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 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.


top of page


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

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
Rank: 108
Comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania; about the same size as Kentucky

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 4,970 km

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

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
Mean elevation: 557 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Hvannadalshnukur (at Vatnajokull Glacier) 2,110 m

Natural resources: fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Land use
Agricultural land: 18.7% (2011 est.)
Forest: 0.3% (2011 est.)
Other: 81% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land
Note: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

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

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
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: 350,734 (July 2020 est.)
Rank: 177
Growth rate: 1.02% (2020 est.)
Growth rate rank: 103
Below poverty line note:

Nationality
Noun: Icelander(s)
Adjective: Icelandic

Ethnic groups:

Languages: Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland (official) 67.2%, Roman Catholic 3.9%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.8%, Hafnarfjordur Free Church 2%, Asatru Association 1.2%, The Independent Congregation .9%, other religions 4% (includes Zuist and Pentecostal), none 6.7%, other or unspecified 11.3% (2018 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 20.31% (male 36,394/female 34,837)
15-24 years: 12.85% (male 22,748/female 22,317)
25-54 years: 39.44% (male 70,227/female 68,095)
55-64 years: 11.94% (male 20,762/female 21,111)
65 years and over: 15.47% (male 25,546/female 28,697) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 54
Youth dependency ratio: 29.9
Elderly dependency ratio: 24.1
Potential support ratio: 4.2 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 37.1 years
Male: 36.6 years
Female: 37.7 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 74

Population growth rate: 1.02% (2020 est.)
Rank: 103

Birth rate: 13.3 births/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 140

Death rate: 6.6 deaths/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 138

Net migration rate: 3.3 migrant(s)/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 33

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

Urbanization
Urban population: 93.9% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 0.81% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 216,000 REYKJAVIK (capital) (2018)

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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 27.8 years (2017 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 2.1 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 2.3 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 2 deaths/1000 live births (2020 est.)
Rank: 224

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 83.3 years
Male: 81 years
Female: 85.6 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 7

Total fertility rate: 1.97 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Rank: 114

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source
Urban: 0% of population
Rural: 0% of population
Total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 8.3% (2017)

Physicians density: 3.98 physicians/1000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density: 3.1 beds/1000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population
Rural: 0% of population
Total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2018)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 124
People living with hivaids note: <500 (2018)
Deaths note: <100 (2018)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 21.9% (2016)
Rank: 83

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 7.7% of GDP (2017)
Rank: 7

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 19 years
Male: 18 years
Female: 20 years (2018)

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
Conventional short form: Iceland
Local long form: Lydveldid Island
Local short form: Island
Etymology: Floki VILGERDARSON, an early 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

Government type: unitary parliamentary republic

Capital
Name: Reykjavik
Geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W
Time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time): etymology: the name means 'smoky bay' in Icelandic and refers to the steamy, smoke-like vapors discharged by hot springs in the area

Administrative divisions: 72 municipalities (sveitarfelog, singular - sveitarfelagidh); Akrahreppur, Akraneskaupstadhur, Akureyrarkaupstadhur, Arneshreppur, Asahreppur, Blaskogabyggdh, Blonduosbaer, Bolungarvikurkaupstadhur, Borgarbyggdh, Borgarfjardharhreppur, Dalabyggdh, Dalvikurbyggdh, Djupavogshreppur, Eyjafjardharsveit, Eyja-og Miklaholtshreppur, Fjallabyggdh, Fjardhabyggdh, Fljotsdalsheradh, Fljotsdalshreppur, Floahreppur, Gardhabaer, Grimsnes-og Grafningshreppur, Grindavikurbaer, Grundarfjardharbaer, Grytubakkahreppur, Hafnarfjardharkaupstadhur, Helgafellssveit, Horgarsveit, Hrunamannahreppur, Hunathing Vestra, Hunavatnshreppur, Hvalfjardharsveit, Hveragerdhisbaer, Isafjardharbaer, Kaldrananeshreppur, Kjosarhreppur, Kopavogsbaer, Langanesbyggdh, Mosfellsbaer, Myrdalshreppur, Nordhurthing, Rangarthing Eystra, Rangarthing Ytra, Reykholahreppur, Reykjanesbaer, Reykjavikurborg, Seltjarnarnesbaer, Seydhisfjardharkaupstadhur, Skaftarhreppur, Skagabyggdh, Skeidha-og Gnupverjahreppur, Skorradalshreppur, Skutustadhahreppur, Snaefellsbaer, Strandabyggdh, Stykkisholmsbaer, Sudhavikurhreppur, Sudhurnesjabaer, Svalbardhshreppur, Svalbardhsstrandarhreppur, Sveitarfelagidh Arborg, Sveitarfelagidh Hornafjordhur, Sveitarfelagidh Olfus, Sveitarfelagidh Skagafjordhur, Sveitarfelagidh Skagastrond, Sveitarfelagidh Vogar, Talknafjardharhreppur, Thingeyjarsveit, Tjorneshreppur, Vestmannaeyjabaer, Vesturbyggdh, Vopnafjardharhreppur

Dependent areas

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)

National holiday: Independence Day, 17 June (1944)

