The Faroe Islands are an isolated archipelago located halfway between Scotland and Iceland in the North Atlantic. The islands have a population of around 47,000 and their language and culture derive from Norse settlers who arrived over 1200 years ago. The capital and largest city is Tórshavn, located on Streymoy island, which has government buildings, shops, restaurants, and the oldest parliament building in the world. The islands rely heavily on fishing and have maintained a distinct cultural identity despite being self-governing under Danish sovereignty.