Iceland

Introduction

Background

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 Althingi, 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. The economy is now on an upward trajectory, fueled primarily by a tourism and construction boom. Literacy, longevity, and social cohesion are first rate by world standards.

Geography

Location

Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the United Kingdom

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
country comparison to the world: 109

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania; about the same size as Kentucky

Land boundaries

0 km

Coastline

4,970 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12nm
exclusive economic zone: 200nm
continental shelf: 200nm or to the edge of the continental margin

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

mean elevation: 557 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Hvannadalshnukur (at Vatnajokull Glacier) 2,110 m

Natural resources

fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Land use

agricultural land: 18.7% (2011 est.)
arable land: 1.2% (2011 est.)/permanent crops: 0% (2011 est.)/permanent pasture: 17.5% (2011 est.)
forest: 0.3% (2011 est.)
other: 81% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land

NA

Population distribution

Iceland is almost entirely urban with half of the population located in and around the capital of Reykjavik; smaller clusters are primarily found along the coast in the north and west

Natural hazards

earthquakes and volcanic activity volcanism: Iceland, situated on top of a hotspot, experiences severe volcanic activity; Eyjafjallajokull (1,666 m) erupted in 2010, sending ash high into the atmosphere and seriously disrupting European air traffic; scientists continue to monitor nearby Katla (1,512 m), which has a high probability of eruption in the very near future, potentially disrupting air traffic; Grimsvoetn and Hekla are Iceland's most active volcanoes; other historically active volcanoes include Askja, Bardarbunga, Brennisteinsfjoll, Esjufjoll, Hengill, Krafla, Krisuvik, Kverkfjoll, Oraefajokull, Reykjanes, Torfajokull, and Vestmannaeyjar

Environment - current issues

water pollution from fertilizer runoff

Environment - international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, 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

People and Society

Population

343,518 (July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178

Nationality

noun: Icelander(s)
adjective: Icelandic

Ethnic groups

homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 81%, population with foreign background 19% (2018 est.)

note: population with foreign background includes immigrants and persons having at least one parent who was born abroad

Languages

Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German

Religions

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland (official) 67.2%, Roman Catholic 3.9%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.8%, Hafnarfjordur Free Church 2%, Asatru Association 1.2%, The Independent Congregation .9%, other religions 4% (includes Zuist and Pentecostal), none 6.7%, other or unspecified 11.3% (2018 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 20.4%(male 35,812 /female 34,249)
15-24 years: 13.22%(male 22,952 /female 22,444)
25-54 years: 39.76%(male 69,177 /female 67,401)
55-64 years: 11.87%(male 20,350 /female 20,426)
65 years and over: 14.76%(male 23,822 /female 26,885) (2018 est.)
population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 51.6 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 30.8 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 20.8 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 4.8 (2015 est.)

Median age

total: 36.7 years (2018 est.)
male: 36.1 years
female: 37.3 years
country comparison to the world: 73

Population growth rate

1.08% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103

Birth rate

13.6 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140

Death rate

6.5 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142

Net migration rate

3.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36

Population distribution

Iceland is almost entirely urban with half of the population located in and around the capital of Reykjavik; smaller clusters are primarily found along the coast in the north and west

Urbanization

urban population: 93.9% of total population(2019)
rate of urbanization: 0.81% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)

Major urban areas - population

216,000 REYKJAVIK (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

27.4 years (2015 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

4 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173

Infant mortality rate

total: 2.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
male: 2.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 221

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 83.1 years (2018 est.)
male: 80.9 years
female: 85.5 years
country comparison to the world: 7

Total fertility rate

1.99 children born/woman (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

Current Health Expenditure

8.3% (2016)

Physicians density

3.97 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density

3.4 beds/1,000 population (2015)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 98.7% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 100% of population (2015 est.)
total: 98.8% of population (2015 est.)
unimproved: urban: 1.3% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 0% of population (2015 est.)
total: 1.2% of population (2015 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2018)
country comparison to the world: 124

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

<500 (2018)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

<100 (2018)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.9% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 83

Education expenditures

7.5% of GDP (2016)
country comparison to the world: 8

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 19 years
male: 18 years
female: 20 years (2016)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 7.9%
male: 8.6%
female: 7.1% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
conventional short form: Iceland
local long form: Lydveldid Island
local short form: Island
etymology: Floki VILGERDARSON, an early explorer of the island (9th century), applied the name "Land of Ice" after spotting a fjord full of drift ice to the north and spending a bitter winter on the island; he eventually settled on the island, however, after he saw how it greened up in the summer and that it was, in fact, habitable

Government type

unitary parliamentary republic

Capital

name: Reykjavik
geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name means "smoky bay" in Icelandic and refers to the steamy, smoke-like vapors discharged by hot springs in the area

