Found 2 hits - Term: iceland, Database: *, Strategy: exact
- [1] : WordNet (r) 2.0
iceland
n 1: an island republic on the island of iceland; became
independent of denmark in 1944 syn: republic of
iceland
2: a volcanic island in the north atlantic near the arctic
circle
see also:
republic of iceland
- [2] : CIA World Factbook 2002
iceland
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.
geography iceland
-----------------
location: northern europe, island between the
greenland sea and the north atlantic
ocean, northwest of the uk
geographic coordinates: 65 00 n, 18 00 w
map references: arctic region
area: total: 103,000 sq km
water: 2,750 sq km
land: 100,250 sq km
area - comparative: slightly smaller than kentucky
land boundaries: 0 km
coastline: 4,988 km
maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm or to the
edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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
elevation extremes: lowest point: atlantic ocean 0 m
highest point: hvannadalshnukur
2,119 m
natural resources: fish, hydropower, geothermal power,
diatomite
land use: arable land: 0.06 negl
permanent crops: 0
other: 99.94 23 permanent
pastures 1998 est.
irrigated land: na sq km
natural hazards: earthquakes and volcanic activity
environment - current issues: water pollution from fertilizer
runoff; inadequate wastewater
treatment
environment - international party to: air pollution,
agreements: biodiversity, climate change,
desertification, endangered species,
hazardous wastes, law of the sea,
marine dumping, nuclear test ban,
ozone layer protection, ship
pollution, wetlands
signed, but not ratified: air
pollution-persistent organic
pollutants, environmental
modification, marine life
conservation
geography - note: strategic location between greenland
and europe; westernmost european
country; reykjavik is the
northernmost national capital in the
world; more land covered by glaciers
than in all of continental europe
people iceland
--------------
population: 279,384 july 2002 est.
age structure: 0-14 years: 23 male 33,189; female
31,155
15-64 years: 65.1 male 91,704;
female 90,199
65 years and over: 11.9 male
14,828; female 18,309 2002 est.
population growth rate: 0.52 2002 est.
birth rate: 14.37 births/1,000 population 2002
est.
death rate: 6.93 deaths/1,000 population 2002
est.
net migration rate: -2.27 migrants/1,000 population
2002 est.
sex ratio: at birth: 1.08 males/female
under 15 years: 1.07 males/female
15-64 years: 1.02 males/female
65 years and over: 0.81 males/
female
total population: 1 males/female
2002 est.
infant mortality rate: 3.53 deaths/1,000 live births 2002
est.
life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.66 years
female: 82.07 years 2002 est.
male: 77.42 years
total fertility rate: 1.99 children born/woman 2002 est.
hiv/aids - adult prevalence rate: 0.14 1999 est.
hiv/aids - people living with hiv/ 200 1999 est.
aids:
hiv/aids - deaths: less than 100 1999 est.
nationality: noun: icelanders
adjective: icelandic
ethnic groups: homogeneous mixture of descendants
of norse and celts
religions: evangelical lutheran 93, other
protestant and roman catholic, none
1997
languages: icelandic
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: 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-mulasys-
la, nordhur-thingeyjarsysla,
olafsfjordhur, rangarvallasysla,
reykjavik, saudharkrokur,
seydhisfjordhur, siglufjordhur,
skagafjardharsysla, snaefellsnes-og
hnappadalssysla, strandasysla,
sudhur-mulasysla, sudhur-
thingeyjarsysla, vesttmannaeyjar,
vestur-bardhastrandarsysla, vestur-
hunavatnssysla, vestur-
isafjardharsysla, vestur-
skaftafellssysla
note: there may be four other
counties
independence: 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
david oddsson since 30 april 1991
cabinet: cabinet appointed by the
prime minister and approved by
parliament
election results: olafur ragnar
grimsson ran unopposed in 2000 and
was reelected
elections: president elected by
popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 29 june 1996
next to be held na june 2004;
president grimsson ran unopposed in
june 2000 so there were no
elections; prime minister appointed
by the president
legislative branch: unicameral parliament or althing 63
seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year
terms
election results: percent of vote by
party - independence party 40.7,
the alliance pa, people's party,
women's list 26.8, progressive
party 18.4, left-green alliance
9.1, liberal party 4.2; seats by
party - independence party 26, the
alliance 17, progressive party 12,
left-green alliance 6, liberal party
2
elections: last held 8 may 1999
next to be held by april 2003
judicial branch: supreme court or haestirettur
justices are appointed for life by
the president
political parties and leaders: independence party conservative or
ip david oddsson; left-green
alliance steingrimur sigfusson;
liberal party sverrir hermannsson;
people's party social democratic
party or sdp sighvatur
bjorgvinsson; progressive party
liberal or pp halldor
asgrimsson; the alliance includes
people's alliance or pa, social
democratic party or svp, people's
movement, women's list ossur
skarphedinsson; women's list or wl
kristin astgeirsdottir
political pressure groups and na
leaders:
international organization australia group, bis, cbss, ccc, ce,
participation: eapc, ebrd, ece, efta, fao, iaea,
ibrd, icao, icc, icftu, icrm, ida,
iea observer, ifad, ifc, ifrcs,
iho, ilo, imf, imo, interpol, ioc,
