Population
15. Mar 2023
Almost 54,300 people lived in the Faroes in February
The population growth continues for the ninth consecutive year. This growth has, however, slowed down somewhat compared to previous years, mainly due to a significant drop in the excess of births over deaths. This drop is, however, partially balanced out by increased net migration. The result is a trend reflecting continued population growth, as seen in the graph below.
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The population trend is determined by the excess of live births over deaths and net migration, i.e. the difference between the number of immigrants and the number of emigrants. The population growth in the past year comes from an excess of births of 144 and a net migration figure of 490. The table below shows a slight increase in net migration and a large decline in the excess of births compared with the previous 12-month period.
No change in net migration
The graph below shows the trend in immigration and emigration. There has been a relatively high increase in both immigration and emigration since 2020. The nearly parallel trends indicate an equal increase in immigration and emigration. Net migration thus remains at the same level as in 2020, with an average monthly figure of about 40.
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Lower excess of births
The graph below shows the trend in birth and death rates. Although the trend has been very stable in recent years, the unusually high number of deaths in the first half of 2022 is visible in the trend. The birth rate trend has been on a slow decline since 2020, a year with relatively high birth rates. The excess of live births over deaths has thus dropped significantly in the past two years.
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Growth in most municipalities
The table below shows the population across the 29 municipalities, with details for each town and village on 1 February 2022 and 1 February 2023.
The population grew in 21 out of the 29 municipalities in the past year. Tórshavn, Runavík and Nes municipalities had the highest growth, while Hvalba and Sumba had the biggest decline.
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Population figures have a one-month lag
The figures have a one-month lag due to delays in registrations, especially regarding address changes, where many registrations are made after the month of address change has ended. To accommodate as many corrections as possible, there is a one-month lag in the data.
About the population figures
The population is defined as all individuals registered in the national register as residents of the Faroe Islands. Population data includes date of birth, gender, place of birth, citizenship, relationship status, and, where applicable, information on immigration and emigration, domestically as well as between the Faroe Islands and other nations.
About the trend
The trend describes the population trend by adjusting for seasonal effects and other error components in the population figure.