Part 280

Area - comparative: eight times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,117 km

Maritime claims: 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

Elevation extremes: lowest point : Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m

Natural resources: fish, whales

Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures : 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 94% (1996)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

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

@Faroe Islands:People

Population: 39,873 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years : 25% (male 4,960; female 4,812) 15-64 years: 60% (male 12,913; female 11,117) 65 years and over: 15% (male 2,708; female 3,363) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: -6.36% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 11.46 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 9.05 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -38.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years : 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 10.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.37 years male: 75.41 years female : 81.32 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.37 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun : Faroese (singular and plural) adjective: Faroese

Ethnic groups: Scandinavian

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran