280px, The crosses the Sundini at its narrowest point">Streymin Bridge crosses the Sundini at its narrowest point
Sundini is the northern section of the sound separating the islands of
Streymoy and
Eysturoy
Eysturoy (pronounced estroimeaning 'East Island') is a region and the second-largest of the Faroe Islands, both in size and population.
Description
Eysturoy is separated by a narrow sound from the main island of Streymoy. Eysturoy is extremely ...
in the
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands ( ), or simply the Faroes ( fo, Føroyar ; da, Færøerne ), are a North Atlantic island group and an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.
They are located north-northwest of Scotland, and about halfway bet ...
. The southern section of the strait is named
Tangafjørður
Tangafjørður is the southern part of the strait separating the islands of Streymoy and Eysturoy in the Faroe Islands. The northern part of the strait between is named Sundini.
Name
''Tangi,'' genitive case ''tanga,'' is a Faroese word meanin ...
.
Name
''Sund'' is the Faroese word for ''sound'' or ''strait''. Sundini is the plural definite of ''Sund'', hence translating as ''The Sounds'' or ''The Straits'' in English. An alternative suggested translation would be ''The Narrows''.
Geography
The Sundini separates
Streymoy and northern
Eysturoy
Eysturoy (pronounced estroimeaning 'East Island') is a region and the second-largest of the Faroe Islands, both in size and population.
Description
Eysturoy is separated by a narrow sound from the main island of Streymoy. Eysturoy is extremely ...
. In the north, bordering Eiðisflógvi gulf (part of the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
), Sundini starts between
Tjørnuvík
Tjørnuvík ( da, Tjørnevig) is the northernmost village on Streymoy in Sunda Municipality, Faroe Islands. As of the 2006 census, the population has a total of 71 people.
The town uses the Stakkur sea stack for sheep grazing, accessed by cabl ...
and Eiðiskollur (near
Eiði
Eiði (''Northern Faroese'' ɔiːjɪ) is a village located on the north-west tip of Eysturoy in the Faroe Islands. It is the seat of Eiði Municipality. It is located 4 km north of Ljósá and 6.5 km west of Funningur.
History
Eiði was firs ...
). It merges with the much wider
Tangafjørður
Tangafjørður is the southern part of the strait separating the islands of Streymoy and Eysturoy in the Faroe Islands. The northern part of the strait between is named Sundini.
Name
''Tangi,'' genitive case ''tanga,'' is a Faroese word meanin ...
strait between Norðuri í Sundum (
Kollafjørdur) and
Morskranes
Morskranes ( da, Morskrenæs) is a village on the west coast of the Faroese island of Eysturoy in the Sjóvar Municipality. The 2013 population was 28. Its postal code is FO 496.
Morskranes can translate roughly as "Moors of the Corner".
Externa ...
. Its length is in an
equidistant
A point is said to be equidistant from a set of objects if the distances between that point and each object in the set are equal.
In two-dimensional Euclidean geometry, the locus of points equidistant from two given (different) points is the ...
line. The deepest point is northwest of
Morskranes
Morskranes ( da, Morskrenæs) is a village on the west coast of the Faroese island of Eysturoy in the Sjóvar Municipality. The 2013 population was 28. Its postal code is FO 496.
Morskranes can translate roughly as "Moors of the Corner".
Externa ...
at . Sundini is at its widest around
Selatrað
Selatrað ( da, Selletræ) is a village on the west coast of the Faroese island of Eysturoy in Sjóvar Municipality. The name ''Selatrað'' refers to ''a breeding place for seals''.
The 2010 population was 38. Its postal code is FO 497. The vill ...
at . The shallowest and narrowest point is situated at Við Streymin (''By the Current'') underneath the
Streymin Bridge
The Streymin Bridge ( Faroese: Brúgvin um Streymin; in short Brúgvin), is an important highway bridge in the Faroe Islands. It connects the two biggest and most populous islands of Streymoy to the west and Eysturoy to the east. Crossing the Sun ...
. It is also the narrowest point between any two islands in the Faroe Islands. It is a dredged section kept at to allow small craft to navigate between north and south. However, these can only pass at slackwater due to the tidal currents up to 12 knots at this point.
