Faroe Islands

NAIndependence none (part of the Danish realm

Faroe Islands as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 91 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

Position62 00 N, 7 00 W

Area1,399 sq km

LocationNorthern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and

Populationas each edition published it

39,873 people July 1997 est. · 47,715 in 1990

Population growth% a year

-6.36% 1997 est. · 0.67% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 35.1 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

78.37 years 1997 est. · 77.92 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.37 children per woman 1997 est. · 2.2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

10.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 9 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$16,300 1996 est. · $14,000 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

6% 1996 est. · 3% in 1993

Geography

Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and | the north Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to | Norway

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Land useshare of 1,399 sq km

arable land 6%forests and woodland 0%other 94% (1996)permanent crops 0% in all · permanent pastures 0% in all · irrigated 0 sq km

Area

1,399sq km

land: 1,399 sq kmwater: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)eight times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

1,117km

land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive fishing zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 3 nm

Highest point

882m

Slaettaratindurlowest point : Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Location

Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the north Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to Norway

Climate

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

Terrain

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

Environment - international agreements

party to:: NA
signed, but not ratified:: 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

People

15 fields

Population

39,873

(July 1997 est.)growth rate: -6.36% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

11.46Death

9.05Net migration

-38.75

Age structure

0-14 years : 25% (male 4,960; female 4,812)

15-64 years:: 60% (male 12,913; female 11,117)
65 years and over:: 15% (male 2,708; female 3,363) (July 1997 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years :: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.16 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.07 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

10.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 78.37 years
male:: 75.41 years
female :: 81.32 years (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun :: Faroese (singular and plural)
adjective:: Faroese

Languages

Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish

Government

NA; Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Ms. Vibeke LARSEN, chief administrative officer (since mid-1995)

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Presidential electionpercent of vote

23.4%

Unionist Party 23.4%People's Party 16.0%Social Democrats 15.4%Republicans 13.7%Workers' Party 9.5%Christian People 6.3%Center Party 5.8%Home Rule Party 5.6%last held 7 July 1994 (next to be held by NA July 1998)

Legislature, 32 seats, elected 7 July 1994one dot, one seat

Unionist Party 8People's Party 6Social Democrats 5Republicans 4Workers' Party 3Christian People 2Center Party 2Home Rule Party 2

Percent of vote

Unionist Party 23.4%People's Party 16.0%Social Democrats 15.4%Republicans 13.7%Workers' Party 9.5%Christian People 6.3%Center Party 5.8%Home Rule Party 5.6%

Country name

conventional long form:: none
conventional short form:: Faroe Islands
local long form :: none
local short form:: Foroyar

Data code

Dependency status

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

Government type

National capital

Torshavn

Administrative divisions

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Independence

none (part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

National holiday

Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)

Constitution

5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system

Danish

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Ms. Vibeke LARSEN, chief administrative officer (since mid-1995)
head of government :: Prime Minister Edmund JOENSEN (since 15 September 1994)
cabinet:: Landsstyri elected by the Faroese Parliament
elections:: the queen is a constitutional monarch;
high commissioner appointed by the queen;
following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament;
election last held NA 1994 (next to be held NA 1998)
election results:: Edmund JOENSEN elected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote - 23.4%

Legislative branch

unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats; members are elected on a proportional basis from the seven constituencies to serve four-year terms)

elections:: last held 7 July 1994 (next to be held by NA July 1998)
election results:: percent of vote by party - Unionist Party 23.4%, People's Party 16.0%, Social Democrats 15.4%, Republicans 13.7%, Workers' Party 9.5%, Christian People 6.3%, Center Party 5.8%, Home Rule Party 5.6%;
seats by party - Unionist Party 8, People's Party 6, Social Democrats 5, Republicans 4, Workers' Party 3, Christian People 2, Center Party 2, Home Rule Party 2

note: election of 2 seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on 21 September 1994 (next to be held by September 1998); results - percent of vote by party - Unionist Party 22.5%,

