2023 Edition

Background

Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althingi, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Denmark granted limited home rule in 1874 and complete independence in 1944. The second half of the 20th century saw substantial economic growth driven primarily by the fishing industry. The economy diversified greatly after the country joined the European Economic Area in 1994, but Iceland was especially hard hit by the global financial crisis in the years following 2008. The economy is now on an upward trajectory, fueled primarily by a tourism and construction boom. Literacy, longevity, 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 Pennsylvania; about the same size as Kentucky

Climate

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

Coastline

4,970 km

Elevation

highest point

Hvannadalshnukur (at Vatnajokull Glacier) 2,110 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

557 m

Geographic coordinates

65 00 N, 18 00 W

Geography - note

strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe

Irrigated land

0.5 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

18.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 17.5% (2018 est.)

forest

0.3% (2018 est.)

other

81% (2018 est.)

Location

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

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 activityvolcanism: Iceland, situated on top of a hotspot, experiences severe volcanic activity; Eyjafjallajokull (1,666 m) erupted in 2010, sending ash high into the atmosphere and seriously disrupting European air traffic; scientists continue to monitor nearby Katla (1,512 m), which has a high probability of eruption in the very near future, potentially disrupting air traffic; Grimsvoetn and Hekla are Iceland's most active volcanoes; other historically active volcanoes include Askja, Bardarbunga, Brennisteinsfjoll, Esjufjoll, Hengill, Krafla, Krisuvik, Kverkfjoll, Oraefajokull, Reykjanes, Torfajokull, and Vestmannaeyjar

Natural resources

fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Population distribution

Iceland is almost entirely urban with half of the population located in and around the capital of Reykjavik; smaller clusters are primarily found along the coast in the north and west

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

19.98% (male 36,771/female 35,314)

15-64 years

63.39% (male 115,547/female 113,212)

65 years and over

16.63% (2023 est.) (male 28,410/female 31,618)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

4.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

1.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

7.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

2.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

12.8 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

9.6% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

45.1% (2023 est.)

Death rate

6.6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

Iceland is one of the most gender-equal countries in the world.  Its welfare policies enable both men and women to balance work and family life.  Iceland lagged its Nordic neighbors in introducing new childcare policies, and even when they did in the 1990s, parents still faced a childcare gap between the paid parental leave period and the start of pre-school. The female labor participation rate continued to grow from the 1960s to the 2000s, as women’s educational attainment increased.  Icelanders are marrying later, if they marry at all, and people are having children later.  The interval between births has decreased. Non-marital cohabitation and childbearing outside of marriage are common. Approximately 2 out of 3 children are born out of wedlock, which is among the highest in Europe.  Iceland’s total fertility rate (TFR) has been fairly stable, hovering around replacement level (2.1 children per woman), for decades – a rate higher even than its Nordic neighbors.  Iceland has fluctuated over time between being a country of net emigration and one of net immigration.  Most Icelandic emigrants return to their native country after a few years.  From 1960 to 1996, Iceland registered a net outflow, followed by a net inflow until the 2008 banking crisis. During and after the crisis, more Icelanders left the country than immigrated to it.  Following the crisis, Iceland returned to being a country of net immigration.  In 2017, the country’s foreign-born population accounted for 11% of the population and 17% had an immigrant background.  The countries of origin have become more diverse over time, with Polish immigrants composing the largest share in 2017. Foreigners acquiring Icelandic citizenship must have a basic comprehension of the Icelandic language.  The requirement that new citizens modify or change their names to be more Icelandic was dropped in 1996.  The most popular emigration destination was Sweden, followed by Denmark and Norway in 2021.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

22.5

potential support ratio

4.5 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

50.5

youth dependency ratio

28

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

7.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Icelandic 81.3%, Polish 5.6%, Danish 1%, other 12.1% (2021 est.)

note

note: data represent population by country of birth

Gross reproduction rate

0.95 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.8 beds/1,000 population (2019)

Infant mortality rate

female

1.4 deaths/1,000 live births

male

1.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total

1.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German

Life expectancy at birth

female

86.2 years

male

81.6 years

total population

83.8 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

Major urban areas - population

216,000 REYKJAVIK (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

3 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

38.4 years

male

37.2 years

total

37.8 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

28.7 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Icelandic

noun

Icelander(s)

Net migration rate

2.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.9% (2016)

Physicians density

4.14 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

360,872 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Iceland is almost entirely urban with half of the population located in and around the capital of Reykjavik; smaller clusters are primarily found along the coast in the north and west

Population growth rate

0.89% (2023 est.)

