Eysturoy

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Position of Eysturoy island

Eysturoy (Danish: Østerø), meaning East island (pronounced ['estroi], Danish ['österö]) is the second-largest of the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic, both in size (286.3 km²) and population (10,586). It is separated by a narrow sound from the main island of Streymoy. Eysturoy is extremely rugged, with some 66 separate mountain peaks, including Slættaratindur, the highest peak in the archipelago. Important towns on Eysturoy are Fuglafjørður in the north and the densely populated area of the municipalities of Runavík and Nes in the south.

Eysturoy is connected with Streymoy via a road bridge over the sound. This bridge is humorously referred to by islanders as the only bridge over the Atlantic (the natives of the Scottish island of Seil incidentally make the same claim). However, the southern towns are more quickly reached from the capital Tórshavn via car ferry. Leirvík on the east coast of the island is the gateway for transport connections to the north-eastern islands, particularly Klaksvík on the island of Borðoy, which is the Faroes' second-largest town.

Map of Eysturoy

Sites of interest on Eysturoy include the villages of Eiði and Gjógv, the latter having a small natural port in a rock column; the Blásastova historical museum in the village of Gøta; and the varmakelda (thermal springs) of Fuglafjørður, which indicate the volcanic origin of the archipelago. Off the northern tip of the island are the basalt sea stacks Risin og Kellingin.