
Population growth on the Faroe Islands
From 1960 to 2020 the population of the Faroe Islands increased from 34,624.00 to 48,865.00 people. This is a growth by 41.1 percent in 60 years. The highest increase on the Faroe Islands was recorded in 1961 with 1.30%. The biggest decrease in 1993 with -1.00%.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 156.0 percent.
The average age on the Faroe Islands in 2020 was 37.20 years (median value).
Around 42% of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 0.8% annually.
› Population growth in worldwide comparison
Back to overview: Faroe Islands
Population development on the Faroe Islands since 1960
(Data given in 1000 inhabitants)Year | Population Faroe Islands | Change | Birthrate | Deathrate | Population World | Change | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1961 | 35,000 | 1.30 % | 3,072 M | 1.30 % | |||
1962 | 36,000 | 1.27 % | 3,125 M | 1.72 % | |||
1963 | 36,000 | 1.25 % | 3,190 M | 2.08 % | |||
1964 | 36,000 | 1.23 % | 3,255 M | 2.05 % | |||
1965 | 37,000 | 1.19 % | 3,322 M | 2.06 % | |||
1966 | 37,000 | 1.19 % | 3,392 M | 2.11 % | |||
1967 | 38,000 | 1.13 % | 3,462 M | 2.05 % | |||
1968 | 38,000 | 1.13 % | 3,533 M | 2.06 % | |||
1969 | 39,000 | 1.13 % | 3,607 M | 2.09 % | |||
1970 | 39,000 | 1.16 % | 21.1 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 3,682 M | 2.09 % | |
1971 | 39,000 | 1.15 % | 20.2 ‰ | 8.0 ‰ | 3,761 M | 2.13 % | |
1972 | 40,000 | 1.16 % | 20.5 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 3,837 M | 2.03 % | |
1973 | 40,000 | 1.20 % | 20.5 ‰ | 7.7 ‰ | 3,913 M | 1.98 % | |
1974 | 41,000 | 1.12 % | 19.9 ‰ | 7.6 ‰ | 3,988 M | 1.93 % | |
1975 | 41,000 | 1.09 % | 19.2 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 4,063 M | 1.86 % | |
1976 | 42,000 | 1.05 % | 18.3 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 4,135 M | 1.80 % | |
1977 | 42,000 | 0.98 % | 18.2 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 4,208 M | 1.75 % | |
1978 | 43,000 | 0.96 % | 17.5 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 4,281 M | 1.75 % | |
1979 | 43,000 | 0.95 % | 18.4 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 4,357 M | 1.76 % | |
1980 | 43,000 | 0.93 % | 17.1 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 4,433 M | 1.75 % | |
1981 | 44,000 | 0.89 % | 17.2 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 4,511 M | 1.76 % | |
1982 | 44,000 | 0.86 % | 16.4 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 4,592 M | 1.80 % | |
1983 | 44,000 | 0.87 % | 15.4 ‰ | 8.1 ‰ | 4,674 M | 1.78 % | |
1984 | 45,000 | 0.93 % | 15.4 ‰ | 7.8 ‰ | 4,756 M | 1.75 % | |
1985 | 45,000 | 0.96 % | 16.3 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 4,839 M | 1.75 % | |
1986 | 46,000 | 1.07 % | 17.2 ‰ | 8.1 ‰ | 4,925 M | 1.77 % | |
