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Iceland Country Guide
Explore Iceland in Europe
The terrain features mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields with coast deeply indented by bays and fiords. The average density of population is approximately 3 per km². The notable climate conditions in Iceland can be described as temperate with moderated by North Atlantic Current, mild, windy winters and damp, cool summers. Potential natural disasters are earthquakes and volcanic activity.
To reach someone in Iceland dial +354 prior to a number. There are 185,200 installed telephones. And there are 349,000 registered mobile phones. The cellular networks commonly support frequencies of 900/1800 MHz. Websites registered in this country end with the top level domain ".is". If you want to bring electric equipment on your trip (e.g. laptop power supply), note the local power outlet of 220V - 50Hz.
About the flag and history of Iceland
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 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. 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. Literacy, longevity, and social cohesion are first rate by world standards.
Geography Quick-Facts
| Summary | Continent: Europe Neighbours: Capital: Reykjavík |
| Size | 103,000 square kilometers (km² or sqkm) or 39,768 square miles (mi² or sqmi) slightly smaller than Kentucky |
| Population | 304,000 |
| Currency | Name Krona, Currency Code:ISK |
| Country Top Level Domain (cTLD) | .is |
| Telephone Country Prefix | +354 |
| Mobile Phone Connections | 349,000 |
| Landline Phone Connections | 185,200 |
Country Position in World Rankings
Information about single country attributes and how these compare against the rest of the world. The information below is compiled with data from 2013. As such, it may differ a bit to the Information above in the text (which is from 2010).
Geography
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 103,000 (sq km) | 108 |
People and Society
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 315,281 | 179 |
| Population growth rate | 0.66 (%) | 143 |
| Birth rate | 13.15 (births/1,000 population) | 151 |
| Death rate | 7.07 (deaths/1,000 population) | 129 |
| Net migration rate | 0.53 (migrant(s)/1,000 population) | 65 |
| Maternal mortality rate | 5.00 (deaths/100,000 live births) | 176 |
| Infant mortality rate | 3.17 (deaths/1,000 live births) | 217 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.11 (years) | 19 |
| Total fertility rate | 1.88 (children born/woman) | 142 |
| Health expenditures | 9.40 (% of GDP) | 37 |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.30 (%) | 86 |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 1,000 | 143 |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 100 | 135 |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 23.20 (%) | 76 |
| Education expenditures | 7.80 (% of GDP) | 14 |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | 14.60 (%) | 88 |
Economy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | 13,040,000,000 | 147 |
| GDP - real growth rate | 1.60 (%) | 143 |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | 39,900 | 28 |
| Labor force | 180,800 | 174 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.60 (%) | 53 |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 28.00 | 123 |
| Investment (gross fixed) | 14.50 (% of GDP) | 138 |
| Taxes and other revenues | 40.00 (% of GDP) | 45 |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -2.30 (% of GDP) | 88 |
| Public debt | 118.90 (% of GDP) | 10 |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.30 (%) | 148 |
| Central bank discount rate | 5.75 (%) | 63 |
| Commercial bank prime lending rate | 7.70 (%) | 119 |
| Stock of narrow money | 4,466,000,000 | 104 |
| Stock of broad money | 12,570,000,000 | 98 |
| Stock of domestic credit | 22,360,000,000 | 81 |
| Market value of publicly traded shares | 1,996,000,000 | 98 |
| Industrial production growth rate | 3.00 (%) | 91 |
| Current account balance | -700,000,000 | 105 |
| Exports | 5,100,000,000 | 111 |
| Imports | 4,699,000,000 | 131 |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | 9,095,000,000 | 76 |
| Debt - external | 100,200,000,000 | 48 |
Energy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 16,770,000,000 (kWh) | 79 |
| Electricity - consumption | 15,980,000,000 (kWh) | 75 |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 2,571,000 (kW) | 93 |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 4.70 (% of total installed capacity) | 199 |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 72.90 (% of total installed capacity) | 20 |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 22.40 (% of total installed capacity) | 6 |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 20,770 (bbl/day) | 128 |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 1,209 (bbl/day) | 106 |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 15,530 (bbl/day) | 118 |
| Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy | 3,357,000 (Mt) | 138 |
Communications
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | 191,100 | 127 |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 344,100 | 172 |
| Internet hosts | 369,969 | 56 |
| Internet users | 301,600 | 129 |
Transportation
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Airports | 99 | 57 |
| Roadways | 12,869 (km) | 128 |
| Merchant marine | 2 | 141 |
Data based on CIA facts book 2010 & 2013, wikipedia, national statistical offices and their census releases
List of current world heritage sites
| Name | Since |
|---|---|
| Surtsey Surtsey, a volcanic island approximately 32 km from the south coast of Iceland, is a new island formed by volcanic eruptions that took place from 1963 to 1967. It is all the more outstanding for having been protected since its birth, providing the wo ... | 2008 |
| Þingvellir National Park Þingvellir (Thingvellir) is the National Park where the Althing, an open-air assembly representing the whole of Iceland, was established in 930 and continued to meet until 1798. Over two weeks a year, the assembly set laws - seen as a covenant betwee ... | 2004 |