Map of Faroe Islands | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: The population of the Faroe Islands is largely descended from Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The islands have been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th century. A high degree of self government was granted the Faroese in 1948 who have autonomy over most internal affairs while Denmark is responsible for justice defense and foreign affairs. The Faroe Islands are not part of the European Union.


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Location: Northern Europe island group between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean about half way between Iceland and Norway

Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N 7 00 W

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 1393 km²
Rank: 183
Land: 1393 km²
Water: 0 km² (some lakes and streams)
Comparative: eight times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1117 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Climate: mild winters cool summers; usually overcast; foggy windy

Terrain: rugged rocky some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m

Natural resources: fish whales hydropower possible oil and gas

Land use
Arable land: 2.14%
Permanent crops: 0%
Other: 97.86% (2005)

Irrigated land: 0 km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one uninhabited island and a few uninhabited islets; strategically located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic; precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands


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Population: 49,267 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 208
Growth rate: 0.428% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 155
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Faroese
Adjective: Faroese

Ethnic groups: Scandinavian

Languages: Faroese (derived from Old Norse) Danish

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 83.8% other and unspecified 16.2% (2006 census)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 21%
15-64 years: 64.2% (male 16,837/female 14,788)
65 years and over: 14.8% (male 3,487/female 3,818) (2011 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 37.3 years
Male: 36.6 years
Female: 38.1 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.428% (2011 est.)
Rank: 155

Birth rate: 12.95 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 153

Death rate: 8.67 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 83

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 87

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 40% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA
International agreements party to: Marine Dumping - associate member to the London Convention and Ship Pollution

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.071 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 6.06 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 176
Male: 6.31 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 5.79 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.72 years
Rank: 33
Male: 77.25 years
Female: 82.35 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.42 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 89

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy: NA; note - probably 99% the same as Denmark proper

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education: NA

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Faroe Islands
Local long form: none
Local short form: Foroyar

Government type: NA

Capital
Name: Torshavn
Geographic coordinates: 62 01 N 6 46 W
Time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government but there are 34 municipalities

Dependent areas

Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

National holiday: Olaifest (Olavsoka ) 29 July

Constitution: 5 June 1953 (Danish Constitution)

Legal system: the laws of Denmark where applicable apply

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark represented by High Commissioner Dan Michael KNUDSEN chief administrative officer (since 2008)
Head of government: Prime Minister Kaj Leo JOHANNESSEN (since 26 September 2008)
Cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister
Elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held on 19 January 2008 (next to be held no later than January 2012)
Election results: Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister in 2008; governing coalition collapses in September 2008 Kaj Leo JOHANNESSEN becomes prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (33 seats; members elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven constituencies to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held on 29 October 2011 (next to be held no later than October 2015)
Election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 24.7% People's Party 22.5% Republican Party 18.3% Social Democratic Party 17.7% Progressive Party 6.3% Center Party 6.2% Self-Government Party 4.2% other 0.1%; seats by party - Union Party 8 People's Party 8 Republican Party 6 Social Democratic Party 6 Progressive Party 2 Center Party 2 Self-Government Party 1
Note: election of two seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on 13 November 2007 (next to be held no later than November 2011); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1 Union Party 1

Judicial branch: none

Political parties and leaders: Center Party [Jenis av RANA]; Independence Party [Kari P. HOJGAARD]; People's Party [Jorgen NICLASEN]; Republican Party [Hogni HOYDAL]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union Party [Kaj Leo JOHANNESEN]

International organization participation: Arctic Council IMO (associate) NC NIB UNESCO (associate) UPU

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
From the us: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description: white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted toward the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); referred to as Merkid meaning 'the banner' or 'the mark' the flag resembles those of neighboring Iceland and Norway and uses the same three colors - but in a different sequence; white represents the clear Faroese sky as well as the foam of the waves; red and blue are traditional Faroese colors