1987 | 46,000 | 1.15 % | 16.8 ‰ | 8.0 ‰ | 5,013 M | 1.78 % | |
1988 | 47,000 | 1.06 % | 18.4 ‰ | 9.0 ‰ | 5,101 M | 1.77 % | |
1989 | 47,000 | 0.70 % | 19.5 ‰ | 7.8 ‰ | 5,190 M | 1.74 % | |
1990 | 47,000 | 0.25 % | 19.9 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 5,280 M | 1.74 % | |
1991 | 47,000 | -0.32 % | 18.3 ‰ | 8.4 ‰ | 5,368 M | 1.67 % | |
1992 | 47,000 | -0.80 % | 17.2 ‰ | 8.5 ‰ | 5,453 M | 1.57 % | |
1993 | 46,000 | -1.00 % | 16.6 ‰ | 8.4 ‰ | 5,538 M | 1.56 % | |
1994 | 46,000 | -0.93 % | 15.0 ‰ | 8.0 ‰ | 5,622 M | 1.52 % | |
1995 | 46,000 | -0.49 % | 14.8 ‰ | 8.4 ‰ | 5,707 M | 1.51 % | |
1996 | 46,000 | 0.00 % | 15.5 ‰ | 9.1 ‰ | 5,790 M | 1.45 % | |
1997 | 46,000 | 0.36 % | 15.1 ‰ | 8.6 ‰ | 5,872 M | 1.43 % | |
1998 | 46,000 | 0.67 % | 14.0 ‰ | 8.5 ‰ | 5,954 M | 1.39 % | |
1999 | 46,000 | 0.72 % | 13.9 ‰ | 8.9 ‰ | 6,034 M | 1.35 % | |
2000 | 47,000 | 0.67 % | 15.1 ‰ | 7.7 ‰ | 6,114 M | 1.32 % | |
2001 | 47,000 | 0.56 % | 13.6 ‰ | 7.7 ‰ | 6,194 M | 1.30 % | |
2002 | 47,000 | 0.50 % | 15.0 ‰ | 8.3 ‰ | 6,273 M | 1.28 % | |
2003 | 47,000 | 0.43 % | 14.7 ‰ | 8.5 ‰ | 6,352 M | 1.26 % | |
2004 | 48,000 | 0.34 % | 14.8 ‰ | 7.9 ‰ | 6,432 M | 1.25 % | |
2005 | 48,000 | 0.28 % | 14.7 ‰ | 8.6 ‰ | 6,512 M | 1.25 % | |
2006 | 48,000 | 0.13 % | 13.7 ‰ | 8.7 ‰ | 6,593 M | 1.24 % | |
2007 | 48,000 | 0.07 % | 14.0 ‰ | 7.9 ‰ | 6,674 M | 1.24 % | |
2008 | 48,000 | -0.01 % | 13.8 ‰ | 7.9 ‰ | 6,757 M | 1.24 % | |
2009 | 48,000 | -0.02 % | 12.6 ‰ | 7.9 ‰ | 6,840 M | 1.22 % | |
2010 | 48,000 | -0.02 % | 13.2 ‰ | 7.2 ‰ | 6,922 M | 1.20 % | |
2011 | 48,000 | 0.03 % | 12.0 ‰ | 8.0 ‰ | 7,004 M | 1.18 % | |
2012 | 48,000 | 0.06 % | 12.9 ‰ | 8.5 ‰ | 7,089 M | 1.22 % | |
2013 | 48,000 | 0.12 % | 13.0 ‰ | 7.6 ‰ | 7,176 M | 1.22 % | |
2014 | 48,000 | 0.13 % | 13.2 ‰ | 8.1 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
2015 | 48,000 | 0.19 % | 12.4 ‰ | 7.7 ‰ | 7,348 M | 1.18 % | |
2016 | 48,000 | 0.25 % | 13.6 ‰ | 7.7 ‰ | 7,434 M | 1.17 % | |
2017 | 48,000 | 0.32 % | 13.1 ‰ | 8.9 ‰ | 7,519 M | 1.15 % | |
2018 | 48,000 | 0.35 % | 13.4 ‰ | 7.7 ‰ | 7,602 M | 1.11 % | |
2019 | 49,000 | 0.37 % | 13.2 ‰ | 8.0 ‰ | 7,683 M | 1.06 % | |
2020 | 49,000 | 0.39 % | 7,762 M | 1.02 % |

Birth- and deathrate on the Faroe Islands
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. The example of the year 2019 in the graph: The population on the Faroe Islands increased by about 180 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 8.0 per 1000 people (~ 390 deaths) and the birth rate was 13.2 per 1000 people (~ 640 births). As a result, around 70 inhabitants have migrated to other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 382 on the Faroe Islands. The number of births was 625 annually.
The development of births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1000 inhabitants.
Birthrate Deathrate