The state to which the Faroe Islands belong. Open left menu Faroe Islands

Received closer to the middle of the 11th century, when the islands came under the jurisdiction of the Norwegian kingdom, under the influence of which the culture and history of the Faroe Islands. In particular, the same Faroese language, even in its modern form, is a direct descendant of the Old Norse language and belongs to one of its dialects, which is still spoken by most Faroese today.

However, this position of the islands as a kind of enclave of either Denmark or Norway was finally suspended as a result of the decision of the Danish government to grant the islands the legal status of a self-governing territory with complete socio-political independence in all matters except foreign policy and defense issues. And it was from this moment, from April 1, 1948, capital of the Faroe Islands was founded in one of the largest cities on the island of Streymoy, the city of Thorshavn.

The geography of the Faroe Islands is such that only a few of the eighteen that make up the archipelago have sufficient area and conditions for agriculture and industrial production. Which, in turn, determined the fact that the bulk of the forty-eight thousand population of this island state lives on the largest islands of the archipelago. At the same time, as recent sociological studies note, population of the Faroe Islands in recent years has formed into a fairly homogeneous national structure. So, in particular, according to the 2011 census, more than 90% of the population are the indigenous inhabitants of these islands - the Faroese, leaving less than 10% to people from other Scandinavian countries.

After State of the Faroe Islands, received a certain degree of independence, administrative bodies and representatives of national authorities began to form on the islands. Based on this, the central executive power in the Faroes belongs to the Government, whose composition is approved by Parliament. Every five years he is re-elected in a general election in which the island nation's five main political parties have competed for years. At the same time, local self-government of the islands is limited to the presence of six main regions (sislov) and 34 smaller territorial communes. At the same time, the supremacy of executive power in these structures belongs to civil elders, some of whom are elected by the citizens themselves, and some are appointed from the capital of the Faroe Islands.

Having received quite definite political and economic independence on April 1, 1948, story The Faroe Islands took a new turn - the politically active part of the Faroese population began to form the political structure of this small island state. With this in mind Politics of the Ferero Islands For many years now, it has been determined by the activities of seven main political parties, which have their representatives both in the State Parliament and in its government. The main such political forces today include the People's Party (Folkaflokkurin), the Republican Party (Cheveldi) and the Social Democratic Party (Javnaarflokkurin), parties with the largest number of representatives in the Faroese Parliament.

Language of the Faroe Islands

Taking into account the fact that a significant part of the population of the Faroe Islands is made up of indigenous Faroese, whose history goes back to the peoples of Northern Norway, this kind of state of affairs has also affected the existing linguistic environment. So, in particular, the main one is Faroese, as a rather ancient branch of one of the dialects of the Old Norwegian language. But under the influence of time and assimilation among the Faroese people from other Scandinavian countries, today the same English and Danish languages ​​are increasingly found in everyday life and in official speech. This is exactly what culture Faroe Islands are no longer very different from the linguistic way of their neighbors.

Holidays in the Faroe Islands 2019: how to get there, what to see and what to eat. Visa, accommodation and good hotels in the Faroe Islands.

The Faroe Islands are a group of islands surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and located between Iceland and Scotland. The capital of Faroe is the city of Tórshavn, which is one of the smallest cities with the status of the main city of the state. The national currency is the Faroese krone. The Faroe archipelago includes 18 islands, but people live on only 17 of them. The number of people living in the Faroe Islands almost reaches 50,000 people.

The name of the archipelago comes from the Faroese word “Føroyar”, which translates into Russian as “Sheep Islands”. You shouldn’t be surprised by this name, because there are many more sheep here than people! If you go deep into one of the islands, even there, among the rocks, there is a great opportunity to see a cute sheep.

How to get to the Faroe Islands

There are two options for getting to the Faroe Islands:

• The first is to fly on one of the planes Faroese national airline Atlantic Airways. This is the only company that operates regular flights to the Faroe Islands. The cheapest and most popular flight: Copenhagen - Vágar. It takes place several times a day, the flight lasts about 2 hours. The Faroe Islands can also be reached from the UK and Norway. There are also flights from these countries to the Faroe Islands.

• The second option is to get there by water, for example, by ferry from Copenhagen. Such a trip will cost less than a plane ticket, but you should be prepared for the fact that the journey can take up to two days.

