Faroe Islands
Sign in to saveNorth Atlantic archipelago organized as an autonomous constituent country of the Kingdom of Denmark
AI overview
The Faroe Islands are a group of islands located in the North Atlantic Ocean that form an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark. They matter as a distinct self-governing region with its own political system while remaining part of the larger Danish realm.
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Key dates
- Inception
- 1 April 1948
via Wikidata · CC0
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- electoral unit
- Part of
- Northern Europe
- Has part
- Slættaratindur
- Official name
- Færøerne
- Demonym
- Ynysoedd Ffaro
- Country
- Denmark
- Located in
- Danish Realm
- Continent
- Europe
- Capital
Article
The Faroe Islands (/ˈfɛəroʊ/ FAIR-oh), also known as the Faroes, are an archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean and a rigsdel ('autonomous territory') of the Kingdom of Denmark. Located between Iceland, Norway, and the Hebrides and Shetland isles of Scotland, the islands have a population of 54,870 as of November 2025 and a land area of 1,393 km (538 sq mi). The official language is Faroese, which is partially mutually intelligible with Icelandic. The terrain is rugged, dominated by fjords and cliffs with sparse vegetation and few trees. As a result of their proximity to the Arctic Circle, the islands experience perpetual civil twilight during summer nights and very short winter days; nevertheless, they experience a subpolar oceanic climate and mild temperatures year-round due to the Gulf Stream. The capital, Tórshavn, receives the fewest recorded hours of sunshine of any city in the world at only 840 per year.
Færeyinga saga and the writings of Dicuil place initial Norse settlement in the early 9th century, with Grímur Kamban recorded as the first permanent settler. As with the subsequent settlement of Iceland, the islands were mainly settled by Norwegians and Norse-Gaels who also brought thralls (i.e. slaves or serfs) of Gaelic origin. However, a 2024 study found that Viking colonizers of the Faroe Islands and nearby Iceland had different origins.