Administrative divisions

74 municipalities (sveitarfelog, singular - sveitarfelagidh); Akrahreppur, Akraneskaupstadhur, Akureyrarkaupstadhur, Arneshreppur, Asahreppur, Blaskogabyggdh, Blonduosbaer, Bolungarvikurkaupstadhur, Borgarbyggdh, Borgarfjardharhreppur, Breidhdalshreppur, Dalabyggdh, Dalvikurbyggdh, Djupavogshreppur, Eyjafjardharsveit, Eyja-og Miklaholtshreppur, Fjallabyggdh, Fjardhabyggdh, Fljotsdalsheradh, Fljotsdalshreppur, Floahreppur, Gardhabaer, Grimsnes-og Grafningshreppur, Grindavikurbaer, Grundarfjardharbaer, Grytubakkahreppur, Hafnarfjardharkaupstadhur, Helgafellssveit, Horgarsveit, Hrunamannahreppur, Hunathing Vestra, Hunavatnshreppur, Hvalfjardharsveit, Hveragerdhisbaer, Isafjardharbaer, Kaldrananeshreppur, Kjosarhreppur, Kopavogsbaer, Langanesbyggdh, Mosfellsbaer, Myrdalshreppur, Nordhurthing, Rangarthing Eystra, Rangarthing Ytra, Reykholahreppur, Reykjanesbaer, Reykjavikurborg, Sandgerdhisbaer, Seltjarnarnesbaer, Seydhisfjardharkaupstadhur, Skaftarhreppur, Skagabyggdh, Skeidha-og Gnupverjahreppur, Skorradalshreppur, Skutustadhahreppur, Snaefellsbaer, Strandabyggdh, Stykkisholmsbaer, Sudhavikurhreppur, Svalbardhshreppur, Svalbardhsstrandarhreppur, Sveitarfelagidh Arborg, Sveitarfelagidh Gardhur, Sveitarfelagidh Hornafjordhur, Sveitarfelagidh Olfus, Sveitarfelagidh Skagafjordhur, Sveitarfelagidh Skagastrond, Sveitarfelagidh Vogar, Talknafjardharhreppur, Thingeyjarsveit, Tjorneshreppur, Vestmannaeyjabaer, Vesturbyggdh, Vopnafjardharhreppur

Independence

1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark; birthday of Jon SIGURDSSON, leader of Iceland's 19th Century independence movement)

National holiday

Independence Day, 17 June (1944)

Constitution

history: several previous; latest ratified 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944 (at independence)
amendments: proposed by the Althingi; passage requires approval by the Althingi and by the next elected Althingi, and confirmation by the president of the republic; proposed amendments to Article 62 of the constitution – that the Evangelical Lutheran Church shall be the state church of Iceland – also require passage by referendum; amended many times, last in 2013 (2016)

Legal system

civil law system influenced by the Danish model

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Iceland
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 3 to 7 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON (since 1 August 2016)
head of government: Prime Minister Katrin JAKOBSDOTTIR (since 30 November 2017)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the prime minister
elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 4-year term (no term limits); election last held on 25 June 2016 (next to be held in June 2020); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition becomes prime minister
election results: Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON elected president; percent of vote - Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON 39.1%, Halla TOMASDOTTIR 27.9%, Andri Snaer MAGNASON 14.3%, David ODDSSON 13.7%, Sturla JONSSON 3.5%, invalid 1.5%

Legislative branch

description: unicameral Althingi or Parliament (63 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 28 October 2017 (next to be held in 2021)
election results: percent of vote by party - IP 25.2%, LGM 16.9%, SDA 12.1%, CP 10.9%, PP 10.7%, Pirate Party 9.2%, People's Party 6.9%, Reform Party 6.7%. other 1.5%; seats by party - IP 16, LGM 11, SDA 7, CP 7, PP 8, Pirate Party 6, Reform Party 4, People's Party 4

Judicial branch

highest courts: Supreme Court or Haestirettur (consists of 9 judges)
judge selection and term of office: judges proposed by Ministry of Interior selection committee and appointed by the president; judges appointed for an indefinite period
subordinate courts: Appellate Court or Landsrettur; 8 district courts; Labor Court

Political parties and leaders

Centrist Party (Midflokkurinn) or CP [Sigmundur David GUNNLAUGSSON]
Independence Party (Sjalfstaedisflokkurinn) or IP [Bjarni BENEDIKTSSON]
Left-Green Movement (Vinstrihreyfingin-graent frambod) or LGM [Katrin JAKOBSDOTTIR]
People's Party (Flokkur Folksins) [Inga SAELAND]
Pirate Party (Piratar) [rotating leadership]
Progressive Party (Framsoknarflokkurinn) or PP [Sigurdur Ingi JOHANNSSON]
Reform Party (Vidreisn) [Thorgerdur Katrin GUNNARSDOTTIR]
Social Democratic Alliance (Samfylkingin) or SDA [Logi Mar EINARSSON]