Visa to the Faroe Islands - how to open

There are many legends surrounding obtaining a visa to travel to the Faroe Archipelago, but in reality everything is much simpler. Yes, you will need a separate visa to travel to the Faroe Islands. But it's very easy to do. The set of documents is no different from the one required to obtain a Schengen visa. A visa application must be submitted at the consulate; if desired, you can also obtain a Danish Schengen visa. They will simply note to you that with this visa you can freely visit the Faroe Islands.

Faroe Islands - accommodation and hotels

The most popular Faroe Islands hotels are located on the largest islands of the archipelago, which include Vágar, Streymoy and Esturoy. In the rest of the Faroe Islands the housing situation is much worse, but this problem can be easily solved.

On booking.com or the same roomguru.ru there are good hotels on the largest Faroe Islands that can be booked in advance. What, by the way, will the Danish consulate expect from you before it issues you a visa.

You can rent a hotel room on one of the main islands, and from there go on excursions to other parts of the archipelago. The journey to even the most distant places will take only a few hours.

Which hotel to choose in the Faroe Islands?

You can browse all the offers on the Internet yourself, but to save time, we have found 6 housing options. Location, price, authenticity are our main criteria.

• Hotel Hafnia 4*. This is the best accommodation option in the center of Tórshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands. Oarvegur street, where it is located Hotel Hafnia- central in the city. To the port - 5 minutes. Modern rooms with comfortable beds, rich Scandinavian breakfasts in the restaurant overlooking the harbor. There is free parking. Please note that the airport bus stop is located right next to the hotel.

  Hotel Hafnia 4 stars, main street of Tórshavn

• Hotel Streym 3*. This hotel is wonderfully located if you have a large excursion program in the Faroe Islands. It is located near the Tórshavn ferry terminal - wall to wall 🙂 From here you can sail to anywhere in the archipelago. The hotel itself is a good “three”, with a plus. The rooms have everything, including heated floors and wi-fi.

  

  Hotel Streym 3 stars near the ferry crossing

• Hotel Vagar 3*. This hotel is located in the village of Sørvágur, which is included in the list of Faroese attractions. But the main advantage of the Vagar hotel is its location - only 2 minutes walk (!) to the airport. This is why they choose him. It’s hard to find fault with the quality of the rooms and service - everything corresponds to 3 stars. In Scandinavia this means a lot!

  

  Faroe Islands - airport hotel

• Hotel Torshavn 3*. This is an ordinary three star hotel, but we couldn't ignore it as it is located right on the Tórshavn waterfront. One of the most picturesque places in the capital! This is a bed & breakfast, there is a good restaurant where even locals come in the evenings.
• Guesthouse Hugo. Inexpensive guest house in the village of Sørvágur. There is an airport nearby. It is convenient to go on excursions, especially if you rent a car on the islands. According to reviews - good, hospitable hosts. But the main thing is the price!

  

  An inexpensive guest house is an alternative to a hotel

• Gjaargardur Guesthouse Gjogv 2*. If you want a Scandinavian atmosphere and the feeling that the Faroe Islands are the harsh north and stunning nature, then the village of Gjogv is best suited! A quality bed & breakfast style hotel with a moss-covered roof and great reviews on booking.com - 8.7 points from 150 reviews, 9.4 points for its super location.

  

  One of the best hotels in the Faroe Islands surrounded by nature!

Other accommodation options

Firstly, you can find accommodation for the night in the farthest corners of the archipelago using the website of the island you want to go to. There are various accommodation options for tourists on display there. In this case, confirmation of the reservation will be guaranteed only by your verbal agreements with the hosts. This will require fluency in English and experience communicating with local residents.

Secondly, There is another option - to sleep in a tent, but this is only possible in special places intended specifically for camping.

Transport in the Faroe Islands

This is a fairly simple task. All the islands of the archipelago are located next to each other, and the distances between the cities and attractions of Faroe Islands are very short. In addition, the transport infrastructure is very well developed here. Buses run quite often and take you to almost all important places. Tickets for them are inexpensive.

Ferry from Copenhagen to the capital of Faroe Islands

There is a ferry service between the islands. In the Faroe Islands, this type of transport is not considered something special and is equivalent to ordinary buses. Therefore, ferries run regularly and tickets are cheap.

