| Faroe Islands |
Flag:
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Map:
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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 attained in 1948. |
| Geography and Environmental |
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 |
| Area Total: 1,399 sq km |
| Area Land: 1,399 sq km |
| Area Water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams) |
| Area Comparative: eight times the size of Washington, DC |
| Coastline: 1,117 km |
| 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 |
| Elevation Extremes Highest Point: Slaettaratindur 882 m |
| Natural Resources: fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas |
| Land Use Arable Land: 2.14% |
| Land Use Permanent Crops: 0% |
| Land Use Other: 97.86% (2005) |
| Irrigated Land: 0 sq km |
| Natural Hazards: NA |
| Environment Current Issues: 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 |
| Population |
| Population: 47,511 (July 2007 est.) |
| Age Structure 0 to 14 Years: 20.6% (male 4,882/female 4,904) |
| Age Structure 15 to 64 Years: 65.3% (male 16,353/female 14,668) |
| Age Structure 65 Years And Over: 14.1% (male 3,041/female 3,663) (2007 est.) |
| Median Age Total: 35 years |
| Median Age Male: 34.8 years |
| Median Age Female: 35.3 years (2007 est.) |
| Population Growth Rate: 0.543% (2007 est.) |
| Birth Rate: 14.12 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Death Rate: 8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Sex Ratio At Birth: 1 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio Under 15 Years: 0.996 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio 15 to 64 Years: 1.115 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio 65 Years And Over: 0.83 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio Total Population: 1.045 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
| Infant Mortality Rate Total: 6.01 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Infant Mortality Rate Male: 7.25 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Infant Mortality Rate Female: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
| Life Expectancy At BirthTotalPopulation: 79.49 years |
| Life Expectancy At Birth Male: 76.06 years |
| Life Expectancy At Birth Female: 82.93 years (2007 est.) |
| Total Fertility Rate: 2.15 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
| HIV AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate: NA |
| HIV AIDS People Living With HIV AIDS: NA |
| HIV AIDS Deaths: NA |
| Religions: Evangelical Lutheran |
| Languages: Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish |
| Literacy Definition: NA |
| Literacy Total Population: NA% |
| Literacy Male: NA% |
| Literacy Female: NA% |
| Literacy Note: probably 100%, the same as Denmark proper |
| 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 |
| Legal System: Danish |
| 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. |
| GDP Purchasing Power Parity: $1 billion (2001 est.) |
| GDP Real Growth Rate: 2.4% (2005 est.) |
| GDP Composition By Sector Agriculture: 27% |
| GDP Composition By Sector Industry: 11% |
| GDP Composition By Sector Services: 62% (1999) |
| Labor Force: 24,250 (October 2000) |
Labor Force By Occupation: agriculture: 33%
industry: 33%
services: 34% |
| Unemployment Rate: 2.1% (2006) |
Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation Rate Consumer Prices: 1.8% (2005) |
| Industries: fishing, fish processing, small ship repair and refurbishment, handicrafts |
| Industrial Production Growth Rate: 8% (1999 est.) |
| Energy |
| Electricity Production: 292.6 million kWh (2004) |
| Electricity Production By Source Fossil Fuel: 62.4% |
| Electricity Production By Source Hydro: 37.6% |
| Electricity Production By Source Nuclear: 0% |
| Electricity Production By Source Other: 0% (2001) |
| Electricity Consumption: 272.1 million kWh (2004) |
| Electricity Exports: 0 kWh (2004) |
| Electricity Imports: 0 kWh (2004) |
| Oil Production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
| Oil Consumption: 4,550 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
| Natural Gas Production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) |
| Natural Gas Consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) |
| Exports: $598 million f.o.b. (2005 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) |
| 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%, Sweden 4% (2005) |
| Debt External: $64 million (1999) |
| Economic Aid Recipient: $105 million; note - annual subsidy from Denmark (2005) |
| Communications |
| Telephones Main Lines In Use: 23,800 (2005) |
| TelephonesMobileCellular: 42,500 (2005) |
| Telephone System General Assessment: good international communications; good domestic facilities |
| Telephone System Domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog) and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed |
| Telephone System 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 |
| Radio Broadcast Stations: AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios: 26,000 (1997) |
| Television Broadcast Stations: 3 (plus 43 repeaters) (September 1995) |
| Televisions: 15,000 (1997) |
| Internet Service Providers-ISPs: 2 (2000) |
| Internet Users: 33,000 (2005) |
| Transportation |
| Airports: 1 (2006) |
| Military Expenditures Percent Of GDP: NA |
| 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 |