|RConstitution:|N Monarchy. Autonomous region of Denmark.
|RNature and climate:|N Archipelago with 21 islands between Scotland and Iceland. 17 of the islands are inhabited. The cliffs against north and west are often between 400 and 700 meters high, while the coasts in south and east are more sloping. Average height above sea level 300 m. Highest point 882 m.a.s.l.
The sea has cut out deep firths and created long narrow valleys.
Extreme maritime climate. Average temperature in January +4°C and in July +11°C. It rains 200 days every year. Percipitation 1600 mm. Mist is usual.
The Faeroe Islands lack forests. Only at protected places grass, moss- and moorplants grow. No domestic mammalia, but many birds.
|RPeople:|N Faeroese, that are closely related to the old Scandinavian peoples, especially Norwegian and Icelandic.
|REconomy:|N Birdcatch was formerly the most important source of incomes on the islands, but is not practiced nowadays.
Fishing accounts for 20% of GNP, 90% of the exportvalue and occupies 17% of the population.
Agriculture has been important but nowadays it occupies only 300 persons. Only 4% of the land is cultivated. The rest is mainly used as pasture. Most important agricultural products are mutton, milk, potatoes and vegetables.
The Faeroe Islands are not like the mothercountry Denmark member of the EC, but have a special agreement for trade.
|RHistory:|N Originally the Faeroe Islands were probably populated by Celts, but in the 9th century Norsemen invaded and regarded themselves as independent. From 1035 the Faeroe Islands were a Norwegean county, that in 1380 came under Danish sovereignty along with the rest of Norway.
During this period the Faeroes had a legislative assembly, lagtinget, which meant an extensive self-government.
In 1709 the Faeroes were tied more closely to Denmark. In 1816 the legislative assembly was abolished and the islands became a Danish county. In the middle of the 19th century a national movement occurred and the legislative assembly was reinstalled in 1856.
1940 to 1945 the Faeroe Islands were occupied by British forces and after World War II the Faeroes voted in favour of breaking the ties with Denmark. In the negotiations that followed the Faeroes gained internal self-government and possibilities to form a foreign policy of their own which made them agree to stay under the Danish crown.
