Map of Iceland | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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.


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

Geographic coordinates: 65 00 N 18 00 W

Map reference: Arctic Region

Area
Comparative: slightly smaller than Kentucky

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 4,988 km

Maritime claims

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

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

Elevation

Natural resources: fish hydropower geothermal power diatomite

Land use

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: earthquakes and volcanic activity

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


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Population: 276,365 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: 0.57% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality

Ethnic groups: homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norwegians and Celts

Languages: Icelandic

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

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.57% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 14.86 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 6.87 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.3 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 3.58 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 2.03 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

Government type: constitutional republic

Capital: Reykjavik

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Establishment of the Republic 17 June (1944)

Constitution: 16 June 1944 effective 17 June 1944

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

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]; National Awakening (People's Revival Party) or PR [Johanna SIGURDARDOTTIR]; People's Alliance (left socialist) or PA [Margret FRIMANNSDOTTIR]; People's Movement (centrist) [leader NA]; Progressive Party (liberal) or PP [Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Sighvatur BJORGVINSSON]; Women's Party or WL [Kristin ASTGEIRSDOTTIR]

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

Diplomatic representation

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)

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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%.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 4.5% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $23,500 (1999 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: potatoes turnips; cattle sheep; fish

Industries: fish processing; aluminum smelting ferrosilicon production geothermal power; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 131,000 (1999)
By occupation: manufacturing 12.9% fishing and fish processing 11.8% construction 10.7% other services 59.5% agriculture 5.1% (1999)