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More Sheep Than People: The Faroe Islands' woolly residents

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With more than 70,000 sheep and a population of around 55,000 people, the Faroe Islands are one of the few places in the world where sheep outnumber humans.

The Editors,
10.07.2026

A Landscape Shaped by Sheep

Sheep have shaped Faroese life for centuries, providing wool, meat and an important part of the islands' cultural identity. It's no coincidence that the Old Norse name Færeyjar literally translates to "Sheep Islands."

Today, the hardy Faroese sheep roam freely across the archipelago's dramatic green hillsides, making them just as iconic as the islands' waterfalls, cliffs and puffin colonies. For many visitors, spotting sheep is often the very first welcome to the Faroe Islands.

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