Iceland

• temperate;
• moderated by North Atlantic Current;
• mild, windy winters;
• damp, cool summers

highest point:

Hvannadalshnukur (at Vatnajokull Glacier) 2,110 m

lowest point:

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation:

557 m

• Iceland is almost entirely urban, with half of the population located in and around the capital of Reykjavik;
• smaller clusters are primarily found along the coast in the north and west

• 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

noun:

Icelander(s)

adjective:

Icelandic

total:

38.2 years (2025 est.)

male:

37.4 years

female:

38.6 years

• Iceland is almost entirely urban, with half of the population located in and around the capital of Reykjavik;
• smaller clusters are primarily found along the coast in the north and west

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.9 male(s)/female

total population:

1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

1.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

1.8 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

1.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

84 years (2024 est.)

male:

81.8 years

female:

86.3 years

total:

7.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

4.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

2.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

1.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

8% (2025 est.)

male:

7.9% (2025 est.)

female:

8% (2025 est.)

• temperate;
• moderated by North Atlantic Current;
• mild, windy winters;
• damp, cool summers

urban population:

94% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

0.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

225,300 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

55.5% (2022 est.)

municipal:

80 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

198 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

300,000 cubic meters (2022 est.)

total global geoparks and regional networks:

2

global geoparks and regional networks:

Katla; Reykjanes (2023)

conventional long form:

none

conventional short form:

Iceland

local long form:

none

local short form:

Island

etymology:

Floki VILGERDARSON, an early Norse explorer of the island in the 10th century, applied the name "Land of Ice," from the local words ís (ice) and land (land)

name:

Reykjavik

geographic coordinates:

64 09 N, 21 57 W

time difference:

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology:

the name means "smoky bay" in Icelandic and refers to the steam from the hot springs in the area

history:

several previous; latest ratified 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944 (at independence)

amendment process:

• proposed by the Althingi;
• passage requires approval by the Althingi and by the next elected Althingi, and confirmation by the president of the republic;
• proposed amendments to Article 62 of the constitution – that the Evangelical Lutheran Church shall be the state church of Iceland – also require passage by referendum

citizenship by birth:

no

citizenship by descent only:

at least one parent must be a citizen of Iceland

dual citizenship recognized:

yes

residency requirement for naturalization:

3 to 7 years

chief of state:

President Halla TOMASDOTTIR (since 1 August 2024)

head of government:

Prime Minister Kristrun FROSTADOTTIR (since 21 December 2024)

cabinet:

Cabinet appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the prime minister

election/appointment process:

• president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 4-year term (no term limits);
• following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition becomes prime minister

most recent election date:

1 June 2024

election results:

• 2024: Halla TOMASDOTTIR elected president;
• percent of vote - Halla TOMASDOTTIR (independent) 34.1%, Katrin JAKOBSDOTTIR (Left-Green Movement) 25.2%, Halla Hrund LOGADOTTIR (independent) 15.7%, Jon GNARR (Social Democratic Alliance) 10.1%, Baldur PORHALLSSON (independent) 8.4%, other 6.5%

;

• 2020: Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON reelected president;
• percent of vote - Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON (independent) 92.2%, Gudmundur Franklin JONSSON (independent) 7.8%

expected date of next election:

June 2028

legislature name:

Parliament (Althingi)

legislative structure:

unicameral

number of seats:

63 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

proportional representation

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

4 years

most recent election date:

11/30/2024

parties elected and seats per party:

• Social Democratic Alliance (SDA) (15);
• Independence Party (IP) (14);
• Liberal Reform Party (11);
• People’s Party (10);
• Center Party (8);
• Progressive Party (PP) (5)

percentage of women in chamber:

46%

expected date of next election:

November 2028

highest court(s):

Supreme Court or Haestirettur (consists of 7 judges)

judge selection and term of office:

judges proposed by Ministry of Interior selection committee and appointed by the president for an indefinite period

subordinate courts:

• Appellate Court or Landsrettur;
• 8 district courts;
• Labor Court

• Center Party or M
• Independence Party or D
• Liberal Reform Party or C
• People's Party or F
• Progressive Party or B
• Social Democratic Alliance or S

chief of mission:

Ambassador Svanhildur Hólm VALSDÓTTIR (since 18 September 2024)

chancery:

House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW, #509, Washington, DC 20007

telephone:

[1] (202) 265-6653

FAX:

[1] (202) 265-6656

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://www.government.is/diplomatic-missions/embassy-of-iceland-in-washington-d.c/

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Erin SAWYER (since January 2025)

embassy:

Engjateigur 7, 105 Reykjavik

mailing address:

5640 Reykjavik Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-5640

telephone:

[354] 595-2200

FAX:

[354] 562-9118

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://is.usembassy.gov/

• 1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown);
• 17 June 1944 (from Denmark; birthday of Jon SIGURDSSON, leader of Iceland's 19th-century independence movement)

description:

blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the edges of the flag; the cross is shifted to the left in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

meaning:

red stands for the island's volcanic fires, white for the snow and ice fields, and blue for the ocean

• Iceland’s coat of arms is derived from a 13 th -century folktale about four guardians who protect the four corners of the nation;
• the bull protects the northwest, the eagle the northeast, the dragon the southeast, and the rock-giant the southwest;
• the shield displays the national flag, with red standing for Iceland’s volcanic fires, white for its snow and ice fields, and blue for the ocean

title:

"Lofsongur" (Song of Praise)

lyrics/music:

Matthias JOCHUMSSON/Sveinbjorn SVEINBJORNSSON

history:

adopted 1918

total World Heritage Sites:

3 (1 cultural, 2 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

• Thingvellir National Park (c);
• Surtsey (n);
• Vatnajökull National Park - Dynamic Nature of Fire and Ice (n)

• high-income North Atlantic island economy;
• not an EU member but market integration via European Economic Area (EEA);
• dominant tourism, fishing, and aluminum industries vulnerable to demand swings and disruption from volcanic activity;
• inflation remains above target rate;
• barriers to foreign business access and economic diversification

agriculture:

4% (2024 est.)

industry:

19.4% (2024 est.)

services:

65.5% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

• tourism, fish processing;
• aluminum smelting;
• geothermal power, hydropower;
• medical/pharmaceutical products

total:

7.6% (2024 est.)

male:

8.3% (2024 est.)

female:

7% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

lowest 10%:

3.7% (2018 est.)

highest 10%:

21.7% (2018 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

consumption:

137,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

exports:

81 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

106,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

• state-owned public TV broadcaster (RUV) operates 21 TV channels nationally;
• every household is required to have RUV, which doubles as the emergency broadcast network;
• 3 privately owned TV stations;
• 100% of households have multi-channel services though digital and/or fiber-optic connections;
• RUV operates 3 national and 4 regional radio stations;
• 1 privately owned radio conglomerate, Syn (4 stations), broadcasts nationwide;
• over 20 regional radio stations (2019)

total ports:

43 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

2

small:

2

very small:

17

size unknown:

22

ports with oil terminals:

5

key ports:

Grundartangi, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Vestmannaeyjar

refugees:

8,960 (2024 est.)

IDPs:

3,700 (2024 est.)

stateless persons:

31 (2024 est.)