NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Republic of Iceland
Lyoveldio Island
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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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. Limited home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion are first-rate by world standards. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK |
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Geographic coordinates:
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65 00 N, 18 00 W |
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Map references:
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Arctic Region |
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Area:
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total: 103,000 sq km
water: 2,750 sq km land: 100,250 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Kentucky |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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4,988 km |
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Maritime claims:
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continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
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Climate:
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temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers |
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Terrain:
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mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m |
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Natural resources:
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fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite |
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Land use:
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arable land: 0.06%
permanent crops: 0% other: 99.94% (23% permanent pastures) (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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earthquakes and volcanic activity |
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Environment - current issues:
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water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation |
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Geography - note:
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strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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279,384 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 23% (male 33,189; female 31,155)
15-64 years: 65.1% (male 91,704; female 90,199) 65 years and over: 11.9% (male 14,828; female 18,309) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.52% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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14.37 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.93 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-2.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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3.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 79.66 years
female: 82.07 years (2002 est.) male: 77.42 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.99 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.14% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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200 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 100 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Icelander(s)
adjective: Icelandic |
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Ethnic groups:
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homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6% |
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Religions:
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Evangelical Lutheran 87.1%, other Protestant 4.1%, Roman Catholic 1.7%, other 7.1% (2002) |
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Languages:
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Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.9% (1997 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |