Human presence on the Faroe Islands dates back to at least the early medieval period, with archaeological evidence and accounts of early Irish monks preceding the arrival of Norse settlers. By the 9th–10th centuries, Norsemen had established permanent settlements and created the Faroese Althing, one of the world’s oldest parliaments. 

In 999 AD, under the influence of Norway’s King Olaf Tryggvason, Christianity was introduced and adopted. Later, in 1035, the islands became a province of the Kingdom of Norway. During the late Middle Ages, Norway and Denmark entered a dual monarchy, bringing the Faroes under Danish influence. 

After the 1814 Treaty of Kiel, Norway ceded to Sweden but the Faroe Islands remained under Danish sovereignty. Throughout the 19th century, Faroese cultural identity strengthened, including the revival of the Faroese language and re-establishment of the Løgting (parliament). 

During World War II, British forces occupied the islands while Denmark was under German control. After the war, a narrow independence referendum in 1946 led instead to the granting of home rule in 1948, establishing the Faroese as a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. 

Since then, the Faroe Islands have expanded political autonomy and developed a modern economy rooted in fishing, while maintaining a distinct cultural and linguistic heritage.