Faroe Islands

Faroe Islands

[Flag of
Denmark]

Adopted 1380

[Flag of
Faroe Islands (Denmark)]

22 Jun 1919 - 25 Apr 1940 Unofficial;

25 Apr 1940 - 23 Mar 1948 Ensign;

Adopted 23 Mar 1948

Map of the Faroe Islands Faroe National Anthem
"Mítt alfagra land"
(My Fairest Land)
From 1906, Adopted 1948 Danish National Anthem
"Der er et yndigt land"
(There Is A Lovely Land)
Home Rule Act
(1 Apr 1948)

Capital: Tórshavn
(Thorshavn)
Currency: Danish Krone (DKK); and from 31 May 1940 Faroe Islands Króna (FOK)
National Holiday: 29 Jul (1030)
Ólavsøkudagur
(Saint Olav's Day/National Day) Population: 51,018 (2018)

GDP: $2.47 billion (2015) Exports: $1.18 billion (2016)
Imports: $978.4 million (2016) Ethnic groups: Faroese 87.6% (Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon descent), Danish 7.8%, other Nordic 1.4%, other 3.2%
(includes Filipino, Thai, British) (2018)

Total Police Forces: 170 (2012)
Defense is the Responsibility of Denmark
Merchant marine: 100 ships (2018) Religions: Christian 88.1% (predominantly Evangelical
Lutheran), Baha'i 0.3%, not religious 1.7%,
unspecified 10% (2015)

International Organizations/Treaties: AC, EFTA, FAO (associate), IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WHO (associate)

Faroe Islands
Chronology
bf.650 Settled by Irish monks. c.795 Settlements vacated.c.825 Gallo-Norse settlement led by Grímr Kamban (Cámban) 1035 Under Norwegian suzerainty by submission. 12 Sep 1380 Danish rule over Norway (and dependencies including Faroes) begins. 1391 - 1400? Part of the feudal fief of Sir Henry Sinclair, Earl of Orkney (d. 1400?) as vassal of Norway. 1566 Administration becomes subordinated to Copenhagen (rather than Norway). 6 Jan 1655 Income of Faroes and trading rights leased to ChristofferGabel, on 19 Jan 1661 the lease is extended to his and his son's lifetime. On 3 Apr 1662 trade monopoly granted to Gabel also. 14 May 1709 - 6 Mar 1720 Administration subordinated to Sjællands Stift. 17 Jun 1709 Danish crown re-takes possession. 6 Mar 1720 - 6 Sep 1775 Administration subordinated to Iceland. 6 Sep 1775 - 6 Jul 1816 Administration subordinated to Sjællands Stift. 30 Mar 1808 British crew of HMS Clio entered Tórshavn and briefly captured the fort at Skansin. 6 May 1808 German privateer, who had assumed the name "Baron von Hompesch," plunders Tórshavn. 24 Jan 1814 Recognized as a Danish possession by the Treaty of Kiel following the end of union with Norway. 6 Jul 1816 Faroes become a separate county of Denmark (Faroe amt). 13 Apr 1940 - 13 May 1945 Allied (British) occupation. 9 May 1940 In consequence of Denmark being under German occupation, the amtmand temporarily assumes governing powers. 14 Sep 1946 Referendum leaves status undecided (pro- independence 48.7% vs. 47% against) leading to status negotiations with Denmark. 1 Apr 1948 Self-government granted. 1 Jan 1973 Remains outside the European Communities when Denmark joins (confirmed by Faroes 22 Jan 1974). 25 Apr 2018 New constitution referendum scheduled (then delayed).

Allied
Occupation
(1940-1945)

Chiefs 9.. - 9.. Sigmundr (Sigmund)9.. - c.970 Brestir Sigmundarson (Sigmundsson) (b. 9.. - d. c.970)9.. - c.970 Beinir Sigmundarson (Sigmundsson) (b. 9.. - d. c.970)96. - c.970 Hafgrímr (Havgrímur) (b. 9.. - d. c.970) c.970 - 999 Thrándr Thórbjörnsson (b. 9.. - d. 1035) (Tróndur Tórbjørnsson) 97. - c.983 Össurr Hafgrímsson (b. c.960 - d. c.983) (Øssur Havgrímsson)c.983 - c.1005 Sigmundr (Sigmundur) Brestisson (b. c.961 - d. c.1005) (co-ruler to 999)c.1005 - 1035 Thrándr Thórbjörnsson ae Götu (b. 94. - d. 1035) (Tróndur Tórbjørnsson í Gøtu)1035 - 104. LeifrÖssurarson (b. 98. - d. 104.) (Leivur Øssurarson) Land Bailiffs (Landfogeden)(in Tórshavn)1556 - 1569 Anders Jude1573 - 1578 Joachim Thim 1579 - 1581 Mads Poulssøn (Poulsen) 1582 Søren Christensøn Flue (b. 15.. - d. 1596) 1583 - 1584 Mikkel Ibsøn (Ibsen) 1584 - 1585 Niels Hanssøn Skinkel til (b. c.1546 - d. 1617) Gjerskov og Søholm 1586 - 1587 Lyder Augustinssøn 1588 - 1591 Mats Batzersøn (Mads Batzersen) 1592 - 1593 Mogens Nielssøn (Nielssen) 1593 - 159. Søren Nielssøn (Nielssen)(1st time)(b. 15.. - d. 1600?) 159. - 1597 Strange Madsøn (Madsen) (b. 15.. - d. 1619?) (2nd time) 1598 Søren Nielssøn (Nielssen)(2nd time) 1599 - 12 Aug 1619 Strange Madsøn(2nd time) (s.a.) 1620 - 1644 Mads Christensøn (Christensen) (b. 15.. - d. 1644?) Gullandsfar 1645 - 1648 Hans Selmer 1649- 1655 Christen Madsøn (Madsen) 1655 Baltzer Jacobsøn (Balzer Jacobsen)Commander of the Faroes(Befalingsmand over Faerøerne)(in Copenhagen)1655 - 18 Apr 1670 Christoffer Gabel (b. 1617 - d. 1673) (from 28 Aug 1664, Christoffer vonGabel til Bavelse og Giskenhagen)Governor(in Copenhagen) 18 Apr 1670 - 21 Jun 1708 Frederik von Gabel til (b. 1645? - d. 1708) Rantzausholm og Bregentved Land Bailiffs (in Tórshavn) 1656 - 1664 Johan Heideman (b. 16.. - d. 1682) 1664 - 1674 Severin (Søren) Pedersen Skougaard (b. 16.. - d. 1684) 1675 - 1680 Christopher Johansen Heideman (b. 16.. - d. 1703) 1680 - 17 Jun 1709 Hans Willumsen (b. 1648? - d. 1720) 17 Jun 1709 - 24 Jul1715 Jørgen Christian Klein (b. 16.. - d. 1721) 24 Jul 1715 - 1723 Didrik Marcussen (Markussen) (b. 16.. - d. 1723) Prefects(Amtmaend) of the Faroes 6 Mar 1720 - 6 Mar 1775 the governors of Iceland Prefects of the Faroes (also theStiftamtmaend of Sjælland)(in Copenhagen) 18 Mar 1776 - 31 Mar 1787 Henrik Adam Brockenhuus til (b. 1720 - d. 1803) Jungshoved og Nysø 1 Apr 1787 - 26 May 1790 Gregers Kristian, greve von (b. 1732 - d. 1802) Haxthausen 26 May 1790 - 6 Jul 1802 Johan Heinrich Knuth, greve til (b. 1746 - d. 1802) Knuthenborg Gyldensten 6 Jul 1802 - 23 Jul 1802 .... (acting)23 Jul 1802 - 12 Nov 1810 Frederik Hauch (b. 1754 - d. 1839) 12 Nov 1810 - 22 May 1816 Verner Jasper Andreas, greve Moltke(b. 1755 - d. 1835) Land Bailiffs 1720 - 1723 Didrik Marcussen (Markussen) (s.a.) 1723 - 25 Jul 1723 Carl Hans Høppner (acting) 25 Jul 1723 - 29 Jun 1765 Jørgen Frantz Hammershaimb (b. 1688 - d. 1765)1765 - 1815 Wenceslaus Hammershaimb (b. 1744 - d. 1828)1815 - 6 Jul 1816 Emilius Marius Georgius Løbner (b. 1766 - d. 1849)Prefects(AmtmaendpaaFaerøerne)(in Tórshavn) 6 Jul 1816 - 30 Jun 1828 Emilius Marius Georgius Løbner (s.a.) (acting to 1821) 1 Jul 1828 - 1830 Christian Ludvig Tillisch (b. 1797 - d. 1844) 1830 - 1837 Frederik Ferdinand Tillisch (b. 1801 - d. 1889) 1837 - 31 Dec 1848 Christian Pløyen (b. 1803 - d. 1867) 1849 - 1862 Carl Emil Dahlerup (b. 1813 - d. 1890) 1862 - 1871 Peter Holten (b. 1816 - d. 1897) 1871 - 1885 Hannes Kristján Steingrímur Finsen (b. 1828 - d. 1892) 1885 - 31 Mar 1897 Lorentz Høyer Buchwaldt (b. 1841 - d. 1933) 1 Apr 1897 - 31 Mar 1911 Christian Baerentsen (b. 1862 - d. 1944) 1 Apr 1911 - Aug 1918 Svenning Krag Nielsen Rytter (b. 1875 - d. 1957) Aug 1918 - 6 Feb 1920 Victor Stahlschmidt (b. 1884 - d. 1920) May 1920 - 31 Mar 1929 Elias Olrik (b. 1885 - d. 1975) 1 Apr 1929 - May 1936 Hjalmar Ringberg (b. 1889 - d. 1978) May 1936 - 30 Nov 1945 Carl Aage Hilbert (b. 1899 - d. 1953) 1 Dec 1945 - 31 Mar 1948 Cai Andrias Vagn-Hansen (b. 1911 - d. 1990) High Commissioners (Rigsombudsmandpå Faerøerne/Ríkisumbodsmadur) 1 Apr 1948 - 1954 Cai Andrias Vagn-Hansen (s.a.) 1954 - 1961 Niels Elkaer-Hansen (b. 1915 - d. 2007) 1961 - 1972 Mogens Wahl (b. 1918 - d. 1986) 1972 - 30 Jun 1981 Leif Groth (b. 1930 - d. 2009) 1 Jul 1981 - 31 Mar 1988 Niels Bentsen (b. 1936 - d. 2017) 1 Apr 1988 - 30 Jun 1995 Bent Klinte (b. 1939) 1 Jul 1995 - 31 Oct 2001 Vibeke Larsen (f) (b. 1949) 1 Nov 2001 - 31 Jul 2005 Birgit Kleis (f) (b. 1956) 1 Aug 2005 - 31 Dec 2007 Søren Christensen (b. 1940) 1 Jan 2008 - 15 May 2017 Dan Michael Knudsen (b. 1962)15 May 2017 - Lene Moyell Johansen (f) (b. 1968) (acting to 1 Aug 2017)

