Iceland is an island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean. It has a total area of 103,000 square kilometers and a population of around 330,000 people. The main industries are fishing, agriculture, aluminum production, and tourism. Iceland has a cool oceanic climate, with average temperatures in the capital Reykjavik ranging from -0.5°C in January to 10.6°C in July. The country has a young geological history and remains volcanically and geothermally active.

1. Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
SBG
Not applicable
1NATO unclassified
………System
R…… AGENCY
PHASE 1
Segment 1
Iceland
Topic 1.1.2
Version 1.2

2. Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
SBG
Not applicable
2NATO unclassified
Overview
• Geography
• People
• The Republic of Iceland
• Climate
• Public holidays
• Industry
• Practical info
• Summary

3. Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
SBG
Not applicable
3NATO unclassified
Geography
• Total area of 103000 km / 39756 Miles
– glaciers cover approximately 11% of the island
• Geologially a young country
– still in the progress of formation
• Over 800 hot springs and sulfurous areas
2 2

4. Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
SBG
Not applicable
4NATO unclassified
Geography
• Straddles “the mid-Atlandic rift”

5. Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
SBG
Not applicable
6NATO unclassified
Geography
• One of the most active volcanic countries in the world
23. January, 1973

6. Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
SBG
Not applicable
7NATO unclassified
Geography
• Vestmannaeyjar
1973

7. Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
SBG
Not applicable
8NATO unclassified
Geography
2000 Hekla
1998 Vatnajökull – Grímsvötn
1996 Vatnajökull
• Recent Eruptions:
http://www.norvol.hi.is
http://www.lmi.is/landsurvey.nsf/pages/index.html
(total damage about
US $ 10-15 milj.)

8. Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
SBG
Not applicable
9NATO unclassified
People
• Population
– ca.: 330.000
• Language
– Icelandic is a Teutonic language of the Nordic group
• Religion
– In the year 1000, Christianity was adopted at the Althing
Parliament through an act of law
• Capital city
– Reykjavík

9. Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
SBG
Not applicable
10NATO unclassified
The Republic of Iceland / Milestones
• 874 – 930
– The settlement of Iceland
• 930
– The Icelandic Parliament Alþingi (Althing)
founded at Thingvellir (more)
• 1262
– Iceland comes under the Nordic crown and
118 years later, the Danish crown
• 1918
– Iceland becomes a sovereign state, with the
same king as Denmark

10. Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
SBG
Not applicable
11NATO unclassified
The Republic of Iceland / Milestones
• 1944
– The Republic of Iceland founded at
Thingvellir
• 1949
– Iceland is one of the founding members
of NATO
• 2004
– Prime Minister: Halldór Ásgrímsson
• 1996
– Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, elected
president, and re-elected four years later

11. Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
SBG
Not applicable
12NATO unclassified
Climate
• A cool temperature ocean climate
– Cool in the summer and rather mild in the winter
• Average temperatures:
Location: January July
Reykjavík
Akureyri
C° F° C° F°
-0.5° 31.1° 10.6° 51.0°
-2.2° 28.0° 10.5° 50.9°

12. Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
SBG
Not applicable
13NATO unclassified
Climate http://www.mbl.is/frettir/vedur/Ref.:

13. Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
SBG
Not applicable
14NATO unclassified
Public Holidays
• New Years Day
• Maundy Thursday
• Good Friday
• Easter Sunday
• Easter Monday
• First Day of Summer
• Labour Day (1. May)
• Ascension day
• White Sunday
• White Monday
• 17. June National Day
(Independent Day)
• Bank Holiday (first Monday in
August)
• Christmas Day
• Second Day of Christmas
• New Years Eve
• Total of 13 (sundays excepted)
• 6 of the 13 holidays sometimes
overlap weekends
• Average is 10 a year

14. Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
SBG
Not applicable
15NATO unclassified
Prime industries
• Fishing Industry
– Exportation of marine-products
account for ……

15. Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
SBG
Not applicable
16NATO unclassified
Prime industries
• Other trades
Agriculture, sheep and dairy
farming, mostly for domestic use
Manufacturing industry
Aluminum factories
Tourism is a fast
growing industry

16. Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
SBG
Not applicable
17NATO unclassified
Practical Info
• Personal names
– Last name derived by adding “son” for males, and
“dóttir” for females, to the fathers first name
“Pálsson” means son of Páll
“Pálsdóttir” means daughter of Páll
Linda
Helgadóttir
Sara
Óskarsdóttir
Elísabet
Pálsdóttir
Eva
Árnadóttir
Sigríður
Stefánsdóttir
Berglind
Haraldsdóttir
Birna
Daníelsdóttir
Hildur
Magnúsdóttir
Kári Pálsson
Páll Sigurðsson
María Magnúsdóttir
Sigurður Brjánsson
Anna Bjarnadóttir
Magnús Stefánsson
Vala Guðmundsdóttir
Brjánn Gunnarsson
Kristín Brandsdóttir
Bjarni Maríus Gylfason
Lilja Jóhannesdóttir
Stefán Karl Skúlason
Elín Káradóttir
Guðmundur Ólafsson
Jóna Gísladóttir
Gunnar
Kárason
Gylfi
Arason
Jóhannes
Sveinsson
Brandur
Grettisson
Skúli
Magnússon
Ólafur
Högnason
Gísli
Axelsson
Kári
Róbertsson
Ref.: http://WWW.Íslendingabók.is

17. Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
SBG
Not applicable
18NATO unclassified
Practical Info
• Currency
– The Króna is the basic unit
of Iceland currency
* Date: 20. January 2006
• 1 US dollar:
– isl. kr. ca.: 62.00 *

18. Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
SBG
Not applicable
19NATO unclassified
Practical Info
• Electric current
– 230 volts 50HZ
Landsvirkjun
Svartsengi Power Plant