2007 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 20.9% (male 4,940/female 4,952) 15-64 years: 65.1% (male 16,247/female 14,522) 65 years and over: 13.9% (male 2,976/female 3,609) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

1 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

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

14.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$484 million; including capital expenditures of $21 million (1999)

revenues

$488 million

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

62 01 N, 6 46 W

name

Torshavn

time difference

UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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 (code)

Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code

DKK

Death rate

8.7 deaths/1,000 population (2006 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

because anticipated offshore hydrocarbon resources have not been realized, earlier Faroese proposals for full independence have been deferred; Iceland disputes the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line boundary; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Economic aid - recipient

$135 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) (1998)

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 minimal 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 have helped 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 (about 15% of GDP) from Denmark, the Faroese have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other Scandinavians.

Electricity - consumption

272.1 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

292.6 million kWh (2004)

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

Environment - international agreements

party to

Marine Dumping -associate member to the London Convention

Ethnic groups

Scandinavian

Exchange rates

Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.93667 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002)

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

Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote - NA

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 20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than January 2008)

head of government

Prime Minister Joannes EIDESGAARD (since 3 February 2004)

Exports

$533 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Denmark 38%, UK 29.4%, Nigeria 8.9%, Norway 6.1%, Netherlands 4.3% (2005)

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 - composition by sector

agriculture

27%

industry

11%

services

62% (1999)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$31,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

10% (2001 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

NA

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1 billion (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

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

$639 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Denmark 47.4%, Norway 18.7%, Germany 8.4%, Spain 7.8%, Iceland 4.9% (2005)

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, small ship repair and refurbishment, handicrafts

Infant mortality rate

female

4.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

7.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

6.12 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.1% (1999)

International organization participation

Arctic Council, IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UPU

Internet country code

.fo

Internet hosts

6,915 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (2000)

Internet users

33,000 (2005) Transportation Faroe Islands

Irrigated land

0 sq km

Judicial branch

none

Labor force

24,250 (October 2000)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

33%

industry

33%

services

34%

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

2.14%

other

97.86% (2005)

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 23.7%, Social Democratic Party 21.8%, Republican Party 21.7%, People's Party 20.6%, Center Party 5.2%, Independence Party 4.6%; seats by party - Union Party 7, Social Democratic Party 7, Republican Party 8, People's Party 7, Center Party 2, Independence Party 1

elections

last held 20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than January 2008)

note

election of two seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on 8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1, People's Party 1

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.8 years (2006 est.)

male

75.91 years

total population

79.35 years

Literacy

definition

NA

female

NA%

male

NA%

note

probably 100%, the same as 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

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49

10,695 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49

8,852 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49

366 (2005 est.)

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

35.5 years (2006 est.)

male

34.7 years

total

35 years

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 10, container 2, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2

foreign-owned

8 (Iceland 4, Norway 4) (2006)

total

18 ships (1000 GRT or over) 19,265 GRT/9,171 DWT

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of Denmark Transnational Issues Faroe Islands

Military branches

no regular military forces

Military expenditures - dollar figure

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA

National holiday

Olaifest (Olavasoka), 29 July

Nationality

adjective

Faroese

noun

Faroese (singular and plural)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Net migration rate

0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

4,550 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Center Party [Jenis A. RANA]; Independence Party [Kari P. HOJGAARD]; People's Party [Anfinn KALLSBERG]; Republican Party [Hogni HOYDAL]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union Party [Kaj Leo JOHANNESEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

47,246 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.58% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Torshavn Military Faroe Islands

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

26,000 (1997)

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran

Roadways

note

no roads between towns (2003)

total

458 km

Sex ratio

at birth

1 male(s)/female

total population

1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog) and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed

general assessment

good international communications; good domestic facilities

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

Telephones - main lines in use

23,800 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

42,500 (2005)

Television broadcast stations

3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions

15,000 (1997)

Terrain

rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast

Total fertility rate

2.17 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

1% (October 2000)