Lögsögumenn (Lawspeakers of the Thing [þing])10.. - 10.. Gilli 10.. - 12.. .... 12.. - 13.. Sigurdr (Sjúrdur) 13.. - 13.. Símon (Símun) 13.. - 1412 Dagfinnr Hálfdanarson (Dagfinnur Halvdanarson)1412 - 14.. Haraldr Kálfsson (Haraldur Kálvsson)c.1450 Róaldr (Roald) 1479 - 1524 Jörundr Skógdrífsson (b. 14.. - d. 1524) (Jørundur Skógdrívsson)1524 - 1531 Thórmódr Sigurdsson (b. 14.. - d. 1531) (Tórmódur Sigurdsson) Løgmenn (chief ministers) 1531 - 1543 Anders Guttormsen (b. c.1490 - d.1543) (Andras Guttormsson)1544 - 19 May 1571 Guttorm Andersen (b. c.1515 - d. 1571) (Guttormur Andrasson) 1572 - 1583 Joen Heinesen (Jógvan Heinason) (b. 1541 - d. 1602)1583 - 1587 Isak Guttormsen (Ísak Guttormsson) (b. 15.. - d. 1587)1588 - 1600 Peder Jacobsen (Paetur Jákupsson) (b. 15.. - d. 1600) 1601 - 1607 Thomas Simonsen (Tummas Símunarson)(b. 15.. - d. 1607) 1608 - 1628 Zacharias Thormodsen (b. 15.. - d. 1628) (Zakarias Tormódsson)1629 - 1654 Joen Justinussen (b. c.1560 - d. 1654) (Jógvan Jústinisson) 1654 - 1655 Joen Poulsen (Jógvan Pálsson) (b. 16.. - d. 1677) (1st time)1655 - 1662 Balzer Jacobsen 1662 - 1677 Joen Poulsen (2nd time) (s.a.) 1677 - 1679 Jacob Johansen (Jákup Jógvansson) 1679 - 26 Jan 1706 Johan Hendrik Weyhe (b. c.1644 - d. 1706) 26 Jan 1706 - 1706 Frederik Severinsen Skougaard (b. 1666 - d. 1751) (acting)1706 - 27 Jan 1755 Samuel Pederseni Lamhauge (b. 1676 - d. 1755) (Sámal Paetursson)1752 - 1769 Hans Jacobsen (Jákupsson) Debes (b. 1723 - d. 1769) (acting to 1455)1769 Peder Samuelsen Weyhe (acting) (b. 1715 - d. 1775) 1769 - 1772 Thorkild Fjeldsted (b. 1741 - d. 1796) 1772 - 1786 Jacob Bentzon Hveding (b. 1736 - d. 1819) 1786 - 1806 Johan Michael Lund (b. 1753 - d. 1824) 1806 - 1816 Jørgen Frantz Hammershaimb (b. 1767 - d. 1820)1816 - 12 May 1948 post abolished Prime ministers (Løgmenn) 12 May 1948 - 15 Dec 1950 Andrass Samuelsen (b. 1873 - d. 1954) SF 15 Dec 1950 - 9 Jan 1959 Kristian Djurhuus (1st time) (b. 1895 - d. 1984) SF 9 Jan 1959 - 4 Jan 1963 Peter Mohr Dam (1st time) (b. 1898 - d. 1968) JF 4 Jan 1963 - 12 Jan 1967 Hákun Djurhuus (b. 1908 - d. 1987) FF 12 Jan 1967 - 19 Nov 1968 Peter Mohr Dam (2nd time) (s.a.) JF 19 Nov 1968 - 10 Dec 1970 Kristian Djurhuus (2nd time) (s.a.) SF 10 Dec 1970 - 5 Jan 1981 Atli Paetursson Dam (1st time) (b. 1932 - d. 2005) JF 5 Jan 1981 - 10 Jan 1985 Poen Pauli Højgaard Ellefsen (b. 1936 - d. 2012) SF 10 Jan 1985 - 18 Jan 1989 Atli Paetursson Dam (2nd time) (s.a.) JF 18 Jan 1989 - 15 Jan 1991 Jógvan Sundstein (b. 1933 - d. 2024) JF 15 Jan 1991 - 18 Jan 1993 Atli Paetursson Dam (3rd time) (s.a.) JF 18 Jan 1993 - 15 Sep 1994 Marita Petersen (f) (b. 1940 - d. 2001) JF 15 Sep 1994 - 15 May 1998 Edmund Esbern Johannes Joensen (b. 1944) SF 15 May 1998 - 3 Feb 2004 Anfinn Kallsberg (b. 1947 - d. 2024) FF 3 Feb 2004 - 26 Sep 2008 Jóannes Dan Eidesgaard (b. 1951) JF 26 Sep 2008 - 15 Sep 2015 Kaj Leo Holm Johannesen (b. 1964) SF 15 Sep 2015 -16 Sep 2019 Aksel Vilhelmsson Johannesen (b. 1972) JF (1st time) 16 Sep 2019 - 22 Dec 2022 Bárdur á Steig Nielsen (b. 1972) SF 22 Dec 2022 - Aksel Vilhelmsson Johannesen (s.a.) JF (2nd time)

