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