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Compare Iceland (2008) - Nauru (2008)

Compare Iceland (2008) z Nauru (2008)

 Iceland (2008)Nauru (2008)
 IcelandNauru
Administrative divisions 8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland 14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren
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: 36.4% (male 2,508/female 2,410)


15-64 years: 61.6% (male 4,111/female 4,224)


65 years and over: 2% (male 144/female 131) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products potatoes, green vegetables; mutton, dairy products; fish coconuts
Airports 99 (2007) 1 (2007)
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: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 94


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 28


under 914 m: 63 (2007)
-
Area total: 103,000 sq km


land: 100,250 sq km


water: 2,750 sq km
total: 21 sq km


land: 21 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Kentucky about 0.1 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. The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear, since their language does not resemble any other in the Pacific. The island was annexed by Germany in 1888 and its phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th century by a German-British consortium. Nauru was occupied by Australian forces in World War I and subsequently became a League of Nations mandate. After the Second World War - and a brutal occupation by Japan - Nauru became a UN trust territory. It achieved its independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999 as the world's smallest independent republic.
Birth rate 13.57 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 24.47 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $9.495 billion


expenditures: $8.432 billion (2007 est.)
revenues: $13.5 million


expenditures: $13.5 million (2005)
Capital name: Reykjavik


geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W


time difference: UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
no official capital; government offices in Yaren District


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 with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to February)
Coastline 4,970 km 30 km
Constitution 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times 29 January 1968; amended 17 May 1968 (Constitution Day)
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Iceland


conventional short form: Iceland


local long form: Lydveldid Island


local short form: Island
conventional long form: Republic of Nauru


conventional short form: Nauru


local long form: Republic of Nauru


local short form: Nauru


former: Pleasant Island
Death rate 6.77 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.65 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $3.073 billion (2002) $33.3 million (2002)
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
the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru
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 Vinci Niel CLODUMAR


chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, NY 10017


telephone: [1] (212) 937-0074


FAX: [1] (212) 937-0079


consulate(s): Agana (Guam)
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 - $20 million mostly from Australia (2005)
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. Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from exports of phosphates, now significantly depleted. An Australian company in 2005 entered into an agreement intended to exploit remaining supplies. Few other resources exist with most necessities being imported, mainly from Australia, its former occupier and later major source of support. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income were invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. As a result of heavy spending from the trust funds, the government faces virtual bankruptcy. To cut costs the government has frozen wages and reduced overstaffed public service departments. In 2005, the deterioration in housing, hospitals, and other capital plant continued, and the cost to Australia of keeping the government and economy afloat continued to climb. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's GDP varying widely.
Electricity - consumption 8.152 billion kWh (2005) 27.9 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 8.533 billion kWh (2005) 30 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


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


highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m
Environment - current issues water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources
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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, 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% Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%
Exchange rates Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 63.391 (2007), 70.195 (2006), 62.982 (2005), 70.192 (2004), 76.709 (2003) Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003)
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 Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007); note - President Ludwig SCOTTY defeated in a no confidence vote in parliament on 19 December 2007


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of Parliament


elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term; election last held 19 December 2007 (next to be held in 2010)


election results: NA
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite phosphates
Exports - partners Netherlands 16.5%, UK 15.7%, Germany 15%, US 10.8%, Spain 6.4% (2006) South Africa 63.7%, South Korea 7.6%, Canada 6.6% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 July - 30 June
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 a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 5.3%


industry: 26.3%


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


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - real growth rate 1.8% (2007 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 65 00 N, 18 00 W 0 32 S, 166 55 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 Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


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


highest 10%: NA%
Imports 17,450 bbl/day (2004) 1,023 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery
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) South Korea 43.8%, Australia 36.2%, US 5.9%, Germany 4.3% (2006)
Independence 1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark) 31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship)
Industrial production growth rate 9% (2007 est.) NA%
Industries fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production; geothermal power, tourism phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products
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: 9.6 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 12.07 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 7.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4.9% (2007 est.) -3.6% (1993)
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 ACP, ADB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Irrigated land NA NA
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
Labor force 180,000 (2007 est.) -
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 5.1%


industry: 23%


services: 71.4% (2005)
note: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation (1992)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 0.07%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 99.93% (2005)
arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (2005)
Languages Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken Nauruan (official; a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes
Legal system civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
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 Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)


elections: last held 25 August 2007 (next to be held in 2010)


election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 18; note - 15 of 18 incumbents reelected
Life expectancy at birth total population: 80.43 years


male: 78.33 years


female: 82.62 years (2007 est.)
total population: 63.44 years


male: 59.85 years


female: 67.21 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99%


male: 99%


female: 99% (2003 est.)
definition: NA


total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
Location Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands
Map references Arctic Region Oceania
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: 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 Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia
Military branches no regular military forces; Icelandic National Police (2006) no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force (2008)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0% (2005 est.) NA
National holiday Independence Day, 17 June (1944) Independence Day, 31 January (1968)
Nationality noun: Icelander(s)


adjective: Icelandic
noun: Nauruan(s)


adjective: Nauruan
Natural hazards earthquakes and volcanic activity periodic droughts
Natural resources fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite phosphates, fish
Net migration rate 1.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 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) Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal); Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party; note - loose multiparty system
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 301,931 (July 2007 est.) 13,528 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 0.824% (2007 est.) 1.781% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998) AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (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) Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third 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: 1.041 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.973 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.099 male(s)/female


total population: 1 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 20 years of age; universal and compulsory
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: adequate local and international radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities


domestic: NA


international: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 193,700 (2006) 1,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 328,500 (2006) 1,500 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 14 (plus 156 repeaters) (1997) 1 (1997)
Terrain mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center
Total fertility rate 1.91 children born/woman (2007 est.) 3.02 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 1% (2007 est.) 90% (2004 est.)
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