The 2004 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

coordinates:

       62 00 N, 7 00 W

      Map references:

       Europe

      Area:

       total: 1,399 sq km

       water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)

       land: 1,399 sq km

      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

      Climate:

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

      Terrain:

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

      Elevation extremes:

       lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

       highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m

      Natural resources:

       fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

      Land use: arable land: 2.14% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.86% (2001)

      Irrigated land:

       0 sq km (1998 est.)

      Natural hazards:

       NA

      Environment - current issues:

       NA

      Geography - note:

       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

      People Faroe Islands

      Population:

       46,662 (July 2004 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 21.6% (male 5,056; female 5,041)

       15–64 years: 64.6% (male 15,975; female 14,187)

       65 years and over: 13.7% (male 2,877; female 3,526) (2004 est.)

      Median age:

       total: 35.1 years

       male: 34.6 years

       female: 35.8 years (2004 est.)

      Population growth rate:

       0.66% (2004 est.)

      Birth rate:

       13.89 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

      Death rate:

       8.68 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

      Net migration rate:

       1.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

      Sex ratio:

       at birth: 1 male(s)/female

       under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

       15–64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female

       65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

       total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

       total: 6.38 deaths/1,000 live births

       female: 5.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

       male: 7.72 deaths/1,000 live births

      Life expectancy at birth:

       total population: 79.05 years

       male: 75.6 years

       female: 82.51 years (2004 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

       2.22 children born/woman (2004 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 the same as Denmark proper

      Government Faroe Islands

      Country name:

       conventional long form: none

       conventional short form: Faroe Islands

       local short form: Foroyar

       local long form: none

      Dependency status:

       part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas

       administrative division of Denmark since 1948

      Government type:

       NA

      Capital:

       Torshavn

      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 US Government, but there

       are 49 municipalities

      Independence:

       none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas

       administrative division of Denmark)

      National holiday:

       Olaifest, 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)

       election results: Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister; percent

       of parliamentary vote - NA%

       note: coalition of Social Democrats, Union Party, and People's Party

       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)

       head of government: Prime Minister Joannes EIDESGAARD (since 3

       February 2004)