The complex
bathymetry
Bathymetry (; ) is the study of underwater depth of ocean floors (''seabed topography''), lake floors, or river floors. In other words, bathymetry is the underwater equivalent to hypsometry or topography. The first recorded evidence of water de ...
of the Sundini and Tangafjørður, with many isolated areas exceeding intermitted by shallow sections, is thanks to the glaciation during the
Weichselien ice age. The Við Streymin area constitutes a former glacial
drainage divide
A drainage divide, water divide, ridgeline, watershed, water parting or height of land is elevated terrain that separates neighboring drainage basins. On rugged land, the divide lies along topographical ridges, and may be in the form of a singl ...
where the glaciar would bisect in a northward and southward flow. In the northern limits near
Eiði
Eiði (''Northern Faroese'' ɔiːjɪ) is a village located on the north-west tip of Eysturoy in the Faroe Islands. It is the seat of Eiði Municipality. It is located 4 km north of Ljósá and 6.5 km west of Funningur.
History
Eiði was firs ...
a glacial threshold (
submerged terminal moraine) at ca limits the inflow of oxygenated water, hence compounding biological activity in this section.
Glaciation
A glacial period (alternatively glacial or glaciation) is an interval of time (thousands of years) within an ice age that is marked by colder temperatures and glacier advances. Interglacials, on the other hand, are periods of warmer climate betw ...
has also caused the formation of several inlets in or bordering Sundini, such as
Kollafjørður
Kollafjørður ( da, Kollefjord) is a village in the Faroe Islands, located on the island of Streymoy. As of 1. January 2022, the village had a population of 828. Its postal code is FO 410. Until 2001 it was a municipality in its own right but is ...
, the
Skálafjørður
Skálafjørður ( da, Skålefjord) is a fjord in Eysturoy and the longest in the Faroe Islands.
Name
Skála is a town situated on the western shore of the fjord. Its name (''Skáli'', genitive case ''skála'') means 'hall', 'assembly hall' or 'i ...
fjords, the
Hvalvík
Hvalvík ( da, Kvalvig) is a village in the Faroe Islands, located in a valley on the east coast of the island of Streymoy.
It is the southern half of a twin-village situated on both sides of the valley. The villages are divided by the river St ...
and
Tjørnuvík
Tjørnuvík ( da, Tjørnevig) is the northernmost village on Streymoy in Sunda Municipality, Faroe Islands. As of the 2006 census, the population has a total of 71 people.
The town uses the Stakkur sea stack for sheep grazing, accessed by cabl ...
bays, as well as Saksunardalur valley. In the south it borders the Kollafjørður and Tangafjørður strait, which border the Kaldbaksfjørdur and
Skálafjørður
Skálafjørður ( da, Skålefjord) is a fjord in Eysturoy and the longest in the Faroe Islands.
Name
Skála is a town situated on the western shore of the fjord. Its name (''Skáli'', genitive case ''skála'') means 'hall', 'assembly hall' or 'i ...
fjords.
The villages on Streymoy are, from north to south:
Tjørnuvík
Tjørnuvík ( da, Tjørnevig) is the northernmost village on Streymoy in Sunda Municipality, Faroe Islands. As of the 2006 census, the population has a total of 71 people.
The town uses the Stakkur sea stack for sheep grazing, accessed by cabl ...
,
Haldórsvík
Haldórsvík ( da, Haldersvig), also Haldarsvík, is a village located on the north-east coast of Streymoy in the Sunda Kommuna municipality. In the centre of the village there is a small waterfall.
The stone church in the village is from 185 ...
,
Langasandur
Langasandur ( da, Langesand) is a village located on the Faroese island of Streymoy in the municipality of Sunda.
The village was settled in 1938, the name Langasandur means Longbeach.
Whaling station
In 1894, the first whaling station in ...
,
Nesvík
Nesvík is a village on the east coast of the Faroese island of Streymoy, located in the Sunda municipality.
In 2020 its population was 0 with the last inhabitants leaving in 2016. Nesvík is home to a religious camp of the conservative Inner Mis ...
,
Hvalvík
Hvalvík ( da, Kvalvig) is a village in the Faroe Islands, located in a valley on the east coast of the island of Streymoy.
It is the southern half of a twin-village situated on both sides of the valley. The villages are divided by the river St ...
,
Streymnes,
Við Áir,
Hósvík
Hósvík ( da, Thorsvig) is a village in the Faroe Islands. It has a population of 335 and is located on a bay on Streymoy's east-coast.
