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

• the island of Streymoy is by far the most populous with over 40% of the population;
• it has approximately twice as many inhabitants as Eysturoy, the second most populous island;
• seven of the inhabited islands have fewer than 100 people

• 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

noun:

Faroese (singular and plural)

adjective:

Faroese

0-14 years:

19.79% (male 5,220 /female 4,878)

15-24 years:

14.17% (male 3,714 /female 3,515)

25-54 years:

37.24% (male 10,280 /female 8,718)

55-64 years:

11.82% (male 3,094 /female 2,934)

65 years and over:

16.98% (male 4,194 /female 4,471) (2018 est.)

total:

37.6 years (2018 est.)

male:

37.1 years

female:

38.2 years

• the island of Streymoy is by far the most populous with over 40% of the population;
• it has approximately twice as many inhabitants as Eysturoy, the second most populous island;
• seven of the inhabited islands have fewer than 100 people

at birth:

1.07 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.07 male(s)/female

15-24 years:

1.06 male(s)/female

25-54 years:

1.18 male(s)/female

55-64 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.94 male(s)/female

total population:

1.08 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

total:

5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male:

5.6 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

5 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

80.6 years (2018 est.)

male:

78.1 years

female:

83.3 years

conventional long form:

none

conventional short form:

Faroe Islands

local long form:

none

local short form:

Foroyar

etymology:

the archipelago's name may derive from the Old Norse word "faer," meaning sheep

name:

Torshavn

geographic coordinates:

62 00 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

• part of the Kingdom of Denmark;
• self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark;
• there are 29 first-order municipalities (kommunur, singular - kommuna) Eidhis, Eystur, Famjins, Fuglafjardhar, Fugloyar, Hovs, Husavikar, Hvalbiar, Hvannasunds, Klaksvikar, Kunoyar, Kvivik, Nes, Porkeris, Runavikar, Sands, Sjovar, Skalavikar, Skopunar, Skuvoyar, Sorvags, Sumbiar, Sunda, Torshavnar, Tvoroyrar, Vaga, Vags, Vestmanna, Vidhareidhis

history:

5 June 1953 (Danish Constitution), 23 March 1948 (Home Rule Act), and 24 June 2005 (Takeover Act) serve as the Faroe Islands' constitutional position in the Unity of the Realm

amendments:

see entry for Denmark (2016)

chief of state:

Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Lene Moyell JOHANSEN, chief administrative officer (since 15 May 2017)

head of government:

Prime Minister Bardhur A STEIG NIELSEN (since 16 September 2019)

cabinet:

Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister

elections/appointments:

• the monarchy is hereditary;
• high commissioner appointed by the monarch;
• following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament;
• election last held on 31 August 2019 (next to be held in 2023)

election results:

Bardhur A STEIGNIELSEN elected prime minister; Parliament vote - NA

highest courts:

Faroese Court or Raett (Rett - Danish) decides both civil and criminal cases; the Court is part of the Danish legal system

subordinate courts:

• Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance;
• Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif;
• Mixed Commercial Court;
• Land Court

• Center Party (Midflokkurin) [Jenis av RANA]
• Self-Government Party (Sjalvstyri or Sjalvstyrisflokkurin) [Jogvan SKORHEIM]
• People's Party (Folkaflokkurin) [Jorgen NICLASEN]
• Progressive Party (Framsokn) [Poul MICHELSEN]
• Republic (Tjodveldi) [Hogni HOYDAL] (formerly the Republican Party)
• Social Democratic Party (Javnadarflokkurin) or JF [Aksel V. JOHANNESEN]
• Union Party (Sambandsflokkurin) [Bardhur A STEIG NIELSEN]

• 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

note: the blue on the flag is a lighter blue (azure) than that found on the flags of Iceland or Norway

agriculture:

15%

industry:

15%

services:

70% (December 2016 est.)

lowest 10%:

NA

highest 10%:

NA

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;
• landing points for the SHEFA-2, FARICE-1, and CANTAT-3 fiber-optic submarine cables from the Faeroe Islands, to Denmark, Germany, UK and Iceland;
• satellite earth stations - 1 Orion;
• (2019)

• 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 3 privately owned stations broadcasting over multiple frequencies

• no regular military forces or conscription;
• the Government of Denmark has responsibility for defense;
• as such, the Danish military’s Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk, Greenland is responsible for territorial defense of the Faroe Islands;
• the Joint Arctic Command has a contact element in the capital of Torshavn (2019)

total:

960 km (2017)

paved:

500 km (2017)

unpaved:

460 km (2017)

note: those islands not connected by roads (bridges or tunnels) are connected by seven different ferry links operated by the nationally owned company SSL; 28 km of tunnels

• 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 to UNCLOS that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm