Compare Iceland (2002) - Marshall Islands (2007)

Compare Iceland (2002) z Marshall Islands (2007)

	Iceland (2002)	Marshall Islands (2007)

Administrative divisions	23 counties (syslur, 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, Strandasysla, Sudhur-Mulasysla, Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Vesttmannaeyjar, Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Vestur-Hunavatnssysla, Vestur-Isafjardharsysla, Vestur-Skaftafellssysla note: there may be four other counties	33 municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap, Ailuk, Arno, Aur, Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat, Jaluit, Jemo, Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap, Mejit, Mili, Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang, Utirik, Wotho, Wotje
Age structure	0-14 years: 23% (male 33,189; female 31,155) 15-64 years: 65.1% (male 91,704; female 90,199) 65 years and over: 11.9% (male 14,828; female 18,309) (2002 est.)	0-14 years: 38.3% (male 12,061/female 11,622) 15-64 years: 58.9% (male 18,634/female 17,775) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 832/female 891) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products	potatoes, turnips; cattle, sheep; fish	coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens
Airports	86 (2001)	15 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 13 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2002)	total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 73 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 49 (2002)	total: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Area	total: 103,000 sq km land: 100,250 sq km water: 2,750 sq km	total: 11,854.3 sq km land: 181.3 sq km water: 11,673 sq km (note - lagoon waters) note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Kentucky	about the size of Washington, DC
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 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.	After almost four decades under US administration as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and 1962. The Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense network.
Birth rate	14.37 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)	32.37 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	revenues: $3.5 billion expenditures: $3.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $467 million (1999)	revenues: $42 million expenditures: $40 million (1999)
Capital	Reykjavik	name: Majuro geographic coordinates: 7 06 N, 171 23 E time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers	tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November; islands border typhoon belt
Coastline	4,988 km	370.4 km
Constitution	16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944	1 May 1979
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Iceland conventional short form: Iceland local long form: Lydhveldidh Island local short form: Island	conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands conventional short form: Marshall Islands local long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands local short form: Marshall Islands abbreviation: RMI former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Marshall Islands District
Currency	Icelandic krona (ISK)	-
Death rate	6.93 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)	4.66 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	$2.6 billion (1999)	$86.5 million (FY99/00 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador James I. GADSDEN embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340 telephone: [354] 5629100 FAX: [354] 5629139	chief of mission: Ambassador Clyde BISHOP embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96960-1379 telephone: [692] 247-4011 FAX: [692] 247-4012
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Helgi AGUSTSSON 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	chief of mission: Ambassador Banny DE BRUM chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5414 FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236 consulate(s) general: Honolulu
Disputes - international	Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area); dispute with Denmark over the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line boundary within 200 NM; disputes with Denmark, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM	claims US territory of Wake Island
Economic aid - donor	$NA	-
Economic aid - recipient	-	$56.56 million more than $1 billion from the US, 1986-2002 (2005)
Economy - overview	Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, yet with an extensive welfare system, low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution of income. In the absence of other natural resources (except for abundant hydrothermal and geothermal power), the economy depends heavily on the fishing industry, providing 70% of export earnings and employing 12% of the work force. The economy remains sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to drops in world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon. The center-right government plans to continue its policies of reducing the budget and current account deficits, limiting foreign borrowing, containing inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, diversifying the economy, and privatizing state-owned industries. 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. Consumption, investment, and exports should recover moderately in 2003.	US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island economy. Agricultural production, primarily subsistence, is concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. The tourist industry, now a small source of foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the labor force, remains the best hope for future added income. The islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports. Under the terms of the Amended Compact of Free Association, the US will provide millions of dollars per year to the Marshall Islands (RMI) through 2023, at which time a Trust Fund made up of US and RMI contributions will begin perpetual annual payouts. Government downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism, and less income from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have held GDP growth to an average of 1% over the past decade.
Electricity - consumption	7.02 billion kWh (2000)	-
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2000)	-
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2000)	-
Electricity - production	7.549 billion kWh (2000)	-
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 83% nuclear: 0% other: 17% (2000)	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m
Environment - current issues	water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment	inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels
Environment - international agreements	party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, 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, Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6%	Micronesian
Exchange rates	Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 102.430 (January 2002), 97.425 (2001), 78.616 (2000), 72.335 (1999), 70.958 (1998), 70.904 (1997)	the US dollar is used
Executive branch	chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August 1996) head of government: Prime Minister David ODDSSON (since 30 April 1991) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by Parliament elections: president, which is largely a ceremonial post, elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 29 June 1996 (next to be held NA June 2004); President GRIMSSON ran unopposed in June 2000 so there were no elections; prime minister appointed by the president election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON ran unopposed in 2000 and was reelected	chief of state: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004) cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of the legislature elections: president elected by Parliament from among its members for a four-year term; election last held 17 November 2003 (next to be held in November 2007) election results: Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president; percent of Parliament vote - 100%
Exports	$2 billion f.o.b. (2002)	$9.1 million f.o.b. (2000)
Exports - commodities	fish and fish products 70%, animal products, aluminum, diatomite, ferrosilicon	copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish
Exports - partners	UK 18.2%, Germany 14.9%, Netherlands 10.9, US 10.3%, Portugal 5.5%, Spain 5.4%, Norway 5.3% (2001)	US, Japan, Australia, China (2006)
Fiscal year	calendar year	1 October - 30 September
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)	blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner - orange (top) and white; there is a white star with four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes
GDP	purchasing power parity - $7.7 billion (2002 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 14% (includes fishing 12%) industry: 21% services: 65% (2001 est.)	agriculture: 31.7% industry: 14.9% services: 53.4% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $27,100 (2002 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	-0.7% (2002 est.)	3.5% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates	65 00 N, 18 00 W	9 00 N, 168 00 E
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	Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is used as a US missile test range; island city of Ebeye is the second largest settlement in the Marshall Islands, after the capital of Majuro, and one of the most densely populated locations in the Pacific
Highways	total: 12,691 km paved: 3,262 km unpaved: 9,429 km (1999)	-
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports	$2 billion (2002)	$54.7 million f.o.b. (2000)
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs, textiles	foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco
Imports - partners	Germany 12.2%, US 11.1%, Denmark 8.6%, Norway 7.8%, UK 7.5%, Netherlands 6.6% (2001)	US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China, Philippines (2006)
Independence	1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)	21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
Industrial production growth rate	0.2% (2001 est.)	NA%
Industries	fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production, geothermal power; tourism	copra, tuna processing, tourism, craft items from seashells, wood, and pearls
Infant mortality rate	3.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)	total: 27.3 deaths/1,000 live births male: 30.62 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	5% (2001 est.)	3% (2005 est.)
International organization participation	Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNU, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO	ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	20 (2001)	-
Irrigated land	NA sq km	0 sq km
Judicial branch	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)	Supreme Court; High Court; Traditional Rights Court
Labor force	159,000 (2000)	14,680 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 5%, fishing and fish processing 12%, manufacturing 13%, construction 11%, other services 60% (1999)	agriculture: 21.4% industry: 20.9% services: 57.7% (2000)
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 0.06% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.94% (23% permanent pastures) (1998 est.)	arable land: 11.11% permanent crops: 44.44% other: 44.45% (2005)
Languages	Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken	Marshallese (official) 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999 census) note: English (official), widely spoken as a second language
Legal system	civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
Legislative branch	unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 8 May 1999 (next to be held by April 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party 40.7%, Social Democratic Alliance (PA, Social Democratic Party, Women's List) 26.8%, Progressive Party 18.4%, Left-Green Alliance 9.1%, Liberal Party 4.2%; seats by party - Independence Party 26, Social Democratic Alliance 17, Progressive Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 6, Liberal Party 2	unicameral legislature or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 17 November 2003 (next to be held by November 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independents 33 note: the Council of Chiefs or Ironij is a 12-member body comprised of tribal chiefs that advises on matters affecting customary law and practice
