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Compare Iceland (2008) - New Caledonia (2008)

Compare Iceland (2008) z New Caledonia (2008)

 Iceland (2008)New Caledonia (2008)
 IcelandNew Caledonia
Administrative divisions 8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Province des Iles, Province Nord, and Province Sud
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: 27.9% (male 31,578/female 30,270)


15-64 years: 65.3% (male 72,821/female 72,109)


65 years and over: 6.8% (male 7,047/female 8,118) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products potatoes, green vegetables; mutton, dairy products; fish vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish
Airports 99 (2007) 25 (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: 12


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 2 (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)
total: 13


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 6 (2007)
Area total: 103,000 sq km


land: 100,250 sq km


water: 2,750 sq km
total: 19,060 sq km


land: 18,575 sq km


water: 485 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Kentucky slightly smaller than New Jersey
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. Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s ended in the 1998 Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will transfer an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct as many as three referenda between 2013 and 2018, to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.
Birth rate 13.57 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 17.75 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $9.495 billion


expenditures: $8.432 billion (2007 est.)
revenues: $996 million


expenditures: $1.072 billion (2001 est.)
Capital name: Reykjavik


geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W


time difference: UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
name: Noumea


geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E


time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid
Coastline 4,970 km 2,254 km
Constitution 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times 4 October 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: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies


conventional short form: New Caledonia


local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances


local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie
Death rate 6.77 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 5.72 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $3.073 billion (2002) $79 million (1998 est.)
Dependency status - territorial collectivity of France since 1998
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 territory 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 territory of France)
Disputes - international Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu
Economic aid - donor $6.7 million (2004) -
Economic aid - recipient - $524.3 million annual subsidy from France (2004)
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. New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more than 15% of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for the next several years.
Electricity - consumption 8.152 billion kWh (2005) 1.403 billion 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) 1.508 billion 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: Mont Panie 1,628 m
Environment - current issues water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires
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% Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%
Exchange rates Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 63.391 (2007), 70.195 (2006), 62.982 (2005), 70.192 (2004), 76.709 (2003) Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - NA (2007), 95.025 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (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 Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by High Commissioner Yves DASSONVILLE (since 9 November 2007)


head of government: President of the Government Harold MARTIN (since 7 August 2007)


cabinet: Cabinet consisting of 11 members elected from and by the Territorial Congress


elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress for a five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held 7 August 2007 when Harold MARTIN was elected following the resignation of Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU as president on 24 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) 605.7 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite ferronickels, nickel ore, fish
Exports - partners Netherlands 16.5%, UK 15.7%, Germany 15%, US 10.8%, Spain 6.4% (2006) Japan 17.4%, France 15.9%, Taiwan 14.5%, China 10.8%, Spain 9.4%, Belgium 7.3%, Italy 6%, Australia 4.6% (2006)
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 - composition by sector agriculture: 5.3%


industry: 26.3%


services: 68.4% (2007 est.)
agriculture: 15%


industry: 8.8%


services: 76.2% (2003)
GDP - real growth rate 1.8% (2007 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 65 00 N, 18 00 W 21 30 S, 165 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 consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls
Heliports - 6 (2007)
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) 11,980 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs
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 39.4%, Singapore 15.1%, Australia 11.3%, NZ 4.8% (2006)
Independence 1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark) none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is scheduled for 2014
Industrial production growth rate 9% (2007 est.) -0.6% (1996)
Industries fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production; geothermal power, tourism nickel mining and smelting
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: 7.42 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 8.12 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 6.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4.9% (2007 est.) 1.4% (2000 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 ITUC, PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WFTU, WMO
Irrigated land NA 100 sq km (2003)
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 Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court
Labor force 180,000 (2007 est.) 78,990 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 5.1%


industry: 23%


services: 71.4% (2005)
agriculture: 20%


industry: 20%


services: 60% (2002)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 0.07%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 99.93% (2005)
arable land: 0.32%


permanent crops: 0.22%


other: 99.46% (2005)
Languages Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
Legal system civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on French civil law; the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands
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 Territorial Congress or Congres du territoire (54 seats; members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held in 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UC 7, FN 4, others 3


note: New Caledonia currently holds one seat in the French Senate; by 2010, New Caledonia will gain a second seat in the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not later than September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1; New Caledonia also elects two seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 10 and 17 June 2007 (next to be held on June 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2
Life expectancy at birth total population: 80.43 years


male: 78.33 years


female: 82.62 years (2007 est.)
total population: 74.5 years


male: 71.52 years


female: 77.63 years (2007 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: 96.2%


male: 96.8%


female: 95.5% (1996 census)
Location Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
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


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)
total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,566 GRT/2,543 DWT


by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (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 indigenous military forces; French Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0% (2005 est.) NA
National holiday Independence Day, 17 June (1944) Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Nationality noun: Icelander(s)


adjective: Icelandic
noun: New Caledonian(s)


adjective: New Caledonian
Natural hazards earthquakes and volcanic activity cyclones, most frequent from November to March
Natural resources fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper
Net migration rate 1.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (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) Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Caledonian Union or UC; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (anti independence) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 301,931 (July 2007 est.) 221,943 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 0.824% (2007 est.) 1.203% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998) AM 1, FM 5, 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) Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
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: 1.043 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.868 male(s)/female


total population: 1.009 male(s)/female (2007 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: a submarine cable network connection between New Caledonia and Australia, scheduled for completion in 2008, will improve high-speed connectivity and access to international networks


international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 193,700 (2006) 55,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 328,500 (2006) 134,300 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 14 (plus 156 repeaters) (1997) 6 (plus 25 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords coastal plains with interior mountains
Total fertility rate 1.91 children born/woman (2007 est.) 2.25 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 1% (2007 est.) 17.1% (2004)
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