Faroe Islands

Official name Føroyar (Faroese); Færøerne (Danish) (Faroe Islands1)
Political status self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark with one legislative house (Løgting, or Parliament [33])
Head of state Danish Monarch
Heads of government High Commissioner (for Denmark): Dan M. Knudsen; Prime Minister (for Faroe Islands): Kaj Leo Johannesen
Capital Tórshavn (Thorshavn)
Official languages Faroese; Danish
Official religion Faroese Lutheran2
Monetary unit Danish krone3 (DKK)
Population (2013 est.) 48,200COLLAPSE
Total area (sq mi) 540
Total area (sq km) 1,399
Urban-rural population

Urban: (2011) 41%

Rural: (2011) 59%

Life expectancy at birth

Male: (2012) 79.9 years

Female: (2012) 83.5 years

Literacy: percentage of population age 15 and over literate

Male: not available

Female: not available

GNI per capita (U.S.$) (2009) 45,822

1English-language alternative spelling is Faeroe Islands.

2Formally independent of the national Danish Lutheran church from July 2007.

3The local currency, the Faroese króna (plural krónur), is equivalent to the Danish krone. Banknotes used are Faroese or Danish; coins are Danish.

About Faroe Islands

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 granted the Faroese in 1948, who have autonomy over most internal affairs while Denmark is responsible for justice, defense, and foreign affairs. The Faroe Islands are not part of the European Union.

Faroe Islands, also spelled Faeroe Islands, Faroese Føroyar, Danish Færøerne, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean between Iceland and the Shetland Islands. They form a self-governing overseas administrative division of the kingdom of Denmark. There are 17 inhabited islands and many islets and reefs. The main islands are Streymoy (Streym), Eysturoy (Eystur), Vágar, Suduroy (Sudur), Sandoy (Sand), Bordoy (Bord), and Svínoy (Svín). The capital is Tórshavn (Thorshavn) on Streymoy. Area 540 square miles (1,399 square km). Pop. (2009 est.) 48,900.

Geography of Faroe Islands

The Land

Composed of volcanic rocks covered by a thin layer of moraine or peat soil, the islands are high and rugged with perpendicular cliffs—the highest at Mount Slaettara (Slaettaratindur; 2,894 feet [882 metres]) on Eystur Island—and flat summits separated by narrow ravines. The coasts are deeply indented with fjords, and the narrow passages between islands are agitated by strong tidal currents.

The climate is oceanic and mild, with little variation in temperature and frequent fog and rain; annual precipitation totals 60 inches (1,600 mm). The warm North Atlantic Current keeps the harbours free of ice. Natural vegetation is moss, grass, and mountain bog. The islands are naturally treeless because of the cool summers, strong westerly winds, and frequent gales, but some hardy trees have been planted in sheltered plantations. There are no toads, reptiles, or indigenous land mammals; hares, rats, and mice came on ships. Seabirds are numerous and were in earlier times economically important—the puffin as food and the eider for feathers.

Disclaimer

This is not the official site of this country. Most of the information in this site were taken from the U.S. Department of State, The Central Intelligence Agency, The United Nations, [1],[2], [3], [4], [5],[6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14],[15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20], [21], [22], [23], [24],[25], [26], [27], [28], [29], [30],[31], [32], [33], [34], and the [35].

Other sources of information will be mentioned as they are posted.