Life in the Faroe Islands: Isolation, Innovation, and a Slower Pace

[music] >> Do you believe there is a place in the middle of the ocean where people drive

beneath the sea just to get to work? A place that feels almost completely separated from the outside world. Yet

the people who live there don't seem desperate to leave. >> [music]

>> So what keeps them there? And what is everyday life really like in a [music] place this remote? Today we're exploring

the Faroe Islands, one of the most [music] isolated places on Earth. A land shaped by Vikings, surrounded by the

North Atlantic, with no McDonald's, very few traffic lights, [music] fog, and many things you would never expect to

find in such a remote place. When people first arrive here, many feel like they've reached [music] the end of the

world. There is almost nothing around them except wind, [music] dark rocks, green

hills, and huge waves. There are roads where you can stand [music] almost completely alone with nothing

around you except the sound of the wind. But [music] the longer you stay, the more surprising the place becomes. It is

much more modern than it first appears. [music] While still feeling raw and untouched.

And one question becomes harder to ignore. Why do more than 50,000 people [music]

choose to stay here instead of leaving? That question is what makes the Faroe Islands so interesting. [music]

If you look at the Faroe Islands on a map, they seem almost impossible to connect. Small islands are spread across

the North Atlantic. The sea separates them. Mountains divide the communities. And

the weather can change without warning. Everything about this place seems to suggest isolation, and in some ways it

is. But once you [music] see how people actually live here, that idea begins to change. The people of [music] the Faroe

Islands don't live as if they are trapped between mountains and ocean. They found a way around the problem.

In many parts [music] of the world, difficult geography simply becomes part of everyday inconvenience.

People take long routes, wait for [music] ferries, follow schedules, and accept that some places are difficult

[music] to reach. But the Faroe Islands took another approach. They didn't try to pretend the geography

[music] wasn't there. Instead, they built around it. They used infrastructure to connect the

islands and turn separate communities into one connected system. You can see this the moment you start

traveling between the islands. Getting from one place to another isn't just about driving.

You're moving through a network built to connect places that were once separated by mountains and water. Roads pass

through mountains and continue beneath the ocean. >> [music]

>> And sometimes the biggest interruption is not a traffic jam. >> [music]

>> It is a sheep standing in the middle of the road. A small reminder that nature is still in charge here. On [music] a

map, the islands look disconnected. On the ground, they are surprisingly well-connected. Not with giant bridges

everywhere, but [music] with something much simpler. >> [music]

>> Tunnels, lots of them. There are more than 20 tunnels through the mountains, [music]

along with several that run beneath the ocean. They make travel between different parts of the islands much

easier. [music] And what is most surprising is how normal these tunnels have become. They

don't feel like giant engineering attractions. [music] For locals, they are simply roads they

use every day. The first time someone enters an undersea [music] tunnel, it may seem like nothing more than a long

road underground. Then the thought hits you. You're driving underneath the ocean. Above the tunnel is not just

rock. There is a huge amount of seawater [music] sitting above you. Normally, that would feel overwhelming. But inside

the [music] tunnel, everything feels completely normal. The lights stay steady. The road is smooth. Cars [music]

continue moving. There is no feeling of danger, and that is what makes it so strange. Something that sounds

unbelievable has become an ordinary part of daily life. Even after coming back [music] to the

surface, the roads remain surprisingly clean and well-designed. Everything seems [music] built for one purpose, to

work. And then you reach something that feels almost impossible, a roundabout beneath the ocean, a roundabout

underwater. It isn't there just to impress visitors. It is there because it is a practical way to move traffic

through the tunnel system. The ocean separates the islands. They go through [music] it. The mountains block

the road. They go through them. That is how the Faroe Islands deal with their geography. And what makes it even

[music] more impressive is the size of the population. Just over 50,000 people live here. That is fewer [music] people

than many large cities have in a single district. Yet they have built and maintained a a transport system that

makes everyday life surprisingly easy. There are only around nine traffic lights across the islands.

There is one university, one airport, one television [music] station, a few hospitals, and a small number of

newspapers. Because the population is so small, rush hour is almost nothing compared with

what you would see in a major city. Everything moves quietly. But that doesn't mean the islands are

disconnected. There is an airport. There are ferries. There is reliable internet. Modern transport and communication keep

the islands connected to the rest of the world. [music] And that creates one of the biggest contradictions here.

The Faroe Islands are isolated, but they are not disconnected. They built what they needed to stay

connected without allowing that connection [music] to completely change their lifestyle. The infrastructure is

there to make life [music] easier, not to make life louder, not to make everything faster,

and not to turn the islands into another crowded [music] city. They built just enough so people wouldn't have to leave

simply because living here was difficult. [music] >> [music]

>> The economy here [music] is built around doing a few important things very well. At first glance, it doesn't look

impressive. There are no giant cities, no huge shopping [music] districts, no endless crowds. Everything feels quiet.

So quiet >> [music] >> that you might think the place is

falling behind. But that impression changes when you look beneath the surface.

The economy is much stronger [music] than the landscape might suggest, and one of the most interesting things is

that it doesn't depend mainly on tourism. Visitors come here, [music] but tourists

are not what keeps the islands running. The real foundation comes from the ocean. Fishing and salmon farming are

not simply businesses here. They are a major part of the entire [music] society.

A local once explained it very simply, without fish, they wouldn't be able [music] to live here.

And that explains the relationship between the people and the sea. The ocean isn't just something beautiful

surrounding [music] the islands. It is a source of food, jobs, and income. The land offers limited choices. The weather

is difficult, but the sea is something they can depend [music] on. The important part isn't only what they

produce, it is how the system works. Fishing, farming, processing, for and exporting are all closely connected.

That gives a small community greater control over one of its most important resources.

>> [music] >> And when people control more of what keeps their economy alive, they can

build more stability around it. The economy may not look like high-tech economy from the outside,

but it works efficiently. It has traditional roots, while producing modern results.

>> [music] >> Average income is reported to be above $60,000 a year. Taxes are relatively

high, but unemployment remains very low, often below [music] 3%, and those numbers can be felt in everyday life.

There are not huge numbers of people competing for the same jobs. >> [music]

>> Almost everyone has a role. There is less pressure to constantly compete just to survive. The idea is simple.

>> [music] >> Do your part well and trust that other people will do theirs.

That way of thinking changes the pace of life. In large cities, opportunities may be everywhere, but so is pressure.

[music] Work faster, earn more, do more, keep up. Here, opportunities [music] may be

fewer, but people don't always feel like they are falling behind. >> [music]

>> The pace is slower, but it isn't standing still. In many places, development means getting bigger,

[music] more businesses, more people, more buildings, more activity. The Faroe Islands take a different approach.

>> [music] >> They focus on doing what they already know how to do and doing it well.

Of course, >> [music] >> depending heavily on one major industry

comes with risks. They understand [music] that, but it gives them something valuable in return. A simple

and stable system that supports a small population. And maybe that is what [music] stands out the most.

You don't always have to do everything. Sometimes doing one thing well is enough.

Nature is a huge part of life here, but the landscape alone isn't what keeps people here. The stronger connection

[music] comes from the people, their culture, and the identity they have built over

generations. Settlement in the Faroe Islands began around the 9th century during the Viking [music] Age. The

Vikings were not one single group. People came [music] from different areas, bringing different backgrounds

and stories. Over time, they built small communities on these [music] remote islands.

Generations later, those communities developed a strong sense of identity. Today, the Faroe Islands are part of the

Kingdom of Denmark, but the Faroese have kept many things that are distinctly their own. They have their own flag.

They also have their own language, Faroese, which developed from Old Norse. These are not simply symbols. They are

part of everyday life. They help protect a culture that could easily be swallowed by larger languages and outside

influences. That identity also appears in everyday traditions. Traditional food is still prepared in ways that have been

used for generations. One example is fermented lamb that is dried using the cold air and wind from the sea.

>> [music] >> The taste may seem unusual to outsiders, but for locals, it is connected to

family, memory, climate, and history. >> [music] >> There is also a small story that shows

how seriously people take their language. For a time, Faroese was not supported by services [music] such as

Google Translate. In many places, people would simply switch to a more common language,

>> [music] >> but people here chose another path. Local authorities and volunteers

>> [music] >> worked together to create language data. They recorded speech, collected phrases,

translated [music] material, and slowly built their own resources. Nobody forced them to do it. They did it

because they wanted their language to survive. The story isn't really [music] about technology. It is about choice.

They were not willing [music] to lose part of their identity just because another option was more convenient.

You might think [music] living in such an isolated place would make people more distant, but often the [music] opposite

happens. Isolation can bring people closer. A simple greeting [music] can turn into a conversation. A small

gesture can be enough to start a relationship. People often interact [music] naturally, almost like they have

known each other for years. One of the clearest examples is the habit of [music] inviting people into

the home. It doesn't have to be a fancy restaurant. It can be a small kitchen, a

simple meal, >> [music] >> and an ordinary conversation.

But these small moments can make people feel much closer. [music] In a place this small, it is difficult

to live completely separate from everyone else. People depend on each other, and eventually [music] that

dependence becomes part of a normal life. The villages reflect this way of living.

Many are extremely small. In places [music] like Gásadalur, only a small number of people live there. The homes

are built [music] for the weather. Some traditional houses even have grass roofs >> [music]

>> where sheep can sometimes graze. They are not designed to impress. They are designed to survive. There is very

little unnecessary decoration, only what is needed. >> [music]

>> The same idea can be seen in the Faroese chain dance. There is no big stage, no instruments are required.

>> [music] >> People simply stand together, hold hands, sing, and move in rhythm.

>> [music] >> It is not really about performing for an audience.

It is about being together and remembering the people who came before them. That same connection creates a

strong feeling of trust, >> [music] >> not because everyone is constantly

watching each other, but because people know they are part of the same community. Trust becomes

normal. In many cities, people lock their doors and keep their [music] distance. Here, life can feel simpler

because people know they depend on one another. A woman from Thailand who moved [music] here once described feeling

happy living in a place with little pollution and very low crime. There is another small detail that shows how

close this community can be. >> [music] >> can directly contact the prime minister

because his phone number has been publicly available. Not every place needs to become bigger. Not [music]

every place needs to move faster. The people here have chosen [music] a different way to live.

The Faroe Islands may feel isolated, but they are not a forgotten place. And that is what makes them unusual.

Located between Norway and Iceland, the Faroe Islands are made up of 18 main islands in the North Atlantic. They were

formed [music] by volcanic activity millions of years ago. But once you actually arrive, geography stops [music]

feeling like a fact on a map. You notice the landscape immediately. There are almost no tall trees. Instead, there are

green hills, steep mountains, and dark cliffs [music] rising straight from the ocean. There are three things you will

see everywhere. Wind, waves, and sheep. Sheep outnumber people here and have become part of the

landscape itself. The wind blows for much of the year. Salt from the sea makes it difficult for trees to grow.

And slowly, [music] you understand something important. Nature here isn't just scenery. It controls the way people

live. The weather can change almost without warning. A morning may start with sunshine. Then suddenly, [music]

rain, fog, and powerful winds can arrive. Locals [music] have a saying, "If you don't like the weather, wait 5

minutes." It sounds funny, but after spending some time here, you realize how accurate it can be.

You might start your day with clear skies, only to find everything completely different a few hours later.

Sometimes, you can be outside taking photographs, and within minutes, a thick wall of fog can hide almost everything

around you. Rain falls through much of the year. The wind rarely disappears. In summer, daylight can last almost all

day. Then winter comes. [music] The balance changes completely. Daylight becomes limited, and much of the day is

spent in darkness. >> [music] >> Weather like this changes the way life

works. Plans depend on nature. There are days when the wind is so strong that even opening a door becomes difficult.

>> [music] >> Travel between islands can also become impossible when conditions are bad. You

cannot control life here the same way you can [music] in a large city. You have to adapt. People don't try to

defeat nature. They don't try to control every part of it. They simply learn how to live with it. Maybe that is why life

here feels slower. >> [music] >> People rush less. Plans are more

flexible. And life follows a different rhythm. There are also some residents you see

almost everywhere. Sheep. >> [music]

>> There are so many that they outnumber people. They walk across the hills and sometimes [music] end up directly in the

road. Drivers simply stop and wait for them to pass.

