Head of state: Emperor Akihito Prime minister: Yoshihiko Noda
President: Olafur Ragnar Grimsson Prime minister: Johanna Sigurdardottir
Population
127,368,088
313,183
Life Expectancy
83.910 years
81.000 years
Capital City
Tokyo
Reykjavik
Largest city
Tokyo (population: 8,336,600)
Reykjavik (population: 113,906)
Human Development Index
0.956
NA
GDP per capita
$35,200 US
$38,500 US
Literacy Rate
99%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
7.3
8.9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
12.3%
33.3%
Wealthiest Citizens
Tadashi Yanai & family ($6.0bn US)
Bjorgolfur Thor Bjorgolfsson ($1.0bn US)
Unemployment Rate
4.600%
7.400%
Death Penalty
Legal
Abolished
Political System
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government
constitutional republic
Independence date
660 B.C. (traditional date of the founding of the nation by Emperor JIMMU)
1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
Religions
observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)
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
Japanese
Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken
Exports
transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electrical machinery, chemicals
fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite
External Debt
$2,719,000,000,000 $
$124,500,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
yen (JPY) per US dollar - 103.58 (2008 est.), 117.99 (2007), 116.18 (2006), 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (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
0.800%
0.000%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
25
1
Location
Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
Area
377,915 km sq
103,000 km sq
Coastline
29,751 km
4,970 km
Climate
varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