National symbols: ram

National anthem
Name: 'Mitt alfagra land'
Lyricsmusic: Simun av SKAROI/Peter ALBERG
Note: adopted 1948; the anthem is also known as 'Tu alfagra land mitt' (Thou Fairest Land of Mine); as an autonomous overseas division of Denmark the Faroe Islands are permitted their own national anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The Faroese economy is dependent on fishing which makes the economy vulnerable to price swings. The sector accounts for about 95% of exports and nearly half of GDP. In early 2008 the Faroese economy began to slow as a result of smaller catches and historically high oil prices that continue to trouble the economy. Reduced catches especially of cod and haddock have continued to strain the Faroese economy. GDP grew 0.5% in 2008-09. The slowdown in the Faroese economy followed a strong performance since the mid-1990s with annual growth rates averaging close to 6% mostly a result of increased fish landings and salmon farming and high export prices. Unemployment reached its lowest level in the first half of 2008 but increased to 3.9% in 2009 and is rising. The Faroese Home Rule Government produced increasing budget surpluses that helped to reduce the large public debt most of it to Denmark. However total dependence on fishing and salmon farming make the Faroese economy very vulnerable to fluctuations in world demand. In addition budget surpluses turned to deficits in 2008-09 and the economy at both the country and local level is running large deficits. Initial discoveries of oil in the Faroese area give hope for eventual oil production which may provide a foundation for a more diversified economy and less dependence on Danish economic assistance. Aided by an annual subsidy from Denmark amounting to about 6% of Faroese GDP the Faroese have a standard of living almost equal to that of Denmark and Greenland.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $1.59 billion (2008 est.)
Rank: 192

Real gdp growth rate: 0.5% (2008 est.)
Rank: 180

Real gdp per capita: $32,900 (2008 est.)
Rank: 41

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 16%
Industry: 29%
Services: 55% (2007 est.)

Agriculture products: milk potatoes vegetables; sheep; salmon other fish

Industries: fishing fish processing small ship repair and refurbishment handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: 8% (2007 est.)
Rank: 42

Labor force: 34,680 (November 2008)
Rank: 200
By occupation agriculture: 10.2%
By occupation industry: 20.5%
By occupation services: 69.2% (2008)

Unemployment rate: 1.2% (2008)
Rank: 34

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $1.163 billion
Expenditures: $1.139 billion
Note: Denmark supplies the Faroe Islands with almost one-third of their public funds (2006)
Surplus or deficit: 1% of GDP (2006)
Surplus or deficit rank: 31

Taxes and other revenues: 47.5% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 21

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 6.4% (2008)
Rank: 4

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $634 million (2006)
Rank: 158
Commodities: fish and fish products 94% stamps ships
Partners: Denmark 33% UK 19.8% Nigeria 12.5% US 10% Netherlands 5.4% Norway 4.8% (2010)

Imports: $751 million (2006)
Rank: 171
Commodities: consumer goods 36% raw materials and semi-manufactures 32% machinery and transport equipment 29% fuels fish salt
Partners: Denmark 51.1% Norway 22.4% Sweden 6.7% UK 4.2% Iceland 4.1% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $68.1 million (2006)
Rank: 189

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 251.9 million kWh (2008 est.)
Production rank: 174
Consumption: 234.3 million kWh (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 178
Exports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 184
Consumption: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 175
Exports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 98
Imports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 121
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2011 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 138

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 20,200 (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 192
Mobile cellular: 59,400 (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 196

Telephone system
General assessment: good international communications; good domestic facilities
Domestic: conversion to digital system completed in 1998; both NMT (analog) and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed
International: country code - 298; satellite earth stations - 1 Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable

Broadcast media: 1 publicly-owned TV station; the Faroese telecommunications company distributes local and international channels through its digital terrestrial network; publicly-owned radio station supplemented by 2 privately-owned stations broadcasting over multiple frequencies (2008)

Internet
Country code: .fo
Hosts: 8,936 (2010)
Hosts rank: 128
Users: 37,500 (2009)
Users rank: 175

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: NA

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 1 (2010)
Rank: 216
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2010)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 463 km
Rank: 195

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 26
Rank: 90
By type: cargo 11 chemical tanker 6 container 2 passenger 1 passenger/cargo 3 refrigerated cargo 2 roll on/roll off 1
Foreign owned: 11 (Norway 6 Sweden 5) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Fuglafjordur Torshavn Vagur


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Disputes international: because anticipated offshore hydrocarbon resources have not been realized earlier Faroese proposals for full independence have been deferred; Iceland the UK and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs