Edition 2003 — Faroe Islands

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 49 municipalities

Age structure

0-14 years: 22% (male 5,103; female 5,077) 15-64 years: 64.4% (male 15,822; female 14,002) 65 years and over: 13.7% (male 2,842; female 3,499) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish

Airports

1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) Military Faroe Islands

Area

land: 1,399 sq km
total: 1,399 sq km
water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)

Area - comparative

eight times the size of Washington, DC

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 attained in 1948. Geography Faroe Islands

Birth rate

13.81 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (1999)
revenues: $488 million

Capital

Torshavn

Climate

mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy

Coastline

1,117 km

Constitution

5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Country name

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Faroe Islands
local long form: none
local short form: Foroyar

Currency

Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code

DKK

Death rate

8.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$64 million (1999)

Dependency status

part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Disputes - international

Faroese are considering proposals for full independence; Denmark dispute with Iceland over the Faroe Islands fisheries median line boundary of 200 NM; Denmark disputes with Iceland, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Economic aid - recipient

$55 million (annual subsidy from Denmark)

Economy - overview

The Faroese economy has had a strong performance since 1994, mostly as a result of increasing fish landings and high and stable export prices. Unemployment is falling and there are signs of labor shortages in several sectors. The positive economic development has helped the Faroese Home Rule Government produce increasing budget surpluses, which in turn help to reduce the large public debt, most of it owed to Denmark. However, the total dependence on fishing makes the Faroese economy extremely vulnerable, and the present fishing efforts appear in excess of what is a sustainable level of fishing in the long term. Oil finds close to the Faroese area give hope for deposits in the immediate Faroese area, which may eventually lay the basis for a more diversified economy and thus lessen dependence on Danish economic assistance. Aided by a substantial annual subsidy (15% of GDP) from Denmark, the Faroese have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other Scandinavians.

Electricity - consumption

149.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

160.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 62.4%
hydro: 37.6%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

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

Environment - current issues

NA

Ethnic groups

Scandinavian

Exchange rates

Danish kroner per US dollar - 7.89 (2002), 8.32 (2001), 8.08 (2000), 6.98 (1999), 6.7 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister
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)
election results: Anfinn KALLSBERG elected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote - 52.8%
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 30 April 2002 (next to be held no later than April 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Anfinn KALLSBERG (since 15 May 1998)
note: coalition of People's Party, Republican Party, Home Rule Party, and Center Party

Exports

$418 million f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities

fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999)

Exports - partners

Denmark 39.9%, UK 32.1%, Norway 7.4%, Netherlands 6.1% (2002)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Faroe Islands

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

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 27%
industry: 11%
services: 62% (1999)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $22,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

10% (2001 est.)

Geographic coordinates

62 00 N, 7 00 W

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 People Faroe Islands

Government type

NA

Highways

paved: 454 km
total: 463 km
unpaved: 9 km (1999)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA%

Imports

$469 million c.i.f. (1999)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment 29%, consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, fuels, fish and salt (1999)

Imports - partners

Denmark 53.8%, Norway 24.2%, Iceland 5.7% (2002)

Independence

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

Industrial production growth rate

8% (1999 est.)

Industries

fishing, fish processing, shipbuilding, construction, handicrafts

Infant mortality rate

female: 5.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births
total: 6.52 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.1% (1999)

International organization participation

IMO (associate), NC, NIB

Internet country code

.fo

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (2000)

Internet users

3,000 (2000) Transportation Faroe Islands

Irrigated land

0 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

none

Labor force

24,250 (October 2000)

Labor force - by occupation

fishing, fish processing, and manufacturing 33%, construction and private services 33%, public services 34%

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 2.14%
other: 97.86% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 0%

Languages

Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish

Legal system

Danish

Legislative branch

unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven constituencies to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 26%, Republican Party 23.7%, Social Democrats 20.9%, People's Party 20.8% Home Rule Party 4.4%, Center Party 4.2%; seats by party - Union Party 8, Republican Party 8, Social Democrats 7, People's Party 7, Home Rule Party 1, Center Party 1
elections: last held 30 April 2002 (next to be held no later than April 2006)
note: election of 2 seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on 20 November 2001 (next to be held no later than November 2005); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1, Union Party 1

Life expectancy at birth

female: 82.36 years (2003 est.)
male: 75.44 years
total population: 78.9 years

Literacy

definition: NA
female: NA%
male: NA%
note: similar to Denmark proper Government Faroe Islands
total population: NA%

Location

Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to Norway

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line
territorial sea: 3 NM

Median age

female: 35.8 years (2002)
male: 34.5 years
total: 35.1 years

Merchant marine

convenience: Denmark 3, Norway 1, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.)
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
ships by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1
total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 100,951 GRT/139,396 DWT

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of Denmark Transnational Issues Faroe Islands

Military branches

no regular indigenous military forces; small Police Force and Coast Guard are maintained

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA%

National holiday

Olaifest, 29 July

Nationality

adjective: Faroese
noun: Faroese (singular and plural)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

fish, whales, hydropower

Net migration rate

1.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

4,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Center Party [Tordur NICLASEN]; Home Rule Party [Helena Dam a NEYSTABO]; People's Party [Oli BRECKMANN]; Republican Party [Finnabogi ISAKSON]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union Party [Edmund JOENSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

46,345 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.7% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Torshavn, Klaksvik, Tvoroyri, Runavik, Fuglafjordhur

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

26,000 (1997)

Railways