Baker Island (2008) | Faroe Islands (2002) | |
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 |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 22.3% (male 5,149; female 5,110)
15-64 years: 64% (male 15,650; female 13,801) 65 years and over: 13.7% (male 2,818; female 3,483) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish |
Airports | one abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m covered with vegetation and unusable (2006) | 1 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total: 1.4 sq km
land: 1.4 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 1,399 sq km
land: 1,399 sq km water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams) |
Area - comparative | about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | eight times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle of the west coast. | 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. |
Birth rate | - | 13.74 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $488 million
expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (1999) |
Capital | - | Torshavn |
Climate | equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun | mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy |
Coastline | 4.8 km | 1,117 km |
Constitution | - | 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Baker Island |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Faroe Islands local long form: none local short form: Foroyar |
Currency | - | Danish krone (DKK) |
Death rate | - | 8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $64 million (1999) |
Dependency status | unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system | part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948 |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
Disputes - international | none | Faroese are considering proposals for full independence; Denmark dispute with Iceland over the Faroe Islands fisheries median line boundary of 200 NM; Denmark disputes with Iceland, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $135 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) (1999) |
Economy - overview | no economic activity | The Faroese economy has had a strong performance since 1994, mostly as a result of increasing fish landings and high and stable export prices. Unemployment is falling and there are signs of labor shortages in several sectors. The positive economic development has helped the Faroese Home Rule Government produce increasing budget surpluses which in turn help to reduce the large public debt, most of it owed to Denmark. However, the total dependence on fishing makes the Faroese economy extremely vulnerable, and the present fishing efforts appear in excess of what is a sustainable level of fishing in the long term. Oil finds close to the Faroese area give hope for deposits in the immediate Faroese area, which may eventually lay the basis for a more diversified economy and thus lessen dependence on Denmark and Danish economic assistance. Aided by a substantial annual subsidy (15% of GDP) from Denmark, the Faroese have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other Scandinavians. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 153.45 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | - | 165 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 61%
hydro: 39% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 8 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m |
Environment - current issues | no natural fresh water resources | NA |
Ethnic groups | - | Scandinavian |
Exchange rates | - | Danish kroner per US dollar - 8.418 (January 2002), 8.323 (2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997) |
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)
head of government: Prime Minister Anfinn KALLSBERG (since 15 May 1998) cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister 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 30 April 1998 (next to be held no later than April 2002) election results: Anfinn KALLSBERG elected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote - 52.8% note: coalition of People's Party, Republican Party, and Home Rule Party |
Exports | - | $471 million f.o.b. (1999) |
Exports - commodities | - | fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999) |
Exports - partners | - | Denmark 32%, UK 21%, France 9%, Germany 7%, Iceland 5%, US 5% (1996) |
Fiscal year | - | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of the US is used | white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted toward the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $910 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 27%
industry: 11% services: 62% (1999) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 5% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 0 13 N, 176 28 W | 62 00 N, 7 00 W |
Geography - note | treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife | 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 |
Highways | - | total: 463 km
paved: 454 km unpaved: 9 km (1999) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | - | $469 million c.i.f. (1999) |
Imports - commodities | - | machinery and transport equipment 29%, consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, fuels, fish and salt (1999) |
Imports - partners | - | Denmark 28%, Norway 26%, Germany 7%, UK 6% Sweden 5%, Iceland 4%, US (1999) |
Independence | - | none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | 8% (1999 est.) |
Industries | - | fishing, fish processing, shipbuilding, construction, handicrafts |
Infant mortality rate | - | 6.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 5.1% (1999) |
International organization participation | - | NC, NIB |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | - | none |
Labor force | - | 24,250 (October 2000 ) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | fishing, fish processing, and manufacturing 33%, construction and private services 33%, public services 34% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
arable land: 2.14%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.86% (1998 est.) |
Languages | - | Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish |
Legal system | the laws of the US, where applicable, apply | Danish |
Legislative branch | - | unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven constituencies to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 30 April 2002 (next to be held no later than April 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 26%, Republican Party 23.7%, Social Democrats 20.9%, People's Party 20.8% Independence Party 4.4%, Center Party 4.2%; seats by party - Union Party 8, Republican Party 8, Social Democrats 7, People's Party 7, Independence Party 1, Center Party 1 note: election of 2 seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on 20 November 2001 (next to be held no later than November 2005); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1, Union Party 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 78.74 years
male: 75.28 years female: 82.21 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: similar to Denmark proper |
Location | Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia | Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to Norway |
Map references | Oceania | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
continental shelf: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 100,951 GRT/139,396 DWT
ships by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 3, Norway 1, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard | defense is the responsibility of Denmark |
Military branches | - | no regular indigenous military forces; small Police Force and Coast Guard are maintained |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | NA% |
National holiday | - | Olaifest, 29 July |
Nationality | - | noun: Faroese (singular and plural)
adjective: Faroese |
Natural hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard | NA |
Natural resources | guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife | fish, whales, hydropower |
Net migration rate | - | 2.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | Center Party [Tordur NICALSEN]; Home Rule Party [Helena Dam a NEYSTABO]; Independence Party [leader NA]; People's Party [Oli BRECKMANN]; Republican Party [Finnabogi ISAKSON]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union Party [Edmund JOENSEN] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | uninhabited
note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service |
46,011 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 0.74% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Torshavn, Klaksvik, Tvoroyri, Runavik, Fuglafjordhur |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 26,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | - | Evangelical Lutheran |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | - | general assessment: good international communications; good domestic facilities
domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog) and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed international: satellite earth stations - 1 Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands, linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 24,851 (1999) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 10,761 (1999) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995) |
Terrain | low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef | rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast |
Total fertility rate | - | 2.27 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Transportation - note | there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast | - |
Unemployment rate | - | 1% (October 2000 ) |
Waterways | - | none |