While it may sometimes feel like the UK is the darkest country, especially with limited sunshine in the winter months. But, this isn’t actually the case, with four countries being named as less sunny. Topping the list of darkest countries was the Faroe Islands, which only get an average of 840 hours of sunshine per year.
Contrasting this, the UK gets around 1,530 sunshine hours a year. The Faroe Islands are an archipelago located between Iceland and Scotland that is actually part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Despite the darkness, these 18 islands still make for a stunning holiday destination, packed full of caves, walking trails and historical sites.
The capital city of Tórshavn, located on Streymoy Island at the heart of the archipelago, is known for its stunning old town and Tinganes, one of the world’s oldest parliament buildings, having first been used when settlers landed on the island in 825.
The island is also home to Tórshavn Cathedral, the second oldest preserved church in the Faroes, which was founded in 1609. The Faroe’s oldest church, Saint Ólav’s Church, which dates back to 1250, can also be found on Streymoy Island, as can the ruins of the medieval-era Magnus Cathedral.
While over on Kalsoy Island, visitors can enjoy the scenic nature of these islands and hike to the lighthouse, known as the ‘lighthouse at the end of the world.’ This is one of Faroe Island’s most popular hiking routes.
Tourists visiting the Faroes can also hire cars and use the undersea tunnels, which cut down the time it takes to travel between the various parts of the archipelago.
Secret London has shared lists of the most and least sunniest countries in the world, with Egypt topping the list as the most sunny, while the Faroe Islands have been revealed as the darkest, closely followed by Iceland and then Saint Pierre and Miquelon.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the UK makes an appearance on the list of least sunny countries, coming in fifth, behind Ireland in fourth.
The countries with the least sunshine
- Faroe Islands
- Iceland
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Ireland
- United Kingdom
- Belgium
- Equatorial Guinea
- Switzerland
- Poland
- Lithuania
The world’s sunniest countries
- Egypt
- Namibia
- Sudan
- United Arab Emirates
- Oman
- Botswana
- Eritrea
- Chad
- Mauritania
- Cyprus
