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Compare South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2008) - Iceland (2001)
Compare South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2008) z Iceland (2001)
| South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2008) | Iceland (2001) | |
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| Administrative divisions | - | 23 counties (syslar, singular - sysla) and 14 independent towns* (kaupstadhir, singular - kaupstadhur); Akranes*, Akureyri*, Arnessysla, Austur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Austur-Hunavatnssysla, Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Borgarfjardharsysla, Dalasysla, Eyjafjardharsysla, Gullbringusysla, Hafnarfjordhur*, Husavik*, Isafjordhur*, Keflavik*, Kjosarsysla, Kopavogur*, Myrasysla, Neskaupstadhur*, Nordhur-Isafjardharsysla, Nordhur-Mulasys-la, Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Olafsfjordhur*, Rangarvallasysla, Reykjavik*, Saudharkrokur*, Seydhisfjordhur*, Siglufjordhur*, Skagafjardharsysla, Snaefellsnes-og Hnappadalssysla, Strandasysla, Sudhur-Mulasysla, Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Vesttmannaeyjar*, Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Vestur-Hunavatnssysla, Vestur-Isafjardharsysla, Vestur-Skaftafellssysla
note: there may be four other counties |
| Age structure | - | 0-14 years:
23.18% (male 33,238; female 31,191) 15-64 years: 65.01% (male 91,095; female 89,583) 65 years and over: 11.81% (male 14,681; female 18,118) (2001 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | - | potatoes, turnips; cattle, sheep; fish |
| Airports | - | 87 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | - | total:
12 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
75 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 52 (2000 est.) |
| Area | total: 3,903 sq km
land: 3,903 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist of 11 islands |
total:
103,000 sq km land: 100,250 sq km water: 2,750 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than Rhode Island | slightly smaller than Kentucky |
| Background | The islands, which have large bird and seal populations, lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been under British administration since 1908 - except for a brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from the British Antarctic Survey. Recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around each island. | 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 | - | 14.62 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Budget | - | revenues:
$3.5 billion expenditures: $3.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $467 million (1999) |
| Capital | - | Reykjavik |
| Climate | variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow | temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers |
| Coastline | NA km | 4,988 km |
| Constitution | - | 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944 |
| Country name | conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
conventional short form: none abbreviation: SGSSI |
conventional long form:
Republic of Iceland conventional short form: Iceland local long form: Lyoveldio Island local short form: Island |
| Currency | - | Icelandic krona (ISK) |
| Death rate | - | 6.89 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Debt - external | - | $2.6 billion (1999) |
| Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen ELIZABETH II | - |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina) | chief of mission:
Ambassador Barbara J. GRIFFITHS embassy: Laufasvegur 21, Reykjavik mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340 telephone: [354] 5629100 FAX: [354] 5629118 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina) | chief of mission:
Ambassador Jon-Baldvin HANNIBALSSON chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653 FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656 consulate(s) general: New York |
| Disputes - international | Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied them by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force | Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area); dispute with Denmark over the Faroe Islands fisheries median line boundary within 200 NM; disputes with Denmark, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM |
| Economic aid - donor | - | $NA |
| Economy - overview | Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from harvesting finfish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels. Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly. | Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, yet with an extensive welfare system, low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution of income. In the absence of other natural resources (except for abundant hydrothermal and geothermal power), the economy depends heavily on the fishing industry, which provides 70% of export earnings and employs 12% of the work force. The economy remains sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to drops in world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon. The center-right government plans to continue its policies of 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 has been remarkably steady over the past five years at 4%-5%. |
| Electricity - consumption | - | 6.574 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production | - | 7.069 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
0.07% hydro: 84.64% nuclear: 0% other: 15.29% (1999) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m |
| Environment - current issues | NA | water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment |
| Environment - international agreements | - | party to:
Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Marine Life Conservation |
| Ethnic groups | - | homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts |
| Exchange rates | - | Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 84.810 (January 2001), 78.676 (2000), 72.335 (1999), 70.958 (1998), 70.904 (1997), 66.500 (1996) |
| Executive branch | - | chief of state:
President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August 1996) head of government: Prime Minister David ODDSSON (since 30 April 1991) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by Parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 29 June 1996 (next to be held NA June 2004); President GRIMSSON ran unopposed in June 2000 so there were no elections; prime minister appointed by the president election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON elected president; President GRIMSSON ran unopposed |
| Exports | - | $2 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
