Iceland (Icelandic, Ísland), island republic, in the North Atlantic Ocean, about 300 km (about 185 mi) east of Greenland and about 1,000 km (about 620 mi) west of Norway. The country’s extreme dimensions are about 305 km (about 190 mi) from north to south and about 485 km (about 300 mi) from east to west. Iceland has an area of 103,000 sq km (39,800 sq mi).
II LAND AND RESOURCES
In shape Iceland is generally elliptic, and the coastline, with a total length of 4,990 km (3,100 mi), is deeply indented, especially in the west and north. Important embayments on the West Coast are Faxaflói (bay) and Breiðafjörður (fjord). Projecting northwest between the latter and Húnaflói (bay), one of the major indentations on the northern coast, is an irregularly formed peninsula fringed by precipitous cliffs. The peninsular coastline makes up about 30 percent of the total for the island. Volcanic in origin, Iceland consists predominantly of uninhabitable lava tablelands with mountainous outcroppings; the lowlands, situated mainly along the southwestern coast, occupy about 25 percent of the total area. The bulk of the Icelandic population lives along the coast, particularly in the southwest.
Elevations in the uplands average between about 610 and 915 m (about 2,000 and 3,000 ft). Hvannadalshnúkur (2,119 m/6,952 ft), in the southeast, is the highest summit. Nearly 15 percent of the surface of the island is covered by snowfields and glaciers. Vatnajökull, a glacier in the southeast, has an area of 8,456 sq km (3,265 sq mi). The island has more than 120 glaciers and numerous small lakes and swift-flowing rivers.
Iceland is remarkable for the number of its volcanoes, craters, and thermal springs and for the frequency of its earthquakes. More than 100 volcanoes, including at least 25 that have erupted in historic times, are situated on the island. Noteworthy among the volcanoes are Hekla (1,491 m/4,892 ft), which has erupted many times, including in 1766, 1947, and 1980, and nearby Laki, with about 100 separate craters. Vast lava fields have been created by volcanoes, and many eruptions have caused widespread devastation. In 1783, when the only known eruption of Laki occurred, molten lava, volcanic ashes and gases, and torrential floods resulting from melting ice and snow led to the deaths of more than 9,000 people, ruined large tracts of arable land, and destroyed about 80 percent of the livestock on the island. In 1963 an ocean-floor volcano erupted off the southwestern coast of Iceland, creating Surtsey Island. In 1973 a volcano on Heimaey Island became active, forcing the evacuation of the island’s main town, Vestmannaeyjar.
Thermal springs are common in Iceland. Particularly numerous in the volcanic areas, the springs occur as geysers, as boiling mud lakes, and in various other forms. Geysir, generally regarded as the most spectacular, erupts at irregular intervals (usually from 5 to 36 hr), ejecting a column of boiling water up to about 60 m (about 200 ft) in height. Most homes and industrial establishments in the Reykjavík area are heated by water piped from nearby hot springs.
A Climate
Iceland has a relatively mild and equable climate, despite its high altitude and its proximity to the Arctic. Because of oceanic influences, notably the North Atlantic Drift (a continuation of the Gulf Stream), climatic conditions are moderate in all sections of the island. The mean annual temperature at Reykjavík is about 5° C (about 41° F), with a range from -1° C (31° F) in January to 11° C (52° F) in July. In the northwestern, northern, and eastern coastal regions, subject to the effects of polar currents and drifting ice, temperatures are generally lower. Windstorms of considerable violence are characteristic during much of the winter season. Annual precipitation ranges between about 1,270 and 2,030 mm (about 50 and 80 in) along the southern coast, and is only about 510 mm (about 20 in) along the northern coast. The southern slopes of some of Iceland’s interior mountains receive up to about 4,570 mm (about 180 in) of moisture per year.
B Plants and Animals
The vegetation of Iceland is of the arctic European type. Grass and heather are abundant along the southern coast and afford pasturage for sheep and other livestock. Extensive forests probably existed on the island in prehistoric times, but present-day trees, such as birch and spruce, are relatively scarce. Bilberries and crowberries are the only kinds of fruit that grow on the island. The arctic fox was probably living in Iceland at the time of the first human settlement. Reindeer were introduced about 1770; rodents were brought in on ships. Neither reptiles nor frogs and toads are found. About 100 species of birds inhabit the island; many of these species are aquatic, among them the whistling swan and several kinds of duck. The eider duck is valued for its down. Whales and seals live along the coast, as do cod, haddock, halibut, and herring. Many salmon and trout inhabit Iceland’s freshwater rivers and lakes.
III POPULATION
The population of Iceland is extremely homogeneous, being almost entirely of Scandinavian and Celtic origin. Beginning in the 1940s a large-scale movement to the coastal towns and villages has occurred. Some 92 percent of the people now live in cities and towns. The population of Iceland (2002 estimate) is 279,384. The overall population density is 2.7 persons per sq km (7 per sq mi).
A Political Divisions and Principal Cities
Iceland is divided into eight regions, each with its own administrative center. Reykjavík (population, 1998 estimate, 108,351) is the capital and chief port. Other towns are Akureyri (15,102), on the northern coast; Kópavogur (21,370), Hafnarfjörður (18,600), and Keflavík (7,637), on the western coast near Reykjavík; and Vestmannaeyjar (4,640), on the tiny island of Heimaey off the southern coast.
B Religion and Language
The state church of Iceland is the Evangelical Lutheran church, with which about 90 percent of the people are affiliated. Complete religious freedom exists, however. Free Lutherans and Roman Catholics make up a small minority. The language is Icelandic, which has remained closer to the Old Norse of Iceland’s original Viking settlers than to the other Scandinavian languages. See Icelandic Language; Icelandic Literature.
