Faroe Islands

Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about halfway between Iceland and Norway

62 00 N, 7 00 W

Europe

eight times the size of Washington, D.C.

1,117 km

mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy

rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast

fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

the island of Streymoy is by far the most populous with over 40% of the population; it has approximately twice as many inhabitants as Eysturoy, the second most populous island; seven of the inhabited islands have fewer than 100 people

strong winds and heavy rains can occur throughout the year

archipelago of 17 inhabited islands, 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

Faroese 83.8% (Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon descent), Danish 8.3%, Filipino 1.2%, other Nordic 0.9%, other 4.5% (includes Polish and Romanian) (2024 est.)

Faroese 93.8% (derived from Old Norse), Danish 3.2%, other 3% (2011 est.)

Christian 87% (predominantly Evangelical Lutheran), other 0.9%, none 3.7%, unspecified 8.9% (2011 est.)

0.62% (2025 est.)

14.76 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

8.58 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

the island of Streymoy is by far the most populous with over 40% of the population; it has approximately twice as many inhabitants as Eysturoy, the second most populous island; seven of the inhabited islands have fewer than 100 people

21,000 TORSHAVN (capital) (2018)

2.26 children born/woman (2025 est.)

1.09 (2025 est.)

2.62 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

52.3% (2021 est.)

7.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

parliamentary democracy (Faroese Parliament); part of the Kingdom of Denmark

part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948

the laws of Denmark apply 

see Denmark

18 years of age; universal

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Arctic Council, IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UNESCO (associate), UPU

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Olaifest (Olavsoka), 29 July (1030)

ram

high-income Danish territorial economy; party neither to the EU nor the Schengen Area; associate Nordic Council member; very low unemployment; unique foreign ownership allowance in fishing industry; known salmon exporter; growing IT industries

$3.907 billion (2023 est.)

milk, potatoes, lamb/mutton, sheepskins, sheep offal, beef, sheep fat, beef offal, cattle hides, beef suet (2023)

fishing, fish processing, tourism, small ship repair and refurbishment, handicrafts

Russia 26.4%, UK 14.1%, Germany 8.4%, China 7.9%, Spain 6.8%, Denmark 6.2%, US 4.7%, Poland 4.4%, Norway 4.1% (2017)

fish and fish products (2021)

Denmark 33%, China 10.7%, Germany 7.6%, Poland 6.8%, Norway 6.7%, Ireland 5%, Chile 4.3% (2017)

goods for household consumption, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, raw materials and semi-manufactures, cars

1 publicly owned TV station; the Faroese telecommunications company distributes local and international channels through its digital terrestrial network; publicly owned radio station supplemented by 3 privately owned stations broadcasting over multiple frequencies

.fo

OY-H

1 (2025)

12 (2025)

no regular military forces or conscription

the Government of Denmark has responsibility for defense; as such, the Danish military’s Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk, Greenland is responsible for coordinating the defense of the Faroe Islands; the Joint Arctic Command has a contact element in the capital of Torshavn