2000 Edition

Background

Settled by Norwegians and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries, Iceland boasts the world's oldest parliament, the Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Limited home rule was granted in 1874 and complete independence attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion are first-rate by world standards.

Area

land

100,250 sq km

total

103,000 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

highest point

Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment

Environment - international agreements

party to

Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, 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%

forests and woodland

1%

other

76% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

23%

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: 23% (male 33,119; female 31,222) 15-64 years: 65% (male 90,599; female 88,982) 65 years and over: 12% (male 14,555; female 17,888) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

14.86 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

6.87 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norwegians and Celts

Infant mortality rate

3.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Icelandic

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.77 years (2000 est.)

male

77.19 years

total population

79.39 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

NA%

male

NA%

total population

99.9% (1997 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Icelandic

noun

Icelander(s)

Net migration rate

-2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

276,365 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

0.57% (2000 est.)

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran 91%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic, none (1997)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.03 children born/woman (2000 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

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Iceland

conventional short form

Iceland

local long form

Lyoveldio Island

local short form

Island

Data code

IC

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Barbara GRIFFITHS

embassy

Laufasvegur 21, Reykjavik

mailing address

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

telephone

5629100

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

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

chief of mission

Ambassador Jon-Baldvin HANNIBALSSON

telephone

(202) 265-6653

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

chief of state

President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August 1996)

election results

Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON elected president; percent of vote - 41.4%

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

head of government

Prime Minister David ODDSSON (since 30 April 1991)

FAX

(202) 265-6656

5629118

consulate(s) general

New York

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, IEA (observer), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNU, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or 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 Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

elections

last held on 8 May 1999 (next to be held by April 2003)

National holiday

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

Political parties and leaders

Independence Party (conservative) or IP ; National Awakening (People's Revival Party) or PR ; People's Alliance (left socialist) or PA ; People's Movement (centrist) ; Progressive Party (liberal) or PP ; Social Democratic Party or SDP ; Women's Party or WL

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

potatoes, turnips; cattle, sheep; fish

Budget

expenditures

$3 billion, including capital expenditures of $146 million (1999 est.)

revenues

$NA

Currency

1 Icelandic krona (IKr) = 100 aurar

Debt - external

$2.6 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient

$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 70% of export earnings and employs 12% of the work force. In the absence of other natural resources (except for abundant hydrothermal and geothermal power), 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. Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, and new developments in software production, biotechnology, and financial services are taking place. The tourism sector is also expanding, with the recent trends in ecotourism and whale-watching. Growth is likely to slow in 2000, to a still respectable 3.5%.

Electricity - consumption

5.754 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

6.187 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

0.06%

hydro

89.88%

nuclear

0%

other

10.06% (1998)

Exchange rates

Icelandic kronur (IKr) per US$1 - 72.334 (January 2000), 72.352 (1999), 70.958 (1998), 70.904 (1997), 66.500 (1996), 64.692 (1995)

Exports

$1.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports - commodities

fish and fish products 70%, animal products, aluminum, diatomite and ferrosilicon

Exports - partners

EU 65% (UK 19%, Germany 15%, France 7%, Denmark 6%), US 13%, Japan 5% (1998)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $6.42 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

15% (includes fishing 13%)

industry

21%

services

64% (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $23,500 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.5% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners

EU 56% (Germany 12%, UK 10%, Norway 9%, Denmark 8%, Sweden 6%), US 11% (1998)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.9% (1999 est.)

Labor force

131,000 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

manufacturing 12.9%, fishing and fish processing 11.8%, construction 10.7%, other services 59.5%, agriculture 5.1% (1999)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

2.4% (1999 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

14 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

260,000 (1997)

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 - main lines in use

162,310 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

65,746 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

98,000 (1997)

Airports

86 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

12 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 7 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

74 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 52 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

3,439 km

total

12,689 km

unpaved

9,250 km (1998 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

chemical tanker 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 1 (1999 est.)

total

3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 13,085 GRT/16,938 DWT

Ports and harbors

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

Railways

0 km

Military - note

Iceland's defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik

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

$0

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 71,486 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 62,990 (2000 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)

INDIA