Fámjin

Fámjin is a village in the Faroe Islands.

* Population: 115 (2006)
* Location: coord|61|31|35|N|6|52|37|W|
* Postal code (Zip): FO 870
* Municipality: Fámjins

Fámjin lies beautifully surrounded by high mountains on the west coast of Suðuroy.The church in Fámjin is from 1876. In the church there is a runestone from the 16th century ("see Fámjin stone") and the prototype of the Faroese flag Merkið.

This flag was made by Jens Oliver Lisberg from Fámjin and others while they were studying in Copenhagen in 1919. First time "Merkið" was used in the Faroe Islands, was on June 22 1919 in Famjin, the occasion was a wedding."Merkið" was not officially recognized in the beginning. However during World War II England prohibited the use of the flag of Denmark on Faroese ships as Denmark was at that time occupied by Germany. Therefore Merkið was run up on the ships instead. (April 25, 1940 is the official date of recognition)Not until the verification of the home rule act in 1948 was Merkið recognized as the official flag of the Faroe Islands.

See also

* List of towns in the Faroe Islands

The population of Fámjin is around 100. During the summer months, however, the population increases significantly due to the many people from Fámjin who live in other villages on the Faroe Islands and in other countries, but return in the sheep herding and hay season, taking place from the beginning of July to the end of August. This is the case in many small Faroese villages.

External links

* [http://www.faroeislands.dk/pages/FamjinIndex.htm Faroeislands.dk: Famjin] Images and description of all cities on the Faroe Islands.
* [http://www.psp-info.dk/faroe/FAMJIN.HTM Famjin homepage]