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 attained in 1948.
Geography
Faroe Islands
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 references:
Europe
Area:
total: 1,399 sq km land: 1,399 sq km water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)
Area - comparative:
eight times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
1,117 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 highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m
party to: Marine Dumping -associate member to the London Convention and Ship Pollution
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
total: 36.7 years male: 36 years female: 37.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.376% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
13.25 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
8.67 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.46 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.69 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.29 years male: 76.86 years female: 81.89 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.45 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Faroese (singular and plural) adjective: Faroese
Ethnic groups:
Scandinavian
Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran 83.8%, other and unspecified 16.2% (2006 administrative data)
Languages:
Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish
Literacy:
NA; note - probably 99%, the same as Denmark proper
Government
Faroe Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Faroe Islands local long form: none local short form: Foroyar
Dependency status:
part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948
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
Independence:
none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
National holiday:
Olaifest (Olavasoka), 29 July
Constitution:
5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of Denmark, where applicable, apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS, chief administrative officer (since 1 November 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Kaj Leo JOHANNESSEN (since 24 September 2008) cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister elections: the monarch 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 19 January 2008 (next to be held no later than January 2012) election results: Kaj Leo JOHANNESSEN elected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote - NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (33 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven constituencies to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 19 January 2008 (next to be held no later than January 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 21%, Social Democratic Party 19.4%, Republican Party 23.3%, People's Party 20.1%, Center Party 8.4%, Self-Government Party 7.2%, other 0.6%; seats by party - Republican Party 8, Union Party 7, Social Democratic Party 6, People's Party 7, Center Party 3, Independence Party 2 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 A. 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]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Sea Shepard [Paul WATSON] (preservation of small whales) other: conservationists
International organization participation:
Arctic Council, IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Diplomatic representation 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)
Economy
Faroe Islands
Economy - overview:
The Faroese economy is dependent on fishing, which makes the economy vulnerable to price swings. Since 2003 the Faroese economy has picked up as a result of higher prices for fish and for housing. Unemployment is minimal and government finances are relatively sound. Oil finds close to the Islands give hope for economically recoverable deposits, which could eventually lay the basis for a more diversified economy and lessen dependence on Danish economic assistance. Aided by a substantial annual subsidy (about 15% of GDP) from Denmark, the Faroese have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other Scandinavians.
consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, machinery and transport equipment 29%, fuels, fish, salt (1999)
Imports - partners:
Denmark 52.3%, Norway 21.8%, Sweden 5.1%, UK 4.6% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$105 million; note - annual subsidy from Denmark (2005)
Debt - external:
$64 million (1999)
Currency (code):
Danish krone (DKK)
Currency code:
DKK
Exchange rates:
Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications
Faroe Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
23,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
50,000 (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: good international communications; good domestic facilities domestic: digitalization was 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
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 400 female: 387 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
NA
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Denmark
Transnational Issues
Faroe Islands
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