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Compare Iceland (2008) - Jordan (2003)

Compare Iceland (2008) z Jordan (2003)

 Iceland (2008)Jordan (2003)
 IcelandJordan
Administrative divisions 8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland 12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba
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: 35.9% (male 1,001,174; female 959,157)


15-64 years: 60.5% (male 1,764,061; female 1,541,453)


65 years and over: 3.6% (male 95,566; female 98,854) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products potatoes, green vegetables; mutton, dairy products; fish wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry
Airports 99 (2007) 17 (2002)
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: 15


over 3,047 m: 7


2,438 to 3,047 m: 6


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
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: 2


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Area total: 103,000 sq km


land: 100,250 sq km


water: 2,750 sq km
total: 92,300 sq km


land: 91,971 sq km


water: 329 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. For most of its history since independence from British administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, through several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he resumed parliamentary elections and gradually permitted political liberalization; in 1994 a formal peace treaty was signed with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest son of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and established his domestic priorities, including an aggressive economic reform program. Jordan acceded to the World Trade Organization in January 2000, and signed free trade agreements with the United States in 2000, and with the European Free Trade Association in 2001.
Birth rate 13.57 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 23.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $9.495 billion


expenditures: $8.432 billion (2007 est.)
revenues: $2.7 billion


expenditures: $3 billion, including capital expenditures of $614 million (2002 est.)
Capital name: Reykjavik


geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W


time difference: UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
'Amman
Climate temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
Coastline 4,970 km 26 km
Constitution 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times 8 January 1952
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Iceland


conventional short form: Iceland


local long form: Lydveldid Island


local short form: Island
conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan


conventional short form: Jordan


local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah


local short form: Al Urdun


former: Transjordan
Currency - Jordanian dinar (JOD)
Death rate 6.77 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 2.62 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $3.073 billion (2002) $8.2 billion (2002 est.)
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
chief of mission: Ambassador Edward William GNEHM, Jr.


embassy: Abdoun, Amman


mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box 5, APO AE 09892-0200


telephone: [962] (6) 5920101


FAX: [962] (6) 5920121
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
chief of mission: Ambassador Karim Tawfiq KAWAR


chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664


FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110
Disputes - international Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm none
Economic aid - donor $6.7 million (2004) -
Economic aid - recipient - ODA, $553 million (2000 est.)
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. Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil. Debt, poverty, and unemployment are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH since assuming the throne in 1999 has undertaken some broad economic reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Amman in the past three years has worked closely with the IMF, practiced careful monetary policy, and made significant headway with privatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regime sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTrO (2000), a free trade accord with US (2000), and an association agreement with the EU (2001). These measures have helped improve productivity and have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. The US-led war in Iraq in 2003 dealt an economic blow to Jordan, which was dependent on Iraq for discounted oil. It remains unclear how Jordan will finance energy imports in the absence of such a deal. Other ongoing challenges include fiscal adjustment to reduce the budget deficit and broader investment incentives to promote job-creating ventures.
Electricity - consumption 8.152 billion kWh (2005) 6.86 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 2 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 267 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 8.533 billion kWh (2005) 7.091 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 99.4%


hydro: 0.6%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,110 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m


highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m
Environment - current issues water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
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
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


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 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
Exchange rates Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 63.391 (2007), 70.195 (2006), 62.982 (2005), 70.192 (2004), 76.709 (2003) Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.71 (2002), 0.71 (2001), 0.71 (2000), 0.71 (1999), 0.71 (1998)
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: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Crown Prince HAMZAH (half brother of the monarch, born 29 March 1980)


head of government: Prime Minister Faisal al-FAYEZ (since 25 October 2003)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the monarch


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products, manufactures, pharmaceuticals
Exports - partners Netherlands 16.5%, UK 15.7%, Germany 15%, US 10.8%, Spain 6.4% (2006) Iraq 20.1%, US 14.5%, India 8.1%, Saudi Arabia 5.4%, Israel 4.4% (2002)
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 equal horizontal bands of black (top, the Abbassid Caliphate of Islam), white (the Ummayyad Caliphate of Islam), and green (the Fatimid Caliphate of Islam) with a red isosceles triangle (representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916) based on the hoist side bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations
GDP - purchasing power parity - $22.63 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 5.3%


industry: 26.3%


services: 68.4% (2007 est.)
agriculture: 3.7%


industry: 26%


services: 70.3% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1.8% (2007 est.) 4.9% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 65 00 N, 18 00 W 31 00 N, 36 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 at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupied West Bank
Heliports - 2 (2002)
Highways - total: 7,245 km


