1982 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1982 (Wikisource)
Geography
Area
102,952 km2; arable negligible, 22% meadows and pastures, forested negligible, 78% other WATER
Coastline
4,988 km
Limits of territorial waters (claimed)
4 nm (fishing 200 nm; exclusive economic zone 200 nm)
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
homogeneous white population
Labor force
102,000; 9.0% agriculture; 5.4% fishing; 8.0% fish processing; 16.8% other manufacturing; 12.2% construction; 18.6% commerce, finance, and services; 6.3% transportation and communications; 23.7% other; unemployment 1979 est., 0.4%
Language
Icelandic
Literacy
99%
Nationality
noun—Icelander(s); adjective—Icelandic
Organized labor
60% of labor force
Population
233,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 1.0%
Religion
95% Evangelical Lutheran, 3% other Protestant and Roman Catholic, 2% no affiliation
Government
Capital
Reykjavik
Communists
est. 2,200, many of whom participate in the People's Alliance, which drew 24,390 votes in the 1979 parliamentary elections
Elections
parliamentary every four years, last 2-3 December 1979; presidential every four years Political parties and leaders: Independence (conservative), Geir Hallgrīmsson; Progressive, Steingrīmur Hermannsson; Social Democratic, Kjartan Jóhannsson; People's Alliance (Communist front), Svavar Gestsson Voting strength (1979 election): 37.9% Independence, 24.9% Progressive, 19.7% People's Alliance, 17.4% Social Democratic, 1.2% other
Government leaders
President Vigdīs FINNBOGADÓTTIR, Prime Minister Gunnar THORODDSEN; government coalition
Legal system
civil law system based on Danish law; constitution adopted 1944; legal education at University of Iceland; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Member of
Council of Europe, EC (free trade agreement pending resolution of fishing limits issue), EFTA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICES, IDA, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMCO, IMF, IPU, ITU, IWC—International Whaling Commission, NATO, Nordic Council, OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WSG
National holiday
Anniversary of the Establishment of the Republic, 17 June Branches: legislative authority rests jointly with President and parliament (Althing); executive power vested in President but exercised by Cabinet responsible to parliament; Supreme Court and 29 lower courts
Official name
Republic of Iceland
Political subdivisions
23 rural districts, 215 parishes, 14 incorporated towns
Suffrage
universal, over age 20; not compulsory
Type
republic
Economy
Agriculture
cattle, sheep, dairying, hay, potatoes, turnips; food shortages—grains, sugar, vegetable and other fibers; caloric intake, 2,900 calories per day per capita (1964-66)
Aid
economic authorizations including Ex-Im from US, $19.1 million (FY70-80)
Budget
(1979) expenditures $674 million, revenues $699 million
Electric power
670,000 kW capacity (1980); 3.143 billion kWh produced (1980), 13,720 kWh per capita
Exports
$932.7 million (f.o.b., 1980); fish and fish products, animal products, aluminum, diatomite
Fiscal year
calendar year
Fishing
landed 1,640,951 metric tons; marine product exports $589.3 million (1979)
GNP
$2,760 million (1980), $12,213 per capita; 63.2% consumption, 27.0% investment, 12.0% government, 0.6% change in stocks; —0.5% net foreign demand (1979); 1980 growth rate 2.8%, constant prices
Imports
$1 billion (c.i.f., 1980); machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, textiles
Major industries
fish processing, aluminum smelting, diatomite production, hydroelectricity
Major trade partners
(1979) exports—EC 39%, US 28%, USSR 4%; imports—EC 46%, USSR 11%, US 7%
Monetary conversion rate
4.7977 kronur=US$1 (1980)
Shortages
grain, fuel, wood, minerals, vegetable fibers
Communications
Airfields
119 total, 100 usable; 3 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 10 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
14 major transport aircraft, including 2 leased out
Highways
12,343 km total; 166 km bitumen and concrete; 1,284 km bituminous treated and gravel; 10,893 km earth
Ports
4 major (Akureyri, Hafnarfjördhur, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjördhur), and about 50 minor
Railroads
none
Telecommunications
adequate domestic service, wire and radio communication system; 103,800 telephones (45.9 per 100 popl.); 17 AM, 19 FM, and 96 TV stations; 2 coaxial submarine cables; 1 satellite station with Atlantic Ocean antenna
Military and Security
Military manpower
males 15-49, 60,000; 52,000 fit for military service (Iceland has no conscription or compulsory military service)