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°W / 62.333; -6.517Coordinates: 62°20′N 6°31′W / 62.333°N 6.517°W / 62.333; -6.517
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

  1. Swaney, Deanna. Iceland, Greenland & the Faroe Islands (3rd ed.). Lonely Planet Publications. ISBN 0-86442-453-1.
  2. BirdLife International. (2012). Important Bird Areas factsheet: Vidoy.
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