Faroe Islands
 

Adopted 1380          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 "Tú Alfagra Land Mítt" (My land, oh most beauteous) Adopted 1948 Danish National Anthem "Der er et yndigt land" (There Is A Lovely Land)  Home Rule Act (1 Apr 1948) Capital: Tórshavn  Currency: Danish Krone (DKK)  National Holiday: 29 Jul (1030) Ólavsøka (St. Olav's Day) Population: 48,584 (2007) GDP: $1 billion (2001) Exports: $598 million (2005) Imports: $639 million (2004)  Ethnic groups: Faeroese 97%, Danish 2.5%, other Scandinavian 0.4%, other 0.1% (2000) Total Police Forces: N/A Defense is the Responsibility of Denmark Merchant marine: 18 ships (2006) Religions: Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark 80.8%, Plymouth Brethren 10.1%, Roman Catholic 0.2%,  other (mostly non-religious) 8.9% (1995) International Organizations/Treaties: AC, FAO (associate), IMO (associate), NC, NIB , UPU Faroe Islands Chronology c.650 - c.825              Settlement by Celtic monks. c.825                      Norse conquest and settlement. 970 - 1280                 Republic (periodically a dependency of Orkney). 1035                       Norwegian rule. 24 Jun 1298                First local constitutional law ("Sheep Letter"). 12 Sep 1380                Part of Denmark (from 1396, part of Danish                               county of Sjaelland). 1655 - 1709                Granted as a feudal estate to the von Gabel                              family by the King of Denmark. 1709                       Danish crown again takes possession. 1720 - 1776                Administered as part of Iceland. 1776                       Administered as part of Sjælland (Sealand) county                              of Denmark. 24 Jan 1814                Recognized as Danish possession by the Treaty                              of Kiel. 1816                       Faroe Islands become separate county. 12 Apr 1940 - 16 Sep 1945  British occupation. 14 Sep 1946                Referendum votes independence 48.7% to 47%;                              independence is declared on 18 Sep 1946,                              declaration is annulled by Denmark on 20 Sep. 30 Mar 1948                Self-government granted.

Rulers
c.800                      Grim Kamban "the Lame"
c.965                      Halfgrim
                           - jointly with following two -
c.965                      Breste Gataskeggi
c.965                      Breine Gataskeggi
c.1000                     Sigmundur Brestisson
c.1000                     Tróndur í Gøtu 
                             (in opposition to Sigmundur)
early/mid 1000's           Leif Ossurson
Governors
1280 - 1655                .... 
1655 - 1671                Christoffer von Gabel              (d. 1671)
1671 - 21 Jun 1708         Frederik von Gabel                 (b. 16.. - d. 1708)
1709 - 1720                Committee
                           - Jørgen Kristian Klein (to 1715)
                           - Didrik Markussen (from 1715)
                           - Rasmus Juel
                           - Samuel Pedersen
1720 - 1776                the governors of Iceland¹
Prefects of Sjælland
1776 - 1787                Henrik Adam Brockenhuus            (b. 1720 - d. 1803)
1787 - 1790                Gregers Kristian von Haxthausen    (b. 1732 - d. 1802)
1790 - 1802                Johan Heinrich Knuth               (b. 1746 - d. 1802)
1802 - 1810                Frederik Hauch                     (b. 1754 - d. 1839)
1810 - 1816                Verner Jasper Andreas Moltke       (b. 1755 - d. 1835)
Prefects
1816 - 1825                Emilius Marius Georgius Løbner     (b. 1766 - d. 1849)
1825 - 1830                Ludvig Christian Tillisch          (b. 1797 - d. 1844)
1830 - 1837                Frederik Ferdinand Tillisch        (b. 1801 - d. 1889)
1837 - 1849                Christian Pløyen                   (b. 1803 - d. 1867)
1849 - 1862                Carl Emil Dahlerup                 (b. 1813 - d. 1890)
1862 - 1871                Peter Holten                       (b. 1816 - d. 1892)
1871 - 1885                Hannes Christian Steingrim Finsen  (b. 1828 - d. 1892)
1885 - 1897                Lorens Høyer Buchwaldt             (b. 1841 - d. 1933)
1897 - 1911                Christian Bærentsen                (b. 1862 - d. 1944)
1911 - 1918                Svenning Krag Nielsen Rytter       (b. 1875 - d. 1955)
1918 - 1920                Victor Stahlschmidth               (b. 1884 - d. 1920)
1920 - 1929                Elias Olrik                        (b. 1885 - d. 1975)
1929 - 1936                Hjalmar Ringberg                   (b. 1889 - d. 1978)
1936 - 1945                Carl Aage Hilbert                  (b. 1899 - d. 1953)
British Naval officers-in-charge
16 Apr 1940 -  1 Apr 1941  William Reginald Denys Crowther    (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        (d. 1962)
25 Feb 1945 - Apr 1945     Horace George Gorton               (d. 1976)
Prefect
1945 - 1948                Cai A. Vagn-Hansen                 (b. 1911 - d. 1990)
High Commissioners (Rigsombudsmand)
1948 - 1954                Cai A. Vagn-Hansen                 (s.a.)
1954 - 1961                Niels Elkær-Hansen                 (b. 1915)
1961 - 1972                Mogens Wahl                        (b. 1918 - d. 1986)
1972 - 1981                Leif Groth                         (b. 1930)
1981 - 1988                Niels Bentsen                      (b. 1936)
1988 - 1995                Bent Klinte                        (b. 1939)
1995 -  1 Nov 2001         Vibeke Larsen (f)                  (b. 1944)
 1 Nov 2001 -  1 Aug 2005  Birgit Kleis (f)                   (b. 1956)
 1 Aug 2005 -  1 Jan 2008  Søren Christensen                  (b. 1940)
 1 Jan 2008 -              Dan M. Knudsen                     (b. 1962)

