Moving to Iceland: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

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Population

350,734

Population Growth Rate

0.66%

Urban Population

93.700000

Population in Major Urban Areas

REYKJAVIK (capital) 206,000

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Age Structure

20.400000

Median Age

36.200000

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population

13

Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population

7.07

Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman

1.88

Mean Age for Mother's First Birth (age 25-49)

27

Mother's mean age at first birth

27

Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female

1.040000

Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population

.53

Ethnic Groups

homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6%

Language Note

Icelandic is part of the North Germanic branches of languages, and so is most closely related to Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and Faroese Icelandic is based on the Latin alphabet, with the addition of Þ, ð, æ, and the diacritics á, é, í, ó, ú and ö Icelandic developed into a distinct Scandinavian language around the 12th century.

Nationality Noun

Icelander(s)

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Literacy - total population

99%

Literacy - male

99%

Literacy - female

99%

Literacy Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP

7.6%

Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)

19.000000

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Life Expectancy at Birth

81.110000

Infant Mortality Rate

3.170000

Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births

3.170000

Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births

5

Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population

3.46

Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population

5.8

Health Expenditures - percent of GDP

9.1%

Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved

100.000000

Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved

100.000000

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Economic Overview

Iceland's economy combines a capitalist structure and free-market principles with an extensive welfare system.

Except for a brief period during the 2008 crisis, Iceland has in recent years achieved high growth, low unemployment, and a remarkably even distribution of income.

Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, particularly within the fields of tourism, software production, and biotechnology.

Abundant geothermal and hydropower sources have attracted substantial foreign investment in the aluminum sector, boosted economic growth, and sparked some interest from high-tech firms looking to establish data centers using cheap green energy.

Tourism, aluminum smelting, and fishing are the pillars of the economy.

For decades the Icelandic economy depended heavily on fisheries, but tourism has now surpassed fishing and aluminum as Iceland’s main export industry.

Tourism accounted for 8.6% of Iceland’s GDP in 2016, and 39% of total exports of merchandise and services.

From 2010 to 2017, the number of tourists visiting Iceland increased by nearly 400%.

Since 2010, tourism has become a main driver of Icelandic economic growth, with the number of tourists reaching 4.5 times the Icelandic population in 2016.

Iceland remains sensitive to fluctuations in world prices for its main exports, and to fluctuations in the exchange rate of the Icelandic Krona.

Following the privatization of the banking sector in the early 2000s, domestic banks expanded aggressively in foreign markets, and consumers and businesses borrowed heavily in foreign currencies.

Worsening global financial conditions throughout 2008 resulted in a sharp depreciation of the krona vis-a-vis other major currencies.

The foreign exposure of Icelandic banks, whose loans and other assets totaled nearly nine times the country's GDP, became unsustainable.

Iceland's three largest banks collapsed in late 2008.

GDP fell 6.8% in 2009, and unemployment peaked at 9.4% in February 2009.

Three new banks were established to take over the domestic assets of the collapsed banks.

Two of them have majority ownership by the state, which intends to re-privatize them.

Since the collapse of Iceland's financial sector, government economic priorities have included stabilizing the krona, implementing capital controls, reducing Iceland's high budget deficit, containing inflation, addressing high household debt, restructuring the financial sector, and diversifying the economy.

Capital controls were lifted in March 2017, but some financial protections, such as reserve requirements for specified investments connected to new inflows of foreign currency, remain in place.

