President: Olafur Ragnar Grimsson Prime minister: Johanna Sigurdardottir
Population
4,570,934
313,183
Life Expectancy
77.320 years
81.000 years
Capital City
T'bilisi
Reykjavik
Largest city
Tbilisi (population: 1,049,500)
Reykjavik (population: 113,906)
Human Development Index
0.763
NA
GDP per capita
$5,600 US
$38,500 US
Literacy Rate
100%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
3.9
8.9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
6%
33.3%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA
Bjorgolfur Thor Bjorgolfsson ($1.0bn US)
Unemployment Rate
16.300%
7.400%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Abolished
Political System
republic
constitutional republic
Independence date
9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)
1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
Religions
Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Muslim 9.9%, Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%, Catholic 0.8%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census)
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
Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7% note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia
Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken
Exports
scrap metal, wine, mineral water, ores, vehicles, fruits and nuts
fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite
External Debt
$11,080,000,000 $
$124,500,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
laris (GEL) per US dollar - 1.47 (2008 est.), 1.7 (2007), 1.78 (2006), 1.8127 (2005), 1.9167 (2004)
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
1.900%
0.000%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
6
1
Location
Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
Area
69,700 km sq
103,000 km sq
Coastline
310 km
4,970 km
Climate
warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast
temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