Another type of transport for moving around the archipelago is a helicopter. If you think it's expensive, you're wrong. Flying by helicopter from one island to another costs less than taking a taxi to the airport. So this is a great opportunity to fly this type of transport at least once in your life. Just remember to reserve your seat on the helicopter in advance.

What and where to eat in the Faroe Islands

If your route lies in some sparsely populated part of the Faroe Islands, then it is better to take food with you. Of course, even on the outskirts there are shops, but they are open only a couple of hours a day. In larger towns, you can easily buy something tasty in supermarkets or sit in local cafes. Well, in the capital there will be no problems with food at all; there are restaurants and cafes here literally at every step.

The capital of the Faroe Islands is Tórshavn

So, where can you eat beautifully, tasty and inexpensively in the Faroe Islands:

• If you are in Tórshavn, be sure to visit Koks Restaurant. People in the Faroes love and appreciate nature very much. This connection can be felt even in such establishments. All dishes are prepared only from products that grow on the archipelago or are mined in the ocean.

• If you want to sit in some cozy place, you can go to fish restaurant Barbara. It is located in the historical part of Tórshavn. This place is stylized as a traditional Faroese house, the roof of which is made of thatch. The dishes here are always fresh, as they are prepared from fish caught on the same day.

Video tour of the Faroe Archipelago

Climate of the Faroe Islands

Despite the fact that the Faroe Islands are located in the north, the local climate is characterized by its mildness thanks to the Gulf Stream. The average temperature in summer is around +13º, and can rise to +20º. In winter it stays above 0º, and there is practically no frost here. In the summer months at these latitudes you can observe “white nights”, and in winter - the northern lights.

The positive features of the local climate end there. Most of the time in the Faroe Islands it rains and the wind is cold. So pack a raincoat and good quality waterproof boots in your suitcase. The weather is very changeable and can change literally every few minutes. Although in winter the temperature does not drop to below zero, it is still very cold here, since the air humidity is quite high. This is the seemingly inhospitable climate on the Faroe Islands.

Where to stay

Faroe Islands translated from Faroese means “Sheep Islands”. In English they are called Faroe Islands. They represent a separate island group and are not known to many tourists. Not everyone will immediately answer the question of where the Faroe Islands are on the world map. But nevertheless, they are of interest to travelers, as they represent a corner of untouched nature and peace.

In contact with

Classmates

Faroese Parliament and Government

About the Faroe Islands, Wikipedia reports that they are located in the northern part of the Atlantic between Iceland and Shetland Islands related to Scotland. It is impossible to give a clear answer to the question of which country the Faroe Islands belong to. On the one hand, they are part of, on the other hand, since 1948, they have independently resolved almost all issues of state policy, except for foreign and defense.

The Faroes have their own legislative body - parliament (Løgting), in which 6 political parties are represented. It has 33 members. And also the executive body is the Landsstüyri and the only court. There are two representatives from the Faroes in the Danish Parliament.

The Faroe Islands, although related to Europe, are not part of the European Union. They are not an independent entity in terms of international law and sign treaties jointly with Denmark. Representatives of individual parties advocate complete independence of the Faroe Islands from Denmark.

Capital, population

The main port of the Faroe Islands, the city of Tórshavn is the capital of the country. It is located on the island of Stromoy (area 373.5 sq. kilometers), in its southeastern part. About 20 thousand people live in the capital.

The entire population of the country has about 50 thousand people. The main language is Faroese, the vast majority of residents are Faroese (about 90%). Behind them come the Danes, Icelanders and the British. Surprisingly, Russians also live here. In 2011 there were 55 people.

Culture, traditions of the Faroe Islands

The main religion is Lutheranism, but there are also Christians. There are many architecturally interesting churches from the Middle Ages.

The distinctive culture of the islands - literature, music, dance - is based on closely intertwined local and Danish traditions. Folklore and jazz festivals are often held in the Faroe Islands.

Oulavsjoka

The main holiday is Oulavsöka, which takes place July 28-29. It is named after Olaf, the saint who introduced Christianity to Norway.

The festival program includes:

Slaughter grind

An integral part of Faroese social culture is the slaughter of black pilot whales. This event mainly takes place in the summer, is not of a commercial nature and organized by communities. Anyone can take part in it, but mostly men do it, and women only watch.

