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Faroe Islands
Quick Overview:
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.
Geography:
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Location:
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Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to Norway |
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Area:
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total: 1,399 sq km water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams) land: 1,399 sq km |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m |
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Geography - note:
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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 |
Population:
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46,011 (July 2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.74% (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 78.74 years female: 82.21 years (2002 est.) male: 75.28 years |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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Ethnic groups:
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Scandinavian |
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Religions:
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Evangelical Lutheran |
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Languages:
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Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish |
Country name:
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conventional long form: none conventional short form: Faroe Islands local short form: Foroyar local long form: none |
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Dependency status:
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part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948 |
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Government type:
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NA |
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Capital:
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Torshavn |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
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National holiday:
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Olaifest, 29 July |
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Constitution:
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5 June 1953 (Danish constitution) |
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Legal system:
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Danish |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Center Party [Tordur NICALSEN]; Home Rule Party [Helena Dam a NEYSTABO]; Independence Party [leader NA]; People's Party [Oli BRECKMANN]; Republican Party [Finnabogi ISAKSON]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union Party [Edmund JOENSEN] |
GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $910 million (2000 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5% (2000 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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5.1% (1999) |
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Unemployment rate:
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1% (October 2000) |
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Industries:
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fishing, fish processing, shipbuilding, construction, handicrafts |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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8% (1999 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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165 million kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish |
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Exports:
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$471 million (f.o.b., 1999) |
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Exports - commodities:
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fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999) |
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Currency:
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Danish krone (DKK) |
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Currency code:
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DKK |
Telephones - main lines in use:
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24,851 (1999) |
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Telephone system:
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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: 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 |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995) |
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Televisions:
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15,000 (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.fo |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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2 (2000) |
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Internet users:
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3,000 (2000) |
Railways:
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0 km |
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Highways:
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total: 463 km paved: 454 km unpaved: 9 km (1999) |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Ports and harbors:
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Torshavn, Klaksvik, Tvoroyri, Runavik, Fuglafjordhur |
Related Links:
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News News from the Fraoe Islands |
Offical Sites - |
Country Guides Travel Guide |
Education Educational Overview |