1998 Edition

Area

total: 103,000 sq km land: 100,250 sq km water: 2,750 sq km

Area-comparative

slightly smaller than Kentucky

Climate

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

Coastline

4,988 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m

Environment-current issues

water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment

Environment-international agreements

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

Geographic coordinates

65 00 N, 18 00 W

Geography-note

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

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 23% forests and woodland: 1% other: 76% (1993 est.)

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 hazards

earthquakes and volcanic activity

Natural resources

fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 24% (male 32,723; female 31,196) 15-64 years: 65% (male 88,608; female 86,775) 65 years and over: 11% (male 14,324; female 17,407) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

15.11 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

6.97 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norwegians and Celts

Infant mortality rate

5.27 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

Icelandic

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.84 years male: 76.76 years female: 81.05 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% (1976 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality

noun: Icelander(s) adjective: Icelandic

Net migration rate

-2.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

271,033 (July 1998 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

0.52% (1998 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.04 children born/woman (1998 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

Constitution

16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Iceland conventional short form: Iceland local long form: Lyoveldio Island local short form: Island

Data code

IC

Executive branch

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 president elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 29 June 1996 (next to be held NA June 2000); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON elected president; percent of vote-41.4%

FAX

[1] (202) 265-6656 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Day Olin MOUNT (22 August 1996) embassy: Laufasvegur 21, Reykjavik mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340 telephone: [354] 5629100

[354] 5629118

Flag 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)

Government type

constitutional republic

Independence

17 June 1944 (from Denmark)

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNU, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jon-Baldvin HANNIBALSSON chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653 through 6655

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Haestirettur, justices are appointed for life by the president Political parties and leaders: Independence Party (conservative) or IP [David ODDSSON]; Progressive Party (liberal) or PP [Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Sighvatur BJORGVINSSON]; People's Alliance (left socialist) or PA [Margret FRIMANNSDOTTIR]; Women's Party or WL [Kristin ASTGEIRSDOTTIR]; People's Movement (centrist); National Awakening (People's Revival Party) or PR [Johanna SIGURDARDOTTIR]

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 8 April 1995 (next to be held by April 1999) election results: percent of vote by party-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 by party-Independence 25, Progressive 15, Social Democratic 7, Socialists 9, People's Movement 4, Women's Party 3

National capital

Reykjavik

National holiday

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture-products

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

Budget

revenues: $1.9 billion expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $146 million (1996 est.)

Currency

1 Icelandic krona (IKr) = 100 aurar

Debt-external

$2.2 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid

$NA

Economy-overview

Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, yet with an extensive welfare system, low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution of income. The economy depends heavily on the fishing industry, which provides 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 remains sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to drops in 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 remains opposed to EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders' concern about losing control over their fishing resources. Growth is likely to slow in 1998, to a still respectable 3.9%.

Electricity-capacity

1.083 million kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

18,481 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

4.916 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Icelandic kronur (IKr) per US$1-72.707 (January 1998), 70.904 (1997), 66.500 (1996), 64.692 (1995), 69.944 (1994), 67.603 (1993)

Exports

total value: $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: fish and fish products 75%, animal products, aluminum, ferrosilicon, diatomite partners: UK 19%, Germany 14%, US 12%, Japan 11%, Denmark 8%, France 7% (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$5.71 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 9.6% industry: 22.1% services: 68.3% (1991)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$21,000 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

4.9% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $2 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles partners: Germany 11%, Norway 10%, UK 10%, Denmark 9%, US 8%, Sweden 7% (1995)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production, geothermal power; tourism

Inflation rate-consumer price index

2.3% (1996)

Labor force

total: 131,000 (1996 est.) by occupation: manufacturing 12.9%, fishing and fish processing 11.8%, construction 10.7%, other services 59.5%, agriculture 5.1% (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.)

Unemployment rate

3.8% (1997 est.)

Airports

90 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 79 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 54 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 12,341 km paved: 3,196 km unpaved: 9,145 km (1996 est.) Ports and harbors: Akureyri, Hornafjordur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vestmannaeyjar

Merchant marine

total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 22,594 GRT/29,322 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, container 1, oil tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (1997 est.)

Railways

0 km

Military 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

Military expenditures-dollar figure

none

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 70,906 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 62,595 (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

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