1989 Edition

Agriculture

including forestry, accounts for about 15% of GNP and 19% of employment; highly diversified crop-livestock farming; principal crops — wheat, corn, sunflowers, potatoes, sugar beets; livestock — hogs, cattle, poultry, dairy products; self-sufficient in food output

Aid

donor — $1.8 billion in bilateral aid to non-Communist less developed countries (1962-88)

Budget

revenues $14.0 billion; expenditures $14.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $944 million (1988)

Climate

temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers

varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Coastline

4,988 km

7,000 km

Comparative area

slightly smaller than Kentucky

slightly more than onethird the size of the US

Contiguous zone

24 nm

Continental shelf

edge of continental margin or 200 nm

edge of continental margin or 200 nm

Currency

forint (plural — forints); 1 forint (Ft) = 100 filter

Disputes

Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Ireland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area)

boundaries with Bangladesh, China, and Pakistan; water sharing problems with downstream riparians, Bangladesh over the Ganges and Pakistan over the Indus

Electricity

7,250,000 kW capacity; 30,300 million kWh produced, 2,870 kWh per capita (1989)

Environment

subject to earthquakes and volcanic activity

droughts, flash floods, severe thunderstorms common; deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; air and water pollution; desertification

Exchange rates

forints (Ft) per US$1— 62.5 (January 1990), 59.2 (1989), 50.413 (1988), 46.971 (1987), 45.832 (1986), 50.119(1985) Fiscal yean calendar year

Exports

$19.1 billion (f.o.b. 1988); commodities— capital goods 36%, foods 24%, consumer goods 1 8%, fuels and minerals 1 1%, other 1 1%; partners USSR 48%, Eastern Europe 25%, developed countries 16%, less developed countries 8% (1987)

Extended economic zone

200 nm

200 nm

External debt

$19.6 billion (1989)

GNP

$64.6 billion, per capita $6,108; real growth rate —1.3% (1989 est.)

Imports

$18.3 billion (c.i.f., 1988); commodities— machinery and transport 28%, fuels 20%, chemical products 14%, manufactured consumer goods 16%, agriculture 6%, other 16%; partners— USSR 43%, Eastern Europe 28%, less developed countries 23%, US 3% (1987)

Industrial production

growth rate 0.6% (1988)

Industries

mining, metallurgy, engineering industries, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially Pharmaceuticals)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

18% (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

none

14,103 km total; Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463 km, China 3,380, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km

Land use

NEGL% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 23% meadows and pastures; 1% forest and woodland; 76% other

55% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 4% meadows and pastures; 23% forest and woodland; 17% other; includes 13% irrigated

Natural resources

fish, hydroelectric and geothermal power, diatomite

coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, crude oil, limestone

Note

strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country

dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade routes

Terrain

mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords

upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north

Territorial sea

1 2 nm

12 nm

Total area

103,000 km2; land area: 100,250 km2

3,287,590 km2; land area: 2,973,190 km2

Unemployment rate

0.4% (1989)

Birth rate

18 births/ 1,000 population (1990)

30 births/ 1,000 population (1990)

Death rate

7 deaths/ 1,000 population (1990)

10 deaths/ 1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norwegians and Celts

72% Indo-Aryan, 25% Dravidian, 3% Mongoloid and other

Infant mortality rate

7 deaths/ 1 ,000 live births (1990)

89 deaths/ 1 ,000 live births (1990)

Labor force

134,429; 55.4% commerce, finance, and services, 14.3% other manufacturing, 5.8% agriculture, 7.9% fish processing, 5.0% fishing (1986)

284,400,000; 67% agriculture (FY85)

Language

Icelandic

Hindi, English, and 14 other official languages — Bengali, Telgu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; 24 languages spoken by a million or more persons eac|); numerous other languages and dialects, for the most part mutually unintelligible; Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people; English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindustani, a popular variant of Hindi/ Urdu, is spoken widely throughout northern India

