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Compare Montserrat (2004) - Iceland (2005)

Compare Montserrat (2004) z Iceland (2005)

 Montserrat (2004)Iceland (2005)
 MontserratIceland
Administrative divisions 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter 8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland
Age structure 0-14 years: 23.3% (male 1,092; female 1,062)


15-64 years: 65.5% (male 2,889; female 3,162)


65 years and over: 11.2% (male 543; female 497) (2004 est.)
0-14 years: 22.1% (male 33,302/female 32,257)


15-64 years: 66.2% (male 99,513/female 96,886)


65 years and over: 11.7% (male 15,723/female 19,056) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, livestock products potatoes, green vegetables, mutton, dairy products, fish
Airports 1 (2003 est.) 98 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 5


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


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.)
Area total: 102 sq km


land: 102 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 103,000 sq km


land: 100,250 sq km


water: 2,750 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Kentucky
Background Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995. 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.
Birth rate 17.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 13.73 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $31.4 million


expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.)
revenues: $4.154 billion


expenditures: $4.058 billion, including capital expenditures of $467 million (2004 est.)
Capital Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat) Reykjavik
Climate tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
Coastline 40 km 4,988 km
Constitution present constitution came into force 19 December 1989 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Montserrat
conventional long form: Republic of Iceland


conventional short form: Iceland


local long form: Lydhveldidh Island


local short form: Island
Currency East Caribbean dollar (XCD) -
Death rate 7.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $8.9 million (1997) $3.073 billion (2002)
Dependency status overseas territory of the UK -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of the UK) 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
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) 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
Disputes - international none Iceland disputes Denmark's alignment of the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm
Economic aid - donor - $NA
Economic aid - recipient As of 31 March 2003, UK's DFID had provided about $328 million in economic relief from volcanic activity, and by 31 March 2006, DFID aid is expected to total $411 million. -
Economy - overview Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcano and on public sector construction activity. The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade. 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 8% 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 estimates call for strong growth until 2007, slowly dropping until the end of the decade.
Electricity - consumption 2.325 million kWh (2001) 7.692 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 2.5 million kWh (2001) 8.271 billion kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) 914 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)
Environment - current issues land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment
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


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups black, white homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6%
Exchange rates East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 70.192 (2004), 76.709 (2003), 91.662 (2002), 97.425 (2001), 78.616 (2000)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Deborah Barnes JONES (since 10 May 2004)


head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001)


cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary


elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister
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); 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 wins with 85.6% of the vote, Baldur AGUSTSSON 12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9%
Exports NA (2001) 0 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live plants, cattle fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite
Exports - partners US, Antigua and Barbuda UK 19.1%, Germany 17.2%, Netherlands 11.5%, US 9.8%, Spain 6.8%, Denmark 4.6% (2004)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross 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)
GDP purchasing power parity - $29 million (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 5.4%


industry: 13.6%


services: 81% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 11.2%


industry: 9.6%


services: 79.2% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $31,900 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -1% (2002 est.) 1.8% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 16 45 N, 62 12 W 65 00 N, 18 00 W
Geography - note the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active volcanoes 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
Highways total: 227 km


paved: NA km


unpaved: NA km


note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of the road system (2003)
total: 13,004 km


paved/oiled gravel: 4,331 km


unpaved: 8,673 km (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe -
Imports NA (2001) 15,470 bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials machinery and equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada Germany 12.3%, US 9.9%, Norway 9.7%, Denmark 7.9%, UK 7.2%, Sweden 6.7%, Netherlands 6% (2004)
Independence none (overseas territory of the UK) 1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
Industrial production growth rate NA 8.8% (2004 est.)
Industries tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production, geothermal power; tourism
Infant mortality rate total: 7.56 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
total: 3.31 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 3.45 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 3.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.6% (2002 est.) 4% (2004 est.)
International organization participation Caricom, CDB, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU 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
Irrigated land NA sq km NA sq km
Judicial branch Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court) 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)
Labor force 4,521 ; note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.) 158,100 (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA agriculture, fishing and fish processing 10.3%, industry 18.3%, services 71.4% (2003)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 80% (2001)
arable land: 0.07%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 99.93% (2001)
Languages English Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken
Legal system English common law and statutory law civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)


note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members


elections: last held April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPLM 7, NPP 2


note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council
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
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78.53 years


male: 76.39 years


female: 80.78 years (2004 est.)
total population: 80.19 years


male: 78.13 years


female: 82.34 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school


total population: 97%


male: 97%


female: 97% (1970 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99.9% (1997 est.)


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Arctic Region
Maritime claims territorial sea: 3 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine none total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,341 GRT/6,019 DWT


by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 1


registered in other countries: 30 (2005)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik
Military branches no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force no regular armed forces; Icelandic National Police, Icelandic Coast Guard (Islenska Landhelgisgaeslan)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - 0
National holiday Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) Independence Day, 17 June (1944)
Nationality noun: Montserratian(s)


adjective: Montserratian
noun: Icelander(s)


adjective: Icelandic
Natural hazards severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995) earthquakes and volcanic activity
Natural resources negligible fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Political parties and leaders National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE] 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 [Ingibjorg Solrun GISLADOTTIR]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 9,245


note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2004 est.)
296,737 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line NA NA%
Population growth rate 1.03% (2004 est.) 0.91% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing), Carr's Bay Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Hornafjordhur, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Religions Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations 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)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.09 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
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: 0.82 male(s)/female


total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 1-664
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)
Telephones - main lines in use NA 190,700 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 70 (1994) 279,100 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) 14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
Total fertility rate 1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.) 1.92 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 6% (1998 est.) 3.1% (2004 est.)
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