This fishery has historical roots. It is due to the fact that, due to climatic conditions, vegetables and grains grow poorly on the islands, so for centuries the population had to meat and fat are needed, including pilot whales. About 950 heads are harvested annually, which provides 500 tons of meat and fat and accounts for 30% of the total amount of meat products produced on the islands. These products are not exported, are not sold in stores, they are consumed by families.

The fishery has faced criticism and radical action from animal rights and marine conservation groups. They consider it cruel and not caused by a vital necessity. At the same time, local whalers talk about its economic importance.

Butterfly shawls

Sheep farming is developed in the Faroe Islands. They are also famous for the fact that hand-knitting shawls from the wool of local sheep is common here. These products differ from other types of shawls and scarves in a very unusual shape, similar to the shape of a butterfly. This design has practical significance. Thanks to it, the shawl remains on the shoulders while moving, even if it is not tied.

Faroe Islands Climate

Wikipedia says that the climate in the Faroe Islands is temperate maritime. Winters are warm and summers are cool and humid. The warmest month is July with a temperature of 0–4 °C, and the coldest month is January with a temperature of 11–17 °C. Up to 2 thousand mm of precipitation falls per year. It mainly rains, which occurs for about 9 months a year from September to January, and there is frequent fog on the islands.

The archipelago is washed by the Gulf Stream, a warm sea current, due to which the coastal waters have a temperature of +10°C throughout the year. This factor significantly softens the climate and helps create optimal living conditions for marine life, including fish and plankton.

Geography of the Faroe Islands

The area of ​​all Faroe Islands is 1395.74 square meters. kilometers.

They are located at a distance:

• to Copenhagen – 1117 km;
• up to – 675 km;
• to Iceland – 450 km.

In total, the Faroe Islands archipelago consists of 18 large islands, a large number of small and isolated rocks. The largest from the group of northern islands is Bora, which is quite densely populated (about 5 thousand people), and has an area of ​​95 square meters. kilometers. It is home to the second largest city in the Faroe Islands, Klaksvik.

On the island of Esturoy there is the highest point of the Faroe Islands - Slattaratindur Peak, whose height is 882 meters above sea level. There are fjords along all the islands, so their coastline is very indented. The land surface is mostly rocky, consisting of basalt. Here high slopes alternate with plateaus. They are separated by deep gorges.

Fauna and flora of the Faroe Islands

Due to strong winds that blow constantly, there are few forests here. But strong conifers, maple and ash still grow, and lichens and moss, and heather are also very common.

The fauna of the Faroe Islands is represented by large colonies of Arctic birds – guillemots, harp seal rookeries, and it is also rich in fish - cod, herring, halibut.

A breed of sheep called Faroese lives here, hence the name of the island. Sheep of this breed appeared in the 9th century and became an integral part of the local tradition. Their image is on the Faroese coat of arms. The breed is mainly raised for meat, but, as mentioned above, wool is also used for the production of shawls.

Facts from the history of the Faroe Islands

• Until the 14th century, the Faroe Islands belonged to Norway, then Norway and Denmark owned them jointly. And since 1814 the islands became Danish. Their inhabitants are descended from Scandinavian peoples, and their language is from ancient Norwegian dialects.
• During World War II, the Faroe Islands were taken under British military control. This happened in 1940 after Nazi troops invaded Denmark. After this, the island's elected body Logting achieved the power to pass laws, and the flag of the Faroe Islands received official recognition. In September 1945, the occupation regime was lifted.
• In 1946, a vote was held among the island population, as a result of which parliament announced secession from the Kingdom of Denmark. However, the Danish government did not recognize this decision and temporarily suspended the work of the Faroese parliament. As a result of the parliamentary struggle, an agreement was signed in April 1948, according to which the islands were given sovereignty, with restrictions on the conduct of foreign policy. Two delegates to the Danish Parliament were elected from the local parliament.
• In 1984, the Faroe Islands were declared nuclear weapon free zone. Today it houses a NATO radar complex and a Danish naval base.

Transport in the Faroe Islands

There is sea, road transport and aviation with one airport - Vagar.

