| Iceland Statistics EUROPE | HOME | SCHEDULE
| VIKINGS | CASTLES | ROMANS |
||||
|
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 - comparative: slightly smaller than Kentucky Land boundaries: 0 km Climate: temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers Geography - note: strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe
Country name: Data code: IC Government type: constitutional republic National capital: Reykjavik Independence: 17 June 1944 (from Denmark) National holiday: Anniversary of the Establishment of the Republic, 17 June (1944) Constitution: 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944 Legal system: civil law system based on Danish law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Economy - overview: Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, yet with an extensive welfare system, low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution of income. The economy depends heavily on the fishing industry, which provides 75% of export earnings and employs 12% of the work force. In the absence of other natural resources - except energy - Iceland's economy is vulnerable to changing world fish prices. 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. GDP - composition by sector: Inflation rate - consumer price index: 2.5% (1996 est.) Labor force: Unemployment rate: 5% (1996) Industries: fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production, geothermal power; tourism Agriculture - products: potatoes, turnips; cattle, sheep; fish catch of about 1.1 million metric tons in 1992 Debt - external: $2.5 billion (1993 est.) Currency: 1 Icelandic krona (IKr) = 100 aurar Exchange rates: Icelandic kronur (IKr) per US$1 - 68.330 (January 1997), 66.500 (1996), 64.692 (1995), 69.944 (1994), 67.603 (1993), 57.546 (1992) Fiscal year: calendar year |
|||
Population: 269,697
(July 1997 est.) Population growth rate: 0.47% (1997 est.) Infant mortality rate: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.) Life expectancy at birth: Total fertility rate: 2.05 children born/woman (1997 est.) Nationality: Ethnic groups: homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norwegians and Celts Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 96%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, none 1% (1988) Languages: Icelandic Literacy: Terrain: mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords Natural resources: fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite Land use: Natural hazards: earthquakes and volcanic activity Environment - current issues: water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment |
||||
| Learn More About Iceland |
||||
