1991 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1991 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
Coastline
4,988 km
Comparative area
slightly smaller than Kentucky
Disputes
Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Ireland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area)
Environment
subject to earthquakes and volcanic activity
Land boundaries
none
Land use
arable land NEGL%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 23%; forest and woodland 1%; other 76%
Maritime claims
Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm; Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
fish, hydroelectric and geothermal power, diatomite
Note
strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country
Terrain
mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
Total area
103,000 km2; land area: 100,250 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
17 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate
7 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Ethnic divisions
homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norwegians and Celts
Infant mortality rate
7 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Labor force
134,429; commerce, finance, and services 55.4%, other manufacturing 14.3%., agriculture 5.8%, fish processing 7.9%, fishing 5.0% (1986)
Language
Icelandic
Life expectancy at birth
75 years male, 80 years female (1991)
Literacy
100% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1976 est.)
Nationality
noun--Icelander(s); adjective--Icelandic
Net migration rate
0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Organized labor
60% of labor force
Population
259,742 (July 1991), growth rate 1.0% (1991)
Religion
Evangelical Lutheran 96%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, none 1% (1988)
Total fertility rate
2.2 children born/woman (1991)
Government
Administrative divisions
23 counties (syslar, singular--sysla) and 14 independent towns* (kaupstadhir, singular--kaupstadhur); Akranes*, Akureyri*, Arnessysla, Austur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Austur-Hunavatnssysla, Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Borgarfjardharsysla, Dalasysla, Eyjafjardharsysla, Gullbringusysla, Hafnarfjordhur*, Husavik*, Isafjordhur*, Keflavik*, Kjosarsysla, Kopavogur*, Myrasysla, Neskaupstadhur*, Nordhur-Isafjardharsysla, Nordhur-Mulasysla, Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Olafsfjordhur*, Rangarvallasysla, Reykjavik*, Saudharkrokur*, Seydhisfjordhur*, Siglufjordhur*, Skagafjardharsysla, Snaefellsnes-og Hnappadalssysla, Strandasysla, Sudhur-Mulasysla, Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Vestmannaeyjar*, Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Vestur-Hunavatnssysla, Vestur-Isafjardharsysla, Vestur-Skaftafellssysla
Capital
Reykjavik
Communists
less than 100 (est.), some of whom participate in the People's Alliance
Constitution
16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944
Diplomatic representation
Ambassador Tomas A. TOMASSON; 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, Jr.; Embassy at Laufasvegur 21, Box 40, Reykjavik (mailing address is FPO New York 09571-0001); telephone [354] (1) 29100
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; Althing--last held on 20 April 1991 (next to be held by April 1995); results--Independence 38.6%, Progressive 18.9%, Social Democratic 15.5%, People's Alliance 14.4%, Womens List 8.13%, Liberals 1.2%, other 3.27% seats--(63 total) Independence 26, Progressive 13, Social Democratic 10, People's Alliance 9, Womens List 5
Executive branch
president, prime minister, Cabinet
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)
Independence
17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (Haestirettur)
Leaders
Chief of State--President Vigdis FINNBOGADOTTIR (since 1 August 1980); Head of Government--Prime Minister David ODDSSON (since 30 April 1991)
Legal system
civil law system based on Danish law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
bicameral Althingi with an Upper House (Efri Deild) and a Lower House (Nedri Deild)
Long-form name
Republic of Iceland
Member of
BIS, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
National holiday
Anniversary of the Establishment of the Republic, 17 June (1944)
Political parties and leaders
Independence (conservative), David ODDSSON; 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
Suffrage
universal at age 20
Type
republic
Economy
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 1.4 million metric tons in 1989
Budget
revenues $1.58 billion; expenditures $1.66 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA million (1990)
Currency
krona (plural--kronur); 1 Icelandic krona (IKr) = 100 aurar
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $19.1 million
Electricity
1,063,000 kW capacity; 5,165 million kWh produced, 20,780 kWh per capita (1989)
Exchange rates
Icelandic kronur (IKr) per US$1--55.216 (January 1991), 58.284 (1990), 57.042 (1989), 43.014 (1988), 38.677 (1987), 41.104 (1986), 41.508 (1985)
Exports
$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1990); commodities--fish and fish products, animal products, aluminum, diatomite; partners--EC 67.7% (UK 25.3%, FRG 12.7%), US 9.9%, Japan 6%
External debt
$3 billion (1990)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
$4.2 billion, per capita $16,300; real growth rate 0% (1990)
Imports
$1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1990); commodities--machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, textiles; partners--EC 49.8% (FRG 12.4%, Denmark 8.6%, UK 8.1%), US 14.4%, Japan 5.6%
Industrial production
growth rate - 0.8% (1988 est.); accounts for 22% of GDP
Industries
fish processing, aluminum smelting, ferro-silicon production, hydropower
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
7.8% (1990)
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. As a result of climbing fish prices in 1990 and a noninflationary labor agreement, Iceland is pulling out of a recession, which began in mid-1988 with a sharp decline in fish prices and an imposition of quotas on fish catches to conserve stocks. Inflation was down sharply from 20% in 1989 to 8% in 1990.
Unemployment rate
1.8% (1990)
Communications
Airports
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 1,220-2,439 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
Merchant marine
16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 53,409 GRT/73,279 DWT; includes 8 cargo, 2 refrigerated cargo, 1 container, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 1 bulk
Ports
Reykjavik, Akureyri, Hafnarfjordhur, Keflavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Siglufjordhur, Vestmannaeyjar; numerous minor ports
Telecommunications
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
Military and Security
Branches
no armed forces; State Criminal Police, Coast Guard; Iceland's defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik
Defense expenditures
none _%_
Manpower availability
males 15-49, 69,644; 62,248 fit for military service; no conscription or compulsory military service