FAROE ISLES (Dan. Faar-Oen, sheep-islands), a group of islands, 22 in number, of which 17 only are inhabited, belonging to Denmark, and lying nearly midway between the Shetlands and Iceland, between 61° 25' to 62' 25' n. lat., and 6° to 8° w. long. The principal island, Stromoe (capital, Thorshavn), is 27 m. long, and 8 m. broad; those next in importance are Osteroe, Vaagoe, Bordoe, and Sudaroe. Their entire area is nearly 500 sq.m. ; pop. about 8,500. The F. I. consist of basaltic elevations, none of which attain a height of 3,000 ft., and trap formations, covered with a thin vegetable soil, which yields pasturage to the cattle and numerous sheep which are reared in the islands. There are no considerable valleys or streams, but small fresh-water lakes are numerous. The coasts, which are steep and lofty, are broken by deep inlets, whirl pools, and rapids, which render navigation perilous. The furious hurricanes which pre vail, prevent the growth of trees, or even of most of the ordinary vegetables and cereals; but the climate is so greatly _modified by oceanic influences, that, notwithstanding the high latitude, snow rarely lies long on the ground, and the cattle can pass the greater part of the year in the open air. Peat and coal are used for fuel; traces of iron and cop per, and opal, chalcedony, etc., are found. The chief sources of wealth are flocks of
sheep, and the multitudes of sea-fowl which frequent the rocks. The islanders shoy, considerable skill in climbing the dangerous cliffs in search of birds, and they are also expert in fishing for seals and whales. Their manufactures are of the homeliest kind, but in return for the numerous articles supplied to them by the mother-country, they yield tallow, train-oil, feathers, skins, and butter, to the Danish markets. • The people are of Norwegian origin, a vigorous, laborious, loyal, and religious race, and belong tr, the Lutheran church. They are governed by a Danish anztmand, or bailiff, and a land vogt, or director of the police and municipal departments, and are represented in the Danish legislature by a deputy appointed by the king. The islands, which were dis covered in the 9th c. by Norwegians, have belonged to Denmark since the incorporation of Norway with that kingdom by the union of Calmar, and the language of the people is only a slightly modified form of the old Norse. England held the islands from 1807 to the treaty of Vienna, iu 1814. Some account of the F. I. will be found in prof. sir Wyville Thomson's book, The Depths of the Sea (Macmillan & Co., 1873).