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Compare Bahamas, The (2001) - Iceland (2008)

Compare Bahamas, The (2001) z Iceland (2008)

 Bahamas, The (2001)Iceland (2008)
 Bahamas, TheIceland
Administrative divisions 21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nicholls Town and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay 8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland
Age structure 0-14 years:
29.43% (male 44,179; female 43,486)

15-64 years:
64.46% (male 94,329; female 97,674)

65 years and over:
6.11% (male 7,618; female 10,566) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 21.4% (male 32,759/female 31,845)


15-64 years: 66.8% (male 102,161/female 99,411)


65 years and over: 11.8% (male 16,162/female 19,593) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products citrus, vegetables; poultry potatoes, green vegetables; mutton, dairy products; fish
Airports 65 (2000 est.) 99 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total:
36

over 3,047 m:
2

2,438 to 3,047 m:
2

1,524 to 2,437 m:
16

914 to 1,523 m:
13

under 914 m:
3 (2000 est.)
total: 5


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
29

914 to 1,523 m:
6

under 914 m:
23 (2000 est.)
total: 94


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 28


under 914 m: 63 (2007)
Area total:
13,940 sq km

land:
10,070 sq km

water:
3,870 sq km
total: 103,000 sq km


land: 100,250 sq km


water: 2,750 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Connecticut slightly smaller than Kentucky
Background Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US. 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.
Birth rate 19.1 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 13.57 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues:
$766 million

expenditures:
$845 million, including capital expenditures of $97 million (FY97/98)
revenues: $9.495 billion


expenditures: $8.432 billion (2007 est.)
Capital Nassau name: Reykjavik


geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W


time difference: UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
Coastline 3,542 km 4,970 km
Constitution 10 July 1973 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times
Country name conventional long form:
Commonwealth of The Bahamas

conventional short form:
The Bahamas
conventional long form: Republic of Iceland


conventional short form: Iceland


local long form: Lydveldid Island


local short form: Island
Currency Bahamian dollar (BSD) -
Death rate 7.14 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 6.77 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $385.8 million (2000 est.) $3.073 billion (2002)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador-designate J. Richard BLANKENSHIP

embassy:
Queen Street, Nassau

mailing address:
local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; stateside address: American Embassy Nassau, P. O. Box 599009, Miami, FL 33159-9009; pouch address: Nassau, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-3370

telephone:
[1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206

FAX:
[1] (242) 356-0222
chief of mission: Ambassador Carol VAN VOORST


embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik


mailing address: US Department of State, 5640 Reykjavik Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-5640


telephone: [354] 562-9100


FAX: [354] 562-9118
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Joshua SEARS

chancery:
2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 319-2660

FAX:
[1] (202) 319-2668

consulate(s) general:
Miami and New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Albert JONSSON


chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1704


telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653


FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656


consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international none Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm
Economic aid - donor - $6.7 million (2004)
Economic aid - recipient $9.8 million (1995) -
Economy - overview The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs 40% of the archipelago's labor force. Moderate growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences led to an increase of the country's GDP by an estimated 3% in 1998, 6% in 1999, and 4.5% in 2000. Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute only 10% of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run will depend heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector and continued sturdy growth in the US, which accounts for the majority of tourist visitors. Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, yet with an extensive welfare system (including generous housing subsidies), low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution of income. In the absence of other natural resources (except for abundant geothermal power), the economy depends heavily on the fishing industry, which provides nearly 70% of export earnings and employs 6% of the work force. The economy remains sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon. Substantial foreign investment in the aluminum and hydropower sectors has boosted economic growth which, nevertheless, has been volatile and characterized by recurrent imbalances. Government policies include reducing the current account deficit, limiting foreign borrowing, containing inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, and diversifying the economy. The government remains opposed to EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders' concern about losing control over their fishing resources. Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, and new developments in software production, biotechnology, and financial services are taking place. The tourism sector is also expanding, with the recent trends in ecotourism and whale watching. The 2006 closure of the US military base at Keflavik had very little impact on the national economy; Iceland's low unemployment rate aided former base employees in finding alternate employment.
Electricity - consumption 1.362 billion kWh (1999) 8.152 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 1.465 billion kWh (1999) 8.533 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,110 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)
Environment - current issues coral reef decay; solid waste disposal water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment
Environment - international agreements party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected 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
Ethnic groups black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3% homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6%
Exchange rates Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1.000 (fixed rate pegged to the dollar) Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 63.391 (2007), 70.195 (2006), 62.982 (2005), 70.192 (2004), 76.709 (2003)
Executive branch chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Orville TURNQUEST (since 2 January 1995)

head of government:
Prime Minister Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM (since 19 August 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Frank WATSON (since December 1994)

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August 1996)


head of government: Prime Minister Geir H. HAARDE (since 7 June 2006)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister


elections: president, largely a ceremonial post, is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits); election last held 26 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually the prime minister


election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON 85.6%, Baldur AGUSTSSON 12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9%
Exports $376.8 million (2000 est.) 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish, refined petroleum products fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite
Exports - partners US 22.3%, Switzerland 15.6%, UK 15%, Denmark 7.4% (1998) Netherlands 16.5%, UK 15.7%, Germany 15%, US 10.8%, Spain 6.4% (2006)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side 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)
GDP purchasing power parity - $4.5 billion (2000 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
3%

industry:
7%

services:
90% (1999 est.)
agriculture: 5.3%


industry: 26.3%


services: 68.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 4.5% (2000 est.) 1.8% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 24 15 N, 76 00 W 65 00 N, 18 00 W
Geography - note strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain 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
Heliports 1 (2000 est.) -
Highways total:
2,693 km