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland (official) 62.3%, Roman Catholic 4%, Independent Congregation of Reykjavik 2.7%, Independent Congregation of Hafnarfjordur 2%, pagan worship 1.4%, Icelandic Ethical Humanist Association 1.1%, other (includes Zuist and Pentecostal) or unspecified 19%, none 7.6% (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

21 years (2020)

male

18 years

total

19 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.9 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

12% (2020 est.)

male

11.9% (2020 est.)

total

12% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.95 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

94% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

64 municipalities (sveitarfelog, singular - sveitarfelagidh); Akranes, Akureyri, Arneshreppur, Asahreppur, Blaskogabyggdh, Bolungarvik, Borgarbyggdh, Dalabyggdh, Dalvikurbyggdh, Eyjafjardharsveit, Eyja-og Miklaholtshreppur, Fjallabyggdh, Fjardhabyggdh, Fljotsdalshreppur, Floahreppur, Gardhabaer, Grimsnes-og Grafningshreppur, Grindavikurbaer, Grundarfjardharbaer, Grytubakkahreppur, Hafnarfjordhur, Horgarsveit, Hrunamannahreppur, Hunathing Vestra, Hunabyggdh, Hvalfjardharsveit, Hveragerdhi, Isafjardharbaer, Kaldrananeshreppur, Kjosarhreppur, Kopavogur, Langanesbyggdh, Mosfellsbaer, Mulathing, Myrdalshreppur, Nordhurthing, Rangarthing Eystra, Rangarthing Ytra, Reykholahreppur, Reykjanesbaer, Reykjavik, Seltjarnarnes, Skaftarhreppur, Skagabyggdh, Skagafjordhur, Skeidha-og Gnupverjahreppur, Skorradalshreppur, Snaefellsbaer, Strandabyggdh, Stykkisholmur, Sudhavikurhreppur, Sudhurnesjabaer, Svalbardhsstrandarhreppur, Sveitarfelagidh Arborg, Sveitarfelagidh Hornafjordhur, Sveitarfelagidh Olfus, Sveitarfelagidh Skagastrond, Sveitarfelagidh Vogar, Talknafjardharhreppur, Thingeyjarsveit, Tjorneshreppur, Vestmannaeyjar, Vesturbyggdh, Vopnafjardharhreppur

Capital

etymology

the name means "smoky bay" in Icelandic and refers to the steamy, smoke-like vapors discharged by hot springs in the area

geographic coordinates

64 09 N, 21 57 W

name

Reykjavik

time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Iceland

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

3 to 7 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the Althingi; passage requires approval by the Althingi and by the next elected Althingi, and confirmation by the president of the republic; proposed amendments to Article 62 of the constitution – that the Evangelical Lutheran Church shall be the state church of Iceland – also require passage by referendum; amended many times, last in 2013

history

several previous; latest ratified 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944 (at independence)

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Iceland

etymology

Floki VILGERDARSON, an early Norse explorer of the island (9th century), applied the name "Land of Ice" after spotting a fjord full of drift ice to the north and spending a bitter winter on the island; he eventually settled on the island, however, after he saw how it greened up in the summer and that it was, in fact, habitable

local long form

none

local short form

Island

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Carrin F. PATMAN (since 6 October 2022)

email address and website

ReykjavikConsular@state.govhttps://is.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Engjateigur 7, 105 Reykjavik

FAX

[354] 562-9118

mailing address

5640 Reykjavik Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-5640

telephone

[354] 595-2200

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW, #509, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador Bergdis ELLERTSDOTTIR (since 16 September 2019)

consulate(s) general

New York

email address and website

washington@mfa.ishttps://www.government.is/diplomatic-missions/embassy-of-iceland-in-washington-d.c/

FAX

[1] (202) 265-6656

telephone

[1] (202) 265-6653

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the prime minister

chief of state

President Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON (since 1 August 2016)

election results

2020: Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON reelected president; percent of vote - Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON (independent) 92.2%, Gudmundur Franklin JONSSON (independent) 7.8%2016: Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON elected president; Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON (independent) 39.1%, Halla TOMASDOTTIR (independent) 27.9%, Andri Snær MAGNASON (Democracy Movement) 14.3%, David ODDSSON (independent) 13.7%, other 5%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 4-year term (no term limits); election last held on 27 June 2020 (next to be held in 2024); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition becomes prime minister

head of government

Prime Minister Katrin JAKOBSDOTTIR (since 30 November 2017)

Flag description

blue with a red cross outlined in white extending 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); the colors represent three of the elements that make up the island: red is for the island's volcanic fires, white recalls the snow and ice fields of the island, and blue is for the surrounding ocean

