Viðoy
Viðoy | |
---|---|
Island | |
Stamp FR 349 of Postverk Føroya (issued: 25 May 1999; photo: Per á Hædd) | |
Location within the Faroe Islands | |
Coordinates: 62°20′N 6°31′W / 62.333°N 6.517°WCoordinates: 62°20′N 6°31′W / 62.333°N 6.517°W | |
State | Kingdom of Denmark |
Constituent country | Faroe Islands |
Municipality seat | Viðareiði |
Area | |
• Total | 41 km2 (16 sq mi) |
Area rank | 7 |
Highest elevation | 841 m (2,759 ft) |
Population (2002) | |
• Total | 617 |
• Rank | 7 |
• Density | 15/km2 (39/sq mi) |
Time zone | GMT (UTC+0) |
• Summer (DST) | EST (UTC+1) |
Calling code | 298 |
Viðoy (Danish: Viderø) is the northern-most island in the Faroe Islands, located east of Borðoy to which it is linked via a causeway. The name means wood island, despite the fact that no trees grow on the island: the name relates to the driftwood that floats in from Siberia and North America.
Geography
The island has two settlements: Hvannasund on the south-west coast and Viðareiði on the north-west coast, the northernmost settlement in the Faroes. A road along the west coast of the island connects the two. The island is connected by a road causeway to Norðdepil on Borðoy and a bus service from Klaksvík runs across the causeway to the island.[1]
Important bird area
The island’s northern and eastern coast has been identified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International because of its significance as a breeding site for seabirds, especially European storm petrels (500 pairs), black-legged kittiwakes (5300 pairs), Atlantic puffins (25,000 pairs), common guillemots (6700 individuals) and black guillemots (200 pairs).[2]
Mountains
Rank | Name | Height |
---|---|---|
3 | Villingadalsfjall | 841m |
24 | Nakkurin (norðari) | 754m |
29 | Malinsfjall | 750m |
52 | Filthatturin | 688m |
53 | Oyggjarskoratindur | 687m |
67 | Enniberg | 651m |
84 | Sneis | 634m |
116 | Tunnafjall | 593m |
147 | Talvborð | 557m |
174 | Mølin | 511m |
192 | Nakkurin | 481m |
Viðoy has eleven mountains of which Villingadalsfjall is the northern-most peak in the Faroes. The north coast also has the Enniberg cliff, which at 750 m is the second highest sea-cliff in Europe (after Hornelen, in Norway). The mountains are shown with their overall rank in the Faroe Islands.
See also
List of mountains of the Faroe Islands
References
- ↑ Swaney, Deanna. Iceland, Greenland & the Faroe Islands (3rd ed.). Lonely Planet Publications. ISBN 0-86442-453-1.
- ↑ BirdLife International. (2012). Important Bird Areas factsheet: Vidoy.
External links
- Media related to Viðoy at Wikimedia Commons
- The dictionary definition of Viðoy at Wiktionary
- Personal website with 6 aerial photos of Viðoy
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