Faroe Islands (2002) | Swaziland (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 | 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni |
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: 45.5% (male 254,573; female 256,677)
15-64 years: 51.9% (male 281,645; female 301,071) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 12,027; female 17,612) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish | sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep |
Airports | 1 (2001) | 18 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 10 (2002) |
Area | total: 1,399 sq km
land: 1,399 sq km water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams) |
total: 17,363 sq km
land: 17,203 sq km water: 160 sq km |
Area - comparative | eight times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than New Jersey |
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. | Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s have pressured the monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy. |
Birth rate | 13.74 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 39.59 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $488 million
expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (1999) |
revenues: $448 million
expenditures: $506.9 million, including capital expenditures of $147 million (FY01/02 ) |
Capital | Torshavn | Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital |
Climate | mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy | varies from tropical to near temperate |
Coastline | 1,117 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution) | none; constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended 12 April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but was not formally presented to the people; since then a few more outlines for a constitution have been compiled under the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), but so far none have been accepted |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Faroe Islands local long form: none local short form: Foroyar |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland
conventional short form: Swaziland |
Currency | Danish krone (DKK) | lilangeni (SZL) |
Death rate | 8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 23.26 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $64 million (1999) | $336 million (2001 est.) |
Dependency status | 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) | chief of mission: Ambassador James D. McGEE
embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445 FAX: [268] 404-5959 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) | chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA
chancery: 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6683 FAX: [1] (202) 244-8059 |
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 | Swaziland continues to press South Africa into ceding ethnic Swazi lands in Kangwane region of KwaZulu-Natal province that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom |
Economic aid - recipient | $135 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) (1999) | $104 million (2001) |
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. | In this small landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 80% of the population. Manufacturing features a number of agroprocessing factories. Mining has declined in importance in recent years: diamond mines have shut down because of the depletion of easily accessible reserves; high-grade iron ore deposits were depleted by 1978; and health concerns have cut world demand for asbestos. Exports of soft drink concentrate, sugar, and wood pulp are the main earners of hard currency. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives nine-tenths of its imports and to which it sends more than two-thirds of its exports. Remittances from the Southern African Customs Union and Swazi workers in South African mines substantially supplement domestically earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. Prospects for 2002 are strengthened by the country's status as a beneficiary of the US African Growth and Opportunity Act initiative. |
Electricity - consumption | 153.45 million kWh (2000) | 900.66 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 564 million kWh
note: supplied by South Africa (2000) |
Electricity - production | 165 million kWh (2000) | 362 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 61%
hydro: 39% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel: 56%
hydro: 44% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m |
lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m
highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | Scandinavian | African 97%, European 3% |
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) | emalangeni per US dollar - 11.5808 (January 2002), 8.4933 (2001), 6.9056 (2000), 6.1087 (1999), 5.4807 (1998), 4.6032 (1997); note - the Swazi lilangeni is at par with the South African rand; emalangeni is the plural form of lilangeni |
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: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
head of government: Prime Minister Sibusiso Barnabas DLAMINI (since 9 August 1996) cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch |
Exports | $471 million f.o.b. (1999) | $702 million f.o.b. (2001) |
Exports - commodities | fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999) | soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit |
Exports - partners | Denmark 32%, UK 21%, France 9%, Germany 7%, Iceland 5%, US 5% (1996) | South Africa 72%, EU 12%, UK 6%, Mozambique 4%, US 4% (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
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) | three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $910 million (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $4.6 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 27%
industry: 11% services: 62% (1999) |
agriculture: 10%
industry: 43% services: 47% (1999 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $4,200 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5% (2000 est.) | 2.5% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 62 00 N, 7 00 W | 26 30 S, 31 30 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 | landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa |
Highways | total: 463 km
paved: 454 km unpaved: 9 km (1999) |
total: 3,800 km
paved: 1,064 km unpaved: 2,736 km (2002) |
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) | $850 million f.o.b. (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment 29%, consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, fuels, fish and salt (1999) | motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals |
Imports - partners | Denmark 28%, Norway 26%, Germany 7%, UK 6% Sweden 5%, Iceland 4%, US (1999) | South Africa 89%, EU 5%, Japan 2%, Singapore 2% (2000) |
Independence | none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) | 6 September 1968 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 8% (1999 est.) | 3.7% (FY95/96) |
Industries | fishing, fish processing, shipbuilding, construction, handicrafts | mining (coal), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textile and apparel |
Infant mortality rate | 6.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 109.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.1% (1999) | 7.5% (2001 est.) |
International organization participation | NC, NIB | ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | 6 (2001) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | 690 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | none | High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch |
Labor force | 24,250 (October 2000 ) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | fishing, fish processing, and manufacturing 33%, construction and private services 33%, public services 34% | NA |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 535 km
border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.14%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.86% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 9.77%
permanent crops: 0.7% other: 89.53% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish | English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official) |
Legal system | Danish | based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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 |
bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 16 and 24 October 1998 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local council of each constituency and for each constituency the three candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single winner by a second round |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.74 years
male: 75.28 years female: 82.21 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 37 years
male: 36.35 years female: 37.66 years (2002 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: 78.3% male: 78% female: 78.4% (1999 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, between Mozambique and South Africa |
Map references | Europe | Africa |
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 |
none (landlocked) |
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 Denmark | - |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; small Police Force and Coast Guard are maintained | Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), Royal Swaziland Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | $20 million (FY01/02) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | 4.75% (FY00/01) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 253,510 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 146,805 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Olaifest, 29 July | Independence Day, 6 September (1968) |
Nationality | noun: Faroese (singular and plural)
adjective: Faroese |
noun: Swazi(s)
adjective: Swazi |
Natural hazards | NA | drought |
Natural resources | fish, whales, hydropower | asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc |
Net migration rate | 2.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 0 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 parties are banned by the constitution - the following are considered political associations - Imbokodvo National Movement or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National Libertatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]; Swaziland National Front or SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 46,011 (July 2002 est.) | 1,123,605
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.74% (2002 est.) | 1.63% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Torshavn, Klaksvik, Tvoroyri, Runavik, Fuglafjordhur | none |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2001) |
Radios | 26,000 (1997) | 170,000 (1999) |
Railways | 0 km | total: 297 km
narrow gauge: 297 km 1.067-m gauge note: includes 71 km which are not in use (2001) |
Religions | Evangelical Lutheran | Zionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship) 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish and other 30% |
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: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age |
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: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system
domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 24,851 (1999) | 38,500 (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 10,761 (1999) | 45,000 (2001) |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995) | 5 plus 7 relay stations (2001) |
Terrain | rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast | mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains |
Total fertility rate | 2.27 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 5.77 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 1% (October 2000 ) | 34% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |