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Faroe Islands Government Profile

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Country nameconventional long form: none

conventional short form: Faroe Islands

local long form: none

local short form: Foroyar

etymology: the archipelago's name may derive from the Old Norse word "faer," meaning sheep
Dependency statuspart of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948
Government typeparliamentary democracy (Faroese Parliament); part of the Kingdom of Denmark
Capitalname: Torshavn

geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 6 46 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: the meaning in Danish is Thor's harbor
Administrative divisionspart of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark; there are 29 first-order municipalities (kommunur, singular - kommuna) Eidhi, Eystur, Famjin, Fuglafjordhur, Fugloy, Hov, Husavik, Hvalba, Hvannasund, Klaksvik, Kunoy, Kvivik, Nes, Porkeri, Runavik, Sandur, Sjovar, Skalavik, Skopun, Skuvoy, Sorvagur, Sumba, Sunda, Torshavn, Tvoroyri, Vagar, Vagur, Vestmanna, Vidhareidhi
Independencenone (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
National holidayOlaifest (Olavsoka) (commemorates the death in battle of King OLAF II of Norway, later St. OLAF), 29 July (1030)
Constitutionhistory: 5 June 1953 (Danish Constitution), 23 March 1948 (Home Rule Act), and 24 June 2005 (Takeover Act) serve as the Faroe Islands' constitutional position in the Unity of the Realm

amendments: see entry for Denmark
Legal systemthe laws of Denmark apply where applicable
Citizenshipsee Denmark
Suffrage18 years of age; universal
Executive branchchief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Lene Moyell JOHANSEN, chief administrative officer (since 15 May 2017)

head of government: Prime Minister Bardhur A STEIG NIELSEN (since 16 September 2019)

cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held on 31 August 2019 (next to be held in 2023)

election results: Bardhur A STEIGNIELSEN elected prime minister; Parliament vote - NA
Legislative branchdescription: unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (33 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
the Faroe Islands elect 2 members to the Danish Parliament to serve 4-year terms

elections: Faroese Parliament - last held on 31 August 2019 (next to be held in 2023)
Faroese seats in the Danish Parliament last held on 5 June 2019 (next to be held no later than June 2023)

election results: Faroese Parliament percent of vote by party - People's Party 24.5%, JF 22.1%, Union Party 20.3%, Republic 18.1%, Center Party 5.4%, Progressive Party 4.6%, New Self-Government Party 3.4%, other 1.4%, seats by party - People's Party 8, JF 7, Union Party 7, Republic 6, Center Party 2, Progressive Party 2, New Self-Government Party 1, composition - men 25, women 8; percent of women 24.2%
Faroese seats in Danish Parliament - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Social Democratic Party 1, Republican Party 1; composition - 2 men
Judicial branchhighest courts: Faroese Court or Raett (Rett - Danish) decides both civil and criminal cases; the Court is part of the Danish legal system

subordinate courts: Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif; Mixed Commercial Court; Land Court
Political parties and leadersCenter Party (Midflokkurin) [Jenis av RANA]
Self-Government Party (Sjalvstyri or Sjalvstyrisflokkurin) [Jogvan SKORHEIM]
People's Party (Folkaflokkurin) [Jorgen NICLASEN]
Progressive Party (Framsokn) [Poul MICHELSEN]
Republic (Tjodveldi) [Hogni HOYDAL] (formerly the Republican Party)
Social Democratic Party (Javnadarflokkurin) or JF [Aksel V. JOHANNESEN]
Union Party (Sambandsflokkurin) [Bardhur A STEIG NIELSEN]
International organization participationArctic Council, IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UNESCO (associate), UPU
Diplomatic representation in the USnone (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Diplomatic representation from the USembassy: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Flag descriptionwhite with a red cross outlined in blue extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted toward the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); referred to as Merkid, meaning "the banner" or "the mark," the flag resembles those of neighboring Iceland and Norway, and uses the same three colors - but in a different sequence; white represents the clear Faroese sky, as well as the foam of the waves; red and blue are traditional Faroese colors

note: the blue on the flag is a lighter blue (azure) than that found on the flags of Iceland or Norway
National symbol(s)ram; national colors: red, white, blue
National anthemname: "Mitt alfagra land" (My Fairest Land)

lyrics/music: Simun av SKAROI/Peter ALBERG

note: adopted 1948; the anthem is also known as "Tu alfagra land mitt" (Thou Fairest Land of Mine); as a self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark, the Faroe Islands are permitted their own national anthem

Source: CIA World Factbook
This page was last updated on September 18, 2021