Industries

• Fish processing
• aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production, geothermal power
• tourism

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$46,600.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

3.7%

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GDP - Gross Domestic Product (PPP)

$19,160,000,000 (USD)

GDP Per Capita

$46,600.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

3.7%

GDP - official exchange rate

$16,740,000,000 (USD)

GDP - composition, by end use

• consumption: 52.1% government
• consumption: 23.2% investment in fixed
• capital: 18.7% investment in
• inventories: 0% exports of goods and
• services: 54.8% imports of goods and
• services: -48.8%

GDP by Sector- agriculture

5.8%

GDP by Sector- Industry

20.9%

GDP by Sector- services

73.3%

Industrial Growth Rate

-1%

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Inflation Rate

5.5%

Exchange Rate per US Dollar

Icelandic krona (ISK)

Currency Name and Code

Euro (EUR)

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

9.3%

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Labor Force

178,800

Unemployment Rate

8.3%

Major Industries

• Fish processing
• aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production, geothermal power
• tourism

Agriculture Products

Potatoes, green vegetables, mutton, dairy products, fish

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Labor Force By Occupation- agriculture

4.8%

Labor Force By Occupation- industry

22.2%

Labor Force By Occupation- services

73%

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Annual Budget

$4,810,000,000 (USD)

Public Debt (% of GDP)

34%

Budget Surplus or Deficit - percent of GDP

-1.5%

Taxes and other revenues - percent of GDP

42.7%

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Full Country Name

None

Country Name

Iceland

Local - Long

None

Local - Short

Island

Etymology- history of name

Floki VILGERDARSON, an early Norse explorer of the island (9th century), applied the name "Land of Ice" after spotting a fjord full of drift ice to the north and spending a bitter winter on the island

he eventually settled on the island, however, after he saw how it greened up in the summer and that it was, in fact, habitable

Independence

• 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)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 17 June (1944)

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Government Type

Unitary parliamentary republic

Constitution

• History: several previous; latest ratified 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944 (at independence)
• Amendments: 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; amended many times, last in 2013

Legal System:

Civil law system influenced by the Danish model

Executive Branch:

• 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

Legislative Branch:

• Description: unicameral Althingi or Parliament (63 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed-list proportional representation vote using the D'Hondt method; members serve 4-year terms)
• Elections: last held on 25 September 2021 (next to be held in 2025)
• Election Results: Percent of vote by party - IP 25.4%, PP 20.6%, LGM 12.7%, People's Party 9.5%, Pirate Party 9.5%, SDA 9.5%, Reform Party 7.9%, CP 4.8%; seats by party - IP 16, PP 13, LGM 8, People's Party 6, Pirate Party 6, SDA 6, Reform Party 5, CP 3;
• Composition: men 33, women 30; percent of women 47.6%

Judicial Branch:

• office: judges proposed by Ministry of Interior selection committee and appointed by the president; judges appointed for an indefinite period
• Subordinate courts: Appellate Court or Landsrettur; 8 district courts; Labor Court

Regions or States:

64 municipalities (sveitarfelog, singular - sveitarfelagidh); Akranes, Akureyri, Arneshreppur, Asahreppur, Blaskogabyggdh, Bolungarvik, Borgarbyggdh, Dalabyggdh, Dalvikurbyggdh, Eyjafjardharsveit, Eyja-og Miklaholtshreppur, Fjallabyggdh, Fjardhabyggdh, Fljotsdalshreppur, Floahreppur, Gardhabaer, Grimsnes-og Grafningshreppur, Grindavikurbaer, Grundarfjardharbaer, Grytubakkahreppur, Hafnarfjordhur, Horgarsveit, Hrunamannahreppur, Hunathing Vestra, Hunabyggdh, Hvalfjardharsveit, Hveragerdhi, Isafjardharbaer, Kaldrananeshreppur, Kjosarhreppur, Kopavogur, Langanesbyggdh, Mosfellsbaer, Mulathing, Myrdalshreppur, Nordhurthing, Rangarthing Eystra, Rangarthing Ytra, Reykholahreppur, Reykjanesbaer, Reykjavik, Seltjarnarnes, Skaftarhreppur, Skagabyggdh, Skagafjordhur, Skeidha-og Gnupverjahreppur, Skorradalshreppur, Snaefellsbaer, Strandabyggdh, Stykkisholmur, Sudhavikurhreppur, Sudhurnesjabaer, Svalbardhsstrandarhreppur, Sveitarfelagidh Arborg, Sveitarfelagidh Hornafjordhur, Sveitarfelagidh Olfus, Sveitarfelagidh Skagastrond, Sveitarfelagidh Vogar, Talknafjardharhreppur, Thingeyjarsveit, Tjorneshreppur, Vestmannaeyjar, Vesturbyggdh, Vopnafjardharhreppur