paved:
1,546 km

unpaved:
1,147 km (1997)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; banking industry vulnerable to money laundering -
Imports $1.73 billion (2000 est.) 17,450 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, manufactured goods, crude oil, vehicles, electronics machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners US 27.3%, Italy 26.5%, Japan 10%, Denmark 4.2% (1998) US 12.8%, Germany 12.3%, Norway 7.1%, Sweden 6.9%, Denmark 6.1%, UK 5.3%, China 5.3%, Netherlands 4.8%, Japan 4.1% (2006)
Independence 10 July 1973 (from UK) 1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 9% (2007 est.)
Industries tourism, banking, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production; geothermal power, tourism
Infant mortality rate 17.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 3.27 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 3.41 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 3.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.9% (2000 est.) 4.9% (2007 est.)
International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 19 (2000) -
Irrigated land NA sq km NA
Judicial branch Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)
Labor force 156,000 (1999) 180,000 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation tourism 40%, other services 50%, industry 5%, agriculture 5% (1995 est.) agriculture: 5.1%


industry: 23%


services: 71.4% (2005)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land:
1%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
0%

forests and woodland:
32%

other:
67% (1993 est.)
arable land: 0.07%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 99.93% (2005)
Languages English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants) Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken
Legal system based on English common law civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held 14 March 1997 (next to be held by March 2002)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FNM 35, PLP 5
unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 12 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2011)


election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party 36.6%, Social Democratic Alliance 26.8%, Progressive Party 11.7%, Left-Green Movement 14.3%, Liberal Party 7.3%, other 3.3%; seats by party - Independence Party 25, Social Democratic Alliance 18, Progressive Party 7, Left-Green Alliance 9, Liberal Party 4
Life expectancy at birth total population:
70.46 years

male:
67.27 years

female:
73.71 years (2001 est.)
total population: 80.43 years


male: 78.33 years


female: 82.62 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
98.2%

male:
98.5%

female:
98% (1995 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99%


male: 99%


female: 99% (2003 est.)
Location Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Arctic Region
Maritime claims continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine total:
1,049 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 30,000,221 GRT/44,601,471 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 185, cargo 214, chemical tanker 36, combination bulk 15, combination ore/oil 22, container 66, liquefied gas 33, livestock carrier 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 4, passenger 79, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 182, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 118, roll on/roll off 50, short-sea passenger 15, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 24

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Algeria 2, Australia 1, Austria 1, Bermuda 6, Belgium 14, Canada 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 2, Denmark 17, Finland 7, France 9, Germany 9, Greece 89, Hong Kong 7, Indonesia 2, India 1, Israel 4, Italy 8, Japan 23, Jamaica 1, Kenya 1, Lebanon 2, Luxembourg 2, Monaco 15, Malaysia 1, Netherlands 16, Norway 139, Poland 3, Portugal 2, Russia 2, Saudi Arabia 5, Singapore 12, Spain 7, Sweden 14, Syria 1, Switzerland 7, UAE 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2, UK 67, Ukraine 3, US 50, British Virgin Islands 1, British Virgin Islands 1 (2000 est.)
total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,704 GRT/729 DWT


by type: passenger/cargo 2


registered in other countries: 41 (Antigua and Barbuda 9, Bahamas 1, Belize 1, Faroe Islands 4, Gibraltar 1, Malta 7, Norway 3, St Vincent and The Grenadines 15) (2007)
Military - note - under a 1951 bilateral agreement, Iceland's defense was provided by a US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered in Keflavik; in October 2006, all US military forces in Iceland were withdrawn; nonetheless, the US and Iceland signed a Joint Understanding to strengthen their bilateral defense relationship, including regular security consultations, military communications in the event of national emergencies, annual bilateral exercises on Icelandic territory, and future bilateral and NATO support to four Iceland Air Defense System (IADS) radar sites
Military branches Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal Bahamas Police Force no regular military forces; Icelandic National Police (2006)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $20 million (FY95/96) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 0% (2005 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 10 July (1973) Independence Day, 17 June (1944)
Nationality noun:
Bahamian(s)

adjective:
Bahamian
noun: Icelander(s)


adjective: Icelandic
Natural hazards hurricanes and other tropical storms that cause extensive flood and wind damage earthquakes and volcanic activity
Natural resources salt, aragonite, timber, arable land fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
Net migration rate -2.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 1.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE] Independence Party or IP [Geir H. HAARDE]; Left-Green Movement or LGM [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Gudni AGUSTSSON]; Social Democratic Alliance or SDA [Ingibjorg Solrun GISLADOTTIR] (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List)
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 297,852

note:
estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)
301,931 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 0.93% (2001 est.) 0.824% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau -
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 215,000 (1997) -
Railways 0 km -
Religions Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2% Lutheran Church of Iceland 85.5%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.1%, Roman Catholic Church 2%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.5%, other Christian 2.7%, other or unspecified 3.8%, unaffiliated 2.4% (2004)
Sex ratio at birth:
1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.72 male(s)/female

total population:
0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.029 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.028 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.825 male(s)/female


total population: 1.002 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
modern facilities

domestic:
totally automatic system; highly developed

international:
tropospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)
general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is modern and fully digitized, with satellite-earth stations, fiber-optic cables, and an extensive broadband network


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


international: country code - 354; the CANTAT-3 and FARICE-1 submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Canada, the Faroe Islands, UK, Denmark, and Germany; a planned new section of the Hibernia-Atlantic submarine cable will provide additional connectivity to Canada, US, and Ireland; 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)
Telephones - main lines in use 96,000 (1997) 193,700 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 6,152 (1997) 328,500 (2006)
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) 14 (plus 156 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
Total fertility rate 2.3 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.91 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 9% (1998 est.) 1% (2007 est.)
Waterways none -
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