Compare Faroe Islands (2003) - British Indian Ocean Territory (2002)

Compare Faroe Islands (2003) z British Indian Ocean Territory (2002)

	Faroe Islands (2003)	British Indian Ocean Territory (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% (male 5,103; female 5,077) 15-64 years: 64.4% (male 15,822; female 14,002) 65 years and over: 13.7% (male 2,842; female 3,499) (2003 est.)	-
Agriculture - products	milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish	-
Airports	1 (2002)	1 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Area	total: 1,399 sq km land: 1,399 sq km water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)	total: 60 sq km land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
Area - comparative	eight times the size of Washington, DC	about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
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.	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.
Birth rate	13.81 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-
Budget	revenues: $488 million expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (1999)	-
Capital	Torshavn	-
Climate	mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy	tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline	1,117 km	698 km
Constitution	5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)	-
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Faroe Islands local long form: none local short form: Foroyar	conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT
Currency	Danish krone (DKK)	-
Death rate	8.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-
Debt - external	$64 million (1999)	-
Dependency status	part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948	overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)	none (overseas territory of the UK)
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	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
Economic aid - recipient	$55 million (annual subsidy from Denmark)	-
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 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.	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.
Electricity - consumption	149.1 million kWh (2001)	NA kWh
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	-
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	-
Electricity - production	160.4 million kWh (2001)	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 62.4% hydro: 37.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Environment - current issues	NA	NA
Ethnic groups	Scandinavian	-
Exchange rates	Danish kroner per US dollar - 7.89 (2002), 8.32 (2001), 8.08 (2000), 6.98 (1999), 6.7 (1998)	-
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 2002 (next to be held no later than April 2006) election results: Anfinn KALLSBERG elected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote - 52.8% note: coalition of People's Party, Republican Party, Home Rule Party, and Center Party	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
Exports	NA (2001)	-
Exports - commodities	fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999)	-
Exports - partners	Denmark 39.9%, UK 32.1%, Norway 7.4%, Netherlands 6.1% (2002)	-
Fiscal 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)	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
GDP	purchasing power parity - $1 billion (2001 est.)	-
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	62 00 N, 7 00 W	6 00 S, 71 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	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
Highways	total: 463 km paved: 454 km unpaved: 9 km (1999)	total: NA km paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia unpaved: NA km
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	-
Imports	NA (2001)	-
Imports - commodities	machinery and transport equipment 29%, consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, fuels, fish and salt (1999)	-
Imports - partners	Denmark 53.8%, Norway 24.2%, Iceland 5.7% (2002)	-
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	total: 6.52 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)	-
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	5.1% (1999)	-
International organization participation	IMO (associate), NC, NIB	-
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	2 (2000)	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: 2.14% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.86% (1998 est.)	arable land: NEGL permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)
Languages	Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish	-
Legal system	Danish	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
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% Home Rule Party 4.4%, Center Party 4.2%; seats by party - Union Party 8, Republican Party 8, Social Democrats 7, People's Party 7, Home Rule 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: 78.9 years male: 75.44 years female: 82.36 years (2003 est.)	-
Literacy	definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: similar to Denmark proper	-
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 Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Map references	Europe	Political Map of the 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 fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM
Merchant marine	total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 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	defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
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	NA	NA
Natural resources	fish, whales, hydropower	coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Net migration rate	1.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-
Political parties and leaders	Center Party [Tordur NICLASEN]; Home Rule Party [Helena Dam a NEYSTABO]; 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	46,345 (July 2003 est.)	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.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	-
Population growth rate	0.7% (2003 est.)	-
Ports and harbors	Torshavn, Klaksvik, Tvoroyri, Runavik, Fuglafjordhur	Diego Garcia
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios	-	NA
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: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 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	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)
Telephones - main lines in use	24,851 (1999)	NA
Telephones - mobile cellular	10,761 (1999)	-
Television broadcast stations	3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995)	1 (1997)
Terrain	rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast	flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)
Total fertility rate	2.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)	-
Unemployment rate	1% (October 2000)	-
Waterways	none	none

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