Political Parties and Leaders:

• Centrist Party (Midflokkurinn) or CP [Sigmundur David GUNNLAUGSSON]
• Independence Party (Sjalfstaedisflokkurinn) or IP [Bjarni BENEDIKTSSON]
• Left-Green Movement (Vinstrihreyfingin-graent frambod) or LGM [Katrin JAKOBSDOTTIR]
• People's Party (Flokkur Folksins) [Inga SAELAND]
• Pirate Party (Piratar) [Thorhildur Sunna AEVARSDOTTIR]
• Progressive Party (Framsoknarflokkurinn) or PP [Sigurdur Ingi JOHANNSSON]
• Reform Party (Vidreisn) [Thorgerdur Katrin GUNNARSDOTTIR]
• Social Democratic Alliance (Samfylkingin) or SDA [Kristrun FROSTADOTTIR]

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship Criteria:

• 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

Capital Name

Reykjavik

Capital - geographic coordinate

64 09 N, 21 57 W

Capital Time Difference

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

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International Organization Participation:

• Arctic Council
• Australia Group
• BIS
• CBSS
• CD
• CE
• EAPC
• EBRD
• EFTA
• FAO
• FATF
• IAEA
• IBRD
• ICAO
• ICC (national committees)
• ICCt
• ICRM
• IDA
• IFAD
• IFC
• IFRCS
• IHO
• ILO
• IMF
• IMO
• IMSO
• Interpol
• IOC
• IOM
• IPU
• ISO
• ITSO
• ITU
• ITUC (NGOs)
• MIGA
• NATO
• NC
• NEA
• NIB
• NSG
• OAS (observer)
• OECD
• OPCW
• OSCE
• PCA
• Schengen Convention
• UN
• UNCTAD
• UNESCO
• UPU
• WCO
• WHO
• WIPO
• WMO
• WTO

International Law Organization Participation:

Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Diplomatic Representation from US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Carrin F. PATMAN (since 6 October 2022)
• Embassy: Engjateigur 7, 105 Reykjavik
• Mailing Address: 5640 Reykjavik Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-5640
• Telephone: [354] 595-2200
• FAX: [354] 562-9118
• Email: ReykjavikConsular@state.gov
• Website: https://is.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic Representation in the US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Bergdis ELLERTSDOTTIR (since 16 September 2019)
• Chancery: House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW, #509, Washington, DC 20007
• Telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653
• FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656
• Email: Washington@mfa.is
• Website: https://www.government.is/diplomatic-missions/embassy-of-iceland-in-washington-d.c/
• Consulate(s) General: New York

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Geographic Location

Europe

Geographic Coordinates

65 00 N, 18 00 W

Total Area

39,768 Square Miles 103,000 Square Kilometers

Land Area

38,707 Square Miles 100,250 Square Kilometers

Water Area

1,062 Square Miles 2,750 Square Kilometers

Coastline

3,088 Miles 4,970 Kilometers

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Terrain

Mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords

Highest Point

2,119 Meters

Highest Point Location

Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)

Lowest Point Location

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Natural Resources

Fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Time Zone

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

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Climate

Despite its location close to the Arctic Circle, Reykjavik's climate is similar to that of the northwestern U.S., although cooler and windier.

The Gulf Stream helps keep the annual mean temperature at 40°F.

Changes between summer and winter are not extreme.

It is rarely very cold in winter or warm in summer.

Winter temperatures below 20°F are unusual, as are summer temperatures above 60°F.

The wind blows year round, however, and a wind chill factor between -15°F and 10°F is common in winter.

Cooler weather lasts from October through April.

