1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
28 November 1960 (from France)
Religions
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.)
Muslim 100%
Languages
Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken
Arabic (official and national), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French, Hassaniya
Exports
fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite
iron ore, fish and fish products, gold, copper, petroleum
External Debt
$124,500,000,000 $
$2,942,000,000 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)
ouguiyas (MRO) per US dollar - NA (2007), 271.3 (2006), 267.04 (2005), 265.8 (2004), 263.03 (2003)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.000%
5.500%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
0
Location
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara
Area
103,000 km sq
1,030,700 km sq
Coastline
4,970 km
754 km
Climate
temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
