Faroe Islands

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.

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

• 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

at birth:

1 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.12 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.82 male(s)/female

total population:

1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

noun:

Faroese (singular and plural)

adjective:

Faroese

definition:

NA

total population:

NA%

male:

NA%

female:

NA%

note: probably the same as Denmark proper

conventional long form:

none

conventional short form:

Faroe Islands

local long form:

none

local short form:

Foroyar

• 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 49 municipalities

chief of state:

Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS, chief administrative officer (since 1 November 2001)

head of government:

Prime Minister Joannes EIDESGAARD (since 3 February 2004)

cabinet:

Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister

elections:

• the monarch is hereditary;
• high commissioner appointed by the monarch;
• following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament;
• election last held 20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than January 2008)

election results:

Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote - NA%

note: coalition of Social Democrats, Union Party, and People's Party

• Center Party [Jenis A. RANA];
• Independence Party [Kari P. HOJGAARD];
• People's Party [Anfinn KALLSBERG];
• Republican Party [Hogni HOYDAL];
• Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD];
• Union Party [Kaj Oeo JOHANNESEN]

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

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

• milk, potatoes, vegetables;
• sheep;
• salmon, other fish

general assessment:

good international communications; good domestic facilities

domestic:

digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog) and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed

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

total:

463 km

paved:

454 km

unpaved:

9 km (1999)

• because anticipated offshore hydrocarbon resources have not been realized, earlier Faroese proposals for full independence have been deferred;
• Iceland disputes the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line boundary;
• Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm