Faroe Islands

part of the Danish realmIndependence part of the Danish realm

Faroe Islands as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 67 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalTorshavn
Area1,400 km2
1990

Every edition of Faroe Islands

Populationas each edition published it
47,715 people July 1990 · 52,933 in 2025
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 0.67% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 35.1 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 77.92 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.2 children per woman 1990 · 2.26 in 2025
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
9 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 5.6 in 2025
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
Not in this edition $14,000 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 3% in 1993

Geography

14 fields

Land useshare of 1,400 km2

arable land 2%forest and woodland 0%other 98%permanent crops 0% in all · meadows and pastures 0% in all
Total area
1,400km2
land area: 1,400 km2Comparative area: slightly less than eight times the size of Washington, DC
Coastline
764km
land boundaries: noneTerritorial sea: 3 nm

Continental shelf

200 meters or to depth of exploitation;

Climate

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

Terrain

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

Environment

precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands; archipelago of 18 inhabited islands and a few uninhabited islets

Note

strategically located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic about midway between Iceland and Shetland Islands

People

14 fields
Population
47,715
(July 1990), growth rate 0.9% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth
17Death
8Net migration
0

Infant mortality rate

9 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth

74 years male, 81 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate

2.2 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality

noun--Faroese (sing., pl.); adjective--Faroese

Ethnic divisions

homogeneous Scandinavian population

Religion

Evangelical Lutheran

Language

Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish

Labor force

17,585; largely engaged in fishing, manufacturing, transportation, and commerce

Government

Part of the Danish realm

17 fields

Parliament, 32 seats, elected 8 November 1988one dot, one seat

three-party coalition (People's Party 8, Cooperation Coalition Party 7, Republican Party 6) 21

Type

part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark

Capital

Torshavn

Administrative divisions

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Independence

part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark

National holiday

Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)

Executive branch

Danish monarch, high commissioner, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet (Landsstyri)

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament (Logting)

Judicial branch

  • none Chief of State--Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Bent KLINTE (since NA);
  • Head of Government--Prime Minister Jogvan SUNDSTEIN (since 17 January 1989)

Political parties and leaders

  • four-party ruling coalition--People's Party, Jogvan Sundstein;
  • Republican Party, Signer Hansen;
  • Progressive and Fishing Industry Party combined with the Christian People's Party (CPP-PFIP);
  • Home Rule Party, Hilmar Kass;
  • opposition--Social Democratic Party, Atli P. Dam;
  • Cooperation Coalition Party, Pauli Ellefsen;
  • Progress Party

Suffrage

  • universal at age 20 Parliament--last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held November 1992);
  • results--percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats--(32 total) three-party coalition 21 (People's Party 8, Cooperation Coalition Party 7, Republican Party 6);
  • Social Democrat 7, CPP-PFIP 2, Home Rule 2

Communists

insignificant number

Member of

Nordic Council

Diplomatic representation

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag

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

Economy

The Faroese enjoy the high standard of living characteristic of the Danish and other Scandinavian economies.

16 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$662million
per capita $14,000; real growth rate 3% (1989 est.)

Imports $363 million (c.i.f., 1986)commodities, where a share is given

machinery and transport equipment
38%food and livestock
11%fuels
10%manufactures
10%chemicals
5%
; partners: Denmark 46%, FRG, Norway, Japan, UK

Budget

Revenues
$176 millionExpenditures
$176 million
expenditures, including capital expenditures of NA (FY86)

Overview

The Faroese enjoy the high standard of living characteristic of the Danish and other Scandinavian economies. Fishing is the dominant economic activity. It employs over 25% of the labor force, accounts for about 25% of GDP, and contributes over 80% to export revenues. A handicraft industry employs about 20% of the labor force.

Because of cool summers agricultural activities are limited to raising sheep and to potato and vegetable cultivation. There is a labor shortage, and immigrant workers accounted for 5% of the work force in 1989. Denmark annually subsidizes the economy, perhaps on the order of 15% of GDP.

Unemployment rate

labor shortage

Exports

  • $267 million (f.o.b., 1986);
  • commodities--fish and fish products 86%, animal feedstuffs, transport equipment;
  • partners--Denmark 18%, US 14%, FRG, France, UK, Canada

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Electricity

80,000 kW capacity; 280 million kWh produced, 5,910 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

fishing, shipbuilding, handicrafts

Agriculture

  • accounts for 27% of GDP and employs 27% of labor force;
  • principal crops--potatoes and vegetables;
  • livestock--sheep;
  • annual fish catch about 360,000 metric tons

Aid

none

Currency

Danish krone (plural--kroner); 1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 ore

Exchange rates

Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1--6.560 (January 1990), 7.310 (1989), 6.732 (1988), 6.840 (1987), 8.091 (1986), 10.596 (1985)

Fiscal year

1 April-31 March

Communications

5 fields

Merchant marine, 7 ships by typeone square, one ship

short-sea passenger 1cargo 2roll-on/roll-off cargo 2refrigerated cargo; note--a subset of the Danish register 27 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 17,249 GRT/11,887 DWT

Highways

200 km

Ports

Torshavn, Tvoroyri; 8 minor

Airports

1 with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications

  • good international communications;
  • fair domestic facilities;
  • 27,900 telephones;
  • stations--1 AM, 3 (10 repeaters) FM, 3 (29 repeaters) TV;
  • 3 coaxial submarine cables

Defense Forces

1 field

Note

defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Central Intelligence Agency. “Faroe Islands.” The World Factbook 1990. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/faroe-islands/1990.

How to cite 1991 edition →