Population
12. Jul 2021
Population was 53,358 on 1 June

The Faroese population has increased by 834 people (1.6%) since 1 June 2020.

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The population trend is determined by net migration figures and the excess of births over deaths. The 1.6% growth over the past year is made up of a net migration increase of 495 people and an excess of births of 339 children. The past two years have seen a slight decrease in net migration and a slight increase in the excess of birth, resulting in a steady annual population growth of about 1.6%.

The solid lines in the graph below show the trend for immigration and emigration.

The solid lines in the graph below show the trend for births and deaths.

The table below shows the population in each municipality in June 2020 and June 2021.

Like last year, Tórshavnar, Klaksvíkar and Runavíkar municipalities have the highest population figures, and Fugloyar, Skúgvoyar and Fámjins municipalities have the lowest.

Tórshavn saw the highest population growth over the past year, while the biggest drop was in Sumbiar municipality, which saw a decline of 8 people.

The highest growth in percentage terms was in Hovs municipality, which increased by 6 people (6.2%), followed by Sands municipality, which increased by 22 people (4.1%). The biggest percentage decline was in Fugloyar, Kunoyar and Húsavíkar municipalities, which dropped by 2.6%, or 4, 3 and 1 people, respectively.

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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.