Iceland Geography
Location: Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
Geographic coordinates: 65 00 N, 18 00 W
Map references: Arctic Region
Area: total: 103,000 sq km
land: 100,250 sq km
water: 2,750 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Kentucky
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 4,988 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
Terrain: mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m
Natural resources: fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
Land use: arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 23%
forests and woodland: 1%
other: 76% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: earthquakes and volcanic activity
Environment - current issues: water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, 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, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: 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
Iceland People
Population: 277,906 (July 2001 est.)
Age structure: 0–14 years: 23.18% (male 33,238; female 31,191)
15–64 years: 65.01% (male 91,095; female 89,583)
65 years and over: 11.81% (male 14,681; female 18,118) (2001 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.54% (2001 est.)
Birth rate: 14.62 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Death rate: 6.89 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Net migration rate: −2.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Sex ratio: 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 (2001 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 3.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.52 years
male: 77.31 years
female: 81.92 years (2001 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.01 children born/woman (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.14% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 200 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Icelander(s)
adjective: Icelandic
Ethnic groups: homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 93%, other Protestant and Roman
Catholic, none (1997)
Languages: Icelandic
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.9% (1997 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
Iceland Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
conventional short form: Iceland
local long form: Lyoveldio Island
local short form: Island
Government type: constitutional republic
Capital: Reykjavik
Administrative divisions: 23 counties (syslar, singular - sysla) and
14 independent towns* (kaupstadhir, singular - kaupstadhur);
Akranes*, Akureyri*, Arnessysla, Austur-Bardhastrandarsysla,
Austur-Hunavatnssysla, Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Borgarfjardharsysla,
Dalasysla, Eyjafjardharsysla, Gullbringusysla, Hafnarfjordhur*,
Husavik*, Isafjordhur*, Keflavik*, Kjosarsysla, Kopavogur*,
Myrasysla, Neskaupstadhur*, Nordhur-Isafjardharsysla,
Nordhur-Mulasys-la, Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Olafsfjordhur*,
Rangarvallasysla, Reykjavik*, Saudharkrokur*, Seydhisfjordhur*,
Siglufjordhur*, Skagafjardharsysla, Snaefellsnes-og Hnappadalssysla,
