Long-form name: none

Type: part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division

Capital: Torshavn

Administrative divisions: none (overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Independence: part of the Danish realm; self-governing overseas administrative division

Constitution: Danish

Legal system: Danish

National holiday: Birthday of the Queen, 16 April (1940)

Branches: legislative authority rests jointly with crown, acting through appointed high commissioner, and 32-member provincial parliament (Lagting) in matters of strictly Faroese concern; executive power vested in crown, acting through high commissioner, but exercised by provincial cabinet responsible to provincial parliament

Leaders: @m5Chief of State--Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Bent KLINTE (since NA 19 ); @m5Head of Government--Prime Minister Jogvan SUNDSTEIN (since 17 January 1989)

Suffrage: universal, but not compulsory, over age 20

Elections: held every four years; most recent, 8 November 1988

Political parties and leaders: four-party ruling coalition--People's Party, Jogvan Sundstein; Republican Party, Signer Hansen; Progressive and Fishing Industry Party combined with the Christian People's Party (CPP-PFIP); Home Rule Party, Hilmar Kass; opposition--Social Democratic Party, Atli P. Dam; Union Party, Pauli Ellefsen; Progress Party

Voting strength: (8 November 1988 election) four-party coalition--18 of 32 seats; People's, 8 seats; Republican, 6 seats; CPP-PFIP, 2 seats; Home Rule, 2 seats; other parties--Social Democratic, 7 seats; Union, 7 seats

Communists: insignificant number

Member of: Nordic Council

Diplomatic representation: none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag: white with a red cross outlined in blue that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the @m5Dannebrog (Danish flag)

NOTE: The information regarding Faroe Islands on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Faroe Islands Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Faroe Islands Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.