CIA World Fact Book, 2004/Iceland


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!| 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.
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!| Location: !| Geographic coordinates: !| Map references: !| Area: water: 2,750 sq km land: 100,250 sq km !| Area - comparative: !| Land boundaries: !| Coastline: !| Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm !| Climate: !| Terrain: !| Elevation extremes: highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m (at Vatnajokull glacier) !| Natural resources: !| Land use: permanent crops: 0% other: 99.93% (2001) !| Irrigated land: !| Natural hazards: !| Environment - current issues: !| Environment - international agreements: signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation !| Geography - note:
 * Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
 * 65 00 N, 18 00 W
 * Arctic Region
 * total: 103,000 sq km
 * slightly smaller than Kentucky
 * 0 km
 * 4,988 km
 * territorial sea: 12 nm
 * temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
 * mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
 * lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
 * fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
 * arable land: 0.07%
 * NA sq km
 * earthquakes and volcanic activity
 * water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment
 * party to: Air Pollution, 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
 * 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
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!| Population: !| Age structure: 15-64 years: 65.8% (male 98,091; female 95,450) 65 years and over: 11.7% (male 15,552; female 18,862) (2004 est.) !| Median age: male: 33.3 years female: 34.3 years (2004 est.) !| Population growth rate: !| Birth rate: !| Death rate: !| Net migration rate: !| Sex ratio: under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.) !| Infant mortality rate: female: 3.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 3.44 deaths/1,000 live births !| Life expectancy at birth: male: 78.18 years female: 82.27 years (2004 est.) !| Total fertility rate: !| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: !| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: !| HIV/AIDS - deaths: !| Nationality: adjective: Icelandic !| Ethnic groups: !| Religions: !| Languages: !| Literacy: total population: 99.9% (1997 est.) male: NA female: NA
 * 293,966 (July 2004 est.)
 * 0-14 years: 22.5% (male 33,522; female 32,489)
 * total: 33.8 years
 * 0.97% (2004 est.)
 * 13.83 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 6.57 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 2.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
 * total: 3.31 deaths/1,000 live births
 * total population: 80.18 years
 * 1.93 children born/woman (2004 est.)
 * 0.2% (2001 est.)
 * 220 (2001 est.)
 * less than 100 (2003 est.)
 * noun: Icelander(s)
 * homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6%
 * Evangelical Lutheran 87.1%, other Protestant 4.1%, Roman Catholic 1.7%, other 7.1% (2002)
 * Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken
 * definition: age 15 and over can read and write
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!| Country name: conventional short form: Iceland local short form: Island local long form: Lydhveldidh Island !| Government type: !| Capital: !| Administrative divisions: !| Independence: !| National holiday: !| Constitution: !| Legal system: !| Suffrage: !| Executive branch: head of government: Prime Minister Halldor ASGRIMSSON (since 15 September 2004); note - Former Prime Minister David ODDSSON switched positions with former Foreign Minister Halldor ASGRIMMSON cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by Parliament elections: president, which is largely a ceremonial post, elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 26 June 2004 (next to be held June 2008); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON wins with 85.6% of the vote, Baldur AGUSTSSON 12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9% !| Legislative branch: elections: last held 10 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2007) 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 !| Judicial branch: !| Political parties and leaders: !| Political pressure groups and leaders: !| International organization participation: !| Diplomatic representation in the US: consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653 chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1704 !| Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340 telephone: [354] 562-9100 FAX: [354] 562-9118 !| Flag description:
 * conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
 * constitutional republic
 * Reykjavik
 * 8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland
 * 1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
 * Independence Day, 17 June (1944)
 * 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944
 * civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
 * 18 years of age; universal
 * chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August 1996)
 * unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
 * 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)
 * 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]
 * NA
 * Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Helgi AGUSTSSON
 * chief of mission: Ambassador James I. GADSDEN
 * 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)
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!| Economy - overview: !| GDP: !| GDP - real growth rate: !| GDP - per capita: !| GDP - composition by sector: industry: 26.7% services: 64.2% (2003 est.) !| Investment (gross fixed): !| Population below poverty line: !| Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%: NA !| Inflation rate (consumer prices): !| Labor force: !| Labor force - by occupation: !| Unemployment rate: !| Budget: expenditures: $4.405 billion, including capital expenditures of $467 million (2003) !| Public debt: !| Agriculture - products: !| Industries: !| Industrial production growth rate: !| Electricity - production: !| Electricity - consumption: !| Electricity - exports: !| Electricity - imports: !| Oil - production: !| Oil - consumption: !| Oil - exports: !| Oil - imports: !| Current account balance: !| Exports: !| Exports - commodities: !| Exports - partners: !| Imports: !| Imports - commodities: !| Imports - partners: !| Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: !| Debt - external: !| Economic aid - donor: !| Currency: !| Currency code: !| Exchange rates: !| Fiscal year:
 * 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 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%.
 * purchasing power parity - $8.678 billion (2003 est.)
 * 2.6% (2003 est.)
 * purchasing power parity - $30,900 (2003 est.)
 * agriculture: 9.2% (includes fishing 12%)
 * 21.6% of GDP (2003)
 * NA
 * lowest 10%: NA
 * 2.1% (2003 est.)
 * 160,000 (2003)
 * agriculture 5.1%, fishing and fish processing 11.8%, manufacturing 12.9%, construction 10.7%, services 59.5% (1999)
 * 3.4% (2003 est.)
 * revenues: $4.205 billion
 * 41.5% of GDP (2003)
 * potatoes, green vegetables, mutton, dairy products, fish
 * fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production, geothermal power; tourism
 * 8.1% (2003 est.)
 * 7.894 billion kWh (2001)
 * 7.341 billion kWh (2001)
 * 0 kWh (2001)
 * 0 kWh (2001)
 * 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * 16,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * 0 bbl/day (2001)
 * 15,470 bbl/day (2001)
 * $-574 million (2003)
 * $2.379 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 * fish and fish products 70%, animal products, aluminum, diatomite, ferrosilicon
 * Germany 17.4%, UK 17.4%, Netherlands 11.2%, US 9.8%, Spain 6.3%, Denmark 5%, Norway 4.5%, France 4% (2003)
 * $2.59 billion (2003 est.)
 * machinery and equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs, textiles
 * Germany 11.8%, Denmark 8%, US 7.5%, UK 7.5%, Norway 7%, Sweden 6.5%, Netherlands 6.2%, Italy 4.7% (2003)
 * $818.7 million (2003)
 * $2.6 billion (1999)
 * NA
 * Icelandic krona (ISK)
 * ISK
 * Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 76.709 (2003), 91.6617 (2002), 97.4246 (2001), 78.6159 (2000), 72.3353 (1999)
 * calendar year
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!| Telephones - main lines in use: !| Telephones - mobile cellular: !| Telephone system: domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic cables and microwave radio relay links international: country code - 354; 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) !| Radio broadcast stations: !| Radios: !| Television broadcast stations: !| Televisions: !| Internet country code: !| Internet hosts: !| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): !| Internet users:
 * 190,700 (2003)
 * 279,100 (2003)
 * general assessment: extensive domestic service
 * AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
 * 260,000 (1997)
 * 14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)
 * 98,000 (1997)
 * .is
 * 122,175 (2004)
 * 20 (2001)
 * 195,000 (2003)
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!| Highways: paved/oiled gravel: 3,863 km unpaved: 9,092 km (2003) !| Ports and harbors: !| Merchant marine: registered in other countries: 26 (2004 est.) by type: petroleum tanker 1 !| Airports: !| Airports - with paved runways: over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) !| Airports - with unpaved runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 61 (2004 est.)
 * total: 12,955 km
 * Akureyri, Hornafjordhur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vesttmannaeyjar
 * total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,341 GRT/6,019 DWT
 * 100 (2003 est.)
 * total: 5
 * total: 93
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!| Military branches: !| Military manpower - availability: !| Military manpower - fit for military service: !| Military expenditures - dollar figure: !| Military - note:
 * no regular armed forces; Police, Coast Guard
 * males age 15-49: 75,568 (2004 est.)
 * males age 15-49: 66,503 (2004 est.)
 * 0
 * defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik
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