C Education
Literacy in Iceland approaches 100 percent of the adult population. Education is free through the university level and is compulsory for all children between the ages of 6 and 16. In the 1998-1999 school year 30,355 pupils were enrolled in primary schools, 30,253 students attended secondary and vocational schools, and 7386 were enrolled in higher institutions. The leading institution of higher education is the University of Iceland (1911), in Reykjavík. The country also has a technical college and colleges of agriculture and music as well as teacher-training schools.
The principal libraries of Iceland are the University Library, the National Library, and the City Library, all located in Reykjavík. The capital is also the site of the Museum of Natural History; the National Museum, containing a major collection of Icelandic antiquities; and an art gallery housing the work of the Icelandic sculptor Einar Jónsson.
IV ECONOMY
Private enterprise forms the basis of the economy of Iceland, but the government exercises a considerable degree of control and supervision over key sectors. Until the close of the 19th century, agriculture was the chief occupation, with fishing as a supplementary source of income. By the middle of the 20th century, however, fishing and fish processing had become the major industries. Hydroelectric power potential is abundant and is being developed to further industrialization. In 1970 Iceland became a member of the European Free Trade Association. The national budget in 1998 included revenue of $2.4 billion and expenditure of $2.4 billion. Iceland suffered from a high rate of inflation in the late 1970s and the 1980s, but the rate decreased substantially in the early 1990s. In 2000 Iceland’s gross domestic product was $8.5 billion.
A Agriculture
Only 9 percent of Iceland’s labor force is engaged in agriculture and fishing. Only 0.07 percent of the land area is under cultivation. The principal crops are turnips and potatoes. Livestock raising is a major occupation, and considerable quantities of dairy products, wool, mutton and lamb, and chicken eggs are produced. In 2001 the country had 465,000 sheep, 72,100 cattle, and 77,330 horses.
B Fishing
Fishing and fish processing are the most important Icelandic industries, and the total catch in 1997 was 2.2 million metric tons. Food products, including fresh and processed fish, account for 70 percent of Iceland’s exports. Iceland is a leading producer of cod, and other major components of the catch include capelin, haddock, crustaceans, herring, redfish, and saithe. Coastal towns have extensive facilities for fish processing. In response to international pressure, Iceland suspended all whaling operations in 1989. However, in June 1992 Iceland withdrew from the International Whaling Commission, disputing the designation of some species of whales as endangered and claiming that certain species threatened Iceland’s commercial fish population.
C Mining
Iceland has few proven mineral resources, and profitable development has been difficult. Minerals of commercial value include pumice and diatomite.
D Manufacturing
Aside from fish processing, manufacturing is primarily for domestic consumption needs. Principal products are clothing, shoes, soaps, and chemicals. Book production is also a large trade in Iceland. Some electrical appliances are made. In addition, major plants producing aluminum (from imported bauxite) and ferrosilicon have been established to take advantage of Iceland’s energy resources.
E Energy
Hydroelectric installations produce 85 percent of Iceland’s electricity, with geothermal sources supplying the rest. Output in 1999 was 7.1 billion kilowatt hours. Hot water from springs is used for heating and in some manufacturing operations.
F Currency and Banking
The monetary unit of Iceland is the króna, consisting of 100 aurar (78.62 krónur equal U.S. $1; 2000). In 1981 the government introduced a new króna, equivalent to 100 old krónur. Currency is issued by the state-owned Central Bank (1961). Iceland has several private commercial banks.
G Foreign Trade
The yearly value of Iceland’s imports is often greater than that of its exports, although the country’s foreign trade balances occasionally. In 2000 imports cost $2.6 billion, and exports earned $1.9 billion. Major imports include refined petroleum, machinery, transportation equipment, textiles and clothing, chemicals, basic manufactures, and foodstuffs. Exports of metal and ores, including a significant amount of aluminum, account for 16 percent of total exports. The country’s main trade partners are the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Norway, and Japan.
H Transportation and Communications
Iceland has 12,962 km (8,054 mi) of roads, which are mainly located in coastal areas. In 1999 Iceland had 546 passenger cars for every 1,000 residents. The island has no railroads or navigable rivers. The country has several seaports, including Arkanes, Keflavík, Reykjavík, and Siglufjörður. Icelandair provides domestic and international air service.
There are 3 daily newspapers published in Iceland, with a combined circulation of 145,000. Telephone and telegraph services are owned and administered by the government; the state monopoly on radio and television broadcasting ended in 1986. In 1997 the country had 950 radio receivers and 358 television sets for every 1,000 inhabitants.
V GOVERNMENT
Iceland is governed under a constitution that became effective when the country achieved full independence in 1944. Iceland has no armed forces of its own except for 120 coast guard personnel, but is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. In 1997 some 1,520 United States military personnel were stationed at Keflavík air base.
A Executive
The head of state of Iceland is a president, who is elected by universal suffrage by persons aged 18 and older to a four-year term. The president has little power, and the country’s chief executive is a prime minister, who is responsible to Parliament. The prime minister is assisted by a cabinet, which holds real executive power.
B Legislature
The legislature of Iceland is the Althing, which has met almost continually since its establishment in ad 930, and which was converted from a bicameral to a unicameral system in 1991. It has 63 members, 54 elected to four-year terms under a system of proportional representation and 9 allotted to the political parties based on their relative vote totals in the elections.
C Political Parties
The leading political organizations of Iceland are the Independence Party, a conservative group; the leftist Alliance coalition, which includes the People’s Alliance, the People’s Party, and the Alliance of Women’s List; the liberal Progressive Party; and the Left-Green Alliance. Governments in Iceland are generally formed by coalitions, including the current government of the Independence Party and the Progressive Party.
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