Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands were already populated by about A.D. 500, but whether the original settlers were Celtic or early Norse (or someone else) has yet to be determined. Viking settlers arrived on the islands in the 9th century, and the islands served as an important stepping stone for medieval Viking exploration of the North Atlantic. The islands have been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th century, and today the Faroe Islands are a self-governing dependency of Denmark. The Home Rule Act of 1948 granted a high degree of self-government to the Faroese, who have autonomy over most internal affairs and external trade, while Denmark is responsible for justice, defense, and some foreign affairs. The Faroe Islands are not part of the European Union.

62 00 N, 7 00 W

strong winds and heavy rains can occur throughout the year

eight times the size of Washington, D.C.

coastal erosion, landslides and rockfalls, flash flooding, wind storms; oil spills

mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy

1,117 km

Total: 0 km

Agricultural land: 70.1% (2022 est.)

Arable land: 0.1% (2022 est.)

Permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)

Permanent pasture: 70.1% (2022 est.)

Forest: 0.1% (2022 est.)

Other: 29.8% (2022 est.)

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

archipelago of 17 inhabited islands, 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

rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast

Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about halfway between Iceland and Norway

Europe

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

Highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m

Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Total : 1,393 sq km

Land: 1,393 sq km

Water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)

0-14 years: 20% (male 5,489/female 5,122)

15-64 years: 61.5% (male 17,188/female 15,346)

65 years and over: 18.5% (2024 est.) (male 4,723/female 5,065)

At birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female

Total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Noun: Faroese (singular and plural)

Adjective: Faroese

Urban population: 43% of total population (2023)

Rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

21,000 TORSHAVN (capital) (2018)

2.62 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Faroese 83.8% (Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon descent), Danish 8.3%, Filipino 1.2%, other Nordic 0.9%, other 4.5% (includes Polish and Romanian) (2024 est.)

Note: Data represent respondents by country of birth

Christian 87% (predominantly Evangelical Lutheran), other 0.9%, none 3.7%, unspecified 8.9% (2011 est.)

Faroese 93.8% (derived from Old Norse), Danish 3.2%, other 3% (2011 est.)

Note:  data represent population by primary language

Total dependency ratio: 62.7 (2024 est.)

Youth dependency ratio: 32.6 (2024 est.)

Elderly dependency ratio: 30.1 (2024 est.)

Potential support ratio: 3.3 (2024 est.)

Improved:

Urban: NA

Rural: NA

Total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved:

Urban: NA

Rural: NA

Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

1.09 (2024 est.)

34.8% (2023 est.)

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Total: 36.8 years (2024 est.)

Male: 36.9 years

Female: 36.8 years

2.27 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Total: 52,933 (2024 est.)

Male: 27,400

Female: 25,533

Total: 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Male: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Female: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births

8.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

14.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Total population: 81.7 years (2024 est.)

Male: 79.2 years

Female: 84.4 years

7.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

0.63% (2024 est.)

Municipal solid waste generated annually: 61,000 tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 67% (2012 est.)

742,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids: 742,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Embassy: None (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark; there are 29 first-order municipalities (kommunur, singular - kommuna) Eidhi, Eystur, Famjin, Fuglafjordhur, Fugloy, Hov, Husavik, Hvalba, Hvannasund, Klaksvik, Kunoy, Kvivik, Nes, Porkeri, Runavik, Sandur, Sjovar, Skalavik, Skopun, Skuvoy, Sorvagur, Sumba, Sunda, Torshavn, Tvoroyri, Vagar, Vagur, Vestmanna, Vidhareidhi

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

Etymology: The name means "Thor's harbor" in Danish

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

Amendment process: See entry for Denmark

Chief of state: King FREDERIK X of Denmark (since 14 January 2024), represented by High Commissioner Lene Moyell JOHANSEN, chief administrative officer (since 15 May 2017) (2024)

Head of government: Prime Minister Aksel V. JOHANNESEN (since 22 December 2022)

Cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister

Election/appointment process: The monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the Parliament usually elects the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as the prime minister

Most recent election date: 8 December 2022

Expected date of next election: 2026

Description: White with a red cross outlined in blue that extends to the edges of the flag; the cross is shifted toward the left side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Meaning: White represents waves breaking on the shore; red and blue are traditional Faroese colors

History: The flag is referred to as Merkid, meaning "the banner" or "the mark;" a group of students designed it in 1919, although it wasn't officially adopted until 1940

Note: Resembles the flags of Iceland and Norway; uses the same three colors in a different sequence and with a lighter blue

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Highest court(s): Faroese Court or Raett (Rett in 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 Première Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif; Mixed Commercial Court; Land Court

the laws of Denmark apply 

Legislature name: Faroese Parliament (Logting)

Legislative structure: Unicameral

Number of seats: 33 (directly elected)