Life expectancy at birth

75 years male, 80 years female (1990)

57 years male, 59 years female (1990)

Literacy

100%

36%

Nationality

noun — Icelanders); adjective— Icelandic

noun — Indian(s); adjective — Indian

Net migration rate

0 migrants/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

0 migrants/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

Organized labor

60% of labor force

less than 5% of the labor force

Population

257,023 (July 1990), growth rate 1.1% (1990)

849,746,001 (July 1990), growth rate 2.0% (1990)

Religion

95% Evangelical Lutheran, 3% other Protestant and Roman Catholic, 2% no affiliation

82.6% Hindu, 11.4% Muslim, 2.4% Christian, 2.0% Sikh, 0.7% Buddhist, 0.5% Jains, 0.4% other

Total fertility rate

2.2 children born/ woman (1990)

3.8 children born/ woman (1990)

Administrative divisions

23 counties (syslar, singular — sysla) and 1 4 independent towns* (kaupstadar, singular — kaupstadur); Akranes*, Akureyri*, Arnessysla, Austur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Austur-Hunavatnssysla, Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Borgarfjardharsysla, Dalasysla, Eyjafjardharsysla, Gullbringusysla, Hafnarfjordhur*, Husavik*, Isafjordhur*, Keflavik*, Kjdsarsysla, Kdpavogur*, Myrasysla, Neskaupstadhur*, NordhurIsafjardharsysla, Nordhur-Mulasysla, Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Olafsfjordhur*, Rangarvallasysla, Reykjavik*, Saudharkrokur*, SeydhisfjSrdhur*, Siglufjordhur*, Skagafjardharsysla, Snaefellsnes-og Hanppadalssysla, Strandasysla, Sudhur-Mulasysla, Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Vestmannaeyjar*, Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Vestur-Hunavatnssysla, Vestur-Isafjardharsysla, Vestur-Skaftafellssysla

24 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Delhi*, Goa and Daman and Diu*. Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa. Pondicherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil N5du, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal; note — Goa may have become a state with Daman and Diu remaining a union territory

Capital

Reykjavik

New Delhi

Communists

less than 100 (est.), some of whom participate in the People's Alliance

466,000 members claimed by CPI, 361,000 members claimed by CPI/ M; Communist extremist groups, about 15,000 members

Constitution

16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944

26 January 1950

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Ingvi S. INGVARSSON; Chancery at 2022 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 265-6653 through 6655; there is an Icelandic Consulate General in New York; US — Ambassador Charles E. COBB; Embassy at Laufasvegur 2 1 , Reykjavik (mailing address is FPO New York 09571-0001); telephone [354] (1)29100

Ambassadordesignate Abid HUSSEIN; Chancery at 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 9397000; there are Indian Consulates General in Chicago, New York, and San Francisco; US— Ambassador William CLARK; Embassy at Shanti Path, Chanakyapuri 110021, New Delhi; telephone [91] (11) 600651; there are US Consulates General in Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras

Elections

President — last held on 29 June 1980 (next scheduled for June 1992); results— there were no elections in 1984 and 1988 as President Vigdis Finnbogadottir was unopposed; Parliament — last held on 25 April 1987 (next to be held by 25 April 1991); results— Independence 27.2%, Progressive 18.9%, Social Democratic 15.2%, People's Alliance 13.4%, Citizens Party 10.9%, Womens List 10.1%, other 4.3%; seats — (63 total) Independence 18, Progressive 13, Social Democratic 10, People's Alliance 8, Citizens Party 7, Womens List 6, Regional Equality Platform 1

People 's Assembly — last held 22, 24, 26 November 1989 (next to be held by November 1994, subject to postponement); results — percent of vote by party NA; seats— (544 total), 525 elected — Congress (I) Party 193, Janata Dal Party 141, Bharatiya Janata Party 86, Communist Party of India (Marxist) 32, independents 18, Communist Party of India 12, AIADMK 11, Akali Dal 6, Shiv Sena 4, RSP 4, Forward Bloc 3, BSP 3, Telugu Desam 2, Congress (S) Party 1, others 9