Aviation

The national air carrier, Atlantic Airways, provides regular service to:

• Norway – Stavanger and Oslo;
• Denmark - Billun, Aalborg, Copenhagen;
• Iceland - ;
• Great Britain - London, Aberdeen, Shetland.

There is regular helicopter service between Tórshavn and outlying islands with small populations.

Sea communication

Due to its island location, the main mode of transport is sea. Ferries run between the islands. The national sea carrier is Smyril Line. The marine terminal is located in Tórshavn.

Motor transport

In total, the islands have about 500 kilometers of roads. Most of them are mountain serpentine. Since the second half of the twentieth century, large tunnels have been built here, which connect individual settlements with each other. The longest road tunnel is the Noroya tunnel.

How to get to the Faroe Islands

The best way to get to the Faroe Islands is by plane to the capital Tórshavn with a transfer:

• via Denmark from Copenhagen or
• via Norway from Bergen or Stavanger.

In summer, you can travel from Bergen, Norway, to Tórshavn by ferry.

Note! In order to get to the Faroe Islands, Russian citizens will need a visa, which is issued by the Danish Embassy in the consular section. It must be marked “valid for Faroe Islands”.

Sights of the capital Faroe Islands

The city of Tórshavn was founded in the 10th century and named after the god of thunder and lightning - Thor. Tórshavn is a picturesque, thriving city. It is unlike other capitals. Its dignity is not majestic buildings, but the untouched surrounding nature of amazing beauty and a sense of solitude and peace.

Here it is Main Cathedral, which, like most churches on the islands, belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran Church. It was built in 1788 and then rebuilt. It became a cathedral and the bishop's residence in 1990. It preserves such unique items as a baptismal font dating back to the end of the 16th century, and a crucifix from the beginning of the 18th century.

And also in the capital there is a Lutheran Western Church. It is 40.5 meters high and is the tallest building in the entire archipelago. The year of its construction is 1975. The base of the church building is made of basalt stone, on which there is a dome in the form of a pyramid made of glass and copper. In front of the entrance to the church there is a monument to Sigmundur Brestisson, who began the Christianization of the population of the islands, for which he was killed in 1005.

It is also worth paying attention to the ancient monastery Munkastovan, built in the 15th century and surrounded by stone walls. It was completely preserved despite the fire in the 17th century.

Another attraction of the capital is the main island Historical Museum. It presents examples of applied art, objects of worship, rural life, and household utensils that have been preserved since the times of the Vikings. And also marine accessories: fishing gear, navigation tools and ship models.

The main cultural center of Tórshavn is Nordic House. Its roof is covered with peat. It houses a concert hall, a conference hall, an art gallery, and a library. Here, on summer nights, so-called Faroese evenings are held for tourists.

Faroe Islands attractions

The most mountainous of all the islands Faroe is Kalsa. Its western coast is continuous with steep cliffs. There are four small settlements on the island, which communicate with each other through a system of tunnels. There are many caves and underground galleries here, for which Kalsa is also called Flut, that is, “flute”. In the north of the island there is the Katlur lighthouse, near which you can see picturesque cliffs and a naturally formed sea arch.

To the north of the village of Skarvanes there is a sea rock of original shape Trötlkonufingur, which means "Troll Woman's Finger". It really resembles a graceful long finger.

The least mountainous of the Faroe Islands is Sandoy, on which sand dunes are located. There are two lakes with clear water here. A colony of guillemots has settled in the west. There is a church on the island. A view of Sandøy is featured on the Faroe Islands 1000 kroner note.

On the island Fugloy, or Bird Island, there are cliffs with a height of 450 to 620 meters. They descend from plateaus located on picturesque mountain ranges and are completely covered with a carpet of Arctic grasses and mosses. These cliffs are home to numerous colonies of seabirds, numbering many millions.

The Faroe Islands have an amazing landscape, and the location and climate, which contribute to the excellent play of light, attract photographers from all over the world. According to the famous magazine National Geographic Traveler, the Faroe Islands are the most unique islands in the world.

The Faroe Islands are an archipelago consisting of 18 islands, 17 of which are inhabited. If the name of the islands is literally translated from Faroese, it sounds like “Sheep Islands”. The islands are located between Scotland and the island of Iceland in the North Atlantic. The Faroe Islands, although they belong to the Kingdom of Denmark, are an autonomous region and make independent decisions in almost all matters.

