Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Faroe Islands
local short form: Foroyar
local long form: none
Dependency status:
part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark since 1948
Government type:
NA
Capital:
Torshavn
Administrative divisions:
none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 49 municipalities
Independence:
none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark)
National holiday:
Olaifest, 29 July
Constitution:
5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)
Legal system:
Danish
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January
1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS, chief
administrative officer (since 1 November 2001)
election results: Anfinn KALLSBERG elected prime minister; percent
of parliamentary vote - 52.8%
note: coalition of People's Party, Republican Party, Home Rule
Party, and Center Party
elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held
30 April 2002 (next to be held no later than April 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Anfinn KALLSBERG (since 15 May
1998)
cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister
Legislative branch:
unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats; members are
elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven
constituencies to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 26%,
Republican Party 23.7%, Social Democrats 20.9%, People's Party 20.8%
Home Rule Party 4.4%, Center Party 4.2%; seats by party - Union
Party 8, Republican Party 8, Social Democrats 7, People's Party 7,
Home Rule Party 1, Center Party 1
note: election of 2 seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on
20 November 2001 (next to be held no later than November 2005);
results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican
Party 1, Union Party 1
elections: last held 30 April 2002 (next to be held no later than
April 2006)
Judicial branch:
none
Political parties and leaders:
Center Party [Tordur NICLASEN]; Home Rule Party [Helena Dam a
NEYSTABO]; People's Party [Oli BRECKMANN]; Republican Party
[Finnabogi ISAKSON]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD];
Union Party [Edmund JOENSEN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
IMO (associate), NC, NIB
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Flag description:
white 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)