People's Party 21.7%; seats by party - Unionist Party 1, People's Party 1

Judicial branch

none

Political parties and leaders

Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD];
Workers' Party [Alis JACOBSEN];
Home Rule Party [Helena Dam A NEYSTABO];
Unionist Party [Edmund JOENSEN];
Republican Party [Heini O. HEINESEN];
Center Party [Tordur NICLASEN];
Christian People's Party [Niels Pauli DANIELSEN];
People's Party [Arnfinn KALLSBERG]

International organization participation

none

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description

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 economy in 1995 and 1996 saw a | noticeable upturn after several years of decline brought on by a drop | in fish catches and declining prices and by over-spending by the | Faroese Home Rule Government (FHRG).

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Real growth rate

(1996 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

2.8%

(1996 est.)

Unemployment rate

11%

(1996 est.)

Labor force

20,345

(1995 est.)by occupation: largely engaged in fishing, manufacturing, transportation, and commerce

GDP - composition by sector(1996 est.)

agriculture 20%industry 16%services 64% (1996 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$467 millionExpenditures

$468 million (1996 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $11 million

Economy - overview

The Faroese economy in 1995 and 1996 saw a noticeable upturn after several years of decline brought on by a drop in fish catches and declining prices and by over-spending by the Faroese Home Rule Government (FHRG). In the early 1990s, property values plummeted, and the FHRG had to bail out and merge the two largest Faroese banks.

Fishing is now improving; wage costs are increasing; the FHRG's budget is almost in balance; and the large foreign debt has come down significantly. Nevertheless, the total dependence on fishing makes the Faroese economy extremely vulnerable, and the reduction in the foreign debt is at the cost of low investment.

Oil finds close to the Faroese area give hope for deposits in the immediate Faroese area, which may lay the basis for an eventual economic rebound. Aided by a substantial annual subsidy from Denmark, the Faroese have a standard of living comparable to the Danes and other Scandinavians.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $800 million (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $16,300 (1996 est.)

Industries

fishing, shipbuilding, construction, handicrafts

Electricity - capacity

91,000 kW 000 kW

Electricity - production

175.4 million kWh

Electricity - consumption per capita

4,043 kWh (1995)

Agriculture - products

milk, potatoes, vegetables;
sheep;
salmon farming;
fish

Exports

total value:: $362 million (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities :: fish and fish products 92%, animal feedstuffs, transport equipment (ships)
partners:: Denmark 22.2%, UK 25.8%, Germany 9.7%, France 8.3%, Norway 6.2%, US 2.0%

Imports

total value:: $315.6 (c.i.f., 1995)
commodities:: machinery and transport equipment 17.0%, consumer goods 33%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 26.9%, fuels 11.4%, fish and salt 6.7%
partners :: Denmark 34.5%, Norway 15.9%, UK 8.4% Germany 7.8%, Sweden 5.8%, US 1.5%

Communications

6 fields

Telephones

26,000 of which about 3,500 are mobile telephones (1996)

Telephone system

good international communications; good domestic facilities

domestic:: digitalization to be completed in 1998
international:: satellite earth stations - 1 Orion; 1 optical fiber submarine cable linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland

Transportation

6 fields

Networkskm

Highways

458Railways

Highways: paved: 450 km · unpaved: 8 km (1995 est.)

Highways

total:: 458 km
paved:: 450 km
unpaved:: 8 km (1995 est.)

Ports and harbors

Torshavn, Klaksvik, Tvoroyri, Runavik, Fuglafjordhur

Merchant marine

total :: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,979 GRT/14,531 DWT
ships by type:: cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, short-sea passenger 1 (1996 est.)

Airports

1 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 914 to 1,523 m : 1 (1996 est.)

Military

No organized native military forces; only a small | Police Force and Coast Guard are maintained

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Transnational Issues

1 field

Disputes - international

none FIJI

Central Intelligence Agency. “Faroe Islands.” The World Factbook 1997. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/faroe-islands/1997.

How to cite ← 1996 edition 1998 edition →

Geography

People

Government

Economy

Communications

Transportation

Military

Transnational Issues

Cite this entry