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Compare Iceland (2008) - French Guiana (2004)

Compare Iceland (2008) z French Guiana (2004)

 Iceland (2008)French Guiana (2004)
 IcelandFrench Guiana
Administrative divisions 8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland none (overseas department of France)
Age structure 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.)
0-14 years: 29.6% (male 28,959; female 27,657)


15-64 years: 64.5% (male 66,388; female 57,020)


65 years and over: 5.9% (male 5,736; female 5,549) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products potatoes, green vegetables; mutton, dairy products; fish corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry
Airports 99 (2007) 11 (2003 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 (2007)
total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 94


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 28


under 914 m: 63 (2007)
total: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
Area total: 103,000 sq km


land: 100,250 sq km


water: 2,750 sq km
total: 91,000 sq km


land: 89,150 sq km


water: 1,850 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Kentucky slightly smaller than Indiana
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. First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou.
Birth rate 13.57 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 21 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $9.495 billion


expenditures: $8.432 billion (2007 est.)
revenues: $225 million


expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996)
Capital name: Reykjavik


geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W


time difference: UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Cayenne
Climate temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 4,970 km 378 km
Constitution 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Iceland


conventional short form: Iceland


local long form: Lydveldid Island


local short form: Island
conventional long form: Department of Guiana


conventional short form: French Guiana


local long form: none


local short form: Guyane
Currency - euro (EUR)
Death rate 6.77 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 4.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $3.073 billion (2002) $1.2 billion (1988)
Dependency status - overseas department of France
Diplomatic representation from the US 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
none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US 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
none (overseas department of France)
Disputes - international Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)
Economic aid - donor $6.7 million (2004) -
Economic aid - recipient - NA (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 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. The economy is tied closely to the larger French economy through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou (which accounts for 25% of GDP), fishing and forestry are the most important economic activities. Forest and woodland cover 90% of the country. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated; rice and manioc are the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly among younger workers.
Electricity - consumption 8.152 billion kWh (2005) 423.2 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 8.533 billion kWh (2005) 455 million kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,110 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
Environment - current issues water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment NA
Environment - international 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 homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6% black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%
Exchange rates Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 63.391 (2007), 70.195 (2006), 62.982 (2005), 70.192 (2004), 76.709 (2003) Euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)
Executive branch 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%
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31 July 2002)


head of government: President of the General Council Joseph HO-TEN-YOU (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992)


cabinet: NA


elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional Councils are appointed by the members of those councils
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing
Exports - partners Netherlands 16.5%, UK 15.7%, Germany 15%, US 10.8%, Spain 6.4% (2006) France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2001)
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) the flag of France is used
GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.551 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 5.3%


industry: 26.3%


services: 68.4% (2007 est.)
agriculture: NA


industry: NA


services: NA (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1.8% (2007 est.) NA
Geographic coordinates 65 00 N, 18 00 W 4 00 N, 53 00 W
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 mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of the South American continent
Highways - total: 722 km


paved: NA km


unpaved: NA km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs - small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe
Imports 17,450 bbl/day (2004) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals
Imports - partners 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) France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2002 est.)
Independence 1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark) none (overseas department of France)
Industrial production growth rate 9% (2007 est.) NA
Industries fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production; geothermal power, tourism construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Infant mortality rate 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.)
total: 12.46 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4.9% (2007 est.) 1.5% (2002 est.)
International organization participation 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 UPU, WCL, WFTU
Irrigated land NA 20 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) Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)
Labor force 180,000 (2007 est.) 58,800 (1997)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 5.1%


industry: 23%


services: 71.4% (2005)
agriculture 18.2%, industry 21.2%, services, government, and commerce 60.6% (1980)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 1,183 km


border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Land use arable land: 0.07%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 99.93% (2005)
arable land: 0.14%


permanent crops: 0.05%


other: 99.81% (90% forest, 10% other) (2001)
Languages Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken French
Legal system civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction French legal system
Legislative branch 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
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)


elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004)


election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7, other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%, various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6, independents 3, Walwari Committee 2


note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, Walwari Committee 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 80.43 years


male: 78.33 years


female: 82.62 years (2007 est.)
total population: 76.89 years


male: 73.57 years


female: 80.38 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99%


male: 99%


female: 99% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 83%


male: 84%


female: 82% (1982 est.)
Location Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
Map references Arctic Region South America
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


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine 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 defense is the responsibility of France
Military branches no regular military forces; Icelandic National Police (2006) no regular military forces; Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure - NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0% (2005 est.) NA
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 52,294 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 33,914 (2004 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 17 June (1944) Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Nationality noun: Icelander(s)


adjective: Icelandic
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)


adjective: French Guianese
Natural hazards earthquakes and volcanic activity high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
Natural resources fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), petroleum, kaolin, fish, niobium, tantalum, clay
Net migration rate 1.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Political parties and leaders 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) Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Guyanese Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese Party or PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Socialist Party or PS [Paul DEBRIETTE]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [Muriel ICARE]; Walwari Committee (aligned with the PRG in France) [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 301,931 (July 2007 est.) 191,309 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA
Population growth rate 0.824% (2007 est.) 2.25% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors - Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998) AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5 repeaters) (1998)
Religions 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) Roman Catholic
Sex ratio 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.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female


total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system 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)
general assessment: NA


domestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system


international: country code - 594; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 193,700 (2006) 51,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular 328,500 (2006) 138,200 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 14 (plus 156 repeaters) (1997) 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
Total fertility rate 1.91 children born/woman (2007 est.) 3.05 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 1% (2007 est.) 22% (2001)
Waterways - 3,760 km


note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft (2004)
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