• Date of formation: April 1, 1948;
• Area: 1395 km²;
• Time zone: UTC0;
• Population: 48,300.

Getting to the islands

And getting to the islands is not difficult, but you cannot do without a transfer. From Moscow or St. Petersburg, you first need to fly to Copenhagen, about a 2-hour flight. Next to Vagar Airport - this is the only airport in the Faroe Islands, and also an international one. The best way to get to the Faroe Islands is with SAS, which flies to the islands from Copenhagen 2-3 times a day. In addition, you can fly to Vagar Airport from Norway, Iceland, and the UK. You can also take a ferry to Tórshavn from Huntsholm Denmark, from the Shetland Islands, Seydisfjörður Iceland, and in the summer from Bergen Norway.

A selection of profitable air tickets through Aviadiscounter (searches like Aviasales + a selection of airline promotions and sales).

And to select intercity transport (planes, trains, buses) in Europe, try, the service offers the best ways to travel along popular routes.

Or make your own route.

A little bit of history

The first settlers of the Faroe Islands came from Scotland; they lived here from the 8th – 9th centuries and left them due to Viking raids. The Vikings made the Faroe Islands a transport link that connected Iceland, Scandinavia and, for a short time, also North America. Until the 14th century, the Faroe Islands were part of Norway, and since 1814 they began to belong to Denmark. Because of this, the descendants of the local inhabitants are Scandinavians, and the Faroese language originated from the Old Norse language. In 1946, the Faroe Islands announced it would secede from Denmark, but a divided vote and opinion poll halted the decision. In 1948, a new agreement was adopted in which the Faroe Islands received limited sovereignty. Since 1984, the Faroe Islands have been declared a nuclear weapons free zone.

Visa

If you want to visit the Faroe Islands, you need a visa, which is issued by the consular section of the Danish Embassy. Despite their northern location, the islands have a unique climate - warm winters, the coldest month is January with temperatures from 0 to +4 degrees, and cold wet summers, the warmest month is July with temperatures from +11 to +17 degrees. There is quite a lot of precipitation, here it occurs about 280 days a year and almost all of it is in the form of rain, most of it occurs from September to January, and fogs are also frequent. And thanks to the tropical Gulf Stream, the temperature in the ocean is always about +10 degrees, which provides ideal conditions for the life of a variety of fish.

The Faroe Islands consist of 18 large islands, as well as numerous small islets and rocks. The largest island of Faroe is Streymoy. The capital of the Faroe Islands, the city of Tórshavn, and the village of Vestmanna are located on this island. The second largest island of the archipelago is Esturoy. The major cities of Fuglafjordur, Runavik and Nes are located here. The island is connected to the islands of Streymoy by a road bridge. Another large island is Voar, where the international airport of Vagar is located. The most densely populated island is Borøy; there are eight settlements here, one of which is considered the second largest in the Faroe Islands - Klaksvik. Luitla Duimun is an uninhabited island of eighteen islands.

There are quite a lot of attractions in the Faroe Islands. Of course, the main attraction of the Faroe Islands can be confidently called the landscape. Cliffs, rocks, green fields, ocean, sun, fog and clouds touching the ground create amazing landscapes that will not leave even the most fastidious travelers indifferent. What else to see in the Faroe Islands besides nature?

Kalsoy Island

It is worth visiting the island of Kalsoy - this is the most rocky island in the Faroe Islands. The entire western coast consists of rocky cliffs, and the settlements are connected by numerous tunnels. The island has many underground galleries and caves, which is why this island is often called “Flute”. In the north of the island, near the Katlur lighthouse, there is a natural sea arch and picturesque cliffs. If you want to observe numerous bird colonies, then you should go to Fugloy Island, which is called the “island of birds”. At Eistfelli the cliffs reach a height of 450 metres, and at Clubbin they reach a height of 620 metres.

Sandoy Island

Sandoy Island offers sand dunes and is the least rocky of all the islands. It is worth going to the village of Skupon, where above it on the terraces lie two beautiful lakes - Noroara-Halsavatn and Heimara-Halsavatn. In the village of Sandur there is a church that has a long and interesting history, dating back to the 11th century. To the north of the village of Skarvanes is Tretlkonufingur - "Troll Woman's Finger" - a beautiful sea cliff.

For a very long time, the Faroe Islands will eventually appear on the screen.

An absolutely magical place.

An utterly magical place.

Mailboxes in homes resemble old-style school bags.

The shape of residential mailboxes resembles that of old Soviet school satchels.

Blue mailbox for sending letters (as in Denmark).

Each car has a dial with an arrow on the window (to indicate parking time, as in Italy).

Every car has a clock dial with one hand on its windshield (to mark the time the car was parked, same as in Italy).

Car number.

A license plate.

There are two types of trash cans here. One type has a mesh cage around the bag - like the city trash can in Bologna.

There are two types of garbage cans here. The first, a mesh cage with a bag inside, is similar to the municipal trash cans in Bologna.

Another type, more common, is a wooden box with a metal lid.

The second and more common type is a wooden box with a metal lid.

All sockets in the country are equipped with switches. It may appear that these are overhead light switches. But no, these are socket switches.

All the power outlets in the country are equipped with on/off switches. One might think at first that these are light switches. But no, they’re actually power outlet switches.

You can pay for absolutely everything with a credit card. The seller does not pick up the card; the buyer must swipe it himself, then enter the PIN code.

You can pay for anything and everything with a card. The cashier never touches the card—the customer must swipe it himself and then enter his PIN.

A Faroese grave should be decorated with a plaster dove, symbolizing grief.

In the Faroes, a proper tombstone must be decorated with a plaster dove, which symbolizes mourning.

Tórshavn

Torshavn

A trash can on the highway.

A trash can on the highway.

Regular urn.

A regular trash can.

A trash can with a dispenser with bags for cleaning up dog shit hanging above it.

A trash can with a dog poop bag dispenser on top.

Crosswalk.

A pedestrian crossing.

Street signs are mounted on complex pipes.

Street name signs are mounted on complex pipes.

In case of ice, chests with sand are placed near the roads (the model is exactly like in Vilnius).

Bins with sand are placed along the roads in case of ice (the type of bin is identical to the one in Vilnius).

At the pedestrian crossing sign, the pole is decorated with an additional reflective stick with white and blue.

The posts supporting pedestrian crossing signs are additionally marked with blue and white reflective sticks.

And the “Children” sign has a white and red stick. Reminiscent of the pillars at the signs in Faro.

The “Children” sign, meanwhile, has a red and white post. It resembles the traffic sign posts in Faro.

Half of the country's traffic lights can be captured in one photo.

Half the traffic lights which exist in the country fit into this one photo.

Bus schedule.

Bus stop.

Buses in the capital are electric and have a hump (somewhat reminiscent of Cuba).

The buses in the capital are all electric and have a hump (they bring Cuban buses to mind).

Capital homeless.

A homeless man in the city.

A manhole cover.

Dormitory area.

Skopun

Skopun

Most of the Faroe Islands are connected by bridges or underground tunnels. You need to travel here by ferry.

Most of the Faroe Islands are connected to one another with bridges or underground tunnels. To get here, however, one must take a ferry.

The largest mailbox in the world is located here. I signed a bunch of postcards on the ferry especially for him. Imagine my disappointment when it turned out that there was no slot for letters in this box. At all. I walked around it from all sides - it’s just a non-functional monument to a Faroese mailbox. Moreover, it was still old, before the mail rebranding.

This is where the largest post box in the world is located. I wrote a bunch of postcards on the ferry specifically for the occasion. Imagine my disappointment when I discovered that this post box has no slot for mail. At all. I went all the way around to check—it’s just a dummy monument commemorating the Faroes post box. And the old one at that—the postal service has since undergone a rebranding.

The world remembers the Faroe Islands once a year - when local residents notice a pod of whales, drive it into the bay and kill it. The greenies are screaming like crazy, activists are energized for long periods of time, bloggers are sharing links to photos of whales for a whole week. Then everyone is forgotten, and the Faroe Islands continue to live their lives.

The world is reminded of the Faroes’ existence once a year—when local residents spot a pod of whales, chase them into the bay and slaughter them. Environmentalists scream bloody murder, activists receive a fresh, long-lasting boost of energy, bloggers share links to photos of the whales for an entire week. Then everyone forgets, and the Faroes go on with their life.

They will outlive us all.

They will yet outlast us all.