The ferry to Selatrað on Eysturoy island used to go from Hósvík, but was superseded by the Streymin Brid ...
and the Norðuri í Sundum neighbourhood of
Kollafjørdur. The Eysturoy side houses
Eiði
Eiði (''Northern Faroese'' ɔiːjɪ) is a village located on the north-west tip of Eysturoy in the Faroe Islands. It is the seat of Eiði Municipality. It is located 4 km north of Ljósá and 6.5 km west of Funningur.
History
Eiði was firs ...
,
Ljósá
Ljósá ( da, Lyså) is a village located on Eysturoy in the Faroe Islands, in Eiði Municipality. It is located 4 km south of Eiði
Eiði (''Northern Faroese'' ɔiːjɪ) is a village located on the north-west tip of Eysturoy in the Faroe Is ...
,
Svínáir
Svínáir ( da, Svinåer) is a village located on Eysturoy in the Faroe Islands, in Eiði Municipality. It is located 4 km north of Ljósá and 6.5 km west of Funningur. It is located 8.5 km south of Eiði, 4.6 km south of Ljósá and 2 km north o ...
,
Norðskáli
Norðskáli is a settlement in the Faroe Islands on the island of Eysturoy, a few kilometres north of Oyri.
Its name means ''north dwelling'' and its population is 331.
The 226-metre Streymin Bridge crosses Sundini from the island of Streymoy b ...
,
Oyrarbakki
Oyrarbakki is a village on the west coast of the Faroese island of Eysturoy in the Sunda municipality, between Norðskáli and Oyri.
In 2005 the population was 97. Its postal code is FO 400.
The nearby 226-metre Streymin Bridge across to the i ...
,
Oyri
Oyri is a village on the central west coast of the Faroese island Eysturoy in the Sunda municipality.
The 2005 population was 142. Its postal code is FO 450. The village is south of the Eysturoy-to- Streymoy bridge, and is home to a large fish pr ...
,
Selatrað
Selatrað ( da, Selletræ) is a village on the west coast of the Faroese island of Eysturoy in Sjóvar Municipality. The name ''Selatrað'' refers to ''a breeding place for seals''.
The 2010 population was 38. Its postal code is FO 497. The vill ...
and
Morskranes
Morskranes ( da, Morskrenæs) is a village on the west coast of the Faroese island of Eysturoy in the Sjóvar Municipality. The 2013 population was 28. Its postal code is FO 496.
Morskranes can translate roughly as "Moors of the Corner".
Externa ...
. The region
Sundalagið owes its name to the Sundini, although the villages Selatrað and Morskranes are not traditionally considered part of this region. The Sundini is bordered by four municipalities:
Sjóvar,
Tórshavn
Tórshavn (; lit. "Thor's harbour"), usually locally referred to as simply ''Havn'', is the capital and largest city of the Faroe Islands. It is located in the southern part on the east coast of Streymoy. To the northwest of the city lies the ...
,
Sunda Sunda may refer to:
Europe
* Sunda, Faroe Islands
India
* Sunda (asura), an asura brother of Upasunda
* Sunda (clan), a clan (gotra) of Jats in Haryana and Rajasthan, India
Southeast Asia
* Sundanese (disambiguation)
** Sundanese people ...
and
Eiðis kommuna.
Transport
Since 1973 both sides of the Sundini have been connected by the
Streymin Bridge
The Streymin Bridge ( Faroese: Brúgvin um Streymin; in short Brúgvin), is an important highway bridge in the Faroe Islands. It connects the two biggest and most populous islands of Streymoy to the west and Eysturoy to the east. Crossing the Sun ...
, previously the sole fixed link between Streymoy and Eysturoy. In December 2020 a second link, the
Eysturoyartunnilin
The Eysturoyartunnilin (in English the Eysturoy Tunnel, earlier known as the Skálafjarðartunnilin) is a large undersea road tunnel under the Tangafjørður sound in the Faroe Islands, connecting the island of Streymoy to the island of Eysturo ...
, was opened, providing a much shorter bypass for the long route from Tórshavn to Southern Eysturoy via the Streymin Bridge. Until 1973, there was a ferry ('Sundaferjan') between
Oyri
Oyri is a village on the central west coast of the Faroese island Eysturoy in the Sunda municipality.
The 2005 population was 142. Its postal code is FO 450. The village is south of the Eysturoy-to- Streymoy bridge, and is home to a large fish pr ...
and
Streymnes, while the ferry
Hósvík
Hósvík ( da, Thorsvig) is a village in the Faroe Islands. It has a population of 335 and is located on a bay on Streymoy's east-coast.