International organization participation

Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Geir Hilmar HAARDE (since 23 February 2015)
chancery: House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW, #509, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653
FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey Ross GUNTER (since 2 July 2019)
telephone: [354] 595-2200
embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik
mailing address: US Department of State, 5640 Reykjavik Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-5640
FAX: [354] 562-9118

Flag description

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

National symbol(s)

gyrfalcon; national colors: blue, white, red

National anthem

name: "Lofsongur" (Song of Praise)
lyrics/music: Matthias JOCHUMSSON/Sveinbjorn SVEINBJORNSSON
note: adopted 1944; also known as "O, Gud vors lands" (O, God of Our Land), the anthem was originally written and performed in 1874

Economy

Economy - overview

Iceland's economy combines a capitalist structure and free-market principles with an extensive welfare system. Except for a brief period during the 2008 crisis, Iceland has in recent years achieved high growth, low unemployment, and a remarkably even distribution of income. Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, particularly within the fields of tourism, software production, and biotechnology. Abundant geothermal and hydropower sources have attracted substantial foreign investment in the aluminum sector, boosted economic growth, and sparked some interest from high-tech firms looking to establish data centers using cheap green energy.Tourism, aluminum smelting, and fishing are the pillars of the economy. For decades the Icelandic economy depended heavily on fisheries, but tourism has now surpassed fishing and aluminum as Iceland’s main export industry. Tourism accounted for 8.6% of Iceland’s GDP in 2016, and 39% of total exports of merchandise and services. From 2010 to 2017, the number of tourists visiting Iceland increased by nearly 400%. Since 2010, tourism has become a main driver of Icelandic economic growth, with the number of tourists reaching 4.5 times the Icelandic population in 2016. Iceland remains sensitive to fluctuations in world prices for its main exports, and to fluctuations in the exchange rate of the Icelandic Krona.Following the privatization of the banking sector in the early 2000s, domestic banks expanded aggressively in foreign markets, and consumers and businesses borrowed heavily in foreign currencies. Worsening global financial conditions throughout 2008 resulted in a sharp depreciation of the krona vis-a-vis other major currencies. The foreign exposure of Icelandic banks, whose loans and other assets totaled nearly nine times the country's GDP, became unsustainable. Iceland's three largest banks collapsed in late 2008. GDP fell 6.8% in 2009, and unemployment peaked at 9.4% in February 2009. Three new banks were established to take over the domestic assets of the collapsed banks. Two of them have majority ownership by the state, which intends to re-privatize them.Since the collapse of Iceland's financial sector, government economic priorities have included stabilizing the krona, implementing capital controls, reducing Iceland's high budget deficit, containing inflation, addressing high household debt, restructuring the financial sector, and diversifying the economy. Capital controls were lifted in March 2017, but some financial protections, such as reserve requirements for specified investments connected to new inflows of foreign currency, remain in place.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$18.18 billion (2017 est.)
$17.48 billion (2016 est.)
$16.29 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 153

GDP (official exchange rate)

$24.48 billion (2017 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (2017 est.)
7.4% (2016 est.)
4.5% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$52,200 (2017 est.)
$51,700 (2016 est.)
$48,900 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 25

Gross national saving

25.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
29.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
24.5% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 50.4% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 23.3% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 22.1% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 47% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -42.8% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 5.8% (2017 est.)
industry: 19.7% (2017 est.)
services: 74.6% (2017 est.)

Agriculture - products

potatoes, carrots, green vegetables, tomatoes, cucumbers; mutton, chicken, pork, beef, dairy products; fish

Industries

tourism, fish processing; aluminum smelting;; geothermal power, hydropower; medical/pharmaceutical products

Industrial production growth rate

2.4% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120

Labor force

198,700 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 4.8%
industry: 22.2%
services: 73% (2008)

Unemployment rate

2.8% (2017 est.)
3% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30

Population below poverty line

NA
note: 332,100 families (2011 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Distribution of family income - Gini index

28 (2006)
25 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 142

Budget

revenues: 10.39 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: 10.02 billion (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

42.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22

Public debt

40% of GDP (2017 est.)
51.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126

Fiscal year

calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.8% (2017 est.)
1.7% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93

Central bank discount rate

5.4% (31 January 2012)
5.75% (31 December 2010)
country comparison to the world: 77

Commercial bank prime lending rate

7.26% (31 December 2017 est.)
8.24% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116

Stock of narrow money

$4.945 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$4.251 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106

Stock of broad money

$4.945 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$4.251 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110

Stock of domestic credit

$24.51 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$21.18 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86

Market value of publicly traded shares

$2.825 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
$2.021 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
$1.996 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94

Current account balance

$857 million (2017 est.)
$1.556 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52