Snow may fall in Reykjavik as early as September and as late as June, but the normal season is between October or November and March or April.

Even in midwinter, rain is as likely as snow.

A large accumulation of snow is rare.

Average annual rainfall is 31 inches in Reykjavik.

During winter and spring, winds in the capital can reach hurricane force.

Iceland is so far north that the amount of daylight varies considerably throughout the year.

An average daily gain of 6 minutes of daylight follows the winter solstice on December 21, and a daily loss of 6 minutes follows the summer solstice on June 21.

December and January days have only about 4 hours of daylight; in February the days rapidly begin to lengthen; and by April they are as long as at midsummer in the U.S.

From late May to late July, there is no darkness at all-20 hours of sun (or clouds) and 4 hours of twilight.

Following this period of "white nights," the sun slowly retreats, and by October the days begin to shorten as rapidly as they lengthened in the spring.

Earthquakes are common in Iceland, but are rarely felt in Reykjavik.

Volcanic activity is infrequent but rather spectacular when an eruption does occur.

The underwater volcano that created the new island of Surtsey in the Westmann Islands off the south coast began erupting in November 1963 and remained active through mid-1967.

In January 1973, a volcanic eruption on Heimaey Island in the Westmann Islands forced the evacuation of all 5,000 residents and destroyed more than 300 homes and buildings.

In the Krafla area, near Lake Myvatn, an eruption took place in December 1975, lasting several days; this area subsequently has seen seven lesser eruptions, and further volcanic activity is expected there.

The most famous of Iceland's volcanoes, Mt.

Hekla, which had been expected to remain dormant for a 100 years or so after its spectacular 1947 eruption, produced eruptions in August 1980, April 1981, and January 1991.

A volcano under the Glacier Vatnajokull erupted in November 1996, melting tons of ice and creating destructive flooding.

Terrain

Mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords

Location

Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the United Kingdom

Total Area

39,768 Square Miles 103,000 Square Kilometers

Environment - Current Issues

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

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Exports

$4,619,000,000 (USD)

Imports

$3,677,000,000 (USD)

Major Exports

Fish and fish products 70%, animal products, aluminum, diatomite, ferrosilicon

Major Imports

Machinery and equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs, textiles

Top Export Partners

Germany 18.5%, UK 17.5%, Netherlands 11.4%, US 10.9%, Spain 5.2%, Denmark 4.6%, Portugal 4.3%, Norway 4.2%

Top Import Partners

US 10.9%, Germany 10.7%, Denmark 8.5%, Norway 8%, UK 7.5%, Netherlands 6.1%, Sweden 5.9%

Export Partners

Germany 18.5%, UK 17.5%, Netherlands 11.4%, US 10.9%, Spain 5.2%, Denmark 4.6%, Portugal 4.3%, Norway 4.2%

Import Partners

US 10.9%, Germany 10.7%, Denmark 8.5%, Norway 8%, UK 7.5%, Netherlands 6.1%, Sweden 5.9%

Country Description

Iceland is an island located in the North Atlantic Ocean east of Greenland and immediately south of the Arctic Circle.

Iceland is a highly developed country with a stable democracy.

The country has a population of approximately 320,000 people and is about the size of Virginia.

The national language is Icelandic, but English is widely spoken throughout the country.

Tourist facilities in Iceland are well developed and widely available.

Safety & Security

There have been no terrorist attacks and very few criminal attacks affecting U.S. citizens in Iceland.

However, like other countries in the Schengen area, Iceland’s open borders with its Western European neighbors allow the possibility of members of terrorist organizations entering/exiting the country with anonymity.

You should remain vigilant about your personal security and exercise caution while traveling abroad.

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Crime

Iceland has a low crime rate with rare instances of violent crime; however, common sense does apply.

Do not put any bags containing valuables, such as your passport, down on the floor in bars or nightclubs.

Do not leave your valuables in parked vehicles, even if the vehicle is locked.