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 79.66 years male: 77.42 years female: 82.07 years (2002 est.)	total population: 70.61 years male: 68.61 years female: 72.71 years (2007 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.9% (1997 est.) male: NA% female: NA%	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.7% male: 93.6% female: 93.7% (1999)
Location	Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK	Oceania, two archipelagic island chains of 29 atolls, each made up of many small islets, and five single islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Map references	Arctic Region	Oceania
Maritime claims	continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,816 GRT/2,500 DWT ships by type: chemical tanker 1 (2002 est.)	total: 902 ships (1000 GRT or over) 33,260,440 GRT/55,644,008 DWT by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 215, cargo 61, carrier 1, chemical tanker 165, combination ore/oil 6, container 171, liquefied gas 28, passenger 6, petroleum tanker 228, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 10, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 5 foreign-owned: 857 (Australia 1, Belgium 1, Bermuda 5, Canada 4, Chile 4, China 3, Croatia 4, Cyprus 39, Denmark 9, Finland 2, Germany 214, Greece 226, Hong Kong 4, Italy 3, Japan 5, South Korea 3, Latvia 10, Malaysia 3, Monaco 7, Netherlands 5, Norway 62, Romania 1, Russia 4, Saudi Arabia 4, Singapore 12, Slovenia 3, Spain 3, Sweden 1, Switzerland 14, Turkey 41, UAE 14, UK 17, US 129) (2007)
Military - note	defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik	defense is the responsibility of the US
Military branches	no regular armed forces; Police, Coast Guard	no regular military forces; under the 1983 Compact of Free Association, the US has full authority and responsibility for security and defense of the Marshall Islands; Marshall Islands Police (2006)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$0	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	NA
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 71,142 (2002 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 62,556 (2002 est.)	-
National holiday	Independence Day, 17 June (1944)	Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)
Nationality	noun: Icelander(s) adjective: Icelandic	noun: Marshallese (singular and plural) adjective: Marshallese
Natural hazards	earthquakes and volcanic activity	infrequent typhoons
Natural resources	fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite	coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals
Net migration rate	-2.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)	-5.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders	Independence Party or IP [David ODDSSON]; Left-Green Alliance or LGP [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Sverrir HERMANNSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; Social Democratic Alliance (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List)or SDA [Ossur SKARPHEDINSSON]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Sighvatur BJORGVINSSON]; Women's List or WL [Kristin ASTGEIRSDOTTIR]	traditionally there have been no formally organized political parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions or interest groups because they do not have party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures; the following two "groupings" have competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Aelon Kein Ad Party [Michael KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING]
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	NA
Population	279,384 (July 2002 est.)	61,815 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	NA%
Population growth rate	0.52% (2002 est.)	2.207% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors	Akureyri, Hornafjordhur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vesttmannaeyjar	-
Radio broadcast stations	AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)	AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one AM station on Kwajalein) (2005)
Radios	260,000 (1997)	-
Railways	0 km	-
Religions	Evangelical Lutheran 87.1%, other Protestant 4.1%, Roman Catholic 1.7%, other 7.1% (2002)	Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman Catholic 8.4%, Bukot nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian 3.6%, other 1%, none 1.5% (1999 census)
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 (2002 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.038 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.048 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.934 male(s)/female total population: 1.041 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: extensive domestic service domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic cables and microwave radio relay links international: 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)	general assessment: digital switching equipment; modern services include telex, cellular, internet, international calling, caller ID, and leased data circuits domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular, seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by high frequency radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes) and mini-satellite telephones international: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein (2001)
Telephones - main lines in use	196,984 (2001)	4,500 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular	248,131 (221,231 GSM, 26,900 NMT) (2001)	600 (2004)
Television broadcast stations	14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)	2 (both are US military stations; Marshalls Broadcasting Service, a cable company, operates on Majuro) (2005)
Terrain	mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords	low coral limestone and sand islands
Total fertility rate	1.99 children born/woman (2002 est.)	3.76 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	2.8% (2002 est.)	30.9% (2000 est.)
Waterways	none	-

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