Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/870

 818 ICELAND

Shipping" and Navigation. — The mercantile marine of Iceland was,

in the beginning of 1914, 34 steam vessels of 2,489 net tons, 304 motor vessels of 2,064 net tons, and 135 sailing vessels of 4,827 net tons : total. 473 vessels of 9,380 net tons.

In 1917, 178 vessels of 61,432 tons cargo entered the Icelandic ports from foreign countries.

Internal Communications- — There are no railways in Iceland. At the end of 1917 there were completed about 320 miles of carriage roads outside the towns.

There are 240 post offices.

The length of the telegraph and telephone lines at the end of 1918 was 1,382 miles. The wires had a length of 4,006 miles. There were 137 tele- graph and telephone offices. Number of dispatches sent in the year 1917 was 139,278, of which 88,574 were internal. Number of telephone conver- sations was 270,351. The total receipts amounted to 496,363 kronur, and the total expenditure to 208,890 kronur, leaving a surplus of 287,473 kronur.

Money and Credit. — There are two banks in Iceland, Landsbankin (The National Bank), which belongs entirely to the State, and Islands banki (Bank of Iceland), a private joint-stock bank, which has the privilege of issuing notes beyond a fixed amount of State notes which the National Bank has in circulation. On December 31, 1919, the accounts of the National Bank balanced at 33,749,643 kronur. The liabilities included 750,000 kronur note issue and 2,703,149 kronur reserve fund. A special department for loans on mortgage is connected with the National Bank. The accounts of the Bank of Iceland balanced 54,522,464 kronur at the end of 1919. The assets in- cluded 7,903,200 kronur in bullion and specie. The liabilities included 8,649,865 kronur note issue, 4,500,000 kronur of capital, and 3,792,587 kronur reserve fund.

At the end of 1916 there were 44 savings banks with 14,667 depositors, and deposits amounting to 3,499,000 kronur, or about 239 kronur to each account.

Money, Weights and Measures. — According to the Act of Union

of 1918, Iceland uses the coinage of Denmark. The Icelandic name of the monetary unit is krdna, pi. krdnui:

The metric system of weights and measures is obligatory.

Diplomatic and Consular Representatives.

1. Of Iceland in Great Britain.

According to the Act of Union of 1918, Iceland is represented by the Diplomatic Representatives of Denmark.

2. Of Great Britain in Iceland. Consul al Reykjavik. — Vacant.

There are also consular representatives at Akureyri, Seydisfjoidur, and Vestmamiaeyjar.

Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Iceland,

1. Official Puisucations.

Oansk-tslaiKl.sk Korlmndslnv. Copenhagen, 1918,

Hagskyr.slur (stands. EMatttattque d« I'lttande, Reykjavik Annual.

HagtiOindi (St-itistic-.il Journal;. Reykjavik.