Electoral system: Proportional representation

Scope of elections: Full renewal

Term in office: 4 years

Most recent election date: 12/8/2022

Parties elected and seats per party: JF (9); B (7); A (6); E (6); F (3); H (2)

Percentage of women in chamber: 27.3%

Expected date of next election: 2026

Note: the Faroe Islands elect 2 members to the Danish Parliament to serve 4-year terms

Arctic Council, IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UNESCO (associate), UPU

Olaifest (Olavsoka), 29 July (1030)

Note: Commemorates the death in battle of King OLAF II of Norway, later St. OLAF

Center Party or H (Midflokkurin) 
People's Party or A (Folkaflokkurin) 
Progress Party or F (Framsokn) 
Republic or E (Tjodveldi)  (formerly the Republican Party)
Self-Government Party or D (Sjalvstyri or Sjalvstyrisflokkurin) 
Social Democratic Party or JF (Javnadarflokkurin) or JF 
Union Party or B (Sambandsflokkurin) 

18 years of age; universal

parliamentary democracy (Faroese Parliament); part of the Kingdom of Denmark

Conventional long form: None

Conventional short form: Faroe Islands

Local long form: None

Local short form: Foroyar

Etymology: The archipelago's name derives from the Old Norse name Faeroyar, meaning "sheep islands;" faer means "sheep," and -oyar means "islands"

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Title: "Mitt alfagra land" (My Fairest Land)

Lyrics/music: Simun av SKAROI/Peter ALBERG

History: Adopted 1948; the anthem is also known as "Tu alfagra land mitt" (Thou Fairest Land of Mine); as a self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark, the Faroe Islands are permitted to have their own national anthem

ram

see Denmark

fish and fish products (2021)

Russia 26.4%, UK 14.1%, Germany 8.4%, China 7.9%, Spain 6.8%, Denmark 6.2%, US 4.7%, Poland 4.4%, Norway 4.1% (2017)

milk, potatoes, lamb/mutton, sheepskins, sheep offal, beef, sheep fat, beef offal, cattle hides, beef suet (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

goods for household consumption, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, raw materials and semi-manufactures, cars

Danish kroner (DKK) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
6.894 (2024 est.)
6.89 (2023 est.)
7.076 (2022 est.)
6.287 (2021 est.)
6.542 (2020 est.)

fishing, fish processing, tourism, small ship repair and refurbishment, handicrafts

high-income Danish territorial economy; party neither to the EU nor the Schengen Area; associate Nordic Council member; very low unemployment; unique foreign ownership allowance in fishing industry; known salmon exporter; growing IT industries

$3.907 billion (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Household consumption: 40.6% (2023 est.)

Government consumption: 27.3% (2023 est.)

Investment in fixed capital: 31% (2023 est.)

Investment in inventories: 0% (2023 est.)

Exports of goods and services: 57.7% (2023 est.)

Imports of goods and services: -56.6% (2023 est.)

Note: Figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Denmark 33%, China 10.7%, Germany 7.6%, Poland 6.8%, Norway 6.7%, Ireland 5%, Chile 4.3% (2017)

4.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
4.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
4.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

$3.834 billion (2023 est.)
$3.741 billion (2022 est.)
$3.613 billion (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

$70,400 (2023 est.)
$69,400 (2022 est.)
$67,800 (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

$2.212 billion (2023 est.)
$2.223 billion (2022 est.)
$1.906 billion (2021 est.)

Note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars

$2.255 billion (2023 est.)
$2.219 billion (2022 est.)
$1.923 billion (2021 est.)

Note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars

2.5% (2023 est.)
3.6% (2022 est.)
5.5% (2021 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Agriculture: 18.2% (2023 est.)

Industry: 19.7% (2023 est.)

Services: 52% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electrification - urban areas: 99.9%

Electrification - rural areas: 100%

Imports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.)

Fossil fuels: 53.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Wind: 18.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Hydroelectricity: 26.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Biomass and waste: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Installed generating capacity: 180,000 kW (2023 est.)

Consumption: 463.285 million kWh (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses: 25.115 million kWh (2023 est.)

Percent of population: 98% (2017 est.)

.fo

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

Total subscriptions: 59,000 (2021 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 112 (2021 est.)

Total: 19,000 (2022 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 35 (2022 est.)

Total subscriptions: 15,000 (2021 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2022 est.)

OY-H

1 (2025)

Total: 91 (2023)

By type: Container ships 6, general cargo 45, other 40

12 (2025)

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 coordinating the defense of the Faroe Islands; the Joint Arctic Command has a contact element in the capital of Torshavn

part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948

Total ports: 9 (2024)

Large: 0

Medium: 0

Small: 0

Very small: 9

Ports with oil terminals: 5

Key ports: Fuglafjordur, Klaksvik, Kongshavn, Runavik, Sorvagur, Torshavn, Tvoroyri, Vagur, Vestmanna