The Faroe Islands, often known as the Faroes or Faeroes, are a North Atlantic archipelago and island nation situated 320 kilometers (200 miles) north-northwest of Scotland, almost midway between Norway (580 kilometers (360 miles) and Iceland (430 kilometers (270 miles). It is a component nation of the Kingdom of Denmark, like Greenland. The islands cover around 1,400 square kilometers (540 square miles) and have a population of 53,882 as of April 2022.
The topography is rough, and the climate (Cfc) is windy, damp, overcast, and chilly. Temperatures for such a northerly environment are softened by the gulf stream, which keeps temperatures above freezing all year, averaging 12 °C (54 °F) in summer and 5 °C (41 °F) in winter. Because of the northern location, there is permanent civil darkness during summer evenings and relatively short winter days.
The Faroe Islands were part of the Kingdom of Norway between 1035 and 1814 and were in a personal union with Denmark since 1380. The Treaty of Kiel, signed in 1814, handed Norway to Sweden, while Denmark retained its Atlantic holdings, which comprised the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Iceland.
The Faroe Islands, although part of the Kingdom of Denmark, have been self-governing since 1948, managing most sectors except military defense, police, justice, currency, and foreign affairs. Because the Faroe Islands are not part of the same customs zone as Denmark, they have their own trade policy and may enter into trade agreements with other countries. The Hoyvk Agreement is a comprehensive bilateral free trade agreement between the Faroe Islands and Iceland. They are represented in the Nordic Council as part of the Danish delegation. The Faroe Islands have their own national teams in certain sports. They did not join the European Economic Community in 1973, preferring to retain control over their own fishing waters.