5.1 Iceland Fact Sheet
Description
This article is from the Nordic countries FAQ, by Antti Lahelma and Johan Olofsson, with numerous contributions by others.
5.1 Iceland Fact Sheet
Name: Lýðveldið Ísland
Telephone country code: 354
Area: 103,000 km² / 39,758 sq mi.
(Glaciers: 12.000 km², lava 11.000 km², lakes 3.000 km²,
arable land 1.100 km²).
Sea area (within 200 nautical miles of fishery limits): 758.000 km²
Terrain: mostly plateau inerspersed with mountain peaks and icefields;
coast deeply indented by bays and fjords.
Highest mountain: Hvannadalshnúkur, 2119 m.
Largest ice cap: Vatnajökull, 8,400 km².
Natural resources: fish, hydroelectric and geothermal power
Land boundaries: none
Population: 264,922 (1993)
Population density: 2.5 persons per km² (6.5 per sq mi)
Distribution: 90% urban, 10% rural (1990)
Infant mortality: 4 per 1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy: male: 76.5, female: 81.0 (1993)
Capital: Reykjavík (pop. 101,824) (1993)
Other major towns: Kópavogur: (17,172), Hafnarfjörður (16,787)
Akureyri (14,799) (1993)
Flag: a red Nordic cross outlined in white on a blue background
Type: republic
Head of state: President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson
Languages: Icelandic
Currency: króna (Icelandic crown, ISK). 1 USD = 63 ISK (March 1995)
see <gopher://hengill.rhi.hi.is:70/00/daglegt-lif/gengi.dags>
for today's rates.
Climate: coolish temperate, warmed by the Gulf stream. Average temp.
in Reykjavík: -2°C - 2°C in Jan. and 9°C - 14°C in July.
Religion: Evangelic-Lutheran (96%) (official state-religion)
Exports: Fisheries products: 78,7%
Industrial products: 17,6%
Agricultural products: 1,7%
Other products: 2,0% (1993)
Cars per 1000 inhabitants (1989): 458
Phones per 1000 inhabitants (1989): 503
TVs per 1000 inhabitants (1988): 306
Doctors per 1000 inhabitants (1989) 2,8
Employment: (1991)
Agriculture............... 5,4%
Fishing................... 5,5%
Fish processing........... 6,0%
Other industry............12.5%
Building industry......... 9.8%
Commerce..................14,6%
Transport & communcations. 6,9%
Finance & insurance....... 8,4%
Public sector.............18,5%
Other.....................12,4%
Total 100,0%
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