The history, geography, demographics, and government and politics of Iceland.

2.  Colonized by Norwegian andCeltic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th
centuries A.D., Iceland claims the world's oldest working legislative assembly, the Althingi
(Alþingi), founded in 930.
 Independent for more than 300 years, Iceland was later subjected to rule by Norway and
Denmark.
 The aftermath of the Askja volcano eruption of 1875 destroyed the Icelandic economy and led to
widespread starvation.
 During the subsequent quarter century, 20% of the island's population migrated, mostly to
Canada and the United States.
 Denmark gave limited autonomy in 1874 and complete independence in 1944.
 In the latter half of the 20th century, significant economic development was achieved largely by
the fishing industry.
 The economy expanded greatly after the country joined the European EconomicArea in 1994,
but Iceland was particularly among the hardest affected by the global financial crisis in the years
following 2008.
 However, the economy is now on a rising trajectory, operated mainly by a tourism and
construction boom.
 Literacy, longevity, and social cohesion are unparalleled by world measures.

3.  Location: Northern Europe, island between
the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, northwest of the United Kingdom
 Geographic coordinates: 65 00 N, 18 00W
 Map references: Arctic Region
 Area:
 Total: 103,000 sq km
 Land: 100,250 sq km
 Water: 2,750 sq km
 Country comparison to the world: 109
 Area – comparative: slightly smaller than
Pennsylvania, about the same size as
Kentucky
 Land boundaries: zero km
 Coastline: 4,970 km
 Maritime claims:
 Territorial sea: twelve nm
 Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
 Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of
the continental margin

4.  Climate: moderate; controlled by NorthAtlantic Current; mild, windy winters; moist, cool summers
 Terrain: generally flat terrain scattered with mountain peaks, icefields; coast intensely indented by bays and
fjords
 Elevation:
 Mean elevation: 557 m
 Elevation extremes: lowest point is Atlantic Ocean (zero m), highest point is Hvannadalshnúkur (2,110 m, at
Vatnajökull Glacier)
 Natural resources: fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
 Land use:
 Agricultural land: 18.7% (arable land 1.2%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 17.5%)
 Forest: 0.3%
 Other: 81% (2011 est.)
 Irrigated land: n/a
 Population – distribution: Iceland is almost completely urban with half of the population residing in and near
the capital of Reykjavík; smaller groups are mainly found along the coast in the north and west
 Natural hazards: earthquakes and volcanic activity
 Volcanism: Iceland, located on top of a hotspot, undergoes fierce volcanic activity; Eyjafjallajökull (1,666 m)
erupted most recently in 2010, sending dust high into the air and extremely interrupting European air traffic;
scientists continue to observe adjacent Katla (1,512 m), which has a high likelihood of explosion in the very
near future, possibly delaying air traffic; Grímsvötn and Hekla are Iceland's most active volcanoes; other
factually active volcanoes include Askja, Bárðarbunga, Brennisteinsfjöll, Esjufjöll, Hengill, Krafla, Krýsuvík,
Kverkfjöll, Öræfajökull, Reykjanes, Torfajökull, andVestmannaeyjar

5.  Environment – current issues: water contamination from stimulant overflow; scarce wastewater
treatment
 Environment – international agreements:
 Party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-PersistentOrganic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, HazardousWastes, Kyoto
Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Transboundary
Air Pollution,Wetlands,Whaling
 Signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation
 Geography – note: strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European
country; Reykjavík is the northernmost national capital in the world; more land covered by
glaciers than in all of mainland Europe

7.  Population: 348,580 (December 2017 est.) – country comparison to the world: 178
 Nationality:
 Noun: Icelander(s)
 Adjective: Icelandic
 Ethnic groups: identical blend of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign
origin 6%
 Official languages: Icelandic
 Religion: Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland (official) 69.9%, Roman Catholic 3.8%, Reykjavík
Free Church 2.9%, Hafnarfjordur Free Church 2%, Ásatrúarfélagið 1.1%,The Independent
Congregation 1%, other denominations 4% (includes Zuist and Pentecostal), none 6.1%, other or
unspecified 9.2% (2017 est.)
 Age structure:
 0-14 years: 20.4% (male 35,418/female 33,887)
 15-24 years: 13.5% (male 23,190/female 22,659)
 25-54 years: 39.88% (male 68,579/female 66,899)
 55-64 years: 11.81% (male 20,119/female 20,007)
 65 years and over: 14.42% (male 22,936/female 26,053) (2017 est.)

