Country: Faroe Islands (part of the Danish realm) - Geography Total area: 1,400 km2; land area: 1,400 km2 Comparative area: slightly less than eight times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 764 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 4 nm; Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation; Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 3 nm Climate: mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy Terrain: rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast Natural resources: fish Land use: 2% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 98% other Environment: precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands; archipelago of 18 inhabited islands and a few uninhabited islets Note: strategically located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic about midway between Iceland and Shetland Islands - People Population: 47,715 (July 1990), growth rate 0.9% (1990) Birth rate: 17 births/1,000 population (1990) Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1990) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990) Infant mortality rate: 9 deaths/1,000 live births (1990) Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 81 years female (1990) Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1990) Nationality: noun--Faroese (sing., pl.); adjective--Faroese Ethnic divisions: homogeneous Scandinavian population Religion: Evangelical Lutheran Language: Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish Literacy: 99% Labor force: 17,585; largely engaged in fishing, manufacturing, transportation, and commerce Organized labor: NA - Government Long-form name: none Type: part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark Capital: Torshavn Administrative divisions: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) Independence: part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark Constitution: Danish Legal system: Danish National holiday: Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940) Executive branch: Danish monarch, high commissioner, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet (Landsstyri) Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Logting) Judicial branch: none Leaders: Chief of State--Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Bent KLINTE (since NA); Head of Government--Prime Minister Jogvan SUNDSTEIN (since 17 January 1989) Political parties and leaders: four-party ruling coalition--People's Party, Jogvan Sundstein; Republican Party, Signer Hansen; Progressive and Fishing Industry Party combined with the Christian People's Party (CPP-PFIP); Home Rule Party, Hilmar Kass; opposition--Social Democratic Party, Atli P. Dam; Cooperation Coalition Party, Pauli Ellefsen; Progress Party Suffrage: universal at age 20 Elections: Parliament--last held 8 November 1988 (next to be held November 1992); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(32 total) three-party coalition 21 (People's Party 8, Cooperation Coalition Party 7, Republican Party 6); Social Democrat 7, CPP-PFIP 2, Home Rule 2 Communists: insignificant number Member of: Nordic Council Diplomatic representation: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) Flag: white with a red cross outlined in blue that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) - Economy Overview: The Faroese enjoy the high standard of living characteristic of the Danish and other Scandinavian economies. Fishing is the dominant economic activity. It employs over 25% of the labor force, accounts for about 25% of GDP, and contributes over 80% to export revenues. A handicraft industry employs about 20% of the labor force. Because of cool summers agricultural activities are limited to raising sheep and to potato and vegetable cultivation. There is a labor shortage, and immigrant workers accounted for 5% of the work force in 1989. Denmark annually subsidizes the economy, perhaps on the order of 15% of GDP. GDP: $662 million, per capita $14,000; real growth rate 3% (1989 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.0% (1988) Unemployment rate: labor shortage Budget: revenues $176 million; expenditures $176 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY86) Exports: $267 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities--fish and fish products 86%, animal feedstuffs, transport equipment; partners--Denmark 18%, US 14%, FRG, France, UK, Canada Imports: $363 million (c.i.f., 1986); commodities--machinery and transport equipment 38%, food and livestock 11%, fuels 10%, manufactures 10%, chemicals 5%; partners: Denmark 46%, FRG, Norway, Japan, UK External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: 80,000 kW capacity; 280 million kWh produced, 5,910 kWh per capita (1989) Industries: fishing, shipbuilding, handicrafts Agriculture: accounts for 27% of GDP and employs 27% of labor force; principal crops--potatoes and vegetables; livestock--sheep; annual fish catch about 360,000 metric tons Aid: none Currency: Danish krone (plural--kroner); 1 Danish krone (DKr) = 100 ore Exchange rates: Danish kroner (DKr) per US$1--6.560 (January 1990), 7.310 (1989), 6.732 (1988), 6.840 (1987), 8.091 (1986), 10.596 (1985) Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March - Communications Highways: 200 km Ports: Torshavn, Tvoroyri; 8 minor Merchant marine: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 17,249 GRT/11,887 DWT; includes 1 short-sea passenger, 2 cargo, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 2 refrigerated cargo; note--a subset of the Danish register Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: good international communications; fair domestic facilities; 27,900 telephones; stations--1 AM, 3 (10 repeaters) FM, 3 (29 repeaters) TV; 3 coaxial submarine cables - Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of Denmark