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Compare Iceland (2004) - British Indian Ocean Territory (2001)
Compare Iceland (2004) z British Indian Ocean Territory (2001)
| Iceland (2004) | British Indian Ocean Territory (2001) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland | - |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 22.5% (male 33,522; female 32,489)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 98,091; female 95,450) 65 years and over: 11.7% (male 15,552; female 18,862) (2004 est.) |
- |
| Agriculture - products | potatoes, green vegetables, mutton, dairy products, fish | - |
| Airports | 100 (2003 est.) | 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total:
1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 93
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 61 (2004 est.) |
- |
| Area | total: 103,000 sq km
land: 100,250 sq km water: 2,750 sq km |
total:
60 sq km land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago |
| Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Kentucky | about 0.3 times 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. | Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier resident in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order which had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. |
| Birth rate | 13.83 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | - |
| Budget | revenues: $4.205 billion
expenditures: $4.405 billion, including capital expenditures of $467 million (2003) |
- |
| Capital | Reykjavik | - |
| Climate | temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers | tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds |
| Coastline | 4,988 km | 698 km |
| Constitution | 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944 | - |
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
conventional short form: Iceland local long form: Lydhveldidh Island local short form: Island |
conventional long form:
British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT |
| Currency | Icelandic krona (ISK) | - |
| Death rate | 6.57 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | - |
| Debt - external | $2.6 billion (1999) | - |
| Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London |
| 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] 562-9100 FAX: [354] 562-9118 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| 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 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| 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) remains dormant; 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 | the Chagos Archipelago is claimed by Mauritius and Seychelles |
| Economic aid - donor | NA | - |
| Economy - overview | 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 70% of export earnings and employs 12% 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. Government policies include 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. Growth had been remarkably steady in 1996-2001 at 3%-5%, but could not be sustained in 2002 in an environment of global recession. Growth resumed in 2003, and inflation dropped back from 5% to 2%. | All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. |
| Electricity - consumption | 7.341 billion kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
| Electricity - production | 7.894 billion kWh (2001) | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m (at Vatnajokull glacier) |
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m |
| Environment - current issues | water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment | NA |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, 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
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation |
- |
| Ethnic groups | homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6% | - |
| Exchange rates | Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 76.709 (2003), 91.6617 (2002), 97.4246 (2001), 78.6159 (2000), 72.3353 (1999) | - |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Halldor ASGRIMSSON (since 15 September 2004); note - Former Prime Minister David ODDSSON switched positions with former Foreign Minister Halldor ASGRIMMSON 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 26 June 2004 (next to be held June 2008); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON wins with 85.6% of the vote, Baldur AGUSTSSON 12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9% |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner John WHITE (since NA); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch |
| Exports | 0 bbl/day (2001) | - |
| Exports - commodities | fish and fish products 70%, animal products, aluminum, diatomite, ferrosilicon | - |
| Exports - partners | Germany 17.4%, UK 17.4%, Netherlands 11.2%, US 9.8%, Spain 6.3%, Denmark 5%, Norway 4.5%, France 4% (2003) | - |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | - |
| 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) | white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $8.678 billion (2003 est.) | - |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 9.2% (includes fishing 12%)
industry: 26.7% services: 64.2% (2003 est.) |
- |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $30,900 (2003 est.) | - |
| GDP - real growth rate | 2.6% (2003 est.) | - |
| Geographic coordinates | 65 00 N, 18 00 W | 6 00 S, 71 30 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 | archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility |
| Highways | total: 12,955 km
paved/oiled gravel: 3,863 km unpaved: 9,092 km (2003) |
total:
NA km paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia unpaved: NA km |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
- |
| Imports | 15,470 bbl/day (2001) | - |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs, textiles | - |
| Imports - partners | Germany 11.8%, Denmark 8%, US 7.5%, UK 7.5%, Norway 7%, Sweden 6.5%, Netherlands 6.2%, Italy 4.7% (2003) | - |
| Independence | 1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark) | - |
| Industrial production growth rate | 8.1% (2003 est.) | - |
| Industries | fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production, geothermal power; tourism | - |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 3.31 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.44 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
- |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.1% (2003 est.) | - |
| International organization participation | Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | - |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2000) |
| Irrigated land | NA sq km | 0 sq km (1993) |
| 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) | - |
| Labor force | 160,000 (2003) | - |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 5.1%, fishing and fish processing 11.8%, manufacturing 12.9%, construction 10.7%, services 59.5% (1999) | - |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
| Land use | arable land: 0.07%
permanent crops: 0% other: 99.93% (2001) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: NA% other: NA% |
| Languages | Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken | - |
| Legal system | civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply |
| Legislative branch | unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party 33.7%, Social Democratic Alliance 31.0%, Progressive Party 17.7%, Left-Green Alliance 8.8%, Liberal Party 7.4%; seats by party - Independence Party 22, Social Democratic Alliance 20, Progressive Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 5, Liberal Party 4 |
- |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 80.18 years
male: 78.18 years female: 82.27 years (2004 est.) |
- |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.9% (1997 est.) male: NA female: NA |
- |
| Location | Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK | Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia |
| Map references | Arctic Region | World |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
| Merchant marine | total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,341 GRT/6,019 DWT
by type: petroleum tanker 1 registered in other countries: 26 (2004 est.) |
- |
| Military - note | defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik | defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 |
| Military branches | no regular armed forces; Police, Coast Guard | - |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | 0 | - |
| Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 75,568 (2004 est.) | - |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 66,503 (2004 est.) | - |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 17 June (1944) | - |
| Nationality | noun: Icelander(s)
adjective: Icelandic |
- |
| Natural hazards | earthquakes and volcanic activity | NA |
| Natural resources | fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite | coconuts, fish, sugarcane |
| Net migration rate | 2.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | - |
| Political parties and leaders | Independence Party or IP [David ODDSSON]; Left-Green Alliance or LGP [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon KRISTJANSSON]; 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] | - |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | - |
| Population | 293,966 (July 2004 est.) | no indigenous inhabitants
note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles around the time of the construction of UK-US military facilities; in 1995, there were approximately 1,700 UK and US military personnel and 1,500 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia |
| Population below poverty line | NA | - |
| Population growth rate | 0.97% (2004 est.) | - |
| Ports and harbors | Akureyri, Hornafjordhur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vesttmannaeyjar | Diego Garcia |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios | - | NA |
| Religions | Evangelical Lutheran 87.1%, other Protestant 4.1%, Roman Catholic 1.7%, other 7.1% (2002) | - |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
- |
| Suffrage | 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: country code - 354; 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:
separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 190,700 (2003) | NA |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 279,100 (2003) | - |
| Television broadcast stations | 14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997) | 1 (1997) |
| Terrain | mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords | flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation) |
| Total fertility rate | 1.93 children born/woman (2004 est.) | - |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% (2003 est.) | - |
| Waterways | - | none |
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