The Faroe Islands are inhabited by Norwegian colonists during the Viking period. It officially becomes a possesion of Norway in 1035. Denmark seizes the Faroe Islands in 1380 and annexes them to Denmark. In 1655 Danish king gives the islands as a feudal estate to the von Gabel family, but in 1709 the island become a Danish crown possession again. Denmark adminisers the islands from 1720 as part of Iceland and from 1776 as part of Sjælland county. The Faroe Islands have autonomy and even an own parliament. In 1816 the autonomy is abandoned although the islands become become a separate county as the Faroe Islands. From 1940-1945 the islands are under British occupation.

In 1948 the Faroe Islands gain internal self-government and for the first time the Faroe Islands have prime minister: Andrass Samuelsen of the Sambandsflokkurin (Union Party, SF). He is succeeded by his co-partisan Kristian Djurhuus in 1950, first in a coalition with the Fólkaflokkurin (People's Party, FF) and after 1954 in coltion with the Sjálvstýrisflokkurin (Self-Government Party, SSF). After nine years Petur Mohr Dam of the social democratic Javnadarflokkurin (Social Democratic Party, JF) becomes prime minister in 1959, succeeded in 1963 by Hákun Djurhuus of the Fólkaflokkurin. Mohr Dam becomes prime minister again in 1967, but is succeeded in 1968 by Kristian Djurhuus. In 1970 Atli P. Dam of the Javnadarflokkurin becomes prime minister, which he remains until 1981 in diverse coalitions. In 1981 Pauli Ellefsen of the Sambandsflokkurin succeeds him, but after four years Dam becomes prime minister again. Between 1989 and 1991 Jógvan Sundstein of the Fólkaflokkurin is prime minister, but Dam becomes prime minister again in 1991. Dams premiership ends finally in 1993: he withdraws in favoru of his co-partisan Marita Petersen. She loses the elections in 1994 and is succeeded by Edmund Joensen. After the elections of 1998 Anfínn Kallsberg of Fólklaflkkurin can form the government. Independence remains a mayor issue, allthough ist seems most people accept the ties with Denmark. Kallsberg is succeeded after the 2003 elections by Jóannes Eidesgaard, also of the FF.