In addition, be aware that downtown Reykjavik can become disorderly in the late night to early morning hours on weekends as people are leaving bars and clubs.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available.

Not only are the bootlegs illegal to bring back into the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Iceland you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen.

Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own.

Iceland’s drunk-driving laws are very strict.

Penalties for possessing, using or trafficking in illegal drugs in Iceland are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States.

If you break local laws in Iceland, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not at your destination.

Some activities that might be legal in the country you visit are still illegal in the United States.

While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S.

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Medical Facilities

Medical care in Iceland is of high quality, but limited services are available outside of large urban areas.

For emergency medical assistance anywhere in the country, dial 112.

For non-emergency medical assistance in the Reykjavik metropolitan area dial 544-4114 during business hours.

Outside of normal business hours, dial 1770.

The nurse who answers will do one of three things: offer advice on how to handle the problem on your own, suggest that you come to an after-hours clinic, or send a physician to you for a house call.

The Icelandic medical system does not offer coverage to people who do not live in Iceland.

Nonresidents are expected to pay their own medical costs and you should be prepared to pay your bill in full before leaving the hospital or clinic.

Traffic Safety

You must be at least 17 years old to drive in Iceland.

You can use your U.S. driver’s license for stays of 90 days or less in Iceland.

Be advised that you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

Less than one-third of Iceland’s total road network is paved (2,262 miles of paved road vs. 5,774 miles of gravel or dirt road).

Most of the 900-mile ring road (Highway 1) that encircles the country is paved, but that highway sometimes closes in certain places for road repair.

Many other roads outside the capital, especially those that run through the center of the country, are dirt or gravel tracks.

Paved roads which end and change to gravel tracks are usually marked with a sign that says “Malbik endar” shortly before the pavement ends – most accidents occur in the first 50 meters of gravel track, when drivers who were traveling at high speeds fail to slow down for the gravel and end up skidding off the roads.

Even paved roads tend to be narrow and lack a shoulder or margin.

Most bridges are only one lane wide (marked with a sign “Einbreid bru”) so drivers must be alert to oncoming traffic.

Extreme care should be taken when driving in rural areas during the winter (October through April), when daylight hours are limited and the weather and road conditions can change rapidly.

Drivers should pay special attention to signs marking roads as impassable (the sign will usually say “Ofært”).

If you drive on a road that the Icelandic authorities have marked as closed or impassable, and then become stuck, you may incur fines of up to $1500 for emergency assistance.

Off-road driving is strictly prohibited in Iceland and can incur fines of up to $2000.

Many routes in the interior of the country are impassable until July due to muddy conditions caused by snowmelt.

If you are driving in the interior of Iceland, you should consider traveling with a second vehicle.

Always inform someone of your travel plans.

For information on current road conditions throughout the country, please consult the Public Roads Administration (Vegagerdin) website or call 1777.

For recorded weather information in English, call the Icelandic Weather Office (Vedurstofa Islands): 522-6000 (during regular office hours) or 902-0600; press 1 for English (pay-per-minute service available 24 hours a day).

Icelandic law requires drivers to keep headlights on at all times.

Talking on cell phones while driving is prohibited, except when using a hands-free system, and is subject to a fine of 5000 Icelandic Kronur (approximately 45 US Dollars).

Unless otherwise posted, the speed limit is 50 km/h in urban areas and 30 km/h in residential areas.

In rural areas, the speed limit depends on the type of road: on dirt and gravel roads, the speed limit is 80 km/h; on paved highways, thespeed limit is 90 km/h.

It is illegal to turn right on a red light.

At four-way intersections, the right of way goes to the driver on the right; in traffic circles, drivers in the inside lane have the right of way.

Many intersections in the capital have cameras to catch traffic violators.

The use of seatbelts is mandatory in both the front and rear seats, and children under the age of six must be secured in a special car seat designed for their size and weight.

Drivers are held responsible for any passenger under the age of 15 not wearing a seatbelt.

