Faroe Islands

part of the Danish realmIndependence part of the Danish realm

Faroe Islands as the 1991 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 62 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

Populationas each edition published it

48,151 people July 1991 · 47,715 in 1990

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 1991 · 2.2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

9 deaths per 1,000 live births 1991 · 9 in 1990

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

10 fields

Total area

1,400km2

land area: 1,400 km2Comparative area: slightly less than eight times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

764 km Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate

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

Terrain

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

Land use

arable land 2%;
permanent crops 0%;
meadows and pastures 0%;
forest and woodland 0%;
other 98%

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

48,151

(July 1991), growth rate 0.9% (1991)

Per 1,000 population(1991)

Birth

17Death

8Net migration

Nationality

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

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

15 fields

Faroese Parliament, 32 seats, elected 17 November 1990one dot, one seat

two-party coalition (Social Democratic 10, People's Party 7) 17Cooperation Coalition Party 6Republican Party 4Home Rule 3PFIP-CPP 2

Percent of vote

Social Democratic 27.4%People's Party 21.9%Cooperation Coalition Party 18.9%Republican Party 14.7%Home Rule 8.8%PFIP-CPP 5.9%other 2.4%

Type

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

Administrative divisions

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Independence

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

Executive branch

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

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 Atli P. DAM (since 15 January 1991) two-party ruling coalition--Social Democratic Party, Atli P. DAM;
People's Party, Jogvan SUNDSTEIN;
opposition--Cooperation Coalition Party, Pauli ELLEFSEN;
Republican Party, Signer HANSEN;
Progressive and Fishing Industry Party-Christian People's Party (PFIP-CPP), leader NA;
Progress Party, leader NA;
Home Rule Party, Hilmar KASS

Suffrage

universal at age 20 Faroese Parliament--last held 17 November 1990 (next to be held November 1994);
results--Social Democratic 27.4%, People's Party 21.9%, Cooperation Coalition Party 18.9%, Republican Party 14.7%, Home Rule 8.8%, PFIP-CPP 5.9%, other 2.4%;
seats--(32 total) two-party coalition 17 (Social Democratic 10, People's Party 7), Cooperation Coalition Party 6, Republican Party 4, Home Rule 3, PFIP-CPP 2;
Danish Parliament--last held on 12 December 1990 (next to be held by December 1994);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(2 total) Social Democratic 1, People's Party 1;
note--the Faroe Islands elects two representatives to the Danish Parliament

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

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$662million

per capita $14,000; real growth rate 3% (1989 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

2.0%

(1988)

External debt

$1.3billion

(1989)

Imports $344 million (c.i.f., 1989 est.)commodities, where a share is given

machinery and transport equipment

30%manufactures

16%food and livestock

15%chemicals

6%fuels

; partners: Denmark 44%, Norway 16%, FRG 6%, Sweden 6%, US 3%

Budget

Revenues

$442 millionExpenditures

$442 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of NA (1989)

The Faroese, who have long been enjoying the affluent living standards of the Danes and other Scandinavians, now must cope with the decline of the all-important fishing industry and with an external debt twice the size of annual income. When the nations of the world extended their fishing zones to 200 nautical miles in the early 1970s, the Faroese no longer could continue their traditional long-distance fishing and subsequently depleted their own nearby fishing areas;

one estimate foresaw a 25% drop in fish catch in 1990 alone. Half the fishing fleet is for sale, and the 22 fish-processing plants work at only half capacity. The government no longer can maintain its high level of spending on roads and tunnels, hospitals, sports facilities, and other social welfare programs.

Unemployment rate

NA%, but increasing

Exports

$343 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
commodities--fish and fish products 88%, animal feedstuffs, transport equipment;
partners--Denmark 16%, UK 14%, FRG 13.4%, US 10%, France 9%, Japan 5%

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

Economic aid

none

Currency

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

Exchange rates

Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1--5.817 (January 1991), 6.189 (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

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

No organized native military forces; only a small Police Force is maintained

2 fields

Branches

no organized native military forces; only a small Police Force is maintained

Note

defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Central Intelligence Agency. “Faroe Islands.” The World Factbook 1991. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/faroe-islands/1991.

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