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Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) - Faroe Islands (2005)

Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) z Faroe Islands (2005)

 British Indian Ocean Territory (2002)Faroe Islands (2005)
 British Indian Ocean TerritoryFaroe Islands
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: 21.3% (male 4,997/female 4,999)


15-64 years: 64.9% (male 16,120/female 14,360)


65 years and over: 13.8% (male 2,923/female 3,563) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products - milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish
Airports 1 (2001) 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Area total: 60 sq km


land: 60 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
total: 1,399 sq km


land: 1,399 sq km


water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)
Area - comparative about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC eight times the size of Washington, DC
Background Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order which had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. 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 - 13.97 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget - revenues: $488 million


expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (1999)
Capital - Torshavn
Climate tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy
Coastline 698 km 1,117 km
Constitution - 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)
Country name conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory


conventional short form: none


abbreviation: BIOT
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Faroe Islands


local long form: none


local short form: Foroyar
Death rate - 8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external - $64 million (1999)
Dependency status overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of the UK) none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Disputes - international Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; repatriation is complicated by the US military lease of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain because anticipated offshore hydrocarbon resources have not been realized, earlier Faroese proposals for full independence have been deferred; Iceland disputes the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line boundary; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm
Economic aid - recipient - $135 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) (1998)
Economy - overview All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. 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 minimal 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 has helped 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 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 NA kWh 204.6 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports - 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military 220 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m
Environment - current issues NA NA
Ethnic groups - Scandinavian
Exchange rates - Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002), 8.3228 (2001), 8.0831 (2000)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)


head of government: Commissioner Alan HUCKLE (since 2001); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK


cabinet: NA


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
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 Joannes EIDESGAARD (since 3 February 2004)


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 20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than January 2008)


election results: Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote - NA%


note: coalition of Social Democrats, Union Party, and People's Party
Exports - NA
Exports - commodities - fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999)
Exports - partners - Denmark 33.5%, UK 29.7%, Norway 8.4%, Nigeria 7.2% (2004)
Fiscal year - calendar year
Flag description white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag 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 - composition by sector - agriculture: 27%


industry: 11%


services: 62% (1999)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $22,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - 10% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 6 00 S, 71 30 E 62 00 N, 7 00 W
Geography - note archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility 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: NA km


paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia


unpaved: NA km
total: 463 km


paved: 454 km


unpaved: 9 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Imports - NA
Imports - commodities - machinery and transport equipment 29%, consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, fuels, fish and salt (1999)
Imports - partners - Denmark 52.8%, Norway 18.3%, Iceland 4.4%, Sweden 4.2% (2004)
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, small ship repair and refurbishment, handicrafts
Infant mortality rate - total: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 7.54 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 4.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 5.1% (1999)
International organization participation - IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UPU
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land 0 sq km (1998 est.) 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: NEGL


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (1998 est.)
arable land: 2.14%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 97.86% (2001)
Languages - Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish
Legal system the laws of the UK, 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 20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than January 2008)


election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 23.7%, Social Democrats 21.8%, Republican Party 21.7%, People's Party 20.6%, Center Party 5.2%, Independence Party 4.6%; seats by party - Union Party 7, Social Democrats 7, Republican Party 8, People's Party 7, Center Party 2, Independence Party 1


note: election of 2 seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on 8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1, People's Party 1
Life expectancy at birth - total population: 79.21 years


male: 75.77 years


female: 82.67 years (2005 est.)
Literacy - definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%


note: probably the same as Denmark proper
Location Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia 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 Political Map of the World Europe
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM
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
Merchant marine - total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 24,051 GRT/11,998 DWT


by type: cargo 6, container 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 2


foreign-owned: 8 (Denmark 2, Germany 1, Iceland 2, Norway 2, United Kingdom 1) (2005)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 defense is the responsibility of Denmark
Military branches - no regular military forces
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - NA
National holiday - Olaifest (Olavasoka), 29 July
Nationality - noun: Faroese (singular and plural)


adjective: Faroese
Natural hazards NA NA
Natural resources coconuts, fish, sugarcane fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas
Net migration rate - 0.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Political parties and leaders - Center Party [Jenis A. RANA]; Independence Party [Kari P. HOJGAARD]; People's Party [Anfinn KALLSBERG]; Republican Party [Hogni HOYDAL]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union Party [Kaj Oeo JOHANNESEN]
Political pressure groups and leaders - NA
Population no indigenous inhabitants


note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles around the time of the construction of UK-US military facilities; in 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2002 est.)
46,962 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line - NA%
Population growth rate - 0.62% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Diego Garcia Torshavn
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios NA -
Religions - Evangelical Lutheran
Sex ratio - at birth: 1 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female


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


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage - 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available


domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet


international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
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: country code - 298; 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 NA 23,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular - 30,700 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) 3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995)
Terrain flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation) rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast
Total fertility rate - 2.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate - 1% (October 2000)
Waterways none -
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