Faroe Islands (2002) | Reunion (2001) | |
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 | none (overseas department of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 4 arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47 cantons |
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.) |
0-14 years:
32.07% (male 120,259; female 114,669) 15-64 years: 62.25% (male 224,347; female 231,698) 65 years and over: 5.68% (male 16,892; female 24,705) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish | sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits, vegetables, corn |
Airports | 1 (2001) | 2 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
total:
2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 1,399 sq km
land: 1,399 sq km water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams) |
total:
2,512 sq km land: 2,502 sq km water: 10 sq km |
Area - comparative | eight times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Rhode Island |
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. | The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513. From the 17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration supplemented by influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar Indians gave the island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 cost the island its importance as a stopover on the East Indies trade route. |
Birth rate | 13.74 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 21.26 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $488 million
expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (1999) |
revenues:
NA expenditures: NA |
Capital | Torshavn | Saint-Denis |
Climate | mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy | tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April |
Coastline | 1,117 km | 207 km |
Constitution | 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution) | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Faroe Islands local long form: none local short form: Foroyar |
conventional long form:
Department of Reunion conventional short form: Reunion local long form: none local short form: Ile de la Reunion former: Bourbon Island |
Currency | Danish krone (DKK) | French franc (FRF); euro (EUR) |
Death rate | 8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 5.52 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $64 million (1999) | $NA |
Dependency status | part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948 | overseas department of France |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) | none (overseas department of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) | none (overseas department of France) |
Disputes - international | 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 | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $135 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) (1999) | $NA; note - substantial annual subsidies from France |
Economy - overview | 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. | The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more than a century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports. The government has been pushing the development of a tourist industry to relieve high unemployment, which amounts to more than 40% of the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better off than other segments of the population, often approaching European standards, whereas minority groups suffer the poverty and unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent. The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from France. |
Electricity - consumption | 153.45 million kWh (2000) | 1.023 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 165 million kWh (2000) | 1.1 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 61%
hydro: 39% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel:
54.55% hydro: 45.45% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m |
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | Scandinavian | French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian |
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) | euros per US dollar - 1.06594 (January 2001), 1.08540 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996) |
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 |
chief of state:
President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Robert POMMIES (since NA 1996) head of government: President of the General Council Jean-Luc POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils |
Exports | $471 million f.o.b. (1999) | $214 million (f.o.b., 1997) |
Exports - commodities | fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999) | sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster 3%, (1993) |
Exports - partners | Denmark 32%, UK 21%, France 9%, Germany 7%, Iceland 5%, US 5% (1996) | France 74%, Japan 6%, Comoros 4% (1994) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | 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) | the flag of France is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $910 million (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $3.4 billion (1998 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 27%
industry: 11% services: 62% (1999) |
agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $4,800 (1998 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5% (2000 est.) | 3.8% (1998 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 62 00 N, 7 00 W | 21 06 S, 55 36 E |
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 | - |
Highways | total: 463 km
paved: 454 km unpaved: 9 km (1999) |
total:
2,724 km paved: 1,300 km (including 73 km of four-lane road) unpaved: 1,424 km note: 370 km of road are maintained by national authorities, 754 km by departmental authorities and 1600 km by local authorities (1994) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $469 million c.i.f. (1999) | $2.5 billion (c.i.f., 1997) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment 29%, consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, fuels, fish and salt (1999) | manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products |
Imports - partners | Denmark 28%, Norway 26%, Germany 7%, UK 6% Sweden 5%, Iceland 4%, US (1999) | France 64%, Bahrain 3%, Germany 3%, Italy 3% (1994) |
Independence | none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) | none (overseas department of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | 8% (1999 est.) | NA% |
Industries | fishing, fish processing, shipbuilding, construction, handicrafts | sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil extraction |
Infant mortality rate | 6.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 8.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.1% (1999) | NA% |
International organization participation | NC, NIB | FZ, InOC, WFTU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | 60 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | none | Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel |
Labor force | 24,250 (October 2000 ) | 261,000 (1995) |
Labor force - by occupation | fishing, fish processing, and manufacturing 33%, construction and private services 33%, public services 34% | agriculture 8%, industry 19%, services 73% (1990) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.14%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.86% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
17% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 35% other: 41% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish | French (official), Creole widely used |
Legal system | Danish | French law |
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 |
unicameral General Council (47 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held NA March 1994 (next to be held NA 2000); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PCR 12, PS 12, UDF 11, RPR 5, others 7; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PCR 7, UDF 8, PS 6, RPR 4, various right-wing candidates 15, various left-wing candidates 5 note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate; elections last held 14 April 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 1, PCR 2; Reunion also elects five deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May and 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PCR 3, PS 1, and RPR-UDF 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.74 years
male: 75.28 years female: 82.21 years (2002 est.) |
total population:
72.93 years male: 69.53 years female: 76.49 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: similar to Denmark proper |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79% male: 76% female: 80% (1982 est.) |
Location | Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to Norway | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar |
Map references | Europe | World |
Maritime claims | 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 |
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 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.) |
total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 28,264 GRT/44,885 DWT ships by type: chemical tanker 1 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Denmark | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; small Police Force and Coast Guard are maintained | French forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | - |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
190,846 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
97,497 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males:
6,243 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Olaifest, 29 July | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun: Faroese (singular and plural)
adjective: Faroese |
noun:
Reunionese (singular and plural) adjective: Reunionese |
Natural hazards | NA | periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano |
Natural resources | fish, whales, hydropower | fish, arable land, hydropower |
Net migration rate | 2.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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] | Communist Party of Reunion or PCR [Paul VERGES]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Andre Maurice PIHOUEE]; Socialist Party or PS [Jean-Claude FRUTEAU]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Gilbert GERARD] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 46,011 (July 2002 est.) | 732,570 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.74% (2002 est.) | 1.57% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Torshavn, Klaksvik, Tvoroyri, Runavik, Fuglafjordhur | Le Port, Pointe des Galets |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 2, FM 55, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 26,000 (1997) | 173,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | Evangelical Lutheran | Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995) |
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.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 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 |
general assessment:
adequate system; principal center is Saint-Denis domestic: modern open wire and microwave radio relay network international: radiotelephone communication to Comoros, France, Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 24,851 (1999) | 236,500 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 10,761 (1999) | 85,000 (1999) |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995) | 22 (plus 18 low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast | mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast |
Total fertility rate | 2.27 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 2.58 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 1% (October 2000 ) | 42.8% (1998) |
Waterways | none | none |