1987 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1987 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Boundary disputes
none; Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Ireland, and UK
Climate
temperate; Gulf Stream influence; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
Coastline
4,988 km
Comparative area
about the size of Virginia
Continental shelf
edge of continental margin or 200 nm
Environment
subject to earthquakes and volcanic activity
Extended economic zone
200 nm
Land use
NEGL% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 23% meadows and pastures; 1% forest and woodland; 76% other
Special notes
strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country
Terrain
mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
103,000 km?; land area: 100,250 km?
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norwegians and Celts
Infant mortality rate
6.1/1,000 (1983)
Labor force
122,800; 55.4% commerce, finance, and services; 11.3% agriculture; 8.0% fish processing; 5.0% fishing; 20.3% other manufacturing (1985); 0.9% unemployment (1985 average)
Language
Icelandic
Life expectancy
men 73.9, women 79.4
Literacy
99.9%
Nationality
noun—Icelander(s); adiective—Icelandic
Organized labor
60% of labor force
Population
244,676 (July 1987), average annual growth rate 0.69%
Religion
95% Evangelical Lutheran, 3% other Protestant and Roman Catholic, 2% no affiliation
Government
Administrative divisions
23 counties, 200 parishes, 23 incorporated towns
Branches
legislative authority rests jointly with President and parliament (Althing); executive power vested in President but exercised by Cabinet responsible to parliament; Supreme Court and 29 lower courts
Capital
Reykjavik
Communists
est. less than 100, some of whom participate in the People’s Alliance, which drew 22,489 votes in the 1983 parliamentary elections
Elections
parliamentary every four years, last held 23 April 1983, next elections in April 1987; presidential held every four years; last held August 1984 Political parties and leaders: Independence (conservative), Thorsteinn Palsson; Progressive, Steingrimur Hermannsson, Social Democratic, Jon Baldvin Hannibalsson; People’s Alliance (left socialist), Svavar Gestsson Iceland (continued)
Government leaders
Vigdis FINNBOGADOTTIR, President (since August 1980); Steingrimur HERMANNSSON, Prime Minister (since May 1983)
Legal system
civil law system based on Danish law; constitution adopted 1944; does not accept compulsory 1CJ jurisdiction
Member of
Council of Europe, EC (free trade agreement pending resolution of fishing limits issue), EFTA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICES, 1DA, IFC, IHO, 1LO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, 1PU, ITU, [WC—International Whaling Commission, NATO, Nordic Council, OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WSG
National holiday
Anniversary of the Establishment of the Republic, 17 June
Official name
Republic of Iceland
Suffrage
universal over age 20 but not compulsory
Type
republic
Voting strength
(1983 election) 38.7% Independence, 18.5% Progressive, 17.3% People’s Alliance, 11.7% Social Democratic, 13.8% other
Economy
Agriculture
cattle, sheep, dairying, hay, potatoes, turnips
Aid
US, including Ex-Im, $19.1 million (FY70-81)
Budget
revenues, $704.9 million; expenditures, $647.8 million (converted at 41.508 kronur=US$1 1985 average) (1985)
Electric power
918,000 kW capacity; 4,460 million kWh produced, 18,290 kWh per capita (1986)
Exports
$814 million (f.0.b., 1985); fish and fish products, animal products, aluminum, diatomite
Fiscal year
calendar year
Fishing
catch, 1,670,000 metric tons (1985 est.); marine product exports, $533 million (1985)
GDP
$2.7 billion (1985), $11,300 per capita; 60.4% private consumption, 21.4% private investment, 17.9% public consumption, 4.3% net export of goods and services; change in stockbuilding —0.5%; real growth rate —5.5% (1983)
Imports
$904 million (c.i-f., 1985); machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, textiles
Major industries
fish processing, aluminum smelting, diatomite production, hydroelectricity
Major trade partners
(1985) exports—EC 39.3% (UK 18.0%, FRG 8.3%), 27.0% US, 9.0% LDC, 6.7% USSR; imports—EC 49.5% (FRG 13.3%, Denmark 9.1%, UK 9.6%), LDC 23.0%, USSR 8.0%, US 6.8%
Monetary conversion rate
40.72 kronur=US$1 (November 1986)
Natural resources
fish, hydroelectric and geothermal power, diatomite
Shortages
grains, sugar, vegetables and vegetable fibers, fuel, wood, minerals
Communications
Airfields
100 total, 93 usable; 3 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 12 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
20 major transport aircraft
Highways
12,343 km total; 166 km bitumen and concrete; 1,284 km bituminous treated and gravel; 10,893 km earth
Ports
1 major (Reykjavik), 3 secondary (Akureyri, Hafnarfjérdhur, Seydhisfjordhur), and numerous minor
Railroads
none
Telecommunications
adequate domestic service, wire and radio communication system; 135,000 telephones (52.5 per 100 popl.); 4 AM, 33 FM, 129 TV stations; 2 submarine cables; 1 satellite station with 2 Atlantic Ocean antennas
Military and Security
Branches
Police, Coast Guard
Military manpower
males 15-49, 64,000; 58,000 fit for military service (Iceland has no conscription or compulsory military service)