HealthHealth (2013): physicians 76 (1 per 635 persons); hospital beds 227 (1

per 212 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births (2014) 6.3;undernourished population, n.a.

The Faroe Islands came under criticism once again from animalrights activists in July 2016 as islanders renewed the centuries-oldtradition of the grindadráp (“grind”), in which pods of pilot

whales are forced by boats to beach and are then slaughtered. Althoughwhaling was outlawed by the European Union, of which Denmark is amember, the Danish government said that it was up to the Faroe Islands,as a self-governing division of Denmark, to determine its own stance onwhaling. Islanders cited tradition and the subsistence nature of the prac-tice in their defense of it; activists condemned it as a bloody, brutalassault.

Vital statisticsBirth rate per 1,000 population (2015): 12.4 (world avg. 19.5).Death rate per 1,000 population (2015): 7.7 (world avg. 8.1).Life expectancy at birth (2015): male 79.0 years; female 84.4 years.

pally fish processing; also handicrafts, woolen textiles and clothing, andsmall ship repair. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr;2015) 314,000,000 ([2011] 274,000,000), by source (2013): fossil fuels39.9%; renewable energy 60.1%, of which hydroelectric 42.3%, wind17.8%; coal, none (none); crude petroleum, none (none); petroleumproducts (metric tons; 2012) none (193,000); natural gas, none (none).

Population economically active (20158): total 29,950; participation rates:ages 15–74, male 82.0%; female 79.1%; unemployed 3.5%, of whichyouth (ages 15–24; 2005) 9.4%.

Public debt (external, outstanding; January 2009): U.S.$511,448,000.Average household size: n.a.Land use as % of total land area (2009): in temporary crops, left fallow,

or in permanent crops 2.1%; in pasture, n.a.; forest area 0.1%.

Faroe Islands1

Official name: Føroyar (Faroese); Færøerne (Danish)(Faroe Islands).

Political status: self-governing overseas administrativedivision of Denmark with one legislative house(Løgting, or Parliament [33]).

Head of state: Danish Monarch, Queen Margrethe II.

Heads of government: High Commissioner (for Denmark) Dan M. Knudsen; PrimeMinister (for Faroe Islands) Aksel V. Johannesen.

Capital: Tórshavn (Thorshavn).Official languages: Faroese; Danish.Official religion: Faroese Lutheran2.Monetary unit: Danish krone3 (DKK); valuation (Sept. 1, 2016) 1 U.S.$ = DKK 6.65; 1

£ = DKK 8.84.

National economyBudget (2009). Revenue: DKK 4,042,000,000 (tax revenue 84.3%, trans-

fers from the Danish government 15.7%). Expenditures: DKK 4,544,-000,000 (current expenditure 94.9%, development expenditure 5.1%).

Gross national income (at current market prices; 2009): U.S.$2,232,-000,000 (U.S.$45,822 per capita).

Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing(2014): potatoes 1,600, other vegetables, grass, hay, and silage are pro-duced; livestock (number of live animals) 72,000 sheep, 2,650 cattle;roundwood, none; fisheries production 629,290 (including blue whiting226,228, mackerel 150,544, herring 43,327, cod 36,461, and pollock26,513; from aquaculture 13% [including salmon 70,893]). Pilot whalescaptured 48. Mining and quarrying: negligible7. Manufacturing: princi-

Foreign trade9

Imports (2015): DKK 6,095,038,000 (machinery and apparatus 23.5%,food and food products 17.3%, refined petroleum products 13.1%,chemicals and chemical products 9.0%, road vehicles 7.1%). Majorimport sources: Denmark 27.7%; Norway 15.3%; Germany 10.0%;China 6.0%; Sweden 4.7%; Italy 2.7%; other 33.6%.

Exports (2015): DKK 6,851,804,000 (chilled, frozen, salted and dried fish96.6%, ships and aircraft 0.5%). Major export destinations (2015):Russia 25.9%; U.S. 8.8%; U.K. 8.6%; Denmark 7.5%; Germany 5.3%;China 5.2%; other 38.7%.

TransportTransport. Railroads: none. Roads (2007): total length 292 mi, 470 km

(paved 99%); passenger-km (2011) 216,900,000; metric ton-km cargo,n.a. Vehicles (20164): passenger cars 22,188; trucks, vans, and buses4,458.

MilitaryDefense responsibility lies with Denmark.

1English-language alternative spelling is Faeroe Islands. 2Formally independent of thenational Danish Lutheran church from July 2007. 3The local currency, the Faroesekróna (plural krónur), is equivalent to the Danish krone. Banknotes used are Faroeseor Danish; coins are Danish. 4January 1. 5Represents the 5 main islands (with associ-ated islets) and the northeasternmost (Northern) islands. Actual local administrationis based on 34 municipalities. 6Detail does not add to total given because of rounding.7The maritime boundary demarcation agreement between the Shetland Islands (U.K.)and the Faroes in 1999 has allowed for the still unsuccessful exploration for deep-seapetroleum as of mid-2015. 8November. 9Imports c.i.f.; exports f.o.b.

Internet resources for further information:• Statistics Faroe Islands www.hagstova.fo/en• Statistics Denmark www.dst.dk/en

DemographyPopulation (2016): 49,500.Density (2016): persons per sq mi 91.6, persons per sq km 35.4.Urban-rural (2014): urban 42.0%; rural 58.0%.Sex distribution (20164): male 51.68%; female 48.32%.Age breakdown (20164): under 15, 20.9%; 15–29, 18.6%; 30–44, 17.9%;

45–59, 19.8%; 60–74, 15.5%; 75–84, 5.1%; 85 and over, 2.2%.Population projection: (2020) 50,500; (2030) 51,500.Ethnic composition (20154): Faroese 88.7%; Danish 7.3%; other

Scandinavian 1.3%; Filipino 0.3%; other 2.4%.Religious affiliation (2005): Protestant c. 91%, of which Lutheran c.

79%, Plymouth Brethren c. 10%; other (mostly nonreligious) c. 9%.Major municipalities (20164): Tórshavn 20,521; Klaksvík 4,961; Runavík

3,911; Eystur 2,022; Vága 1,991.

Area and population area population

Largest 20164

Regions5 municipalities sq mi sq km estimate

Eysturoy Runavík 110 286 10,944Nordhoy (Northern) Klaksvík 93 241 5,931Sandoy Skopun 48 125 1,263Streymoy Tórshavn 151 392 23,353Sudhuroy Tvøroyri 64 167 4,586Vágar Sørvágur 73 188 3,106TOTAL 5406 1,399 49,183

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