Svínoy

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Svínoy
Island
Stamp FR 350 of Postverk Føroya (issued: 25 May 1999; photo: Per á Hædd)
Stamp FR 350 of Postverk Føroya (issued: 25 May 1999; photo: Per á Hædd)
Location within the Faroe Islands
Location within the Faroe Islands
Coordinates: 62°16′N 6°22′W / 62.267°N 6.367°W / 62.267; -6.367Coordinates: 62°16′N 6°22′W / 62.267°N 6.367°W / 62.267; -6.367
StateKingdom of Denmark
Constituent countryFaroe Islands
Area
 • Total27.1 km2 (10.5 sq mi)
Area rank10
Highest elevation
586 m (1,923 ft)
Population
 (Nov 2020)
 • Total31
 • Density1.1/km2 (3.0/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (EST)
Calling code298

Svínoy (Danish: Svinø) is an island located in the north-east of the Faroe Islands, to the east of Borðoy and Viðoy. It takes its name from Old Norse, Svíney, meaning "Swine Isle". Svinoy also refers to a section of the ocean where North Atlantic water flows into the Norwegian Sea.[1] There is a similarly named island, Swona, in the Orkney Islands.

Svínoy like Kalsoy is a comparatively isolated island, in that there are no bridge, tunnel or causeway links to it. There are boat and helicopter connections.

Geography[]

Svínoy is divided into two unequally sized peninsulas. The coast is mostly steep slopes and cliffs, including the 345-metre (1,132 ft) precipice of Eysturhøvdi on the north coast. It has only one settlement, also named Svínoy, where all the inhabitants live.

Important Bird Area[]

The coastline of the island 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 (25,000 pairs), Atlantic puffins (10,000 pairs) and black guillemots (100 pairs).[2]

Mountains[]

Map of Svinoy

There are seven mountains on Svínoy:

# Name Height
1. 586 m
2. 463 m
2. 463 m
4. 460 m
5. 443 m
6. 422 m
7. 344 m

History[]

  • 975 Viking Chief Svínoyar-Bjarni is mentioned in the Færeyinga saga. A headstone in the church is assumed to be Bjarni's memorial stone.
  • 1583 Jacob Eudensen from Svinoy was the last person in the Faroe Islands to be condemned to death for heresy; he had refused to renounce his Catholic faith and convert to Lutheranism.

Gallery[]

  • Svínoy village

  • Svínoy

  • The coast of Svínoy

  • Svínoy in 1899

References[]

  1. ^ C.Michael Hogan. 2011. Norwegian Sea. Eds.Peter Saundry & C.J.Cleveland. Encyclopedia of Earth. National Council for science and the Environment. Washington DC
  2. ^ BirdLife International. (2012). Important Bird Areas factsheet: Svínoy. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 2012-02-24.

External links[]

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