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| Introduction | Iceland |
| Background: | Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Limited home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion are first-rate by world standards. |
| People | Iceland |
| Population: | 293,966 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 22.5% (male 33,522; female 32,489) 15-64 years: 65.8% (male 98,091; female 95,450) 65 years and over: 11.7% (male 15,552; female 18,862) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 33.8 years male: 33.3 years female: 34.3 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 0.97% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 13.83 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 6.57 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 2.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 3.31 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 3.44 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 80.18 years male: 78.18 years female: 82.27 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.93 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.2% (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 220 (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 100 (2001 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Icelander(s) adjective: Icelandic |
| Ethnic groups: | homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6% |
| Religions: | Evangelical Lutheran 87.1%, other Protestant 4.1%, Roman Catholic 1.7%, other 7.1% (2002) |
| Languages: | Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.9% (1997 est.) male: NA female: NA |
| Government | Iceland |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Iceland conventional short form: Iceland local short form: Island local long form: Lydhveldidh Island |
| Government type: | constitutional republic |
| Capital: | Reykjavik |
| Administrative divisions: | 8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland |
| Independence: | 1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 17 June (1944) |
| Constitution: | 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944 |
| Legal system: | civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Halldor ASGRIMSSON (since 15 September 2004); note - Former Prime Minister David ODDSSON switched positions with former Foreign Minister Halldor ASGRIMMSON cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by Parliament elections: president, which is largely a ceremonial post, elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 26 June 2004 (next to be held NA June 2008); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON wins with 85.6% of the vote, Baldur AGUSTSSON 12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9% |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 10 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party 33.7%, Social Democratic Alliance 31.0%, Progressive Party 17.7%, Left-Green Alliance 8.8%, Liberal Party 7.4%; seats by party - Independence Party 22, Social Democratic Alliance 20, Progressive Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 5, Liberal Party 4 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice) |
| Political parties and leaders: | Independence Party or IP [David ODDSSON]; Left-Green Alliance or LGP [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; Social Democratic Alliance (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List) or SDA [Ossur SKARPHEDINSSON] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIK, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Helgi AGUSTSSON consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653 chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1704 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador James I. GADSDEN embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340 telephone: [354] 562-9100 FAX: [354] 562-9118 |
| Flag description: | blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) |
| Communications | Iceland |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 190,700 (2003) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 279,100 (2003) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: extensive domestic service domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic cables and microwave radio relay links international: country code - 354; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Radios: | 260,000 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997) |
| Televisions: | 98,000 (1997) |
| Internet country code: | .is |
| Internet hosts: | 122,175 (2004) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 20 (2001) |
| Internet users: | 195,000 (2003) |
| Transportation | Iceland |
| Highways: | total: 12,955 km paved/oiled gravel: 3,863 km unpaved: 9,092 km (2003) |
| Ports and harbors: | Akureyri, Hornafjordhur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vesttmannaeyjar |
| Merchant marine: | total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,341 GRT/6,019 DWT registered in other countries: 26 (2003 est.) by type: petroleum tanker 1 |
| Airports: | 100 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 93 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 61 (2004 est.) |
| Military | Iceland |
| Military branches: | no regular armed forces; Police, Coast Guard |
| Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 75,568 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 66,503 (2004 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | 0 |
| Military - note: | defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik |
| Transnational Issues | Iceland |
| Disputes - international: | Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area) remains dormant; dispute with Denmark over the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line boundary within 200 nm; disputes with Denmark, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 nm |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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