Northern Europe > Faroe Islands Flag

The flag of the Faroe Islands is an offset cross, which represents Christianity, following as with other Nordic flags the tradition set by Dannebrog. The flag is called Merkio which means "the banner" or "the mark". It resembles the flags of neighbouring Norway and Iceland.

The flag was devised in 1919 by Jens Oliver Lisberg and others while they were studying in Copenhagen. The first time the Merkio was raised in the Faroe Islands was on 22 June that year in Famjin on the occasion of a wedding. On 25 April 1940 the British occupation government approved the flag for use by Faroese vessels. 25 April is still celebrated as Flaggdagur and it is a national holiday. With the Home Rule Act of 23 March 1948, the flag was finally recognized by the Danish Government as the national flag of the Faroes. The original copy of the flag is displayed in the church of Fámjin in Suouroy.