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Communications

Airports [time series]

99 total, 92 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 14 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

20 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

12,343 km total; 166 km bitumen and concrete; 1,284 km bituminous treated and gravel; 10,893 km earth

Merchant marine [time series]

16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 53,409 GRT/73,279 DWT; includes 8 cargo, 2 refrigerated cargo, 1 container, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 1 bulk

Ports [time series]

Reykjavik, Akureyri, Hafnarfjordhur, Keflavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Siglufjordhur, Vestmannaeyjar; numerous minor ports

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

adequate domestic service, wire and radio communication system; 135,000 telephones; stations--10 AM, 17 (43 relays) FM, 14 (132 relays) TV; 2 submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

no armed forces; State Criminal Police, Coast Guard; Iceland's defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

none

Manpower availability [time series]

males 15-49, 69,644; 62,248 fit for military service; no conscription or compulsory military service

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for about 25% of GDP (including fishing); fishing is most important economic activity, contributing nearly 75% to export earnings; principal crops--potatoes and turnips; livestock--cattle, sheep; self-sufficient in crops; fish catch of about 1.4 million metric tons in 1989

Budget [time series]

revenues $1.58 billion; expenditures $1.66 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA million (1990)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

krona (plural--kronur); 1 Icelandic krona (IKr) = 100 aurar

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $19.1 million

Electricity [time series]

1,063,000 kW capacity; 5,165 million kWh produced, 20,780 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

Icelandic kronur (IKr) per US$1--55.216 (January 1991), 58.284 (1990), 57.042 (1989), 43.014 (1988), 38.677 (1987), 41.104 (1986), 41.508 (1985)

Exports [time series]

$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1990); commodities--fish and fish products, animal products, aluminum, diatomite; partners--EC 67.7% (UK 25.3%, FRG 12.7%), US 9.9%, Japan 6%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$3 billion (1990)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$4.2 billion, per capita $16,300; real growth rate 0% (1990)

Imports [time series]

$1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1990); commodities--machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, textiles; partners--EC 49.8% (FRG 12.4%, Denmark 8.6%, UK 8.1%), US 14.4%, Japan 5.6%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate - 0.8% (1988 est.); accounts for 22% of GDP

Industries [time series]

fish processing, aluminum smelting, ferro-silicon production, hydropower

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

7.8% (1990)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Iceland's prosperous Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, but with extensive welfare measures, low unemployment, and comparatively even distribution of income. The economy is heavily dependent on the fishing industry, which provides nearly 75% of export earnings. In the absence of other natural resources, Iceland's economy is vulnerable to changing world fish prices. As a result of climbing fish prices in 1990 and a noninflationary labor agreement, Iceland is pulling out of a recession, which began in mid-1988 with a sharp decline in fish prices and an imposition of quotas on fish catches to conserve stocks. Inflation was down sharply from 20% in 1989 to 8% in 1990.

Unemployment rate [time series]

1.8% (1990)

Geography

Climate [time series]

temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers

Coastline [time series]

4,988 km Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm; Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly smaller than Kentucky

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Ireland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area)

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

subject to earthquakes and volcanic activity

Land boundaries [time series]

none

Land use [time series]

arable land NEGL%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 23%; forest and woodland 1%; other 76%

Natural resources [time series]

fish, hydroelectric and geothermal power, diatomite

Note [time series]

strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country

Terrain [time series]

mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords

Area (Total area) [time series]

103,000 km2; land area: 100,250 km2

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

23 counties (syslar, singular--sysla) and 14 independent towns* (kaupstadhir, singular--kaupstadhur); Akranes*, Akureyri*, Arnessysla, Austur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Austur-Hunavatnssysla, Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Borgarfjardharsysla, Dalasysla, Eyjafjardharsysla, Gullbringusysla, Hafnarfjordhur*, Husavik*, Isafjordhur*, Keflavik*, Kjosarsysla, Kopavogur*, Myrasysla, Neskaupstadhur*, Nordhur-Isafjardharsysla, Nordhur-Mulasysla, Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Olafsfjordhur*, Rangarvallasysla, Reykjavik*, Saudharkrokur*, Seydhisfjordhur*, Siglufjordhur*, Skagafjardharsysla, Snaefellsnes-og Hnappadalssysla, Strandasysla, Sudhur-Mulasysla, Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Vestmannaeyjar*, Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Vestur-Hunavatnssysla, Vestur-Isafjardharsysla, Vestur-Skaftafellssysla

Capital [time series]

Reykjavik

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

less than 100 (est.), some of whom participate in the People's Alliance

Constitution [time series]

16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Tomas A. TOMASSON; Chancery at 2022 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 265-6653 through 6655; there is an Icelandic Consulate General in New York; US--Ambassador Charles E. COBB, Jr.; Embassy at Laufasvegur 21, Box 40, Reykjavik (mailing address is FPO New York 09571-0001); telephone [354] (1) 29100

Executive branch [time series]

president, prime minister, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

blue with a red cross outlined in white that extends 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)

Independence [time series]

17 June 1944 (from Denmark)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (Haestirettur) Chief of State--President Vigdis FINNBOGADOTTIR (since 1 August 1980); Head of Government--Prime Minister David ODDSSON (since 30 April 1991) Independence (conservative), David ODDSSON; Progressive, Steingrimur HERMANNSSON; Social Democratic, Jon Baldvin HANNIBALSSON; People's Alliance (left socialist), Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON; Citizens Party (conservative nationalist), Julius SOLNES; Women's List

Legal system [time series]

civil law system based on Danish law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Althingi with an Upper House (Efri Deild) and a Lower House (Nedri Deild)

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Republic of Iceland

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

BIS, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

National holiday [time series]

Anniversary of the Establishment of the Republic, 17 June (1944)

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 20 President--last held on 29 June 1980 (next scheduled for June 1992); results--there were no elections in 1984 and 1988 as President Vigdis FINNBOGADOTTIR was unopposed; Althing--last held on 20 April 1991 (next to be held by April 1995); results--Independence 38.6%, Progressive 18.9%, Social Democratic 15.5%, People's Alliance 14.4%, Womens List 8.13%, Liberals 1.2%, other 3.27% seats--(63 total) Independence 26, Progressive 13, Social Democratic 10, People's Alliance 9, Womens List 5

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

People

Birth rate [time series]

17 births/1,000 population (1991)

Death rate [time series]

7 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norwegians and Celts

Infant mortality rate [time series]

7 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Labor force [time series]

134,429; commerce, finance, and services 55.4%, other manufacturing 14.3%., agriculture 5.8%, fish processing 7.9%, fishing 5.0% (1986)

Languages (Language) [time series]

Icelandic

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

75 years male, 80 years female (1991)

Literacy [time series]

100% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1976 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun--Icelander(s); adjective--Icelandic

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Organized labor [time series]

60% of labor force

Population [time series]

259,742 (July 1991), growth rate 1.0% (1991)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

Evangelical Lutheran 96%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, none 1% (1988)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.2 children born/woman (1991)