Allied (British) Occupation

British Officer Commanding, Force Sandall (on Operation Valentine) 13 Apr 1940 - 16 Apr 1940 Thomas Bernard Washbourn Sandall (b. 1896 - d. 1979)British Naval Officers-in-Charge 16 Apr 1940 - 1 Jun 1941 William Reginald Denys Crowther (b. 1883 - d. 1974) 1 Apr 1941 - 27 Nov 1941 Richard Thornton Down (b. 1882 - d. 1944) 27 Nov 1941 - 25 Feb 1945 Noel Marcus Francis Corbett (b. 1887 - d. 1962) 25 Feb 1945 - 13 May 1945 Horace George Gorton (b. 1891 - d. 1976)

British Consuls to the Faroe Islands 13 Apr 1940 - 1942 Frederick Cecil Mason (b. 1913 - d. 2008) 19 Dec 1942 - 1943 Allen Price (b. 1905 - d. 1970) 1943 - 1945 ....

Territorial Disputes:Because anticipated offshore hydrocarbon resources have not been realized, earlier Faroese proposals for full independence have been deferred; the U.K., Iceland, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; in 2019, Denmark signed continental shelf delimitation agreements with Iceland and Norway to parts of the continental shelf in the Ægir Basin, which is located north of the Faroe Islands.

Party abbreviations: FF= Hin føroyski Fólkaflokkurin (People's Party, liberal conservative, pro-independence, Eurosceptic, est.1939);JF= Javnadarflokkurin (Equality Party, social-democratic,officially neutral but pro-links with Denmark, pro-EU,est.25 Sep 1925); MF= Midflokkurin (Centre Party, center-right, christian-democratic, est.30 May 1992);NSS= Nýtt Sjálvstýri (New Self-rule,social-liberal,pro-independence, former SSF, est.Jun 2015); SF = Sambandsflokkurin(Union Party, conservative,center-right, agrarian,pro-continued union with Denmark, est.Aug 1906); T=Tjódveldi (Republic, eco-socialist, pro-independence,Eurosceptic, former TF, est.Sep 2007); - Former parties: SSF= Sjálvstýrisflokkurin (Self-Government Party, social-liberal,pro-independence, 1909-Jun 2015, renamed NSS); TF= Tjódveldisflokkurin (Republican Party, socialist, pro-independence, 22 May 1948-Sep 2007, renamed T); VF= Vinnuflokkurin (Business Party, conservative, 1935-1940, merged into FF)