ICELAND GEOGRAPHY Total area: 103,000 km2; land area: 100,250 km2 Comparative area: slightly smaller than Kentucky Land boundaries: none Coastline: 4,988 km Maritime claims: Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm; Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Ireland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area) Climate: temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers Terrain: mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords Natural resources: fish, hydroelectric and geothermal power, diatomite Land use: arable land NEGL%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 23%; forest and woodland 1%; other 76% Environment: subject to earthquakes and volcanic activity Note: strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country PEOPLE Population: 259,742 (July 1991), growth rate 1.0% (1991) Birth rate: 17 births/1,000 population (1991) Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1991) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991) Infant mortality rate: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (1991) Life expectancy at birth: 75 years male, 80 years female (1991) Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1991) Nationality: noun--Icelander(s); adjective--Icelandic Ethnic divisions: homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norwegians and Celts Religion: Evangelical Lutheran 96%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, none 1% (1988) Language: Icelandic Literacy: 100% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1976 est.) Labor force: 134,429; commerce, finance, and services 55.4%, other manufacturing 14.3%., agriculture 5.8%, fish processing 7.9%, fishing 5.0% (1986) Organized labor: 60% of labor force GOVERNMENT Long-form name: Republic of Iceland Type: republic Capital: Reykjavik Administrative divisions: 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 Independence: 17 June 1944 (from Denmark) Constitution: 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944 Legal system: civil law system based on Danish law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Anniversary of the Establishment of the Republic, 17 June (1944) Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral Althingi with an Upper House (Efri Deild) and a Lower House (Nedri Deild) Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Haestirettur) Leaders: Chief of State--President Vigdis FINNBOGADOTTIR (since 1 August 1980); Head of Government--Prime Minister David ODDSSON (since 30 April 1991) Political parties and leaders: 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 Suffrage: universal at age 20 Elections: 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 Communists: less than 100 (est.), some of whom participate in the People's Alliance Member of: 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 Diplomatic representation: 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 Flag: 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) ECONOMY Overview: 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. GDP: $4.2 billion, per capita $16,300; real growth rate 0% (1990) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.8% (1990) Unemployment rate: 1.8% (1990) Budget: revenues $1.58 billion; expenditures $1.66 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA million (1990) Exports: $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% Imports: $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% External debt: $3 billion (1990) Industrial production: growth rate - 0.8% (1988 est.); accounts for 22% of GDP Electricity: 1,063,000 kW capacity; 5,165 million kWh produced, 20,780 kWh per capita (1989) Industries: fish processing, aluminum smelting, ferro-silicon production, hydropower Agriculture: 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 Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $19.1 million Currency: krona (plural--kronur); 1 Icelandic krona (IKr) = 100 aurar Exchange rates: 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) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Highways: 12,343 km total; 166 km bitumen and concrete; 1,284 km bituminous treated and gravel; 10,893 km earth Ports: Reykjavik, Akureyri, Hafnarfjordhur, Keflavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Siglufjordhur, Vestmannaeyjar; numerous minor ports Merchant marine: 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 Civil air: 20 major transport aircraft Airports: 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 Telecommunications: 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 Branches: no armed forces; State Criminal Police, Coast Guard; Iceland's defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik Manpower availability: males 15-49, 69,644; 62,248 fit for military service; no conscription or compulsory military service Defense expenditures: none