Government type

unitary parliamentary republic

Independence

1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark; birthday of Jon SIGURDSSON, leader of Iceland's 19th Century independence movement)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Haestirettur (consists of 9 judges)

judge selection and term of office

judges proposed by Ministry of Interior selection committee and appointed by the president; judges appointed for an indefinite period

subordinate courts

Appellate Court or Landsrettur; 8 district courts; Labor Court

Legal system

civil law system influenced by the Danish model

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Althingi or Parliament (63 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed-list proportional representation vote using the D'Hondt method; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - IP 25.4%, PP 20.6%, LGM 12.7%, People's Party 9.5%, Pirate Party 9.5%, SDA 9.5%, Reform Party 7.9%, CP 4.8%; seats by party - IP 16, PP 13, LGM 8, People's Party 6, Pirate Party 6, SDA 6, Reform Party 5, CP 3; composition - men 33, women 30; percent of women 47.6%

elections

last held on 25 September 2021 (next to be held in 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Matthias JOCHUMSSON/Sveinbjorn SVEINBJORNSSON

name

"Lofsongur" (Song of Praise)

note

note: adopted 1944; also known as "O, Gud vors lands" (O, God of Our Land), the anthem was originally written and performed in 1874

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Thingvellir National Park (c); Surtsey (n); Vatnajökull National Park - Dynamic Nature of Fire and Ice (n)

total World Heritage Sites

3 (1 cultural, 2 natural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 17 June (1944)

National symbol(s)

gyrfalcon; national colors: blue, white, red

Political parties and leaders

Centrist Party (Midflokkurinn) or CP [Sigmundur David GUNNLAUGSSON] Independence Party (Sjalfstaedisflokkurinn) or IP [Bjarni BENEDIKTSSON]  Left-Green Movement (Vinstrihreyfingin-graent frambod) or LGM [Katrin JAKOBSDOTTIR] People's Party (Flokkur Folksins) [Inga SAELAND] Pirate Party (Piratar) [Thorhildur Sunna AEVARSDOTTIR] Progressive Party (Framsoknarflokkurinn) or PP [Sigurdur Ingi JOHANNSSON]Reform Party (Vidreisn) [Thorgerdur Katrin GUNNARSDOTTIR] Social Democratic Alliance (Samfylkingin) or SDA [Kristrun FROSTADOTTIR]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, mutton, poultry, potatoes, barley, pork, eggs, beef, other meat, sheep skins

Budget

expenditures

$11.536 billion (2018 est.)

revenues

$11.776 billion (2018 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

A (2017)

Moody's rating

A2 (2019)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

A (2017)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

$1.612 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

$407.806 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$409.262 million (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$22.055 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$19.422 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

high-income European economy; frozen EU accession application but Schengen Area member; major tourism, fishing, and aluminum industries; complex regulatory environment; large FDI recipient; highly educated workforce

Exchange rates

Currency

Icelandic kronur (ISK) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

106.84 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

108.3 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

122.607 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

135.422 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

126.989 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$11.005 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$7.501 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$9.775 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

aluminum and aluminum products, fish fillets, salmon, iron alloys, animal meal (2021)

Exports - partners

Netherlands 24%, Spain 10%, Germany 10%, United Kingdom 9%, United States 7% (2021)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

47% (2017 est.)

government consumption

23.3% (2017 est.)

household consumption

50.4% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-42.8% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

22.1% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

5.8% (2017 est.)

industry

19.7% (2017 est.)

services

74.6% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$24.614 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017

26.1 (2017 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2019

$9.891 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$7.616 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$10.234 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, aluminum oxide, carbon/graphite electronics, cars, packaged medicines (2019)

Imports - partners

Norway 11%, Denmark 10%, Netherlands 9%, Germany 9%, China 7% (2021)

Industrial production growth rate

5.65% (2021 est.)

Industries

tourism, fish processing; aluminum smelting; geothermal power, hydropower; medical/pharmaceutical products

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

3.01% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

2.85% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

4.44% (2021 est.)

Labor force

200,300 (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

8.8% (2017 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2018

81.95% of GDP (2018 est.)

Public debt 2019

89.59% of GDP (2019 est.)