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

Legal system: civil law system influenced by the Danish model

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON (since 1 August 2016)
Head of government: Prime Minister Katrin JAKOBSDOTTIR (since 30 November 2017)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the prime minister 
Electionsappointments: 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
Election results: Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON reelected president; percent of vote - Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON (independent) 92.2%, Gudmundur Franklin JONSSON (independent) 7.8%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Althingi or Parliament (63 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 28 October 2017 (next to be held in 2021)
Election results: percent of vote by party - IP 25.2%, LGM 16.9%, SDA 12.1%, CP 10.9%, PP 10.7%, Pirate Party 9.2%, Peoples Party 6.9%, Reform Party 6.7%. other 1.5%; seats by party - IP 16, LGM 11, SDA 7, CP 7, PP 8, Pirate Party 6, Reform Party 4, Peoples Party 4

Judicial branch
Highest courts: 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

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) [rotating leadership]Progressive Party (Framsoknarflokkurinn) or PP [Sigurdur Ingi JOHANNSSON]Reform Party (Vidreisn) [Thorgerdur Katrin GUNNARSDOTTIR]Social Democratic Alliance (Samfylkingin) or SDA [Logi Mar EINARSSON]

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Geir Hilmar HAARDE (since 23 February 2015)
In the us chancery: House of Sweden, 2,900 K Street NW, #509, Washington, DC 20,007
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 265-6,653
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 265-6,656
In the us consulate: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey Ross GUNTER (since 2 July 2019)
From the us telephone: [354] 595-2,200
From the us embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik
From the us mailing address: US Department of State, 5,640 Reykjavik Place, Washington, D.C. 20,521-5,640
From the us FAX: [354] 562-9,118

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); 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

National symbols: gyrfalcon; national colors: blue, white, red

National anthem
Name: Lofsongur (Song of Praise)
Lyricsmusic: Matthias JOCHUMSSON/Sveinbjorn SVEINBJORNSSON
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


top of page


Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real:
Real note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 142

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2010 dollars
Rank: 24

Gross national saving:
Rank: 52

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 50.4% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 23.3% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 22.1% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 47% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -42.8% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 5.8% (2017 est.)
Industry: 19.7% (2017 est.)
Services: 74.6% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: potatoes, carrots, green vegetables, tomatoes, cucumbers; mutton, chicken, pork, beef, dairy products; fish

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

Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (2017 est.)
Rank: 120

Labor force: 200,000 (2020 est.)
Rank: 170
By occupation agriculture: 4.8%
By occupation industry: 22.2%
By occupation services: 73% (2008)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 51

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line
Note:

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: 10.39 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 10.02 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: 1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 22

Taxes and other revenues: 42.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 31

Public debt:
Rank: 126

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 147

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance:
Rank: 47

Exports:
Rank: 97
Partners: Netherlands 25.5%, Spain 13.6%, UK 9.4%, Germany 7.6%, US 7%, France 6.3%, Norway 4.9% (2017)
Commodities: fish and fish products (42%), aluminum (38%), agricultural products, medicinal and medical products, ferro-silicon (2015)

Imports:
Rank: 112
Commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles
Partners: Germany 10.7%, Norway 9.2%, China 7%, Netherlands 6.7%, US 6.4%, Denmark 6.2%, UK 5.7%, Sweden 4.1% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 89

Debt external:
Rank: 91

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


top of page


Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2020)
Production: 18.17 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 80
Consumption: 17.68 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 73
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 148
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 160
Installed generating capacity: 2.772 million kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 100
Generation sources fossil fuels: 4% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 205
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 109
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 71% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 16
Generation sources other renewable sources: 25% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 29

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 151
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 139
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 143
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 147

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products production rank: 159
Products consumption: 20,850 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products consumption rank: 139
Products exports: 2,530 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products exports rank: 101
Products imports: 20,220 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products imports rank: 120

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 148
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 160
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 123
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 140
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 149

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 3.228 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 144

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 128,597
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37.04 (2019 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 132
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 423,390
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121.95 (2019 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 174

Telephone system

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 (2019)

Internet
Country code: .is
Users total: 340,117
Users percent of population: 99.01% (July 2018 est.)
Users rank: 163

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 136,556
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 40 (2018 est.)
Rank: 116


top of page


Military expenditures:
Rank: 155

Military and security forces: no regular military forces; Icelandic Coast Guard; Icelandic National Police (2019)

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 6 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 63
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 7,819,740 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 163.65 million
Note: mt-km (2018)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: TF (2016)

Airports: 96 (2013)
Rank: 59
With paved runways total: 7 (2017)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1 (2017)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3 (2017)
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 89 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 26 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 60 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 12,898 km (2012)
Pavedoiled gravel: 5,647 km
Note: (excludes urban roads) (2012)
Unpaved: 7,251 km (2012)
Rank: 129

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 37
By type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 2, other 30 (2019)
Rank: 126

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Reykjavik


top of page


Disputes international: Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; the European Free Trade Association Surveillance Authority filed a suit against Iceland, claiming the country violated the Agreement on the European Economic Area in failing to pay minimum compensation to Icesave depositors

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Stateless persons: 48 (2019)

Illicit drugs