1996 Edition

Description

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)

Location

65 00 N, 18 00 W -- Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly smaller than Kentucky

land area

100,250 sq km

total area

103,000 sq km

Climate

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

Coastline

4,988 km

Environment

current issues

water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment

international agreements

party to - Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation

natural hazards

earthquakes and volcanic activity

Geographic coordinates

65 00 N, 18 00 W

Geographic note

strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe

International disputes

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

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

1%

forest and woodland

1%

meadows and pastures

20%

other

78%

permanent crops

0%

Location

Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK

Map references

Arctic Region

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Terrain

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

highest point

Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 24% (male 33,605; female 31,933) 15-64 years: 64% (male 88,064; female 85,724) 65 years and over: 12% (male 13,916; female 17,050) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

16.94 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

6.17 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norwegians and Celts

Infant mortality rate

4.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Icelandic

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.6 years (1996 est.)

male

77.68 years

total population

80.08 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1976 est.)

female

NA%

male

NA%

total population

100%

Nationality

adjective

Icelandic

noun

Icelander(s)

Net migration rate

-2.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

270,292 (July 1996 est.)

note

population data estimates based on average growth rate may differ slightly from official population data because of volatile migration rates

Population growth rate

0.83% (1996 est.)

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran 96%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, none 1% (1988)

Sex ratio

all ages

1.01 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

2.24 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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-Mulasys-la, Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Olafsfjordhur*, Rangarvallasysla, Reykjavik*, Saudharkrokur*, Seydhisfjordhur*, Siglufjordhur*, Skagafjardharsysla, Snaefellsnes-og Hnappadalssysla, Strandasysla, Sudhur-Mulasysla, Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Vesttmannaeyjar*, Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Vestur-Hunavatnssysla, Vestur-Isafjardharsysla, Vestur-Skaftafellssysla

Capital

Reykjavik

Constitution

16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944

Data code

IC

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

chief of mission

Ambassador Einar BENEDIKTSSON

telephone

[1] (202) 265-6653 through 6655

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet was appointed by the president

chief of state

President Vigdis FINNBOGADOTTIR (since 1 August 1980) was elected for a four-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 29 June 1988 (next to be held June 1996); results - there was no election in 1992 as President Vigdis FINNBOGADOTTIR was unopposed

head of government

Prime Minister David ODDSSON (since 30 April 1991) was appointed by the president

FAX

[1] (202) 265-6656

[354] 5629139

consulate(s) general

New York

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)

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNU, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Haestirettur), justices are appointed for life by the president

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form

Republic of Iceland

conventional short form

Iceland

local long form

Lyoveldio Island

local short form

Island

National holiday

Anniversary of the Establishment of the Republic, 17 June (1944)

Parliament (Althing)

elections last held on 8 April 1995 (next to be held by April 1999); results - Independence Party 37.1%, Progressive Party 23.3%, Social Democratic Party 11.4%, Socialists 14.3%, People's Movement 7.2%, Women's Party 4.9%; seats - (63 total) Independence 25, Progressive 15, Social Democratic 7, Socialists 9, People's Movement 4, Women's Party 3

Political parties and leaders

Independence Party (conservative), David ODDSSON; Progressive Party (liberal), Halldor ASGRIMSSON; Social Democratic Party, Jon Baldvin HANNIBALSSON; People's Alliance (left socialist), Margret FRIMANNSDOTTIR; Women's Party, Kristin ASTGEIRSDOTTIR; People's Movement (centrist); National Awakening (People's Revival Party), Johanna SIGURDARDOTTIR

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Parker W. BORG

embassy

Laufasvegur 21, Reykjavik

mailing address

US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340

telephone

[354] 5629100

Agriculture

potatoes, turnips; cattle, sheep; fish catch of about 1.1 million metric tons in 1992

Budget

expenditures

$2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $297 million (1994 est.)

revenues

$1.9 billion

Currency

1 Icelandic krona (IKr) = 100 aurar

Economic aid

$NA

Economic overview

Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, but with an extensive welfare system, low unemployment, and comparatively even distribution of income. The economy is heavily dependent on the fishing industry, which provides nearly 75% of export earnings and employs 12% of the work force. In the absence of other natural resources - except energy - Iceland's economy is vulnerable to changing world fish prices. The economy, in recession since 1988, began to recover in 1993, posting 0.4% growth, but was still hampered by cutbacks in fish quotas as well as falling

world prices for its main exports

fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon. The center-right government plans to continue its policies of 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, however, remains divided on the issue of EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders' concern about losing control over their fishing resources.

Electricity

capacity

1,070,000 kW

consumption per capita

16,458 kWh (1993)

production

4.7 billion kWh

Exchange rates

Icelandic kronur (IKr) per US$1 - 65.970 (January 1996), 64.692 (1995), 69.944 (1994), 67.603 (1993), 57.546 (1992), 58.996 (1991)

Exports

$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities

fish and fish products, animal products, aluminum, ferrosilicon, diatomite

partners

EC 68% (UK 25%, Germany 12%), US 11%, Japan 8% (1992)

External debt

$2.5 billion (1993 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

9.6%

industry

22.1%

services

68.3% (1994)

GDP per capita

$18,800 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

3.2% (1995 est.)

Imports

$1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1994)

commodities

machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles

partners

EC 53% (Germany 14%, Denmark 10%, UK 9%), Norway 14%, US 9% (1992)

Industrial production growth rate

1.75% (1991 est.)

Industries

fish processing, aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production, geothermal power

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.5% (1995 est.)

Labor force

127,900

by occupation

commerce, transportation, and services 60.0%, manufacturing 12.5%, fishing and fish processing 11.8%, construction 10.8%, agriculture 4.0%, other 0.9% (1990)

Unemployment rate

3.9% (December 1995)

Branches

no regular armed forces; Police, Coast Guard; note - Iceland's defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik

Defense expenditures

none

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

71,317

males fit for military service

63,126 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 5, FM 147 (transmitters and repeaters), shortwave 0

Radios

91,500 licensed (1993 est.)

Telephone system

adequate domestic service

domestic

the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic cables and microwave radio relay links

international

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)

Telephones

143,600 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations

202 (transmitters and repeaters)

Televisions

96,100 licensed (1993 est.) Defense

Airports

total

84

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

3

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

5

with paved runways over 3 047 m

1

with paved runways under 914 m

49

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

4

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

22 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

2,513 km

total

11,373 km

unpaved

8,860 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1995 est.)

total

6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 30,025 GRT/40,410 DWT

Ports

Akureyri, Hornafjordur, Isafjordur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vestmannaeyjar

Railways

0 km