Compare Iceland (2004) - Oman (2005)

Compare Iceland (2004) z Oman (2005)

	Iceland (2004)	Oman (2005)

Administrative divisions	8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland	5 regions (manaatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 3 governorates* (muhaafazaat, singular - muhaafaza) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat, Musandam, Zufar*
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.)	0-14 years: 42.6% (male 652,028/female 626,698) 15-64 years: 54.9% (male 978,183/female 668,814) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 41,366/female 34,494) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products	potatoes, green vegetables, mutton, dairy products, fish	dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish
Airports	100 (2003 est.)	136 (2004 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: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 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.)	total: 130 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 52 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 103,000 sq km land: 100,250 sq km water: 2,750 sq km	total: 212,460 sq km land: 212,460 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Kentucky	slightly smaller than Kansas
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.	In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said ousted his father and has ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world and has preserved a long-standing political and military relationship with the UK. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.
Birth rate	13.83 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	36.73 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $4.205 billion expenditures: $4.405 billion, including capital expenditures of $467 million (2003)	revenues: $9.291 billion expenditures: $8.747 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Capital	Reykjavik	Muscat
Climate	temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers	dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south
Coastline	4,988 km	2,092 km
Constitution	16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944	none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a basic law considered by the government to be a constitution which, among other things, clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with the government, establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Iceland conventional short form: Iceland local long form: Lydhveldidh Island local short form: Island	conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman conventional short form: Oman local long form: Saltanat Uman local short form: Uman former: Muscat and Oman
Currency	Icelandic krona (ISK)	-
Death rate	6.57 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	3.86 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$2.6 billion (1999)	$4.814 billion (2004 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] 562-9100 FAX: [354] 562-9118	chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Lewis BALTIMORE III embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Al-Sultan Qaboos, Muscat telephone: [968] 24-698989 FAX: [968] 24-699771
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 Muhammad bin Ali bin Thani al-KHUSSAIBY chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988 FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933
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	boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah exclave, but details have not been made public
Economic aid - donor	NA	-
Economic aid - recipient	-	$76.4 million (1995)
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%.	Oman is a middle-income economy in the Middle East with notable oil and gas resources, a substantial trade surplus, and low inflation. The government is privatizing its utilities and diversifying its economy to attract foreign investment. Oman continues to liberalize its markets and joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in November 2000. To reduce unemployment and limit dependence on foreign countries, the government is encouraging the replacement of expatriate workers with local people, i.e., Omanization. Training in information technology, business management, and English support this objective. Industrial development plans focus on gas resources, metal manufacturing, petrochemicals, and international transshipment ports.
Electricity - consumption	7.341 billion kWh (2001)	9.792 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	7.894 billion kWh (2001)	9.896 billion kWh (2003)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)	lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m
Environment - current issues	water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment	rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources
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	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, 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%	Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African
Exchange rates	Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 76.709 (2003), 91.6617 (2002), 97.4246 (2001), 78.6159 (2000), 72.3353 (1999)	Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (2004), 0.3845 (2003), 0.3845 (2002), 0.3845 (2001), 0.3845 (2000)
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: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
Exports	0 bbl/day (2001)	721,000 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities	fish and fish products 70%, animal products, aluminum, diatomite, ferrosilicon	petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles
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)	China 29.5%, South Korea 17.5%, Japan 11.5%, Thailand 10.6%, UAE 7.2% (2004)
Fiscal year	calendar 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)	three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band
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.)	agriculture: 3.1% industry: 41.1% services: 55.8% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $30,900 (2003 est.)	purchasing power parity - $13,100 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	2.6% (2003 est.)	1.2% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates	65 00 N, 18 00 W	21 00 N, 57 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	strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
Heliports	-	1 (2004 est.)
Highways	total: 12,955 km paved/oiled gravel: 3,863 km unpaved: 9,092 km (2003)	total: 34,965 km paved: 9,673 km (including 550 km of expressways) unpaved: 25,292 km (2001)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Imports	15,470 bbl/day (2001)	NA
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs, textiles	machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants
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)	UAE 21.2%, Japan 16.6%, UK 8.4%, Italy 6%, Germany 5.1%, US 4.7% (2004)
Independence	1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)	1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
Industrial production growth rate	8.1% (2003 est.)	-1.2% (2004 est.)
Industries	fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production, geothermal power; tourism	crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural gas (LNG) production, construction, cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiber
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.)	total: 19.51 deaths/1,000 live births male: 22.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2.1% (2003 est.)	0.2% (2004 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	ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO
Irrigated land	NA sq km	620 sq km (1998 est.)
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 note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has judges who practice secular and Sharia (Islamic) law
Labor force	160,000 (2003)	920,000 (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 5.1%, fishing and fish processing 11.8%, manufacturing 12.9%, construction 10.7%, services 59.5% (1999)	agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 1,374 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km
Land use	arable land: 0.07% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.93% (2001)	arable land: 0.12% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 99.74% (2001)
Languages	Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken	Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects
Legal system	civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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	bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis al-Dawla (58 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats; members elected by universal suffrage for four-year term; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers) elections: last held 4 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: NA
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 80.18 years male: 78.18 years female: 82.27 years (2004 est.)	total population: 73.13 years male: 70.92 years female: 75.46 years (2005 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.9% (1997 est.) male: NA female: NA	definition: NA total population: 75.8% male: 83.1% female: 67.2% (2003 est.)
Location	Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK	Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE
Map references	Arctic Region	Middle East
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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.)	total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 15,430 GRT/6,360 DWT by type: passenger 1 (2005)
Military - note	defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik	-
Military branches	no regular armed forces; Police, Coast Guard	Royal Omani Armed Forces: Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman (2005)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	0	$252.99 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	11.4% (2003)
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)	Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)
Nationality	noun: Icelander(s) adjective: Icelandic	noun: Omani(s) adjective: Omani
Natural hazards	earthquakes and volcanic activity	summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts
Natural resources	fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite	petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
Net migration rate	2.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines	-	gas 3,754 km; oil 3,212 km (2004)
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]	none
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	none
Population	293,966 (July 2004 est.)	3,001,583 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA	NA
Population growth rate	0.97% (2004 est.)	3.32% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	Akureyri, Hornafjordhur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vesttmannaeyjar	Mina' Qabus, Salalah
Radio broadcast stations	AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)	AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)
Religions	Evangelical Lutheran 87.1%, other Protestant 4.1%, Roman Catholic 1.7%, other 7.1% (2002)	Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu
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.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.46 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.2 male(s)/female total population: 1.26 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	in Oman's most recent Majlis al-Shura elections in 2003, suffrage was universal for all Omanis over age 21 except for members of the military and security forces; the next Majlis al-Shura elections are scheduled for 2007
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: modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable domestic: open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations international: country code - 968; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat
Telephones - main lines in use	190,700 (2003)	233,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	279,100 (2003)	464,900 (2002)
Television broadcast stations	14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)	13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999)
Terrain	mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords	central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south
Total fertility rate	1.93 children born/woman (2004 est.)	5.84 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	3.4% (2003 est.)	15% (2004 est.)

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