8.  Official name: Republic of Iceland (Lýðveldið Ísland) – etymology: FlókiVilgerðarson, an early voyager of
the island (9th century), coined the name "Land of Ice" after discovering an inlet full of drift ice to the
north and spending a harsh winter on the island; he ultimately settled on the island, however, after
noticing how it greened up in the summer and that it was, indeed, livable
 Capital and largest city: Reykjavík (64 09 N, 21 57W; five hours ahead ofWashington, D.C., during
StandardTime)
 Government type: Unitary parliamentary republic
 President: GuðniThorlacius Jóhannesson (since 1August 2016)
 Prime Minister: Katrín Jakobsdóttir (since 30 November 2017)
 Independence: 1 December 1918 (became a self-governing state under the DanishCrown); 17 June 1944
(from Denmark; birthday of Jón Sigurðsson, leader of Iceland’s 19th-century independence movement)
 National holiday: 17 June (1944)
 Constitution:
 History: several previous; most recent approved 16 June 1944, in effect 17 June 1944 (at independence)
 Amendments: proposed by the Alþingi; passage requires approval by the Alþingi and by the next elected
Alþingi, and ratification by the president of the republic; proposed amendments to Article 62 of the
constitution – that the Evangelical Lutheran Church shall be the state church of Iceland – also require
passage by referendum; revised numerous times, most recently in 2013 (2016)

9. GUÐNITHORLACIUS
JÓHANNESSON, PRESIDENT
KATRÍN JAKOBSDÓTTIR,
PRIME MINISTER

10.  Legal system: civil law system influenced by the Danish model
 International law organization participation: has not presented an ICJ jurisdiction statement; accepts
ICCt jurisdiction
 Citizenship:
 Citizenship by birth: no
 Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Iceland
 Dual citizenship recognized: yes
 Residency requirement for naturalization: three to seven years
 Suffrage: eighteen years of age; universal
 Executive branch:
 Cabinet: appointed by the prime minister
 Elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a four-year
term (no term limits); election most recently held on 25 June 2016 (next to be held in June 2020);
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition becomes prime
minister
 Legislative branch:
 Description: unicameral Alþingi (sixty-three seats; members directly elected in multi-seat electorates by
proportional representation vote to serve four-year terms)
 Elections: last held on 28 October 2017 (next election is currently scheduled for 23 October 2021)

11.  Judicial branch
 Highest court(s): Supreme Court of Iceland (Hæstiréttur Íslands; composed of nine judges)
 Judge selection and term of office: judges recommended by Ministry of Interior selection committee and
appointed by the president; judges appointed for an undetermined period
 Subordinate courts: eight district courts; Labor Court
 International organization participation: Arctic Council,Australia Group, BIS, CBSS,CD, CE, EAPC,
EBRD, EFTA, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO,
NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UPU,WCO,WHO, WIPO,WMO, WTO
 IcelandicAmbassador to the United States: Geir Haarde (since 23 February 2015)
 U.S. Ambassador to Iceland: vacant (Jill Esposito is the Chargé d'affaires since 20 January 2017)

12.  Flag description: blue with a red cross traced in white spreading to the sides of the flag; the perpendicular part
of the cross is moved to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the colors signify three of the
components that comprise the island: red is for the island's volcanic fires, white evokes the snow and ice fields of
the island, and blue is for the neighboring ocean
 National symbol(s): gyrfalcon; national colors: blue, white, red
 National anthem: “Lofsöngur” (“Hymn”) – adopted 1944; also known as “Ó Guð vors lands“ (“O, God of Our
Land“), the anthem was first written and presented in 1874 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FkbXTDzKBc)
 Lyrics: Matthías Jochumsson (1874)
 Music: Sveinbjörn Sveinbjörnsson (1874)

13.  Progressive Party
(Framsóknarflokkurinn)
 Independence Party
(Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn)
 Left-Green Movement (Vinstri
græn)
 Social Democratic Alliance
(Samfylkingin)
 Pirate Party (Pírataflokkurinn)
 Reform Party (Viðreisn)
 People’s Party (Flokkur Fólksins)
 Centre Party (Miðflokkurinn)

14.  https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/
the-world-factbook/geos/ic.html
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceland
 https://www.haestirettur.is/english/
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lofs%C3%
B6ngur
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pol
itical_parties_in_Iceland