Nobody needs to rush. Nobody needs to honk. The sheep have the right of way, at least in spirit. Then there are

puffins. During breeding season, >> [music] >> thousands gather along the coastal

cliffs, especially around remote islands such as Mykines. From far away, the cliffs can almost appear to move, but it

isn't the land moving. It is the huge number of birds covering the rocks. At first, the Faroe Islands can seem

[music] extremely difficult. Strong winds, constant rain, steep land, and a huge distance from [music] the rest of

the world. But that harsh environment has shaped the people who live here. It has taught them to slow [music] down,

stay flexible, and depend on one another. And that brings us back to the question,

what [music] really keeps them here? Of course, [music] no place is perfect. The Faroe Islands are no exception.

Behind the peaceful scenery are problems that are not [music] always visible at first. Who One of the more noticeable

issues is the difference [music] between the number of men and women. There are several thousand more men than women in

a population of just over 50,000. That difference can have a real effect on daily life, and it does not come from

just one reason. Part of it is connected to the type of work available. Fishing and aquaculture

are important industries, >> [music] >> and many of these physically demanding

jobs are still mostly done by men. >> [music] >> But, there is another reason. Young

women often leave the islands. They leave to study. They leave for work and for experiences that may not be

available in such a small community. >> [music] >> And many never return. Eventually, those

numbers stop being statistics. They affect [music] real people. Finding a partner can be difficult when the

population is small and the number of women is lower [music] because of this.

Some people look outside the islands when building relationships and families. [music] Relationships with

women from Southeast Asia, especially the Philippines [music] and Thailand, have become more common, not

simply as a trend, but partly because people are trying to build families in a place with limited

choices. >> [music] >> According to the BBC, more than 300

women from Thailand and the Philippines now live [music] in the Faroe Islands. For someone coming from a tropical

country, moving here can mean a huge change. Cold winds, long [music] winters, very little daylight. It

requires adjustment, both physically and mentally. And that is a side of life [music] here that beautiful photographs

don't always show. The balance becomes even [music] more difficult when you look at the cost of living. Life here is

expensive, not necessarily because people want it to be, but because so many products have to be

brought in from outside. That makes even normal everyday goods more expensive. People can earn good incomes, but they

also have higher costs. So, the system works, but people still have to carefully balance what they earn

with what they spend. And there is another issue that cannot be ignored.

Wailing. It is a tradition that has existed here for generations.

For many [music] locals, it is connected to history, culture, and the way people survived in a difficult environment.

[music] But outside the islands, the view is very different. For many people, [music]

the practice is difficult to accept. It has become a source of criticism and international [music] debate. And this

shows one of the biggest tensions in the Faroe Islands. The difference between old traditions and modern values.

>> [music] >> So, after everything we've seen, what is life really like in the Faroe Islands?

Maybe the most important thing these islands leave you with isn't a picture of a mountain or a view of the ocean.

It's a question. How fast are we really living? And why? [music]

The modern world keeps moving faster, cities keep growing, technology keeps changing. Work becomes more demanding.

And almost everything is measured by speed, growth, [music] money, and success. But here, life follows a

different rhythm. A day can still be shaped by the ocean, by the weather, by familiar work, by a simple meal, by

[music] talking with people you've known for years, and by stories passed down from one generation to another. The

Faroe Islands are not perfect. They have harsh weather, high living costs, [music] limited opportunities, social

problems, and traditions that remain controversial. But, they also have something many

modern cities struggle to create, a strong sense of community, a close connection with nature, for and [music]

a lifestyle that doesn't always demand more. Maybe the lesson isn't that everyone

should move to the Faroe Islands. Maybe it's [music] much simpler than that. You don't always have to live faster

just because the world around you is moving faster. >> [music]

>> You don't always need more to feel like you have enough. And you don't necessarily have to choose

between modern life and a slower life. The people here have found a way to combine both. They built tunnels beneath

[music] the ocean. They created modern roads. They use the internet. They travel. They work in a modern [music]

economy. But, at the same time, they have kept their language, traditions, communities,

and slower way of life. And maybe that's what makes the Faroe Islands so [music] interesting. They are isolated, but

connected. Traditional, but modern. Small, but economically strong. Harsh, but peaceful.

And perhaps that's why people stay. Not because life here is easy, but because they have created a life that

feels like their own. And when you finally leave, maybe the thing you remember most won't be the cliffs or the

ocean. It will be [music] that feeling of peace, a reminder that life doesn't always have to be louder, faster, or

bigger. Sometimes, slower is enough.