| Exports - commodities | - | fish and fish products 70%, animal products, aluminum, diatomite, ferrosilicon |
| Exports - partners | - | EU 64% (UK 20%, Germany 13%, France 5%, Denmark 5%), US 15%, Japan 5% (1999) |
| Fiscal year | - | calendar year |
| Flag description | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion centered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land) | blue with a red cross outlined in white that extends 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 - $6.85 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture:
15% (includes fishing 13%) industry: 21% services: 64% (1999 est.) |
| GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $24,800 (2000 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | - | 4.3% (2000 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 54 30 S, 37 00 W | 65 00 N, 18 00 W |
| Geography - note | the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 20th century, live on South Georgia | 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:
12,691 km paved: 3,262 km unpaved: 9,429 km (1999) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Imports | - | $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
| Imports - commodities | - | machinery and equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs, textiles |
| Imports - partners | - | EU 56% (Germany 12%, UK 9%, Denmark 8%, Sweden 6%), US 11%, Norway 10% (1999) |
| Independence | - | 17 June 1944 (from Denmark) |
| Industrial production growth rate | - | 1.5% (2000 est.) |
| Industries | - | fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production, geothermal power; tourism |
| Infant mortality rate | - | 3.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 3.5% (2000 est.) |
| International organization participation | - | Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNU, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 7 (2000) |
| Irrigated land | 0 sq km | NA sq km |
| Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by the president) |
| Labor force | - | 159,000 (2000) |
| Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture 5.1%, fishing and fish processing 11.8%, manufacturing 12.9%, construction 10.7%, other services 59.5% (1999) |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
| Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (2005) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 23% forests and woodland: 1% other: 76% (1993 est.) |
| Languages | - | Icelandic |
| Legal system | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court | civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Legislative branch | - | unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 8 May 1999 (next to be held by April 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party 40.7%, The Alliance (PA, People's Party, Women's List) 26.8%, Progressive Party 18.4%, Left-Green Alliance 9.1%, Liberal Party 4.2%; seats by party - Independence Party 26, The Alliance 17, Progressive Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 6, Liberal Party 2 |
| Life expectancy at birth | - | total population:
79.52 years male: 77.31 years female: 81.92 years (2001 est.) |
| Literacy | - | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.9% (1997 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
| Location | Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America | Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK |
| Map references | Antarctic Region | Arctic Region |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
continental shelf:
200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Merchant marine | - | total:
2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,435 GRT/4,538 DWT ships by type: chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 1 (2000 est.) |
| 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 armed forces; Police, Coast Guard; note - Iceland's defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $0 |
| Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
71,241 (2001 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
62,704 (2001 est.) |
| National holiday | - | Independence Day, 17 June (1944) |
| Nationality | - | noun:
Icelander(s) adjective: Icelandic |
| Natural hazards | the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism | earthquakes and volcanic activity |
| Natural resources | fish | fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite |
| Net migration rate | - | -2.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Political parties and leaders | - | Independence Party (conservative) or IP [David ODDSSON]; Left-Green Alliance [Steinsvimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party [Sverrir HERMANNSSON]; People's Party (Social Democratic Party) or SDP [Sighvatyr BJORGIVINSSON]; Progressive Party (liberal) or PP [Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; The Alliance (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social Democratic Party or SVP, People's Movement, Women's List) [Ossur SKARPHEDINSSON]; Women's List or WL [Kristin ASTGEIRSDOTTIR] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
| Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March 2001 replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited |
277,906 (July 2001 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
| Population growth rate | - | 0.54% (2001 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | - | Akureyri, Hornafjordur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vestmannaeyjar |
| Radio broadcast stations | 0 (2003) | AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Radios | - | 260,000 (1997) |
| Railways | - | 0 km |
| Religions | - | Evangelical Lutheran 93%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic, none (1997) |
| Sex ratio | - | at birth:
1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
| Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken |
general assessment:
adequate domestic service domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic cables and microwave radio relay links international: 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 | - | 168,000 (1997) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 65,746 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations | 0 (2003) | 14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997) |
| Terrain | most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes | mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords |
| Total fertility rate | - | 2.01 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | - | 2.7% (January 2001) |
| Waterways | - | none |
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