Executive branch

president, prime minister, Cabinet

president, vice president, prime minister, Council of Ministers

Flag

blue with a red cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger which has a small orange disk centered in the white band

Independence

17 June 1944 (from Denmark)

15 August 1947 (from UK)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Haestirettur)

Supreme Court

Leaders

Chief of State — President Vigdis FINNBOGADOTTIR (since 1 August 1980); Head of Government — Prime Minister Steingrimur HERMANNSSON (since 28 September 1988) Political parties and leaders: Independence (conservative), Thorsteinn Palsson; Progressive, Steingrimur Hermannsson; Social Democratic, Jon Baldvin Hannibalsson; People's Alliance (left socialist), Olafur Ragnar Grimsson; Citizens Party (conservative nationalist), Julius Solnes; Women's List

Chief of State — President Ramaswamy Iyer VENKATARAMAN (since 25 July 1987); Vice President Dr. Shankar Dayal SHARMA (since 3 September 1987); Head of Government — Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap SINGH (since 2 December 1989) Political parties and leaders: Janata Dal Party, Prime Minister V. P. Singh; Congress (I) Party, Rajiv Gandhi; Bharatiya Janata Party, L. K. Advani; Communist Party of India (CPI), C. Rajeswara Rao; Communist Party of India/Marxist (CPI/ M), E. M. S. Namboodiripad; Communist Party of India/Marxist-Leninist (CPI/ ML), Satyanarayan Singh; All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (AIADMK), a regional party in Tamil Nadu, Jayalalitha; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham, M. Karunanidhi; Akali Dal factions representing Sikh religious community in the Punjab; Telugu Desam, a regional party in Andhra Pradesh, N. T. Rama Rao; National Conference (NC), a regional party in Jammu and Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah; Asom Gana Parishad, a regional party in Assam, Prafulla Mahanta

Legal system

civil law system based on Danish law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

based on English common law; limited judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament (Althing) with an Upper House (Efri Deild) and a Lower House (Nedri Deild)

bicameral Parliament (Sansad) consists of an upper house or Government Assembly (Rajya Sabha) and a lower house or People's Assembly (Lok Sabha)

Long-form name

Republic of Iceland

Republic of India

Member of

CCC, Council of Europe, EC (free trade agreement pending resolution of fishing limits issue), EFT A, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICES, IDA, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, IWC— International Whaling Commission, NATO, Nordic Council, OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WSG

ADB, AIOEC, ANRPC, CCC, Colombo Plan, Commonwealth, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITC, ITU, IWC— International Wheat Council, NAM, SAARC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO

National holiday

Anniversary of the Establishment of the Republic, 1 7 June (1944)

Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic, 26 January (1950)

Other political or pressure groups

various separatist groups seeking greater communal autonomy; numerous senas or militant/ chauvinistic organizations, including Shiv Sena (in Bombay), Anand Marg, and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh

Suffrage

universal at age 20

universal at age 18

Type

republic

federal republic

Agriculture

accounts for about 25% of GDP (including fishing); fishing is most important economic activity, contributing nearly 75% to export earnings; principal crops — potatoes and turnips; livestock — cattle, sheep; self-sufficient in crops; fish catch of about 1 .6 million metric tons in

accounts for about 33% of GNP and employs 67% of labor force; self-sufficient in food grains; principal crops — rice, wheat, oilseeds, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; livestock — cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats and poultry; fish catch of about 3 million metric tons ranks India in the world's top 10 fishing nations

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $19.1 million

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $4.2 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-87), $18.6 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $315 million; USSR (1970-88), $10.0 billion; Eastern Europe (1970-88), $105 million

Budget

revenues $1.5 billion; expenditures $1.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $N A million (1988)

revenues $48 billion; expenditures $53 billion, including capital expenditures of $13.6 billion (1989)

Currency

krdna (plural — kronur); 1 Icelandic krona (IKr) = 100 aurar

Indian rupee (plural — rupees); 1 Indian rupee (Re) = 100 paise

Electricity

1,063,000 kW capacity; 5,165 million kWh produced, 20,780 kWh per capita (1989)

59,000,000 kW capacity; 215,000 million kWh produced, 260 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates

Icelandic kronur (IKr) per US$1— 60.751 (January 1990), 57.042 (1989), 43.014 (1988), 38.677 (1987), 41.104(1986), 41.508(1985)

Indian rupees (Rs) per US$1— 16.965 (January 1990), 16.226 (1989), 13.917(1988), 12.962(1987), 12.611 (1986), 12.369(1985)

Exports

$1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities— fish and fish products, animal products, aluminum, diatomite; partners — EC 58.9% (UK 23.3%, FRG 10.3%), US 13.6%, USSR 3.6%

$17.2 billion (f.o.b., 1989); commodities— tea, coffee, iron ore, fish products, manufactures; partners — EC 25%, USSR and Eastern Europe 17%, US 19%, Japan 10%

External debt

$1.8 billion (1988)

$48.7 billion (1989)

Fiscal year

calendar year

1 April31 March

GDP

$4.0 billion, per capita $16,200; real growth rate - 1.8% (1989 est.)

GNP

$333 billion, per capita $400; real growth rate 5.0% (1989 est.)

Illicit drugs

licit producer of opium poppy for the pharmaceutical trade, but some opium is diverted to international drug markets; major transit country for illicit narcotics produced in neighboring countries

Imports

$1.6 billion (c.i.f., 1988); commodities— machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, textiles; partners—EC 58% (FRG 16%, Denmark 10.4%, UK 9.2%), US 8.5%, USSR 3.9%

$24.7 billion (c.i.f., 1989); commodities— petroleum, edible oils, textiles, clothing, capital goods; partners — EC 33%, Middle East 19%, Japan 10%, US 9%, USSR and Eastern Europe 8%

Industrial production

growth rate 4.7% (1987 est.)

growth rate 8.8% (1989)

Industries

fish processing, aluminum smelting, ferro-silicon production, hydropower

textiles, food processing, steel, machinery, transportation equipment, cement, jute manufactures, mining, petroleum, power, chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, electronics

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

17.4% (1989 est.)

9.5% (1989 est.)

Overview

Iceland's prosperous Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, but with extensive welfare measures, low unemployment, and comparatively even distribution of income. The economy is heavily dependent on the fishing industry, which provides nearly 75% of export earnings. In the absence of other natural resources, Iceland's economy is vulnerable to changing world fish prices. National output declined for the second consecutive year in 1989, and two of the largest fish farms filed for bankruptcy. Other economic activities include livestock raising and aluminum smelting. A fall in the fish catch is expected for 1990, resulting in a continuation of the recession.

India's Malthusian economy is a mixture of traditional village farming and handicrafts, modern agriculture, old and new branches of industry, and a multitude of support services. It presents both the entrepreneurial skills and drives of the capitalist system and widespread government intervention of the socialist mold. Growth of 4% to 5% annually in the 1 980s has softened the impact of population growth on unemployment, social tranquility, and the environment. Agricultural output has continued to expand, reflecting the greater use of modern farming techniques and improved seed that have helped to make India self-sufficient in food grains and a net agricultural exporter. However, tens of millions of villagers, particularly in the south, have not benefited from the green revolution and live in abject poverty. Industry has benefited from a liberalization of controls. The growth rate of the service sector has also been strong.

Unemployment rate

1.3% (1989 est.)

20% (1989 est.)

