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

top of page


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 Althing 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. Limited home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence attained in 1944. Literacy longevity income and social cohesion are first-rate by world standards.


top of page


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
Total: 103,000 km²
Land: 100,250 km²
Water: 2,750 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Kentucky

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 4,988 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
Exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Territorial sea: 12 NM

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
Extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)

Natural resources: fish hydropower geothermal power diatomite

Land use
Arable land: 1%
Other: 70% (2001 est.)
Forest and woodlands: 1%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 28%

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; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe


top of page


Population: 280,798 (July 2003 est.)
Growth rate: 0.49% (2003 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Icelander
Adjective: Icelandic

Ethnic groups: homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94% population of foreign origin 6%

Languages: Icelandic English Nordic languages German widely spoken

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 87.1% other Protestant 4.1% Roman Catholic 1.7% other 7.1% (2002)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 22.7% (male 32,902; female 30,952)
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 92,519; female 91,000)
65 years and over: 11.9% (male 14,973; female 18,452) (2003 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 34 years
Male: 33.2 years
Female: 34.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate: 0.49% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 14.13 births/1000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 6.95 deaths/1000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.26 migrant(s)/1000 population (2003 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Environmental Protection through Criminal Law, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Oil Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Persistent Organic Pollutants, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.08 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.06 male/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male/female
Total population: 1 male/female (2003 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3.5 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.19 deaths/1000 live births (2003 est.)
Male: 3.79 deaths/1000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.8 years
Male: 77.54 years
Female: 82.22 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 220 (2001 est.)
Deaths: less than 100 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.9% (1997 est.)
Male: NA%
Female: NA%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
Conventional short form: Iceland
Local short form: Island
Local long form: Lydhveldidh Island

Government type: constitutional republic

Capital: Reykjavik

Administrative divisions
Note: there may be four other counties

Dependent areas

Independence: 1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)

National holiday: Independence Day 17 June (1944)

Constitution: 16 June 1944 effective 17 June 1944

Legal system: civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

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 prime minister and approved by Parliament
Election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON ran unopposed in 2000 and was reelected
Elections: president, which is largely a ceremonial post, elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 29 June 1996 (next to be held NA June 2004); President GRIMSSON ran unopposed in June 2000 so there were no elections; prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch
Election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party 33.7%, Social Democratic Alliance 31.0%, Progressive Party 17.7%, Left-Green Alliance 8.8%, Liberal Party 7.4%; seats by party - Independence Party 22, Social Democratic Alliance 20, Progressive Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 5, Liberal Party 4
Elections: last held 10 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2007)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)

Political parties and leaders: Independence Party or IP [David ODDSSON]; Left-Green Alliance or LGP [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; Social Democratic Alliance (includes People's Alliance or PA Social Democratic Party or SDP Women's List)or SDA [Ossur SKARPHEDINSSON]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Sighvatur BJORGVINSSON]; Women's List or WL [Kristin ASTGEIRSDOTTIR]

International organization participation: Australia Group BIS CBSS CE EAPC EBRD ECE EFTA FAO IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt ICFTU ICRM IDA IEA (observer) IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC ISO ITU NATO NC NEA NIB OECD OPCW OSCE PCA UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNMIBH UNMIK UNU UPU WCO WEU (associate) WHO WIPO WMO WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Helgi AGUSTSSON
In the us chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,005-1704
In the us consulates general: New York
In the us fax: [1] (202) 265-6,656
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 265-6,653
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador James I. GADSDEN
From the us embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik
From the us mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE 9,728-0340
From the us telephone: [354] 5,629,100
From the us fax: [354] 5,629,118

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)

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic yet with an extensive welfare system (including generous housing subsidies) low unemployment and remarkably even distribution of income. In the absence of other natural resources (except for abundant hydrothermal and geothermal power) the economy depends heavily on the fishing industry which provides 70% of export earnings and employs 12% of the work force. The economy remains sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products aluminum and ferrosilicon. Government policies include 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 had been remarkably steady in 1996-2001 at 3%-5% but could not be sustained in 2002 in an environment of global recession. Growth resumed in 2003 and inflation dropped back from 5% to 2%.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: -0.6% (2002 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $30,200 (2002 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 14% (includes fishing 12%)
Industry: 21%
Services: 65% (2001 est.)

Agriculture products: potatoes green vegetables chicken pork mutton; fish

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

Industrial production growth rate: 0.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 159,000 (2000)
By occupation: agriculture 5.1% fishing and fish processing 11.8% manufacturing 12.9% construction 10.7% other services 59.5% (1999)