paved: 7,245 km


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 3.3%


highest 10%: 29.8% (1997)
Imports 17,450 bbl/day (2004) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live animals, manufactured goods
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) Iraq 13.4%, Germany 8.8%, US 8%, China 6%, France 4.2%, UK 4.1%, Italy 4.1% (2002)
Independence 1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark) 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Industrial production growth rate 9% (2007 est.) 1% (2002 est.)
Industries fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production; geothermal power, tourism phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, tourism
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: 18.86 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 22.51 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 14.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4.9% (2007 est.) 3.3% (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 ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 5 (2000)
Irrigated land NA 750 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 Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)
Labor force 180,000 (2007 est.) 1.36 million (2002)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 5.1%


industry: 23%


services: 71.4% (2005)
services 82.5%, industry 12.5%, agriculture 5% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 1,635 km


border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
Land use arable land: 0.07%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 99.93% (2005)
arable land: 2.87%


permanent crops: 1.52%


other: 95.61% (1998 est.)
Languages Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes
Legal system civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; 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 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
bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the Senate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Ayan) (40 seats; members appointed by the monarch from designated categories of public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives, also called the House of Deputies (Majlis al-Nuwaab) (110 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms; note - six seats are reserved for women and are allocated by a special electoral panel if no women are elected)


elections: House of Representatives - last held 17 June 2003, next to be held NA 2007


election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - independents and others 89.6%, Islamic Action Front 10.4%; seats by party - independents and others 92, Islamic Action Front 18 (note - one of the six quota seats was given to a female IAF candidate)


note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989, the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held; political parties were not legalized until 1992; King Abdallah delayed the 2001 elections until 2003
Life expectancy at birth total population: 80.43 years


male: 78.33 years


female: 82.62 years (2007 est.)
total population: 77.88 years


male: 75.42 years


female: 80.5 years (2003 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: 91.3%


male: 95.9%


female: 86.3% (2003 est.)
Location Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
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: 3 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)
total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 63,522 GRT/79,776 DWT


ships by type: cargo 3, container 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3, short-sea passenger 1


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 6 (2002 est.)
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 no regular military forces; Icelandic National Police (2006) Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) (Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal Naval Force, Royal Jordanian Air Force, and Special Operations Command or SOCOM); note - Public Security Directorate normally falls under Ministry of Interior but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis situations
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $757.5 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0% (2005 est.) 8.6% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 1,577,136 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 1,113,787 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 58,840 (2003 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 17 June (1944) Independence Day, 25 May (1946)
Nationality noun: Icelander(s)


adjective: Icelandic
noun: Jordanian(s)


adjective: Jordanian
Natural hazards earthquakes and volcanic activity droughts; periodic earthquakes
Natural resources fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite phosphates, potash, shale oil
Net migration rate 1.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines - gas 10 km; oil 743 km (2003)
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) Al-Umma (Nation) Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab Land Party [Dr. Muhammad al-'ORAN, secretary general]; Communist Party [Munir HAMARINAH, secretary general]; Constitutional Front [Mahdi al-TALL, secretary general]; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id DHIYAB, secretary general]; Jordanian Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general]; Jordanian People's Democratic (Hashd) Party [Salim al-NAHHAS, secretary general]; Islamic Action Front [Hazma MANSOUR, secretary general]; National Action (Haqq) Party [Muhammad al-ZUBI, secretary general]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general]; (Arab) Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysif al-HIMSI, secretary general]; Pan-Arab (Democratic) Movement [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice chairman]; Jordanian Bar Association [Saleh ARMOUTI, president]; Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general]
Population 301,931 (July 2007 est.) 5,460,265 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 30% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate 0.824% (2007 est.) 2.78% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors - Al 'Aqabah
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998) AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)
Railways - total: 505 km


narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2002)
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) Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)
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: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female


total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2003 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: service has improved recently with the increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access to pay telephones is needed by the urban public


domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available


international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals; fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL; international links total about 4,000
Telephones - main lines in use 193,700 (2006) 403,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 328,500 (2006) 11,500 (1995)
Television broadcast stations 14 (plus 156 repeaters) (1997) 20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Total fertility rate 1.91 children born/woman (2007 est.) 3 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 1% (2007 est.) 16% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (2001 est.)
Waterways - none
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