Iceland
Country Guide

Explore Iceland

Iceland with its capital Reykjavik is located in Europe (Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean). It covers some 103,001 square kilometers (slightly smaller than Pennsylvania) with a population of 339,747. Icelandic, English, German, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian are some of the languages spoken by the majority in Iceland (consider regional differences). There are no land based border this country shares with any other country.

Iceland is a mountainous island nation in the north Atlantic Ocean, located between Europe and North America. Despite its name, Iceland has surprisingly mild winters for a country at that latitude owing to the warming effect of the Atlantic Gulf Stream, especially when put into comparison with the Russian one. Iceland enjoys a maritime temperate climate and the winters are often compared with those of New England (though the winds in winter can be bitter).

Popular Destinations in Iceland

Administrative regions of Iceland

• Capital Region
• East
• Northeast
• Northwest
• South
• Southern Peninsula
• West
• Westfjords

About the country

The terrain is mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields having coast deeply indented by bays and fiords. The average density of population is about 3 per km². The climate in Iceland can be described as temperatemoderated by North Atlantic Current, mild, windy winters, damp, cool summers. Possible natural disasters include earthquakes and volcanic activity Iceland, situated on top of a hotspot, experiences severe volcanic activity; Eyjafjallajokull (1,666 m) erupted in 2010, sending ash high into the atmosphere and seriously disrupting European air traffic; scientists continue to monitor nearby Katla (1,512

To reach someone Iceland dial +354 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".is". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, F). The sign for the locally used currency Krona is ISK.

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); the colors represent three of the elements that make up the island: red is for the island's volcanic fires, white recalls the snow and ice fields of the island, and blue is for the surrounding ocean.

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 Althingi, 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. Denmark granted limited home rule in 1874 and complete independence in 1944. The second half of the 20th century saw substantial economic growth driven primarily by the fishing industry. The economy diversified greatly after the country joined the European Economic Area in 1994, but Iceland was especially hard hit by the global financial crisis in the years following 2008. The economy is now on an upward trajectory, fueled primarily by a tourism and construction boom. Literacy, longevity, and social cohesion are first rate by world standards.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 109)	103,000	sq km
Land (World Rank: 105)	100,250	sq km
Water (World Rank: 81)	2,750	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 104)	17.50	%
Comparative	slightly smaller than Pennsylvania; about the same size as Kentucky
Coastline
4970
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 119)	2,110	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 170)	18.70	%
Arable (World Rank: 194)	1.20	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 104)	17.50	%
Map reference
Arctic Region
Environment
Issues	- inadequate wastewater treatment - water pollution from fertilizer runoff
Agreement party	- Air Pollution - Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants - Biodiversity - Climate Change - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol - Desertification - Endangered Species - Hazardous Wastes - Kyoto Protocol - Law of the Sea - Marine Dumping - Ozone Layer Protection - Ship Pollution - Transboundary Air Pollution - Wetlands - Whaling
Agreement signed	- Environmental Modification - Marine Life Conservation
Hazzards	- earthquakes and volcanic activity - Iceland, situated on top of a hotspot, experiences severe volcanic activity; Eyjafjallajokull (1,666 m) erupted in 2010, sending ash high into the atmosphere and seriously disrupting European air traffic; scientists continue to monitor nearby Katla (1,512
Location
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the United Kingdom
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

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 177)	339,747
Deathrate (World Rank: 148)	0.64	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 139)	1.37	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 100)	1.13	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 26)	0.40	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 117)	2.00	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 67)	35.90
Female (World Rank: 69)	37.10
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 179)	35,418
0 14 female (World Rank: 179)	33,887
15 24 male (World Rank: 181)	23,190
15 24 female (World Rank: 179)	22,659
25 54 male (World Rank: 177)	68,579
25 54 female (World Rank: 177)	66,899
55 64 male (World Rank: 168)	20,119
55 64 female (World Rank: 169)	20,007
65 x male (World Rank: 162)	22,936
65 x female (World Rank: 162)	26,053
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 219)	0.21	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 6)	83	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 8)	85	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 5)	81	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 20)	3.79
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 71)	3.18
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 36)	98.80	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 83)	21.90	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 21)	100.00	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 77)	18,560,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 72)	17,980,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 205)	4.20	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 18)	71.70	%
Source renew (World Rank: 23)	24.10	%
Refined products
Consumption (World Rank: 137)	19,800	bbl / day
Export (World Rank: 101)	2,845	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 117)	19,530	bbl / day
Carbon footprint
3300000

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Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 10)	8	% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 153)	0	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 42)	9	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 2)	17	% of GDP
National symbol
gyrfalcon
National colours
white
Adjective
Icelandic
Noun
Icelander(s)
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 Althingi, 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. Denmark granted limited home rule in 1874 and complete independence in 1944. The second half of the 20th century saw substantial economic growth driven primarily by the fishing industry. The economy diversified greatly after the country joined the European Economic Area in 1994, but Iceland was especially hard hit by the global financial crisis in the years following 2008. The economy is now on an upward trajectory, fueled primarily by a tourism and construction boom. Literacy, longevity, and social cohesion are first rate by world standards.
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); the colors represent three of the elements that make up the island: red is for the island's volcanic fires, white recalls the snow and ice fields of the island, and blue is for the surrounding ocean

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 153)	16,520,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 9)	7.20	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 27)	49,200	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 119)	5.80	%
Source industry (World Rank: 152)	20.20	%
Source service (World Rank: 46)	74.00	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 171)	196,500
Products
Industries	- aluminum smelting - fish processing - geothermal power - hydropower - medical/pharmaceutical products - tourism
Agriculture	- beef - carrots - chicken - cucumbers - dairy products - fish - green vegetables - mutton - pork - potatoes - tomatoes
Exports	- agricultural products - aluminum (38%) - ferro-silicon - fish - fish products (42%) - medical products - medicinal
Imports	- equipment - foodstuffs - machinery - petroleum products - textiles

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 126)	164,566
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 19)	49.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 78)	120.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 154)	329,967
Population (World Rank: 4)	98.20	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 135)	7.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 39)	89.00
Road
Total length (World Rank: 128)	12,890
Unpaved length (World Rank: 92)	8,108

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