29/06/2018
A LAKE ABOVE AN OCEAN
《FAROE ISLAND DENMARK》
History of the Faroe Islands
The first people to settle here were Irish monks, who arrived in the 6th century. Norsemen then settled the Faroe Islands in the 9th century and the islands became a part of the Kingdom of Norway in 1035. Norwegian rule on the islands continued until 1380, when the islands became part of the dual Denmark–Norway kingdom.
The Faroe Islands came under the administration of Denmark following the 1814 Treaty of Kiel that ended the dual Denmark–Norway kingdom. After an independence referendum in 1946 (unrecognized by Denmark), the Faroe Islands were given extended self-governance with the Danish Realm in 1948.
The Faroes may be a part of the Kingdom of Denmark (just like Greenland is), but they have a cultural identity of their own and they are extremely proud of it. They have been self-governing since 1948, they have their own language (that is closer to Icelandic than Danish), traditions and customs. Ask any Faroese how they feel and they would reply, “We are not Danes — we are Faroese.”
In the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, tiny islands with jagged peaks and vertiginous cliff faces jut out from the sea, piercing into the sky like giant daggers. Sea stacks, craggy bird cliffs and black sandy beaches dot the coast, while steep snowcapped mountains stretch across the length of the islands.
This archipelago of 18 islands lies in the intersection point of three popular destinations: Iceland, Scotland and Norway. Just like its neighbors, the Faroe Islands has it all: the Northern Lights, world-class hiking trails, an abundance of nature, wildlife and Scandinavian traditions;