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.
Geography
- Location
Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about halfway between Iceland and Norway
- Geographic coordinates
- Area 183/257
total: 1,393 sq km
land: 1,393 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
mean elevation:
elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m
- Natural resources
fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas
- Land use
agricultural land: 2.1%
arable land 2.1%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 0%
forest: 0.1%
other: 97.8% (2011 est.)
- Natural hazards
NA
- Environment - current issues
NA
- Environment - international agreements
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
People and Society
- Nationality
noun: Faroese (singular and plural)
adjective: Faroese
- Ethnic groups
Scandinavian
- Languages
Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish
- Religions
Evangelical Lutheran 83.8%, other and unspecified 16.2% (2006 census)
- Population 212/238
50,196 (July 2015 est.)
- Age structure
0-14 years: 20.1% (male 5,224/female 4,866)
15-24 years: 14.96% (male 3,848/female 3,662)
25-54 years: 37.04% (male 10,090/female 8,502)
55-64 years: 11.73% (male 3,033/female 2,854)
65 years and over: 16.17% (male 3,926/female 4,191) (2015 est.)
- Median age
total: 37.7 years
male: 37.1 years
female: 38.4 years (2015 est.)
- Population growth rate 158/233
0.51% (2015 est.)
- Birth rate 142/224
13.77 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
- Death rate 72/225
8.71 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
- Net migration rate 97/222
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)
- Urbanization
urban population: 42% of total population (2015)
rate of urbanization: 0.47% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
- Major urban areas - population
TORSHAVN (capital) 21,000 (2014)
- Sex ratio
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
- Infant mortality rate 170/224
total: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.86 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
- Life expectancy at birth 37/224
total population: 80.24 years
male: 77.73 years
female: 82.93 years (2015 est.)
- Total fertility rate 84/224
2.37 children born/woman (2015 est.)
- Hospital bed density
4.7 beds/1,000 population (2012)
- HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
- HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
- HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
Government
- Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Faroe Islands
local long form: none
local short form: Foroyar
etymology: the archipelgo's name may derive from the Old Norse word "faer," meaning sheep
- Government type
NA
- Capital
name: Torshavn
geographic coordinates: 62.00° 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 (Olavsoka), 29 July
- Constitution
5 June 1953 (Danish Constitution), 23 March 1948 (Home Rule Act), and 24 June 2005 (Takeover Act) serve as the Faroe Islands constitutional position in the Unity of the Realm (2015)
- Legal system
the laws of Denmark, where applicable, apply
- Citizenship
see Denmark
- Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
- Executive branch
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Dan Michael KNUDSEN, chief administrative officer (since 2008)
head of government: Prime Minister Aksel V. JOHANNESEN (since 15 September 2015)
cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held on 14 November 2011 (next to be held no later than November 2015)
election results: Aksel V. JOHANNESEN elected prime minister; Parliament vote - NA
- Legislative branch
description: unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (33 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
note: election of 2 seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on 1 September 2015 (next to be held no later than September 2019); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Social Democratic Party 1, Republic 1
elections: last held on 1 September 2015 (next to be held no later than October 2019)
election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democratic Party 25.1%, Republic 20.7%, People's Party, 18.9%, Union Party 18.7%, Progressive Party 7.0%, Center Party 5.5%, Self-Government Party 4.1%; seats by party - Social Democratic Party 8, Republic 7, People's Party 6, Union Party 6, Progressive Party 2, Center Party 2, Self-Government Party 2
- Judicial branch
the Faroese Court or Raett (Rett - Danish) decides both civil and criminal cases; the Court is part of the Danish legal system
- Political parties and leaders
Center Party (Midflokkurin) [Jenis av RANA]
Independence (or Self-Govenment) Party (Sjalvstyrisflokkurin) [Jogvan SKORHEIM]
People's Party (Folkaflokkurin) [Jorgen NICLASEN]
Progressive Party (Framsokn) [Poul MICHELSEN]
Republic (Tjodveldi) (formerly the Republican Party) [Hogni HOYDAL]
Self-Government Party [Kari P. HOJGAARD]
Social Democratic Party (Javnadarflokkurin) [Aksel JOHANNESEN]
Union Party (Sambandsflokkurin) [Kaj Leo JOHANNESEN]
- Political pressure groups and leaders
other: conservationists
- International organization participation
Arctic Council, IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UNESCO (associate), UPU
- 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 symbol(s)
ram; national colors: red, white, blue
- National anthem
name: "Mitt alfagra land" (My Fairest Land)
lyrics/music: 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
Economy
- Economy - overview
The Faroese economy is dependent on fishing, which makes the economy vulnerable to price fluctuations. The sector normally accounts for about 95% of exports and nearly half of GDP. 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 3% of Faroese GDP, the Faroese have a standard of living almost equal to that of Denmark and Greenland.
