Faroe Islands a reaction to the growing self-government and independence movements, Denmark finally granted the Faroe Islands home-rule with a high degree of local autonomy on 30 March 1948. In 1973 the Faroe Islands declined to join Denmark in entering the European Economic Community (later absorbed into the European Union). The islands experienced considerable economic difficulties following the collapse of the fishing industry in the early 1990s, but have since made efforts to diversify the economy. Support for independence has grown and is the objective of the Republican Party. The Faroe Islands are an island group consisting of 18 major islands (and
Religion in the Faroe Islands (0.19%), 12 Jews (0.03%), 13 Baha'i (0.04%), 3 Sikh (0.01%), 149 Others (0.43%), 85 with more than one belief (0.25%) and 1,397 with no religion (4.04%). The Catholic Church has nearly 150 adherents. There are also small groups of Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Ahmadi Muslims and Bahá'ís in the country. Religion in the Faroe Islands Religion in the Faroe Islands consists largely of the Lutheran Church of the Faroe Islands, but also includes smaller Protestant groups such as the Open Brethren, as well as a few Catholics and adherents of non-Trinitarian religions, such as the Jehovah's Witnesses. The Church of