iso, itu, nato, nc, nea, nib, oecd,
opcw, osce, pca, un, unctad, unesco,
unmibh, unmik, unu, upu, weu
associate, who, wipo, wmo, wtro
diplomatic representation in the us: chief of mission: ambassador jon-
baldvin hannibalsson
chancery: suite 1200, 1156 15th
street nw, washington, dc 20005-1704
consulates general: new york
fax: 1 202 265-6656
telephone: 1 202 265-6653
diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: ambassador barbara
us: j. griffiths
embassy: laufasvegur 21, 101
reykjavik
mailing address: us embassy, psc
1003, box 40, fpo ae 09728-0340
telephone: 354 5629100
fax: 354 5629123
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
economy iceland
---------------
economy - overview: iceland's scandinavian-type economy
is basically capitalistic, yet with
an extensive welfare system, low
unemployment, and remarkably even
distribution of income. in the
absence of other natural resources
except for abundant hydrothermal
and geothermal power, the economy
depends heavily on the fishing
industry, providing 70 of export
earnings and employing 12 of the
work force. the economy remains
sensitive to declining fish stocks
as well as to drops in world prices
for its main exports: fish and fish
products, aluminum, and
ferrosilicon. the center-right
government plans to continue its
policies of reducing the budget and
current account deficits, limiting
foreign borrowing, containing
inflation, revising agricultural and
fishing policies, diversifying the
economy, and privatizing state-owned
industries. the government remains
opposed to eu membership, primarily
because of icelanders' concern about
losing control over their fishing
resources. iceland's economy has
been diversifying into manufacturing
and service industries in the last
decade, and new developments in
software production, biotechnology,
and financial services are taking
place. the tourism sector is also
expanding, with the recent trends in
ecotourism and whale watching.
growth has been remarkably steady
over the past five years at 4-5.
gdp: purchasing power parity - $6.85
billion 2000 est.
gdp - real growth rate: 4.3 2000 est.
gdp - per capita: purchasing power parity - $24,800
2000 est.
gdp - composition by sector: agriculture: 15 includes fishing
13
industry: 21
services: 64 1999 est.
population below poverty line: na
household income or consumption by lowest 10: na
percentage share: highest 10: na
inflation rate consumer prices: 3.5 2000 est.
labor force: 159,000 2000
labor force - by occupation: agriculture 5.1, fishing and fish
processing 11.8, manufacturing
12.9, construction 10.7, other
services 59.5 1999
unemployment rate: 1 april 2001 est.
budget: revenues: $3.5 billion
expenditures: $3.3 billion,
including capital expenditures of
$467 million 1999
industries: fish processing; aluminum smelting,
ferrosilicon production, geothermal
power; tourism
industrial production growth rate: 1.5 2000 est.
electricity - production: 7.549 billion kwh 2000
electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.05
hydro: 83.3
other: 16.65 2000
nuclear: 0
electricity - consumption: 7.02 billion kwh 2000
electricity - exports: 0 kwh 2000
electricity - imports: 0 kwh 2000
agriculture - products: potatoes, turnips; cattle, sheep;
fish
exports: $2 billion f.o.b., 2000
exports - commodities: fish and fish products 70, animal
products, aluminum, diatomite,
ferrosilicon
exports - partners: eu 64 uk 20, germany 13, france
5, denmark 5, us 15, japan 5
1999
imports: $2.2 billion f.o.b., 2000
imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum
products; foodstuffs, textiles
imports - partners: eu 56 germany 12, uk 9, denmark
8, sweden 6, us 11, norway 10
1999
debt - external: $2.6 billion 1999
economic aid - donor: $na
currency: icelandic krona isk
currency code: isk
exchange rates: icelandic kronur per us dollar -
102.430 january 2002, 97.425
2001, 78.616 2000, 72.335
1999, 70.958 1998, 70.904 1997
fiscal year: calendar year
communications iceland
----------------------
telephones - main lines in use: 168,000 1997
telephones - mobile cellular: 65,746 1997
telephone system: general assessment: adequate
domestic service
domestic: the trunk network consists
of coaxial and fiber-optic cables
and microwave radio relay links
international: 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 service providers isps: 7 2000
internet users: 168,000 2001
transportation iceland
----------------------
railways: 0 km
highways: total: 12,691 km
paved: 3,262 km
unpaved: 9,429 km 1999
waterways: none
ports and harbors: akureyri, hornafjordhur,
isafjordhur, keflavik, raufarhofn,
reykjavik, seydhisfjordhur,
straumsvik, vesttmannaeyjar
merchant marine: total: 1 ship 1,000 grt or over
totaling 1,816 grt/2,500 dwt
ships by type: chemical tanker 1
2002 est.
airports: 86 2001
airports - with paved runways: total: 13
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 8 2001
airports - with unpaved runways: total: 73
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 21
under 914 m: 49 2001
military iceland
----------------
military branches: no regular armed forces; police,
coast guard
military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 71,142 2002 est.
military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 62,556 2002 est.
service:
military expenditures - dollar $0
figure:
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; 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
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