No one shorter than 140 centimeters, lighter than 40 kilograms (or 88 pounds), or younger than 12 years of age is allowed to ride in a front seat equipped with an airbag.

Driving under the influence of alcohol is considered a serious offense in Iceland.

The threshold blood alcohol test (BAT) level is very low.

Drivers can be charged with DUI (Driving Under the Influence) with a BAT as low as .05%.

Drivers stopped under suspicion of DUI are usually given a "balloon" or Breathalyzer test.

If the test is positive, a blood test is routinely administered.

Under Icelandic law, a blood test cannot be refused and will be admin

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Airports - total

96

Airports with Paved Runways

7

Roadways- total

8,009 Miles 12,890 Kilometers

Roadways- paved

2,971 Miles 4,782 Kilometers

Ports and Terminals

Akureyri, Hornafjordhur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vesttmannaeyjar

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Telephones

185,200

Cell Phones

347,500

Internet Users

202,300

Internet Country Code

.is

Internet Hosts

344,748

Broadcast Media

• State-owned public TV broadcaster operates 1 TV channel nationally
• several privately owned TV stations broadcast nationally and roughly another half-dozen operate locally
• about one-half the households utilize multi-channel cable or satellite TV services
• state-owned public radio broadcaster operates 2 national networks and 4 regional stations
• 2 privately owned radio stations operate nationally and another 15 provide more limited coverage

Telephone System

• 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)

Electricity Consumption- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

16,480,000,000

Electricity Production- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

16,840,000,000

Oil Consumption- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

20,770

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Anthem History

Adopted 1944; also known as "O, Gud vors lands" (O, God of Our Land), the anthem was originally written and performed in 1874

Anthem Lyrics

Lofsöngur (þjóðsöngurinn) Ó, guð vors lands! Ó, land vors guðs, vér lofum þitt heilaga, heilaga nafn. ú r sólkerfum himnanna hnýta þér krans þínir herskarar, tímanna safn.

Fyrir þér er einn dagur sem þú sund ár og þú sund ár dagur, ei meir: eitt eil¡fðar smáblóm með titrandi tár, sem tilbiður guð sinn og deyr. Íslands þú sund ár, eitt eil¡fðar smáblóm með titrandi tár, sem tilbiður guð sinn og deyr

Anthem Lyrics English

O God of Our land, Our land is God, We worship thy holy name, thy holy name >From the solar systems of the heavens bind for you a wreath, Your warriors the assembly of the ages For the is one day as a thousand years, and a thousand years is a day and no more.

One small flower of eternity with a quivering tear, that prays to it's god and dies Iceland's thousand years, Iceland's thousand years One small flower of eternity with a quivering tear, that prays to it's god and dies Other English text version Our Country's God, Our Country's God We worship thy holy name, in it's wonder sublime The sons of thy heaven are set in thy crown by the legions, the ages of time.

For thee is each day as a thousand years, and each thousand years, but a day.

Eternity's flower with an homage of tears, that reverently prays life away.

Iceland's thousand years, Icelands thousand years, Eternity's flower with a quivering tear, that prays to it's god and dies.

Second and third verse (not used often) 2.

O God, Our God, We bow to thee Our spirits most fervent we place in thy care.

Lord God of our fathers, from age unto age, we are breating our holiest prayer We pray and we thank thee a thousand years for safely protected we stand We pray and we bring thee our homage of tears our destiny rests in thy hand.

Iceland thousand years, Iceland's thousand years, the hoarfrost of morning which tinted those years, thy sun rising high shall command! 3.

Our land is God, Our country's God, Our life is a feeble and quivering reed.

We perish, deprived of thy spirit and light to redeem and uphold in our need.

God, inspire us at morn' with thy courage and love, and lead through the days of our strife At evening send peace from thy heaven above, and safeguard our nation through life!

Iceland's thousand years, Iceland thousand years, O prosper our people diminish our tears, and guide us in thy wisdom through life!