Faroe Islands (2005) | Saint Helena (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 | 1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha* |
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.) |
0-14 years:
19.08% (male 699; female 687) 15-64 years: 71.72% (male 2,711; female 2,500) 65 years and over: 9.2% (male 286; female 383) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish | corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on Tristan da Cunha) |
Airports | 1 (2004 est.) | 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total:
1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 1,399 sq km
land: 1,399 sq km water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams) |
total:
410 sq km land: 410 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes St. Helena Island, Ascension, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha, which consists of Tristan da Cunha Island, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, and the three Nightingale Islands |
Area - comparative | eight times the size of Washington, DC | slightly more than two 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. | Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, St. Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Ascension Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield; Gough Island has a meteorological station. |
Birth rate | 13.97 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 13.49 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $488 million
expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (1999) |
revenues:
$11.2 million expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92) |
Capital | Torshavn | Jamestown |
Climate | mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy | Saint Helena - tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds; Tristan da Cunha - temperate; marine, mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena) |
Coastline | 1,117 km | 60 km |
Constitution | 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution) | 1 January 1989 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Faroe Islands local long form: none local short form: Foroyar |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Saint Helena |
Currency | - | Saint Helenian pound (SHP) |
Death rate | 8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 6.33 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 territory of the UK |
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 | 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 | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $135 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) (1998) | $12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997) |
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 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. | The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost one-half of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from fishing, the raising of livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK. |
Electricity - consumption | 204.6 million kWh (2002) | 5.6 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 220 million kWh (2002) | 6 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | Scandinavian | African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25% |
Exchange rates | Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002), 8.3228 (2001), 8.0831 (2000) | Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.6764 (January 2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6047 (1997), 0.6403 (1996); note - the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound |
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 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 |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief David HOLLAMBY (since NA June 1999) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch |
Exports | NA | $704,000 (f.o.b., 1995) |
Exports - commodities | fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999) | fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts |
Exports - partners | Denmark 33.5%, UK 29.7%, Norway 8.4%, Nigeria 7.2% (2004) | South Africa, UK |
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) | blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $18 million (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 - $22,000 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1998 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 10% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 62 00 N, 7 00 W | 15 56 S, 5 42 W |
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 | harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns |
Highways | total: 463 km
paved: 454 km unpaved: 9 km (1999) |
total:
158 km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km) paved: 138 km (Saint Helena 98km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km) unpaved: NA km 20 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | NA | $14.434 million (c.i.f., 1995) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment 29%, consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, fuels, fish and salt (1999) | food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts |
Imports - partners | Denmark 52.8%, Norway 18.3%, Iceland 4.4%, Sweden 4.2% (2004) | UK, South Africa |
Independence | none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 8% (1999 est.) | NA% |
Industries | fishing, fish processing, small ship repair and refurbishment, handicrafts | construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing |
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.) |
22.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.1% (1999) | 3.2% (1997 est.) |
International organization participation | IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UPU | ICFTU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | none | Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court; Small Debts Court; Juvenile Court |
Labor force | 24,250 (October 2000) | 3,500 (1998 est.)
note: 1,200 of whom are working offshore |
Labor force - by occupation | fishing, fish processing, and manufacturing 33%, construction and private services 33%, public services 34% | agriculture and fishing 6%, industry (mainly construction) 48%, services 46% (1987 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.14%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.86% (2001) |
arable land:
6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 6% other: 82% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish | English |
Legal system | Danish | NA |
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 |
unicameral Legislative Council (15 seats, including the speaker, 3 ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 9 July 1997 (next to be held NA August 2001) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.21 years
male: 75.77 years female: 82.67 years (2005 est.) |
total population:
77.01 years male: 74.13 years female: 80.04 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: probably the same as Denmark proper |
definition:
age 20 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1987 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 | islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about mid-way between South America and Africa |
Map references | Europe | Africa |
Maritime claims | 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 |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
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) |
none (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Denmark | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | no regular military forces | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | - |
National holiday | Olaifest (Olavasoka), 29 July | Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) |
Nationality | noun: Faroese (singular and plural)
adjective: Faroese |
noun:
Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian |
Natural hazards | NA | active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha |
Natural resources | fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas | fish |
Net migration rate | 0.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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] | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 46,962 (July 2005 est.) | 7,266 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.62% (2005 est.) | 0.72% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Torshavn | Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 3,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | Evangelical Lutheran | Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic |
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.) |
at birth:
1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | NA 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: 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 |
general assessment:
can communicate with any place in the world domestic: automatic network international: HF radiotelephone from Saint Helena to Ascension which is a major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK ; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 23,000 (2002) | 2,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 30,700 (2002) | 0 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995) | 0 (1997) |
Terrain | rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast | Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin |
Total fertility rate | 2.2 children born/woman (2005 est.) | 1.53 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 1% (October 2000) | 14% (1998 est.) |
Waterways | - | none |