Iceland

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.

Iceland Information

• Population: 293,966 (July 2004 est.)
• Nationality: noun: Icelander(s) adjective: Icelandic
• Location:: Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
• Religions:: Evangelical Lutheran 87.1%, other Protestant 4.1%, Roman Catholic 1.7%, other 7.1% (2002)
• Ethnic Groups:: homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6%
• Land Boundaries:: 0 km
• Area: total: 103,000 sq km water: 2,750 sq km land: 100,250 sq km
• Coast Line: 4,988 km
• 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
• Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
• Land Use: arable land: 0.07% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.93% (2001)
• Environmental Issues: water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment
• Natural Resources: fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
• Highways: total: 12,955 km paved/oiled gravel: 3,863 km unpaved: 9,092 km (2003)
• Railways:
• Ports & Harbours: Akureyri, Hornafjordhur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vesttmannaeyjar
• Airports: 100 (2003 est.)