Airports

90 total, 90 usable; 20 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 10 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 15 with runways 1,2202,439 m

99 total, 92 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 14 with runways 1,2202,439 m

345 total, 292 usable; 202 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 57 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 91 with runways 1,2202,439 m

Branches

Hungarian People's Army, Frontier Guard, Air and Air Defense Command Military manpower males 15-49, 2,645,016; 2,112,651 fit for military service; 86,481 reach military age (18) annually

Police, Coast Guard Military manpower males 1 5-49, 68,688; 61,553 fit for military service; no conscription or compulsory military service

Civil air

20 major transport aircraft

Defense expenditures

43.7 billion forints, NA% of total budget (1989); note— conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the official administratively set exchange rate would produce misleading results 125 km Greenland Sea .l.ltjordhur Hafnarfjttrdhur North Atlantic Ocean

none Laccadive Sea SrrrrKionil map \ 111 Nicobar .; Islands \

Highways

130,000 km total; 29,701 km national highway system — 26,727 km asphalt and bitumen, 146 km concrete, 55 km stone and road brick, 2,345 km macadam, 428 km unpaved; 58,495 km country roads (66% unpaved), and 41,804 km (est.) other roads (70% unpaved) (1987)

12,343 km total; 166 km bitumen and concrete; 1 ,284 km bituminous treated and gravel; 10,893 km earth

1,633,300 km total (1986); 515,300 km secondary and 1,118,000 km gravel, crushed stone, or earth

Inland waterways

1,622 km (1986)

16,180 km; 3,631 km navigable by large vessels

Merchant marine

16 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 77,141 GRT/ 103,189 DWT Civil ain 22 major transport aircraft

18 ships (1,000 CRT or over) totaling 62,867 GRT/87,610 DWT; includes 9 cargo, 2 refrigerated cargo, 1 container, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 2 bulk

296 ships (1,000 CRT or over) totaling 5,855,842 GRT/ 9,790,260 DWT; includes 1 short-sea passenger, 8 passenger-cargo, 95 cargo, 1 roll-on/ roll-off cargo, 8 container, 53 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 10 chemical tanker, 9 combination ore/ oil, 109 bulk, 2 combination bulk Civil air 93 major transport aircraft

Pipelines

crude oil, 1,204 km; refined products, 600 km; natural gas, 3,800 km (1986)

crude oil, 3,497 km; refined products, 1 ,703 km; natural gas, 902 km (1989) India (continued) Indian Ocean

Ports

Budapest and Dunaujvaros are river ports on the Danube; maritime outlets are Rostock (GDR), Gdansk (Poland), Gdynia (Poland), Szczecin (Poland), Galati (Romania), and Braila (Romania)

Reykjavik, Akureyri, Hafnarfjordhur, Keflavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Siglufjordur, Vestmannaeyjar; numerous minor ports Iceland (continued) India

Bombay, Calcutta, Cochin, Kandla, Madras, New Mangalore, Port Blair (Andaman Islands)

Railroads

7,770 km total; 7,513 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 222 km narrow gauge (mostly 0.760-meter), 35 km 1.524-meter broad gauge; 1,138 km double track, 2,088 km electrified; all government owned (1987)

61,850 km total (1986); 33,553 km 1.676-meter broad gauge, 24,051 km 1 .000-meter gauge, 4,246 km narrow gauge (0.762 meter and 0.610 meter); 12,617 km is double track; 6,500 km is electrified

Telecommunications

stations — 13 AM, 11 FM, 21 TV; 8 Soviet TV relays; 3,500,000 TV sets; 5,500,000 receiver sets; at least 1 satellite earth station Defense Forces

adequate domestic service, wire and radio communication system; 135,000 telephones; stations — 10 AM, 17 (43 relays) FM, 14 (132 relays) TV; 2 submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station Defense Forces

poor domestic telephone service, international radio communications adequate; 3,200,000 telephones; stations— 170 AM, no FM, 14 TV (government controlled); domestic satellite system for communications and TV; 3 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth stations; submarine cables to Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and