- GDP (purchasing power parity) 198/230
$1.471 billion (2010 est.)
$1.389 billion (2008 est.)
- GDP (official exchange rate)
$2.32 billion (2010 est.)
- GDP - real growth rate 106/225
2.9% (2010 est.)
0.5% (2008 est.)
- GDP - per capita (PPP) 59/230
$30,500 (2008 est.)
- 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 73/202
3.4% (2009 est.)
- Labor force 209/233
25,000 (November 2010)
- Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 10.7%
industry: 18.9%
services: 70.3% (November 2010)
- Unemployment rate 15/207
2.2% (2012)
3.1% (2011)
- Population below poverty line
NA%
- Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
- Budget
revenues: $1.025 billion
expenditures: $1.301 billion
note: Denmark supplies the Faroe Islands with almost one-third of their public funds (2010 est.)
- Taxes and other revenues 28/219
44.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
- Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) 206/220
-11.9% of GDP (2010 est.)
- Fiscal year
calendar year
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 123/226
2.3% (2011)
0.4% (2010)
- Exports 165/224
$824 million (2010)
$767 million (2009)
- Exports - commodities
fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (2009 est.)
- Exports - partners
UK 21.8%, Denmark 18.8%, Russia 11.9%, Nigeria 10.9%, US 9.5%, China 7.2%, Netherlands 6% (2014)
- Imports 186/223
$776 million (2010)
$786 million (2009)
- Imports - commodities
goods for household consumption, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, raw materials and semi-manufactures, salt
- Imports - partners
Denmark 45.5%, Norway 27.7%, Germany 5%, Iceland 4.4%, Sweden 4.1% (2014)
- Debt - external 168/206
$888.8 million (2010)
$68.1 million (2006)
- Exchange rates
Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar -
6.59 (2011)
5.37 (2011)
5.37 (2011)
5.79 (2012 est.)
5.37 (2011 est.)
Energy
- Electricity - production 181/220
281 million kWh (2012 est.)
- Electricity - consumption 186/219
261.3 million kWh (2012 est.)
- Electricity - exports 139/218
0 kWh (2013 est.)
- Electricity - imports 150/219
0 kWh (2013 est.)
- Electricity - installed generating capacity 172/214
108,100 kW (2012 est.)
- Electricity - from fossil fuels 134/214
60.1% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
- Electricity - from nuclear fuels 93/214
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
- Electricity - from hydroelectric plants 63/214
36.1% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
- Electricity - from other renewable sources 64/212
3.8% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
- Crude oil - production 137/214
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
- Crude oil - exports 126/214
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
- Crude oil - imports 191/214
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
- Crude oil - proved reserves 135/215
0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)
- Refined petroleum products - production 183/214
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
- Refined petroleum products - consumption 170/212
4,900 bbl/day (2013 est.)
- Refined petroleum products - exports 181/214
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
- Refined petroleum products - imports 162/213
4,879 bbl/day (2012 est.)
- Natural gas - production 188/216
0 cu m (2013 est.)
- Natural gas - consumption 144/215
0 cu m (2013 est.)
- Natural gas - exports 100/215
0 cu m (2013 est.)
- Natural gas - imports 197/214
0 cu m (2013 est.)
- Natural gas - proved reserves 140/212
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
- Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy 172/212
753,400 Mt (2012 est.)
Communications
- Telephones - fixed lines 189/219
total subscriptions: 17,300
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 35 (2014 est.)
- Telephones - mobile cellular 199/217
total: 61,400
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 123 (2014 est.)
- 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 (2011)
- 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)
- Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)
- Television broadcast stations
3 (plus 43 repeaters) (September 1995)
- Internet country code
.fo
- Internet hosts 140/232
7,575 (2012)
- Internet users 188/217
total: 44,000
percent of population: 88.2% (2014 est.)
Transportation
- Airports 217/236
1 (2013)
- Airports - with paved runways
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)
- Roadways 197/223
total: 463 km (2006)
- Merchant marine 79/156
total: 37
by type: cargo 20, chemical tanker 7, container 2, passenger/cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 28 (Iceland 4, Norway 13, Sweden 11) (2010)
- Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Fuglafjordur, Torshavn, Vagur
Military and Security
- Military branches
no regular military forces (2012)
Transnational Issues
- 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