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Background:
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 Settled
by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during
the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the
world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing,
established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland
was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the
Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and
caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20%
of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the
US. Limited home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and
complete independence attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity,
income, and social cohesion are first-rate by world standards. |
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Location:
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Northern Europe,
island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean,
northwest of the UK |
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Geographic coordinates:
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65 00 N, 18 00 W |
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Map references:
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Arctic
Region |
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Area:
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total:
103,000 sq km
land: 100,250 sq km
water: 2,750 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller
than Kentucky |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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4,988 k |
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Climate:
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temperate;
moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters;
damp, cool summers |
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Terrain:
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mostly plateau
interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply
indented by bays and fiords |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m (at Vatnajokull
glacier) |
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Natural resources:
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fish, hydropower,
geothermal power, diatomite |
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Land use:
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arable land:
1%
other: 70% (2001 est.)
forest and woodlands: 1%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 28% |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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earthquakes and
volcanic activity |
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Environment - current issues:
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water pollution
from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary
Air Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants, Environmental Modification, Marine Life
Conservation |
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Geography - note:
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strategic
location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European
country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in the
world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of
continental Europe |
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Population:
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293,966 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
22.5% (male 33,522; female 32,489)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 98,091; female 95,450)
65 years and over: 11.7% (male 15,552; female 18,862)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
33.8 years
male: 33.3 years
female: 34.3 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.97% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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13.83
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.57 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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2.38 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
3.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 3.44 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 80.18 years
male: 78.18 years
female: 82.27 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.2% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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220 (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 100
(2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Icelander(s)
adjective: Icelandic |
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Ethnic groups:
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homogeneous
mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of
foreign origin 6% |
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Religions:
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Evangelical
Lutheran 87.1%, other Protestant 4.1%, Roman Catholic 1.7%,
other 7.1% (2002) |
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Languages:
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Icelandic,
English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.9% (1997 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA% |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Republic of Iceland
conventional short form: Iceland
local short form: Island
local long form: Lydhveldidh Island |
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Government type:
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constitutional
republic |
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Capital:
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Reykjavik |
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Administrative divisions:
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8 regions;
Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra,
Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir,
Vesturland |
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Independence:
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1 December 1918
(became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June
1944 (from Denmark) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day,
17 June (1944) |
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Constitution:
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16 June 1944,
effective 17 June 1944 |
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Legal system:
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civil law system
based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August
1996)
head of government: Prime Minister David ODDSSON (since
30 April 1991)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and
approved by Parliament
elections: president, which is largely a ceremonial
post, elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election
last held 29 June 1996 (next to be held NA June 2004);
President GRIMSSON ran unopposed in June 2000 so there were no
elections; prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON ran unopposed
in 2000 and was reelected |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral
Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 May 2003 (next to be held by
May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party -
Independence Party 33.7%, Social Democratic Alliance 31.0%,
Progressive Party 17.7%, Left-Green Alliance 8.8%, Liberal
Party 7.4%; seats by party - Independence Party 22, Social
Democratic Alliance 20, Progressive Party 12, Left-Green
Alliance 5, Liberal Party 4 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or
Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by the Minister
of Justice); eight district courts (justices are appointed for
life by the Minister of Justice) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Independence
Party or IP [David ODDSSON]; Left-Green Alliance or LGP [Steingrimur
SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon KRISTJANSSON];
Progressive Party or PP [Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; Social
Democratic Alliance (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social
Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List)or SDA [Ossur
SKARPHEDINSSON]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Sighvatur
BJORGVINSSON]; Women's List or WL [Kristin ASTGEIRSDOTTIR] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Helgi AGUSTSSON
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656
telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653
chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington,
DC 20005-1704 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador James I. GADSDEN
embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik
mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE
09728-0340
telephone: [354] 5629100
FAX: [354] 5629118 |
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Economy - overview:
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Iceland's
Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, yet with
an extensive welfare system (including generous housing
subsidies), low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution
of income. In the absence of other natural resources (except
for abundant geothermal power), the economy depends heavily on
the fishing industry, which provides 70% of export earnings
and employs 12% of the work force. The economy remains
sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to fluctuations
in world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products,
aluminum, and ferrosilicon. Government policies include
reducing the budget and current account deficits, limiting
foreign borrowing, containing inflation, revising agricultural
and fishing policies, diversifying the economy, and
privatizing state-owned industries. The government remains
opposed to EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders'
concern about losing control over their fishing resources.
Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and
service industries in the last decade, and new developments in
software production, biotechnology, and financial services are
taking place. The tourism sector is also expanding, with the
recent trends in ecotourism and whale watching. Growth had
been remarkably steady in 1996-2001 at 3%-5%, but could not be
sustained in 2002 in an environment of global recession.
Growth resumed in 2003, and inflation dropped back from 5% to
2%. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $8.678 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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2.6% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $30,900 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
14% (includes fishing 12%)
industry: 20%
services: 66% (2002 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2% (2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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159,000 (2000) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 5.1%,
fishing and fish processing 11.8%, manufacturing 12.9%,
construction 10.7%, other services 59.5% (1999) |
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Unemployment rate:
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3.5% (2003 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$3.5 billion
expenditures: $3.3 billion, including capital
expenditures of $467 million (1999) |
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Industries:
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fish processing;
aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production, geothermal power;
tourism |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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5.7% (2003 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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7.894 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
0.1%
hydro: 82.5%
other: 17.5% (geothermal) (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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7.341 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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16,300 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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potatoes, green
vegetables, mutton, dairy products, fish |
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Exports:
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$2.379 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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fish and fish
products 70%, animal products, aluminum, diatomite,
ferrosilicon |
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Exports - partners:
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Germany 18.5%, UK
17.5%, Netherlands 11.4%, US 10.9%, Spain 5.2%, Denmark 4.6%,
Portugal 4.3%, Norway 4.2% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$2.59 billion
(2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and
equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs, textiles |
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Imports - partners:
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US 10.9%, Germany
10.7%, Denmark 8.5%, Norway 8%, UK 7.5%, Netherlands 6.1%,
Sweden 5.9% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$2.6 billion
(1999) |
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Economic aid - donor:
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$NA |
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Currency:
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Icelandic krona (ISK) |
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Currency code:
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ISK |
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Exchange rates:
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Icelandic kronur
per US dollar - 76.71 (2003), 91.66 (2002), 97.42 (2001),
78.62 (2000), 72.34 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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188,000 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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260,900 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: extensive domestic service
domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and
fiber-optic cables and microwave radio relay links
international: country code - 354; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic
and Indian Ocean regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat
earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark,
Finland, Norway, and Sweden) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 3, FM about 70
(including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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14 (plus 156
low-power repeaters) (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.is |
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Internet hosts:
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68,261 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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186,600 (2002) |
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Railways:
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0 km |
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Highways:
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total:
12,955 km
paved/oiled gravel: 3,863 km
unpaved: 9,092 km (2003) |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Ports and harbors:
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Akureyri,
Hornafjordhur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn, Reykjavik,
Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vesttmannaeyjar |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 1
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,341 GRT/6,019 DWT
by type: petroleum tanker 1
registered in other countries: 26 (2003 est.) |
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Airports:
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100 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 95
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 62 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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no regular armed
forces; Police, Coast Guard |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 75,568 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 66,503 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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0 |
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Military - note:
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defense is
provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF)
headquartered at Keflavik |
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Disputes - international:
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Rockall
continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and the
UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the
Rockall area) remains dormant; dispute with Denmark over the
Faroe Islands' fisheries median line boundary within 200 NM;
disputes with Denmark, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe
Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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