Faroe Islands

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

• the island of Streymoy is by far the most populous with over 40% of the population;
• it has approximately twice as many inhabitants as Eysturoy, the second most populous island;
• seven of the inhabited islands have fewer than 100 people

• archipelago of 17 inhabited islands, 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

noun:

Faroese (singular and plural)

adjective:

Faroese

total:

37 years (2025 est.)

male:

36.9 years

female:

36.8 years

• the island of Streymoy is by far the most populous with over 40% of the population;
• it has approximately twice as many inhabitants as Eysturoy, the second most populous island;
• seven of the inhabited islands have fewer than 100 people

at birth:

1.07 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.12 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.93 male(s)/female

total population:

1.07 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

5.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

6.3 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

5.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

81.7 years (2024 est.)

male:

79.2 years

female:

84.4 years

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

urban population:

43% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

0.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

61,000 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

67% (2012 est.)

conventional long form:

none

conventional short form:

Faroe Islands

local long form:

none

local short form:

Foroyar

etymology:

the archipelago's name derives from the Old Norse name Faeroyar, meaning "sheep islands;" faer means "sheep," and - oyar means "islands"

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

etymology:

the name means "Thor's harbor" in Danish

history:

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

amendment process:

see entry for Denmark

chief of state:

King FREDERIK X of Denmark (since 14 January 2024), represented by High Commissioner Lene Moyell JOHANSEN, chief administrative officer (since 15 May 2017) (2024)

head of government:

Prime Minister Aksel V. JOHANNESEN (since 22 December 2022)

cabinet:

Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister

election/appointment process:

• the monarchy is hereditary;
• high commissioner appointed by the monarch;
• following legislative elections, the Parliament usually elects the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as the prime minister

most recent election date:

8 December 2022

expected date of next election:

2026

legislature name:

Faroese Parliament (Logting)

legislative structure:

unicameral

number of seats:

33 (directly elected)

electoral system:

proportional representation

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

4 years

most recent election date:

12/8/2022

parties elected and seats per party:

• JF (9);
• B (7);
• A (6);
• E (6);
• F (3);
• H (2)

percentage of women in chamber:

27.3%

expected date of next election:

2026

note: the Faroe Islands elect 2 members to the Danish Parliament to serve 4-year terms

highest court(s):

Faroese Court or Raett (Rett in Danish) decides both civil and criminal cases; the Court is part of the Danish legal system

subordinate courts:

• Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Première Instance;
• Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif;
• Mixed Commercial Court;
• Land Court

• Center Party or H (Midflokkurin)
• People's Party or A (Folkaflokkurin)
• Progress Party or F (Framsokn)
• Republic or E (Tjodveldi) (formerly the Republican Party)
• Social Democratic Party or JF (Javnadarflokkurin) or JF
• Union Party or B (Sambandsflokkurin)

description:

• white with a red cross outlined in blue that extends to the edges of the flag;
• the cross is shifted toward the left side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

meaning:

white represents waves breaking on the shore; red and blue are traditional Faroese colors

history:

the flag is referred to as Merkid, meaning "the banner" or "the mark;" a group of students designed it in 1919, although it wasn't officially adopted until 1940

note: resembles the flags of Iceland and Norway; uses the same three colors in a different sequence and with a lighter blue

title:

"Mitt alfagra land" (My Fairest Land)

lyrics/music:

Simun av SKAROI/Peter ALBERG

history:

• adopted 1948;
• the anthem is also known as "Tu alfagra land mitt" (Thou Fairest Land of Mine);
• as a self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark, the Faroe Islands are permitted to have their own national anthem

• high-income Danish territorial economy;
• party neither to the EU nor the Schengen Area;
• associate Nordic Council member;
• very low unemployment;
• unique foreign ownership allowance in fishing industry;
• known salmon exporter;
• growing IT industries

agriculture:

18.2% (2023 est.)

industry:

19.7% (2023 est.)

services:

52% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

• 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 3 privately owned stations broadcasting over multiple frequencies

total ports:

9 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

0

very small:

9

ports with oil terminals:

5

key ports:

Fuglafjordur, Klaksvik, Kongshavn, Runavik, Sorvagur, Torshavn, Tvoroyri, Vagur, Vestmanna

• the Government of Denmark has responsibility for defense;
• as such, the Danish military’s Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk, Greenland is responsible for coordinating the defense of the Faroe Islands;
• the Joint Arctic Command has a contact element in the capital of Torshavn