President: Olafur Ragnar Grimsson Prime minister: Johanna Sigurdardottir
Population
4,366,266
313,183
Life Expectancy
55.270 years
81.000 years
Capital City
Reykjavik
Largest city
Brazzaville (population: 1,284,610)
Reykjavik (population: 113,906)
Human Development Index
NA
NA
GDP per capita
$38,500 US
Literacy Rate
83.8%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
1.9
8.9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
NA
33.3%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA
Bjorgolfur Thor Bjorgolfsson ($1.0bn US)
Unemployment Rate
7.400%
Death Penalty
Abolished in practice
Abolished
Political System
republic
constitutional republic
Independence date
1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
Religions
Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%
Lutheran Church of Iceland 82.1%, Roman Catholic Church 2.4%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.3%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.6%, other Christian 2.8%, other religions 0.9%, unaffiliated 2.6%, other or unspecified 5.5% (2006 est.)
Languages
French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)
Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken
Exports
fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite
External Debt
$124,500,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Icelandic kronur (ISK) per US dollar - 85.619 (2008 est.), 63.391 (2007), 70.195 (2006), 62.982 (2005), 70.192 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.000%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
1
Location
Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
Area
342,000 km sq
103,000 km sq
Coastline
169 km
4,970 km
Climate
tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator
temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
