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 granted the Faroese in 1948, who have autonomy over most internal affairs while Denmark is responsible for justice, defense, and foreign affairs. The Faroe Islands are not part of the European Union.

• 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:

1.069 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.15 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.9 male(s)/female

total population:

1.09 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

noun:

Faroese (singular and plural)

adjective:

Faroese

conventional long form:

none

conventional short form:

Faroe Islands

local long form:

none

local short form:

Foroyar

name:

Torshavn

geographic coordinates:

62 01 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

• 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 34 municipalities

chief of state:

Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Dan Michael KNUDSEN, chief administrative officer (since 2008)

head of government:

Prime Minister Kaj Leo JOHANNESSEN (since 26 September 2008)

cabinet:

Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)

elections:

• the monarchy 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 on 19 January 2008 (next to be held no later than January 2012)

election results:

Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister in 2008; governing coalition collapses in September 2008, Kaj Leo JOHANNESSEN becomes prime minister

• Center Party [Jenis av RANA];
• Independence Party [Kari P. HOJGAARD];
• People's Party [Jorgen NICLASEN];
• Republican Party [Hogni HOYDAL];
• Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD];
• Union Party [Kaj Leo 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);
• referred to as Merkid, meaning "the banner" or "the mark," the flag resembles those of neighboring Iceland and Norway, and uses the same three colors - but in a different sequence;
• white represents the clear Faroese sky as well as the foam of the waves;
• red and blue are traditional Faroese colors

name:

"Mitt alfagra land" (My Fairest Land)

lyrics/music:

Simun av SKAROI/Peter ALBERG

note: adopted 1948; the anthem is also known as "Tu alfagra land mitt" (Thou Fairest Land of Mine); as an autonomous overseas division of Denmark, the Faroe Islands are permitted their own national anthem

agriculture:

10.2%

industry:

20.5%

services:

69.2% (2008)

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

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

general assessment:

good international communications; good domestic facilities

domestic:

conversion to digital system 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

• 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 2 privately-owned stations broadcasting over multiple frequencies (2008)

males age 16-49:

9,792

females age 16-49:

8,354 (2010 est.)

male:

379

female:

368 (2010 est.)

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