Løgmenn
1555 - 1572                Guttorm Andersen 
1572 - 1583                Joen Heinesen
1583 - 1588                Isak Guttormsen
1588 - 1601                Peder Jacobsen 
1601 - 1608                Thomas Simonsen 
1608 - 1628                Zacharias Thormodsen 
1628 - 1653                Joen Justinussoen 
1654 - 1655                Joen Poulsen (1st time)
1655 - 1661                Baltzer Jacobsen 
1661 - 1677                Joen Poulsen (2nd time)
1677 - 1679                Jacob Joensen 
1679 - 1706                Jóhan Hendrik Weyhe
1706 - 1755                Sámal Pætursson                    (d. 1755)
1755 - 1769                Hanus Jákupsson Debes              (b. 1723 - d. 1769)
1769 - 1772                Thorkild Fieldsted
1772 - 1786                Jacob Hveding
1786 - 1805                Johan Michael Lund                 (b. 1753 - d. 1824)
1805 - 1816                Jørgen Frants Hammershaimb         (b. 1767 - d. 1820)
1816 - 1946                Post abolished
Chairman of the Lagting
18 Sep 1946 - 20 Sep 1946  Thorstein Petersen                 (b. 1899 - d. 1960)  VF/FF
Prime ministers
12 May 1948 - 15 Dec 1950  Andreas Samuelsen                  (b. 1873 - d. 1954)  SF
15 Dec 1950 -  8 Jan 1959  Kristian Djurhuus (1st time)       (b. 1895 - d. 1984)  SF
 8 Jan 1959 -  4 Jan 1963  Petur 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  Petur Mohr Dam (2nd time)          (s.a.)               JF
19 Nov 1968 - 12 Dec 1970  Kristian Djurhuus (2nd time)       (s.a.)               JF
12 Dec 1970 -  5 Jan 1981  Atli P. Dam (1st time)             (b. 1932 - d. 2005)  JF
 5 Jan 1981 - 10 Jan 1985  Pauli Ellefsen                     (b. 1936)            JF
10 Jan 1985 - 18 Jan 1989  Atli P. Dam (2nd time)             (s.a.)               JF
18 Jan 1989 - 15 Jan 1991  Jógvan Sundstein                   (b. 1933)            JF
15 Jan 1991 - 18 Jan 1993  Atli P. 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 Joensen                     (b. 1944)            SF
15 May 1998 -  3 Feb 2004  Anfinn Kallsberg                   (b. 1947)            FF
 3 Feb 2004 -              Jóannes Eidesgaard                 (b. 1951)            JF

Bailiffs¹ (Landfogeden/Landfúta)
1579 - 1581                Mads Poulsen 
1582                       Sören Christensön Flue 
1583 - 1584                Mikkel Ibsön
1584                       Niels Skinkel til Gierskov 
1586 - 1587                Lyder Augustissön 
1588 - 1591                Mads Batzersön 
1592 - 1593                Mogens Nielssön 
1593 - 1594                Sören Nielssön (1st time)
1597                       Strange Madssön (1st time)
1598                       Sören Nielssön (2nd time) 
1599 - 1619                Strange Madssön (2nd time)
1620 - 1644                Mads Christensön Gullandsfar
1645 - 1647                Hans Selmer 
1648 - 1655                Christen Madssön
1655                       Baltzer Jacobsen
1656 - 1664                Johan Heideman 
1664 - 1674                Sören Pedersön Skougaard 
1675 - 1680                Christopher Heideman 
1680 - 1708/09             Hans Willumsön 
1708/09 - 1715             Jörgen Kristian Klein
1715 - 1723                Didrik Markussen 
1723 - 1765                Jørgen Frands Hammershaimb
1765 - 1815                Venceslaus Hammershaimb
Underfogde¹ (deputy chiefs of police)
1715 - 1750                Carl Hans Hypner
1750 - 1762                Friederich Carl Hammershaimb
1780 - 1785                Johan Joensen Aargaard
1785 - 1815                Børge Schultz 
Sorenskriver¹ (judges)
15.. - 1584                Niels Andrasson 
1584 - 1620/21             Gabriel Mitens 
1622 - 1623                Jacob Jacobsön 
1628 - 1639                Jacob Pederssön Morsing Gulsmed 
1640 - 1645                Jacob Willumssön Hannemand
1646                       Hans Madssön 
1647 - 1664                Nils Jacobssön
1670 - 1674                Peder Sörensen Broberg (1st time)
1675 - 1676                Hans Joensen (acting)
1677 - 1694                Peder Sörensen Broberg (2nd time)
1694 - 1705                Morten Mortensen 
1705 - 1751                Frederik Schougaard
1751 - 1753                Frederik Jonassen
1753 - 1760                Joen Jacobsen Færøe 
1760 - 1775                Peder Samuelsen Weyhe
1775 - 1782                Peder Pedersen Weyhe

  ¹The Danish officers in the Faroe Islands when the governorship resided with the
governors of Iceland 1720 - 1776.
 

Territorial Disputes: Because anticipated offshore hydrocarbon resources have not been realized, earlier Faroese proposals for full independence have been deferred; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm. 

Party abbreviations: FF = Fólkaflokkurin (People's Party, conservative, pro-independence);
JF = Foroya Javnaðarflokkurin (Faroese Social Democratic Party, social-democratic); 
MF = Miðflokkurin (Centre Party, christian-democratic); SF = Sambandsflokkurin (Unionist Party, conservative); SSF = Sjálvstýrisflokkurin (Home Rule Party, social-liberal);
TF = Tjóðveldisflokkurin (Party for People's Government-Republican Party, socialist, pro-independence); VF = Vinnuflokkurin (Business Party, liberal)