Stóra Dímun
| Stóra Dímun | |
|---|---|
| Island | |
Map of Stóra Dímun
|
|
 Location within the Faroe Islands |
|
| Coordinates: 61°41′N 6°44′W / 61.683°N 6.733°WCoordinates: 61°41′N 6°44′W / 61.683°N 6.733°W | |
| State |
 Kingdom of Denmark
|
| Constituent country |
 Faroe Islands
|
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.5 km2 (1.0 sq mi) |
| Population (1 January 2014) | |
| • Total | 7 |
| • Density | 2.8/km2 (7.3/sq mi) |
| (4 Adults, 3 children) | |
| Time zone | GMT (UTC+0) |
| • Summer (DST) | EST (UTC+1) |
| Postal code | FO 286 |
| Calling code | 298 |
Stóra Dímun is an island in the southern Faroe Islands, sometimes only referred to as Dímun. It is accessible by sea only during periods of clear and calm weather, but there is a regular helicopter service twice a week all year.
The name 'Stóra Dímun' means 'Great Dimun', in contrast to 'Lítla Dímun' or 'Little Dimun'. According to the Faroese placename expert Jakobsen, 'Dimun' may represent a pre-Norse, Celtic placename element, with 'di' representing 'two'.
There is a lighthouse on the island.
Before 1920, the ruins of an old church were present, but these are no longer existent. There are two peaks on Stóra Dímun: Høgoyggj (396 m) and Klettarnir (308 m). The island was once home to many families from the 13th century onwards, but now only two families of seven make their home on the island.
There is only one farm on the island, and it constitutes its only settlement. The farm benefits from soil which has been fertilized by the guano millions of seabirds for thousands of years, this gives excellent grazing for the 450 ewes that the island supports. The farm is famed for their turnips, and sheepskin which they produce some 300-400 of each year.
6-8 calves are slaughtered every year.
There is some tourism during the summer months.
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 (15,000 pairs), Atlantic puffins (40,000 pairs) and black guillemots (50 pairs).
Aerial view of Stóra Dímun
Stamp FO 475 of Postverk Føroya
Issued: 16 Jan 2004
Coast of Stóra Dímun
Stamp FO 490 of Postverk Føroya
Issued: 2004
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Wikipedia