The ferry to Selatrað on Eysturoy island used to go from Hósvík, but was superseded by the Streymin Brid ...
-
Selatrað
Selatrað ( da, Selletræ) is a village on the west coast of the Faroese island of Eysturoy in Sjóvar Municipality. The name ''Selatrað'' refers to ''a breeding place for seals''.
The 2010 population was 38. Its postal code is FO 497. The vill ...
continued to operate until 1976, the year when the Norðskálatunnilin opened and for the first time offered a road link between Southern and Northern Eysturoy. A car ferry operated between Strendur, Toftir and Tórshavn until the early 2000s.
Nearly all of Sundini's shorelines are paralleled by highways. The national highway nr 10 runs from Tórshavn via Kollafjørður to Oyrarbakki, where it continues to Southern Eysturoy and
Klaksvík
Klaksvík is the second largest town of the Faroe Islands behind Tórshavn. The town is located on Borðoy, which is one of the northernmost islands (the Norðoyar). It is the administrative centre of Klaksvík municipality.
History
The first se ...
. National highways nr 54 and 23 run north from Streymin Bridge to
Tjørnuvík
Tjørnuvík ( da, Tjørnevig) is the northernmost village on Streymoy in Sunda Municipality, Faroe Islands. As of the 2006 census, the population has a total of 71 people.
The town uses the Stakkur sea stack for sheep grazing, accessed by cabl ...
and
Eiði
Eiði (''Northern Faroese'' ɔiːjɪ) is a village located on the north-west tip of Eysturoy in the Faroe Islands. It is the seat of Eiði Municipality. It is located 4 km north of Ljósá and 6.5 km west of Funningur.
History
Eiði was firs ...
respectively. Highway nr 65 runs from Selatrað to Strendur. The section Oyri-Selatrað consists of vertical cliffs and has no road link.
Strandfaraskip Landsins offers bus connections to all villages except Oyri, while municipal bus services operate in
Kollafjørður
Kollafjørður ( da, Kollefjord) is a village in the Faroe Islands, located on the island of Streymoy. As of 1. January 2022, the village had a population of 828. Its postal code is FO 410. Until 2001 it was a municipality in its own right but is ...
and
Sunda Sunda may refer to:
Europe
* Sunda, Faroe Islands
India
* Sunda (asura), an asura brother of Upasunda
* Sunda (clan), a clan (gotra) of Jats in Haryana and Rajasthan, India
Southeast Asia
* Sundanese (disambiguation)
** Sundanese people ...
.
Culture
The
Sundalagsstevna is the annual regional festival with rowing races, alternating between Kollafjørður, Hósvík and Hvalvík. A recent park has been constructed next to Streymin Bridge near Norðskáli. Three bays are appointed as ''hvalvág'' where pilot whales may be brought ashore during a
grind
A blade's grind is its cross-sectional shape in a plane normal to the edge. Grind differs from blade profile, which is the blade's cross-sectional shape in the plane containing the blade's edge and the centre contour of the blade's back (me ...
:
Hvalvík
Hvalvík ( da, Kvalvig) is a village in the Faroe Islands, located in a valley on the east coast of the island of Streymoy.
It is the southern half of a twin-village situated on both sides of the valley. The villages are divided by the river St ...
,
Norðskáli
Norðskáli is a settlement in the Faroe Islands on the island of Eysturoy, a few kilometres north of Oyri.
Its name means ''north dwelling'' and its population is 331.
The 226-metre Streymin Bridge crosses Sundini from the island of Streymoy b ...
and
Tjørnuvík
Tjørnuvík ( da, Tjørnevig) is the northernmost village on Streymoy in Sunda Municipality, Faroe Islands. As of the 2006 census, the population has a total of 71 people.
The town uses the Stakkur sea stack for sheep grazing, accessed by cabl ...
, as well as in Kollafjørður.
There are
fish farms
upright=1.3, Salmon farming in the sea (mariculture) at Loch Ainort, Isle of Skye">mariculture.html" ;"title="Salmon farming in the sea (mariculture">Salmon farming in the sea (mariculture) at Loch Ainort, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Fish farming or ...
around Haldórsvík and Oyrarbakki.
References
{{coord, 62.210, -7.007, type:waterbody_region:DK_dim:50000, display=title
Geography of the Faroe Islands
Straits of the Faroe Islands