Public debt 2020

100.02% of GDP (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$20.524 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$19.12 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$19.962 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

2.42% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-6.84% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

4.4% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$56,900 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$52,200 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$53,600 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$6.782 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$6.419 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$7.079 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

22.33% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

3.51% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

5.48% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

5.4% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

13.7%

male

13%

total

13.4% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

459,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

2.879 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

3.337 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

142,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

136,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

17,912,066,000 kWh (2020 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

2.967 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

519 million kWh (2020 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

32.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

67.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

19,700 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

2,530 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

20,220 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

42 (2020 est.)

total

141,816 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

state-owned public TV broadcaster (RUV) operates 21 TV channels nationally (RUV and RUV 2, though RUV 2 is used less frequently);  RUV broadcasts nationally, every household in Iceland is required to have RUV as it doubles as the emergency broadcast network; RUV also operates stringer offices in the north (Akureyri) and the east (Egilsstadir) but operations are all run out of RUV headquarters in Reykjavik;  there are 3 privately owned TV stations;  Stod 2 (Channel 2) is owned by Syn, following 365 Media and Vodafone merger, and is headquartered in Reykjavik;  Syn also operates 4 sports channels under Stod 2;  N4 is the only television station headquartered outside of Reykjavik, in Akureyri, with local programming for the north, south, and east of Iceland;  Hringbraut is the newest station and is headquartered in Reykjavik;  all of these television stations have nationwide penetration as 100% of households have multi-channel services though digital and/or fiber-optic connections RUV operates 3 radio stations (RAS 1, RAS2, and Rondo) as well as 4 regional stations (but they mostly act as range extenders for RUV radio broadcasts nationwide); there is 1 privately owned radio conglomerate, Syn (4 stations), that broadcasts nationwide, and 3 other radio stations that broadcast to the most densely populated regions of the country.  In addition, there are upwards of 20 radio stations that operate regionally (2019)

Internet country code

.is

Internet users

percent of population

100% (2021 est.)

total

370,000 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

27 per 100 for fixed line and nearing 118 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2021)

general assessment

Iceland has one of the smallest yet most progressive telecom markets in Europe; the country in 2020 became the top in Europe for fiber penetration; it aims to provide a fixed broadband service of at least 100Mb/s to 99.9% of the population by the end of 2021, an ambitious target by international standards and one which it is likely to achieve given the progress which operators have made in extending the reach of fiber networks; there is effective competition in the mobile and broadband markets, with a number of players having emerged to challenge the dominance of the two leading operators which have interests across the telecom sectors; the telecom market has shown some resilience in recent years following the significant economic downturn a decade ago, supported by continuing investment in mobile and fixed-line broadband infrastructure by operators and well as by the government’s Telecommunications Fund which is supporting Next Generation Access networks, particularly in rural areas (2022)

international

country code - 354; landing points for the CANTAT-3, FARICE-1, Greenland Connect and DANICE submarine cable system that provides connectivity to Canada, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, UK, Denmark, and Germany; 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) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

27 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

100,482 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

118 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

437,270 (2021 est.)

Airports

96 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

7

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

89

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

TF

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 5, oil tanker 2, other 33

total

40 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

163.65 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

7,819,740 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

63

number of registered air carriers

6 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Reykjavik

Roadways

paved/oiled gravel

5,647 km (2012) (excludes urban roads)

total

12,898 km (2012)

unpaved

7,251 km (2012)

Military - note

Iceland was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949; Iceland is the only NATO member that has no standing military force; defense of Iceland remains a NATO commitment and NATO maintains an air policing presence in Icelandic airspace; Iceland participates in international peacekeeping missions with the civilian-manned Icelandic Crisis Response Unit (ICRU)Iceland cooperates with the militaries of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; areas of cooperation include armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; NORDEFCO was established in 2009in 1951, Iceland and the US concluded an agreement to make arrangements regarding the defense of Iceland and for the use of facilities in Iceland to that end; the agreement, along with NATO membership, is one of the two pillars of Iceland‘s security policy; since 2007 Iceland has concluded cooperation agreements with Canada, Denmark, Norway, and the UK; it also has regular consultations with Germany and France on security and defense (2023)

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; the Icelandic National Police, the nine regional police forces, and the Icelandic Coast Guard fall under the purview of the Ministry of Justice (2023)

note

note: the Icelandic Coast Guard is responsible for operational defense tasks in Iceland including but not limited to operation of Keflavik Air Base, special security zones, and Iceland's air defense systems

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Icelandic Coast Guard's inventory consists of equipment from mostly European suppliers (2023)

Disputes - international

in 2019, Denmark signed continental shelf delimitation agreements with Iceland and Norway to parts of the continental shelf in the Ægir Basin, which is located north of the Faroe Islands

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons

68 (2022)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

2.06 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.59 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

5.79 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

water pollution from fertilizer runoff

Environment - international agreements

party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Land use

agricultural land

18.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 17.5% (2018 est.)

forest

0.3% (2018 est.)

other

81% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

170 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

300,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

200 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

80 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

94% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

525,000 tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

293,003 tons (2013 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

55.8% (2013 est.)