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Compare Saint Helena (2005) - Iceland (2007)

Compare Saint Helena (2005) z Iceland (2007)

 Saint Helena (2005)Iceland (2007)
 Saint HelenaIceland
Administrative divisions 1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha* 8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland
Age structure 0-14 years: 18.8% (male 715/female 691)


15-64 years: 71.3% (male 2,745/female 2,575)


65 years and over: 9.8% (male 330/female 404) (2005 est.)
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.)
Agriculture - products corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on Tristan da Cunha) potatoes, green vegetables; mutton, dairy products; fish
Airports 1 (2004 est.) 99 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 5


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 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: 410 sq km


land: 410 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes Saint Helena Island, Ascension, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha, which consists of Tristan da Cunha Island, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, and the three Nightingale Islands
total: 103,000 sq km


land: 100,250 sq km


water: 2,750 sq km
Area - comparative slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Kentucky
Background Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Ascension Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield; Gough Island has a meteorological station. 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 12.33 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 13.57 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $11.2 million


expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY92/93)
revenues: $7.603 billion


expenditures: $6.737 billion (2006 est.)
Capital Jamestown name: Reykjavik


geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W


time difference: UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate Saint Helena - tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds; Tristan da Cunha - temperate; marine, mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena) temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
Coastline 60 km 4,970 km
Constitution 1 January 1989 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Saint Helena
conventional long form: Republic of Iceland


conventional short form: Iceland


local long form: Lydveldid Island


local short form: Island
Death rate 6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 6.77 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external NA (1996) $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 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
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) 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
Disputes - international none Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm
Economic aid - donor - $6.7 million (2004)
Economic aid - recipient $12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997) -
Economy - overview The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost one-half of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from fishing, raising livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK. 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. 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. Since 2000 growth has varied from -1% in 2002 to 8% in 2004. 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.
Electricity - consumption 4.65 million kWh (2002) 8.152 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 5 million kWh (2002) 8.533 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,110 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)
Environment - current issues NA 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, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25% homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6%
Exchange rates Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)


note: the Saint Helenian pound is on par with the British pound
Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 70.195 (2006), 62.982 (2005), 70.192 (2004), 76.709 (2003), 91.662 (2002)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)


head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief Michael CLANCY (since 15 October 2004)


cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch
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%
Exports NA 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite
Exports - partners Tanzania 30.3%, US 23.8%, Japan 10.4%, UK 7.1%, Spain 6.3% (2004) Netherlands 16.5%, UK 15.7%, Germany 15%, US 10.8%, Spain 6.4% (2006)
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 Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship 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 - composition by sector agriculture: NA


industry: NA


services: NA
agriculture: 5.6%


industry: 25%


services: 69.4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1998 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate NA 2.6% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 15 56 S, 5 42 W 65 00 N, 18 00 W
Geography - note harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns 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: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 20 km)


paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km)


unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km) (2000)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Imports NA 17,450 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners UK 35.7%, US 17.6%, South Africa 17.5%, Tanzania 10.4%, Australia 5.5%, Spain 4.1% (2004) 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)
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 5% (2006 est.)
Industries construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production; geothermal power, tourism
Infant mortality rate total: 19 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 22.74 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 15.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.2% (1997 est.) 6.7% (2006 est.)
International organization participation ICFTU, UPU 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
Irrigated land NA sq km NA
Judicial branch Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court; Small Debts Court; Juvenile 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 3,500


note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)
175,000 (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture and fishing 6%, industry (mainly construction) 48%, services 46% (1987 est.) agriculture: 5.1%


industry: 23%


services: 71.4% (2005)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 12.9%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 87.1% (2001)
arable land: 0.07%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 99.93% (2005)
Languages English Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken
Legal system NA civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, 3 ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 27 June 2001 (next to be held June 2005)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15
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
Life expectancy at birth total population: 77.76 years


male: 74.86 years


female: 80.81 years (2005 est.)
total population: 80.43 years


male: 78.33 years


female: 82.62 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 20 and over can read and write


total population: 97%


male: 97%


female: 98% (1987 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99%


male: 99%


female: 99% (2003 est.)
Location islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
Map references Africa Arctic Region
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 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 - 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 defense is the responsibility of the UK 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)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 0% (2005 est.)
National holiday Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) Independence Day, 17 June (1944)
Nationality noun: Saint Helenian(s)


adjective: Saint Helenian
noun: Icelander(s)


adjective: Icelandic
Natural hazards active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha earthquakes and volcanic activity
Natural resources fish fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 1.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders none 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)
Political pressure groups and leaders none NA
Population 7,460 (July 2005 est.) 301,931 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA NA%
Population growth rate 0.59% (2005 est.) 0.824% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown -
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Religions Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic 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: 1.04 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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.)
Suffrage NA years of age 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: can communicate worldwide


domestic: automatic network


international: country code - 290; HF radiotelephone from Saint Helena to Ascension Island, which is a major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
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)
Telephones - main lines in use 2,200 (2002) 193,700 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 0 (1997) 328,500 (2006)
Television broadcast stations 0


note: television programs are received in Saint Helena via satellite and distributed by cable (2002)
14 (plus 156 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains


note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin
mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
Total fertility rate 1.54 children born/woman (2005 est.) 1.91 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 14% (1998 est.) 1.3% (2006 est.)
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