The 2008 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

regular military forces

      Military expenditures:

      NA

      Military - note:

      defense is the responsibility of the UK

      Transnational Issues

       Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

      Disputes - international:

      Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied them by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force; UK continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks

      This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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      @Faroe Islands

      Introduction

       Faroe Islands

      Background:

      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

       Faroe Islands

      Location:

      Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the

       North Atlantic Ocean, about half way between Iceland and Norway

      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

      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% (2005)

      Irrigated land:

      0 sq km

      Natural hazards:

      NA

      Environment - current issues:

      NA

      Environment - international agreements:

      party to: Marine Dumping -associate member to the London Convention and Ship Pollution

      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:

      48,668 (July 2008 est.)

      Age structure:

      0–14 years: 21.9% (male 5,489/female 5,166) 15–64 years: 64% (male 16,650/female 14,482) 65 years and over: 14.1% (male 3,233/female 3,648) (2008 est.)

      Median age:

      total: 36.7 years male: 36 years female: 37.5 years (2008 est.)

      Population growth rate:

      0.376% (2008 est.)

      Birth rate:

      13.25 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

      Death rate:

      8.67 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

      Net migration rate:

      −0.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

      Sex ratio:

      at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15–64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

      total: 6.46 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.69 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth:

      total population: 79.29 years male: 76.86 years female: 81.89 years (2008 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

      2.45 children born/woman (2008 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 83.8%, other and unspecified 16.2% (2006 administrative data)

      Languages:

      Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish

      Literacy:

      NA; note - probably 99%, the same as Denmark proper

      Government

       Faroe Islands

      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 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

      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