Exports

$4.957 billion (2017 est.)
$4.483 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109

Exports - partners

Netherlands 25.5%, Spain 13.6%, UK 9.4%, Germany 7.6%, US 7%, France 6.3%, Norway 4.9%

Exports - commodities

fish and fish products (42%), aluminum (38%), agricultural products, medicinal and medical products, ferro-silicon (2015)

Imports

$6.525 billion (2017 est.)
$5.315 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners

Germany 10.7%, Norway 9.2%, China 7%, Netherlands 6.7%, US 6.4%, Denmark 6.2%, UK 5.7%, Sweden 4.1%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$6.567 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$7.226 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89

Debt - external

$21.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$25.02 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$6.666 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$13.89 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$11.24 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$17.64 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63

Exchange rates

Icelandic kronur (ISK) per US dollar -
111.7 (2017 est.)
120.81 (2016 est.)
120.81 (2015 est.)
131.92 (2014 est.)
116.77 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Electricity - production

18.17 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80

Electricity - consumption

17.68 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160

Electricity - installed generating capacity

2.772 million kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100

Electricity - from fossil fuels

4% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

71% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16

Electricity - from other renewable sources

25% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159

Refined petroleum products - consumption

20,850 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139

Refined petroleum products - exports

2,530 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101

Refined petroleum products - imports

20,220 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

3.228 million Mt (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 146,213
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 43 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 410,662
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174

Telephone system

general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is modern and fully digitized, with satellite-earth stations, fiber-optic cables, and an extensive broadband network; LTE licenses providing 99% population coverage (2018)
domestic: liberalization of the telecommunications sector beginning in the late 1990s has led to increased competition especially in the mobile services segment of the market; 43 per 100 for fixed line and 121 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2018)
international: country code - 354; the CANTAT-3, FARICE-1, Greenland Connect and DANICE submarine cable system provides connectivity to Canada, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, UK, Denmark, and Germany; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden) (2019)

Broadcast media

state-owned public TV broadcaster (RUV) operates 21 TV channels nationally (RUV and RUV 2, though RUV 2 is used less frequently);  RUV broadcasts nationally, every household in Iceland is required to have RUV as it doubles as the emergency broadcast network; RUV also operates stringer offices in the north (Akureyri) and the east (Egilsstadir) but operations are all run out of RUV headquarters in Reykjavik;  there are 3 privately owned TV stations;  Stod 2 (Channel 2) is owned by Syn, following 365 Media and Vodafone merger, and is headquartered in Reykjavik;  Syn also operates 4 sports channels under Stod 2;  N4 is the only television station headquartered outside of Reykjavik, in Akureyri, with local programming for the north, south, and east of Iceland;  Hringbraut is the newest station and is headquartered in Reykjavik;  all of these television stations have nationwide penetration as 100% of households have multi-channel services though digital and/or fiber-optic connectionsRUV operates 3 radio stations (RAS 1, RAS2, and Rondo) as well as 4 regional stations (but they mostly act as range extenders for RUV radio broadcasts nationwide);  there is 1 privately owned radio conglomerate, Syn (4 stations), that broadcasts nationwide, and 3 other radio stations that broadcast to the most densely populated regions of the country.  In addition there are upwards of 20 radio stations that operate regionally (2019)

Internet country code

.is

Internet users

total: 329,967
percent of population: 98.2% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 133,574
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 39 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116

Military and Security

Military expenditures

0.3% of GDP (2018)
0.3% of GDP (2017)
0.3% of GDP (2016)
0.3% of GDP (2015)
0.5% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 154

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; Icelandic Coast Guard; Icelandic National Police (2019)

Military - note

Iceland is the only NATO member that has no standing military force; defense of Iceland remains a NATO commitment and NATO maintains an air policing presence in Icelandic airspace; Iceland participates in international peacekeeping missions with the civilian-manned Icelandic Crisis Response Unit (ICRU) (2019)

Transportation

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 5 (2015)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 43 (2015)
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 3,413,950 (2015)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 102,356,809mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

TF (2016)

Airports

96 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 59

Airports - with paved runways

total: 7 (2017)
over 3,047 m: 1 (2017)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2017)
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 89 (2013)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2013)
914 to 1,523 m: 26 (2013)
under 914 m: 60 (2013)

Roadways

total: 12,898 km (2012)
paved/oiled gravel: 5,647 km(excludes urban roads) (2012)
unpaved: 7,251 km (2012)
country comparison to the world: 126

Merchant marine

total: 33
by type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 1, other 27 (2018)
country comparison to the world: 122

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Reykjavik

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international

Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; the European Free Trade Association Surveillance Authority filed a suit against Iceland, claiming the country violated the Agreement on the European Economic Area in failing to pay minimum compensation to Icesave depositors

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons: 69 (2018)

Flag of Iceland