Tuesday, June 19, 2018

The Faroe Islands seriously consider independence.

"We've been occupied by Denmark for 600 years! That is enough and we need to change that soon," the white-haired captain tells AFP on his wooden sailing ship.


Located more than 1,100 kilometres (more than 680 miles) northwest of powerhouse Copenhagen, the Faroe Islands have since 1948 had their own white, blue and red flag with an offset cross, their own language originating from the Viking's Old Norse and institutions and culture.

With its breathtakingly green and high mountains covered by fog and inhabited by more sheep than people, the island territory is weighing the idea of pushing its autonomy to full independence.
"We are not Danes, we will never be Danes, we can't be Danes, we are Faroese and that's it... we have to stand up for it and fight for it," says Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Poul Michelsen, who's also the leader of the separatist Progressive Party.
The islands' economy is flourishing compared to Greenland, another Danish autonomous territory, thanks to fishing, agriculture and rising tourism, although oil exploration efforts have drawn a blank.
Unemployment is almost non-existent, gross domestic product per capita exceeds that of Denmark and the Faroese authorities feel so confident that they've asked Copenhagen to freeze their annual subsidies, meaning that their importance for the local economy is gradually shrinking over time.





3 comments:

  1. I wonder how much undersea oil they can claim?

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  2. over five hundred years ago, Iceland had the same issues with imperial Denmark as the Faroese have with Denmark today. when the Danes took the last of the charcoal from Iceland as tribute, they split away from Iceland and they went their separate ways. I say good luck and fair thee well to the Faroese!

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  3. Aren't they supposed to present a long list of grievances & oppressions?

    They really should declare war against the USA; that'll get them on the map, and they'll be as well known as the Dutchy of Grand Fenwick!

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