iceland and Scotland in the North Atlantic Ocean and the Norwegian Sea in Northern Europe. The islands name comes from Føroyar, which is the Danish word for “sheep”, and sheep farming is a major industry here. The Faroe Islands are, for the most part, independent of the Kingdom of Denmark, except for its legal, foreign and defense systems. The Faroe Islands has its own prime minister and cabinet, and the Nordic Council represents the Faroe Islands included in the Danish delegation.
Irish hermit monks settled in the Faroe Islands in the 6th century and here they grew oats and raised sheep. The Vikings conquered the islands in AD 650 and Norway managed the Faroe Islands until 1380 when, under the Kalmar Union, Denmark took control. Denmark retained control of the Faroe Islands through the Treaty of Kiel. After the Nazi invasion of Denmark, British troops occupied the Faroe Islands in 1940 and the British Royal Engineers built an airport in the Faroe Islands in 1943. The Danes led the F Faror Øer after the war, but the Fr Øer still retained much independence and , unlike Denmark, the Fr Øer Islands chose not to join the European Union (EU).
Tórshavn is the capital of the Faroes and its largest city. The “old town” area has hotels, cafes, quaint houses, shops and restaurants. The Tórshavn Playhouse offers different types of performing arts performances and the Nordic House also offers a wide range of cultural and theater productions. Many cruise ship lines are known to include the Faroe Islands as an excursion stop for tourists.
Faroese, a West Norse language, is the first language of the Faroe Islands. Danish is her second language and is taught in schools. English, other Nordic languages and European languages such as French and German are also spoken in the Faroe Islands.
The weather in the Faroe Islands is quite mild in winter and summer. Winds and fog are fairly constant weather conditions here. The Vestmanna Cliffs on the Faroe Islands are known as bird cliffs as, from mid-August, numerous bird species migrate here and the cliffs are alive with the sight and sound of thousands of seabirds.
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