opposition—Cooperation Coalition Party, Pauli ELLEFSEN;
Republican Party, Signer HANSEN;
Progressive and Fishing Industry Party-Christian People's Party
(PFIP-CPP), leader NA; Progress Party, leader NA; Home Rule Party, Hilmar
KASS
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 20
_#_Elections:
Faroese Parliament—last held 17 November 1990 (next to be held November 1994); results—Social Democratic 27.4%, People's Party 21.9%, Cooperation Coalition Party 18.9%, Republican Party 14.7%, Home Rule 8.8%, PFIP-CPP 5.9%, other 2.4%; seats—(32 total) two-party coalition 17 (Social Democratic 10, People's Party 7), Cooperation Coalition Party 6, Republican Party 4, Home Rule 3, PFIP-CPP 2;
Danish Parliament—last held on 12 December 1990 (next to be held by December 1994); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(2 total) Social Democratic 1, People's Party 1; note—the Faroe Islands elects two representatives to the Danish Parliament
_#_Communists: insignificant number
_#_Member of:
_#_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 Dannebrog (Danish flag)
_*Economy #_Overview: The Faroese, who have long been enjoying the affluent living standards of the Danes and other Scandinavians, now must cope with the decline of the all-important fishing industry and with an external debt twice the size of annual income. When the nations of the world extended their fishing zones to 200 nautical miles in the early 1970s, the Faroese no longer could continue their traditional long-distance fishing and subsequently depleted their own nearby fishing areas; one estimate foresaw a 25% drop in fish catch in 1990 alone. Half the fishing fleet is for sale, and the 22 fish-processing plants work at only half capacity. The government no longer can maintain its high level of spending on roads and tunnels, hospitals, sports facilities, and other social welfare programs.