Saint Pierre and Miquelon (2002) | Iceland (2007) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territorial collectivity of France); note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon at the second order | 8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 25.4% (male 904; female 864)
15-64 years: 64.4% (male 2,288; female 2,193) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 303; female 402) (2002 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 | vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish | potatoes, green vegetables; mutton, dairy products; fish |
Airports | 2 (2001) | 99 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
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: 242 sq km
land: 242 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups |
total: 103,000 sq km
land: 100,250 sq km water: 2,750 sq km |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Kentucky |
Background | First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North American possessions. | 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 | 14.96 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 13.57 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $70 million
expenditures: $60 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million |
revenues: $7.603 billion
expenditures: $6.737 billion (2006 est.) |
Capital | Saint-Pierre | name: Reykjavik
geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W time difference: UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy | temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers |
Coastline | 120 km | 4,970 km |
Constitution | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) | 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times |
Country name | conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon
conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon |
conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
conventional short form: Iceland local long form: Lydveldid Island local short form: Island |
Currency | euro (EUR); French franc (FRF) | - |
Death rate | 6.61 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 6.77 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $3.073 billion (2002) |
Dependency status | self-governing territorial collectivity of France | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territorial collectivity of France) | 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 (territorial collectivity of France) | 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 | approximately $60 million in annual grants from France | - |
Economy - overview | The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because of disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25% of what France had sought. The islands are heavily subsidized by France to the great betterment of living standards. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy sector. | 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 | 38.13 million kWh (2000) | 8.152 billion kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | 41 million kWh (2000) | 8.533 billion kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,110 m (at Vatnajokull glacier) |
Environment - current issues | recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment | 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 | Basques and Bretons (French fishermen) | homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6% |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 1.06594 (January 2001), 1.08540 (2000), 0.93863 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997) | 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: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Claude VALLEIX (since 9 October 2002)
head of government: President of the General Council Marc PLANTAGENEST (since NA) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held, first round - 21 April 2002, second round - 5 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the General Council is elected by the members of the council |
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 | $12 million f.o.b. (1999) | 0 bbl/day (2004) |
Exports - commodities | fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts | fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite |
Exports - partners | US 43%, Egypt 14%, Japan 11%, Colombia 8% (1999) | Netherlands 16.5%, UK 15.7%, Germany 15%, US 10.8%, Spain 6.4% (2006) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a dark blue background with a black wave line under the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the square into four sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one on top of the other; the flag of France is used for official occasions | 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 - $74 million (1996 est.); supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million (1996 est.) | - |
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 - $11,000 (1996 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 2.6% (2006 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 46 50 N, 56 20 W | 65 00 N, 18 00 W |
Geography - note | vegetation scanty | 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: 114 km
paved: 69 km unpaved: 45 km (1994 est.) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $55 million f.o.b. (1999) | 17,450 bbl/day (2004) |
Imports - commodities | meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials | machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles |
Imports - partners | France 44%, Canada 40% (1999) | 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 (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763) | 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 | fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism | fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production; geothermal power, tourism |
Infant mortality rate | 8.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 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) | 2.1% (1991-96 average) | 6.7% (2006 est.) |
International organization participation | FZ, WFTU | 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 |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA |
Judicial branch | Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel | 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 | 3,000 (1997) (1997) | 175,000 (2006 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | fishing 18%, industry (mainly fish-processing) 41%, services 41% (1996 est.) | agriculture: 5.1%
industry: 23% services: 71.4% (2005) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 13.04%
permanent crops: 0% other: 86.96% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0.07%
permanent crops: 0% other: 99.93% (2005) |
Languages | French (official) | Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken |
Legal system | French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as housing and taxation | civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats - 15 from Saint Pierre and 4 from Miquelon; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: elections last held 19 and 26 March 2000 (next to be held NA April 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PS 12, PRG 2, UDF-RPR 5 note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September 2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UDF 1 |
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: 77.93 years
male: 75.66 years female: 80.32 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 80.43 years
male: 78.33 years female: 82.62 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) |
Location | Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada) | Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK |
Map references | North America | Arctic Region |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 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 (2002 est.) | 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 France | 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 | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Independence Day, 17 June (1944) |
Nationality | noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French |
noun: Icelander(s)
adjective: Icelandic |
Natural hazards | persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard | earthquakes and volcanic activity |
Natural resources | fish, deepwater ports | fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite |
Net migration rate | -4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 1.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | PRG [leader NA]; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR [leader NA]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA]; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF [leader NA] | 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 | NA | NA |
Population | 6,954 (July 2002 est.) | 301,931 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.35% (2002 est.) | 0.824% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Saint Pierre | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | 4,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Roman Catholic 99% | 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: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 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 | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA international: radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic satellite 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) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 4,000 (1997) | 193,700 (2006) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1994) | 328,500 (2006) |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (there are, however, two repeaters which rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997) | 14 (plus 156 repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly barren rock | mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords |
Total fertility rate | 2.1 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.91 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 9.8% (1997) (1997) | 1.3% (2006 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |