The Faroes are an archipelago of 18 islands lying between the North Atlantic Ocean and the Norwegian Sea. They form an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, and have governed themselves since 1948.

The islands were settled by the Norse around AD 800, and they remained under Norwegian control until their transfer to Denmark in 1814. The culture of the islands today, as well as the Faroese language itself, derives heavily from their Nordic history.

Currently, the Faroes are home to around 50,000 people, mainly of Norse and Celtic decent, and their economy revolves heavily around fishing and, to a lesser extent, sheep farming. In the past few years, salmon farming has emerged as a leading industry, and Faroese farmed salmon can be found all over the world, including in my local markets in New York City. The subpolar oceanic climate and sparse, rugged landscape provide little opportunity for large-scale commercial agriculture, but root vegetables and rhubarb are grown on a small scale throughout the islands.