SPAMfighter information about

Faroe Islands

The data on this page is obtained from The World Factbook.
 Communications information 
SPAMfighters: 1,598
Internet users: 33,000 (2005)
Internet hosts: 6,915 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)
Internet country code: .fo
Telephones - main lines in use: 23,800 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 42,500 (2005)

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

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 26,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995)
Televisions: 15,000 (1997)
 Geographical information 
Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 7 00 W
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 1,399 sq km

land: 1,399 sq km

water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)
Area - comparative: eight times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,117 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m
Land use: arable land: 2.14%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 97.86% (2005)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
 People information 
Population: 47,246 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.9% (male 4,940/female 4,952)

15-64 years: 65.1% (male 16,247/female 14,522)

65 years and over: 13.9% (male 2,976/female 3,609) (2006 est.)
Median age: total: 35 years

male: 34.7 years

female: 35.5 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.58% (2006 est.)
Birth rate: 14.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 8.7 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio: 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: 0.83 male(s)/female

Infant mortality rate: total: 6.12 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.35 years

male: 75.91 years

female: 82.8 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.17 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Faroese (singular and plural)

adjective: Faroese
Ethnic groups: Scandinavian
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran
Languages: Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish
Literacy: definition: NA

total population: NA%

male: NA%

female: NA%

note: probably 100%, the same as Denmark proper
 Governmental information 
Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Faroe Islands

local long form: none

local short form: Foroyar
Dependency status: part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948
Government type: NA
Capital: name: Torshavn

geographic coordinates: 62 01 N, 6 46 W

time difference: UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 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 United States Government, but there are 49 municipalities
National holiday: Olaifest (Olavasoka), 29 July
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 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
Legislative branch: unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven constituencies to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than January 2008)

election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 23.7%, Social Democratic Party 21.8%, Republican Party 21.7%, People´s Party 20.6%, Center Party 5.2%, Independence Party 4.6%; seats by party - Union Party 7, Social Democratic Party 7, Republican Party 8, People´s Party 7, Center Party 2, Independence Party 1

note: election of two seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on 8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1, People´s Party 1
Judicial branch: none
Political parties and leaders: 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 Leo JOHANNESEN]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: Arctic Council, IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UPU
Flag description: 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)
 Economical information 
Economy - overview: The Faroese economy has had a strong performance since 1994, mostly as a result of increasing fish landings and high and stable export prices. Unemployment is minimal and there are signs of labor shortages in several sectors. The positive economic development has helped the Faroese Home Rule Government produce increasing budget surpluses, which in turn have helped reduce the large public debt, most of it owed to Denmark. However, the total dependence on fishing makes the Faroese economy extremely vulnerable, and the present fishing efforts appear in excess of what is a sustainable level of fishing in the long term. Oil finds close to the Faroese area give hope for deposits in the immediate Faroese area, which may eventually lay the basis for a more diversified economy and thus lessen dependence on Danish economic assistance. Aided by a substantial annual subsidy (about 15% of GDP) from Denmark, the Faroese have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other Scandinavians.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $1 billion (2001 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): NA
GDP - real growth rate: 10% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): $22,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 27%

industry: 11%

services: 62% (1999)
Labor force: 24,250 (October 2000)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 33%

industry: 33%

services: 34%
Unemployment rate: 1% (October 2000)
Population below poverty line: NA%

highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.1% (1999)
Budget: revenues: $488 million

expenditures: $484 million; including capital expenditures of $21 million (1999)
Industrial production growth rate: 8% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production: 260.2 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 62.4%

hydro: 37.6%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption: 242 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2003)
Oil - consumption: 4,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Exports: $533 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999)
Exports - partners: Denmark 38.2%, UK 29.6%, Nigeria 8.9%, Norway 6.1%, Netherlands 4.3% (2005)
Imports: $639 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, machinery and transport equipment 29%, fuels, fish, salt (1999)
Imports - partners: Denmark 46.2%, Norway 18.2%, Germany 8.2%, Spain 7.5%, Iceland 4.8% (2005)
Debt - external: $64 million (1999)
Currency (code): Danish krone (DKK)
Currency code: DKK
Exchange rates: Danish kroner per United States dollar - 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002), 8.3228 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
 Transportations information 
Airports: 1 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
Roadways: total: 458 km

note: no roads between towns (2003)
Merchant marine: total: 18 ships (1000 GRT or over) 19,265 GRT/9,171 DWT

by type: cargo 10, container 2, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2

foreign-owned: 8 (Iceland 4, Norway 4) (2006)
Ports and terminals: Torshavn
 Military information 
Military branches: no regular military forces
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 10,695 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 8,852 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 366 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA
 Information about transnational issues 
Disputes - international: 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

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