Mykines is the western-most of the main 18 islands in the Faroe Islands. There is one settlement on the island: Mykines.
There are two mountains on the island: Knúkur (560 m) and Árnafjall (350 m). There are large numbers of puffin and gannet on the island. There are also many birds located on Mykineshólmur, a small islet to the immediate west of Mykines. There is a footbridge over the 35 m gorge Hólmgjógv linking the two islands.
It has been suggested that the name is actually pre-Norse in origin, coming from muc-innis, a Celtic term for pig island. This maybe a reference to whales who are known as muc-mhara (Sea sows) in Gaelic.
Progression of the population of Mykines since 1769:
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1769 | 61 |
| 1870 | 114 |
| 1890 | 154 |
| 1925 | 179 |
| 1940 | 170 |
| 2004 | 11 |
Mykines | Mykines | Mykines | Mykines | מייקינס | Mykines | Mykines | Mykines | Mykines