Faroe Islands

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

name: Torshavn geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 6 46 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name means "Thor's harbor" in Danish

chief of state: King FREDERIK X of Denmark (since 14 January 2024), represented by High Commissioner Lene Moyell JOHANSEN, chief administrative officer (since 15 May 2017) (2024) head of government: Prime Minister Aksel V. JOHANNESEN (since 22 December 2022) cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the Parliament usually elects the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as the prime minister most recent election date: 8 December 2022 expected date of next election: 2026

legislature name: Faroese Parliament (Logting) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 33 (directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 12/8/2022 parties elected and seats per party: JF (9); B (7); A (6); E (6); F (3); H (2) percentage of women in chamber: 27.3% expected date of next election: 2026 note: the Faroe Islands elect 2 members to the Danish Parliament to serve 4-year terms

highest court(s): Faroese Court or Raett (Rett in Danish) decides both civil and criminal cases; the Court is part of the Danish legal system subordinate courts: Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premi re Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif; Mixed Commercial Court; Land Court

history: 5 June 1953 (Danish Constitution), 23 March 1948 (Home Rule Act), and 24 June 2005 (Takeover Act) serve as the Faroe Islands' constitutional position in the Unity of the Realm amendment process: see entry for Denmark

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

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

$3.834 billion (2023 est.) $3.741 billion (2022 est.) $3.613 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$70,400 (2023 est.) $69,400 (2022 est.) $67,800 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

2.5% (2023 est.) 3.6% (2022 est.) 5.5% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

$2.255 billion (2023 est.) $2.219 billion (2022 est.) $1.923 billion (2021 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$2.212 billion (2023 est.) $2.223 billion (2022 est.) $1.906 billion (2021 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars

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

milk, potatoes, lamb/mutton, sheepskins, sheep offal, beef, sheep fat, beef offal, cattle hides, beef suet (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 52,933 (2024 est.) male: 27,400 female: 25,533

0.62% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 20% (male 5,489/female 5,122) 15-64 years: 61.5% (male 17,188/female 15,346) 65 years and over: 18.5% (2024 est.) (male 4,723/female 5,065)

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

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

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

total population: 81.7 years (2024 est.) male: 79.2 years female: 84.4 years

urban population: 43% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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.) note: data represent respondents by country of birth

Faroese 93.8% (derived from Old Norse), Danish 3.2%, other 3% (2011 est.) note: data represent population by primary language

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

fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

1 (2025)

total: 91 (2023) by type: container ships 6, general cargo 45, other 40

total subscriptions: 57,146 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106 (2022 est.)

percent of population: 98% (2017 est.)