General information: According to behealthybytomorrow, The population of the Faroe Islands mainly comes from the Vikings who arrived here in the 9th century. The islands became part of Denmark in the 14th century. In 1948 the islands were granted a high degree of self-government.
Geography
Location: Northern Europe, a group of islands between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about halfway between Iceland and Norway.
Geographic coordinates: 62° 00′ N. latitude, 7° 00′ W
Reference map: Europe.
Area: total: 1,399 km2; land surface area: 1,399 km2; water surface area: 0 km2 (several lakes and streams).
Comparative area: eight times the area of Washington, DC.
Land borders: 0 km.
Coastline: 1,117 km.
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing rights zone: 200 nautical miles; territorial waters: 3 nautical miles.
Climate: mild winters, cool summers, usually cloudy, fogs, winds.
Terrain: rugged rocky terrain, a few low mountains, cliffs along most of the coast.
Maximum and minimum heights: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m; highest point: Slattaratindur 882 m.
Natural resources: fish, whales, hydropower.
Land use: arable land: 6%; cultivated land: 0%; pasture: 0%; forests and plantations: 0%; others: 94% (1996).
Irrigated land: 0 sq. km.
Natural hazards: no data available.
Current environmental issues: no data. Geography note: The archipelago consists of 17 inhabited islands, 1 uninhabited island and several uninhabited islets; occupies a strategic position on important sea routes in the northeastern part of the Atlantic; steep cliffs limit the habitation zone to small coastal lowlands.
International agreements on environmental protection:
Note to the section “Geography”:
Population
Population: 45,661 (July 2001 est.).
Age structure: under 14: 22.62% (male 5,193; female 5,136); 15 to 64 years old: 63.64% (male 15,463; female 13,596); over 65: 13.74% (male 2,802; female 3,471) (2001 est.).
Population growth: 0.78% (2001 est.).
Birth rate: 13.64 newborns / 1000 people. (2001 est.).
Mortality: 8.69 deaths / 1000 people. (2001 est.).
Migration: 2.89 people / 1000 people (2001 est.).
Sex ratio: at birth: 1 male/female; under 15: 1.01 male/female; 15 to 64 years old: 1.14 male/female; over 65: 0.81 male/female; for the general population: 1.06 male/female (2001 est.);
Child mortality: 6.8 deaths/1000 live births (2001 est.).
Life expectancy: for the general population: 78.59 years; men: 75.12 years; women: 82.06 years (2001 est.).
General birth rate: 2.3 children/wives. (2001 est.).
Proportion of the adult population infected with HIV: no data available.
Number of people infected with HIV: no data.
Mortality due to AIDS: no data available.
Nationality: noun: Faroese; adjective: Faroese.
Ethnic groups: Scandinavians.
Believers: Evangelical Lutherans.
Language(s): Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish.
Literacy: definition: no data; for the general population: no data available; men: no data; women: no data; note: about the same as in Denmark.
Politics
Common long form: no;
conventional short form: Faroe Islands; local long form: no; local short form: Foroyar. Dependency status: part of the Kingdom of Denmark, self-governing overseas administrative unit since 1948.
Government: no data.
Capital: Torshavn.
Administrative division: none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark, self-governing overseas administrative unit).
Dependent territories:
Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark, self-governing overseas administrative unit).
National holiday: Olaifest, 29 July.
Constitution: Adopted 5 June 1953 (Constitution of Denmark)
Legal system: Danish.
Suffrage: from the age of 18, universal.
chief of state: Queen MARGRET II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by the High Commissioner, Ms Vibeke LAR-SEN, head of the administration (for how long – no data);
head of government: Prime Minister Anfin KAnCBEPr(AnfinnKALLSBERG) (since 15 May 1998);
government: the government (Landsstyri) is elected by the Faroese parliament; elections: hereditary monarchy; the high commissioner is appointed by the monarch; according to the results of parliamentary elections, the leader of the party with the most seats is usually appointed to the post of Prime Minister by the Faroese Parliament; elections last held 30 April 1998 (next to be held in 2002); election results: Anfin KALSBERG was elected prime minister with 52.8% of the legislators’ votes.
Legislature: unicameral Faroese Parliament (Logting) (32 seats; members are elected by universal suffrage by proportional system from seven constituencies for 4 years); elections: last held 30 April 1998 (next to be held in July 2002); election results: distribution of votes between parties: Republican Party 23.8%, People’s Party 21.3%, Social Democratic Party 21.9%, Union Party 18%, Self-Government Party 7.7%, Center Party 4.1%; distribution of seats among parties: Republican Party 8, People’s Party 8, Social Democratic Party 7, Union Party 6, Self-Government Party 2, Center Party 1; note: 2 representatives are elected to the Danish Parliament, last election was 11 March 1998 (next to be held in 2002); distribution of votes between parties: no data; distribution of seats among parties:
Judiciary: no.
Political parties and leaders: Center Party (Jenis A. RANA); Home Rule Party (Helena Dam A. NEYSTABO); People’s Party (Oli BRECKMANN [Oli BRECKMANN]); Republican Party (Hogni HOYDAL [Hogni HOYDAL]); Social Democratic Party (Joannes EIDESGAARD); Union Party (Edmund JOENSEN).
Political influence groups and their leaders:
Participation in international organizations: NC, NIB.
Diplomatic representation in the United States: none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark, self-governing overseas administrative unit).
US Diplomatic Representation: none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark, self-governing overseas administrative unit).
Description of the flag: white flag with a red cross outlined in blue and reaching the borders of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted towards the staff (as on the Danish flag).
