5 Interesting Facts about Faroe Islands, No Mosquitoes Here

VIVA – Faroe Islands has a lot of beauty and uniqueness that cannot be found on other islands. Located in the North Sea of ??the Atlantic Ocean.

Faroe Islands consists of 18 mountainous island clusters with a total land area of ??1,399-square-kilometers and a sea area of ??274,000-square-kilometers.

This small island is also popular for its stunning natural scenery and cool air. In 2017, Faroe Island became the most popular tourist destination in the Nordic countries.

Here are some interesting facts about the Faroe Islands:

The name of the island of Faroe comes from the ancient Norse language Føroyar which means island of sheep.

The name was taken possibly referring to its national symbol in the form of a ram. In addition, the name "Faroe" was given by the inhabitants of the Viking era in the 9th century.

2. Faroese is Spoken in Several Other Countries

The official language of the Faroe Islands has its own language called Faroese. Faroese is also spoken in several other countries, such as Iceland, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. There are between 75,000 and 80,000 people around the world who speak Faroese.

3. More Sheep than Humans

In the Faroe Islands, there are very many sheep. There are about 70,000 live sheep scattered on the island.

According to the World Bank, the last official human population in the Faroe Islands is only 48,865. 

Many believed that sheep have been around since around the 9th century. The Faroe sheep are a strong breed of sheep that roam year-round in the grasslands and mountains of the islands.

In fact, researchers have found sheep DNA in lake-bed sediments that are believed to be more than 1,500 years old.

According to Hans Pauli Strøm, a Faroese statistical researcher said that the female population on Faroe Island is less than the male population.

It is because the Faroe Islands adhere to the values ??and principles of men so that they are considered less suitable for women and this is why many women choose to immigrate to other countries.

The Force Islands don't have a lot of big trees due to the strong winds that don't make the trees grow well here. There is only moss, grass and swamp that grows green.

If large trees and insects are found on Faroe Island then it is the result of the local people's tree-planting efforts.

Another uniqueness of the Faroe Islands is that here there are no mosquitoes and insects. As quoted from Forbes, the oceanic climate in the North Atlantic Ocean makes mosquitoes unable to breed and live.

Faroe Islands also experienced three times cold temperatures. It is known, mosquitoes and other insects can only live and reproduce in a hot and humid environment.