Vega Archipelago

Hundreds of native Norwegians fish and collect eider ducks' fluffy down on hundreds of native islands off the Norwegian Sea coast — and among fascinating fjords and the Kilværfjorden marine channel — in Central NORWAY. These people live on islands in the Vega Archipelago (Norwegian: Vegaøyan), and their centuries-old way of life is even celebrated by the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. The whole archipelago is designated a « UNESCO World Heritage Site », inscribed in 2004. Based on archaeological evidence, it is believed that people have lived on these islands since the Stone Age (8,700-2,000 BC). Some inhabited islands feature beacons and lighthouses, warehouses, fishing villages, and eider houses for ducks to nest in. Some islands and islets in the Vega Archipelago include Bremsteinvær, Heimøya, Hysvær, Igerøya, Islandsøya, Skjervær, Søla, Steinan, Vega (of course!), and Ytter-Flesa (Ytre Flesan).

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