Fur (island)

Small island in the Limfjord, Denmark

56°49′54″N 9°1′27″E / 56.83167°N 9.02417°E / 56.83167; 9.02417Area21.8 km² (8.4 sq mi)Length8.2 km (5.1 mi)Width5.3 km (3.29 mi)Administration

Denmark

MunicipalitySkive MunicipalityRegionCentral Denmark RegionDemographicsPopulation752 (2022)^[1]Additional informationPostcode7884

Fur (alternative older spelling: Fuur) is a Danish island in the Limfjord. It is located just north of Salling peninsula in Skive municipality. As of 2022, the island covers an area of 21.8 km² and has a total population of 752.^[1] The village of Nederby is the largest town on the island.

In 2010, readers of the Danish newspaper Kristeligt Dagblad voted for Fur as "Denmark's most wonderful island", ahead of Læsø and Ærø.^[2] The island is linked to the mainland through a 24-hour ferry, the Sleipner-Fur ferry, sailing from Branden. The crossing of the Fur Strait takes 3–4 minutes.^[3]

Geography

The island constitutes a unique geological formation within the region, called the Fur Formation. It is renowned for its deposits of diatomite, known in Danish as moler which is used for cat litter. Fossil hunting is a popular activity on the island, and the fossils one can find in the moler can be more than 55 million years old.^[4] The Fur Museum on the island features exhibits relating to the island, particularly fossils which have been found there.

Until 1860, the island had no forests, though several have since been established.^{[citation needed]}

Image showing the distinct geological layers.
An inland location.

References

^ ^a ^b "BEF4L Folketal 1. januar efter øer". Statistikbanken (in Danish). Statistics Denmark. 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
^ "Her er Danmarks skønneste ø". Berlingske (in Danish). 24 June 2010.
^ "Fursund Ferry Service". Fursund Turistinformation. Archived from the original on 2007-04-26. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ "Fossil Hunting". Fursund Turistinformation. Archived from the original on 2007-06-09. Retrieved 2008-04-14.