Iceland Government 1986, CIA World Factbook

Iceland Index 1986

Offieia' name Republic of Iceland

Type: republic

Political subdivisions: 23 counties, 200 parishes, 23 incorporated towns

Legal system: civil law system based on Danish law; constitution adopted 1944; legal education at University of Iceland; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: Anniversary of the Establishment of the Republic, 17 June

Branches: legislative authority rests jointly with President and parliament (Althing); executive power vested in President but exercised by Cabinet responsible to parliament; Supreme Court and 29 lower courts

Government leaders: Vigdis FINN-BOGADOTTIR, President (since August 1980); Steingrimur HERM ANNSSON, Prime Minister (since May 1983)

Suffrage: universal over age 20 but not compulsory

Elections: parliamentary every four years, last held 23 April 1983 presidential held every four years; last held \ugust 1984

Political parties and leaders: Independence (conservative), Thorsteinn Palsson; Progressive, Steingrimur Hermannsson; Social Democratic, Jon Baldvin Hannibalsson;

People’s Alliance deft socialist!, Svavar Gestsson

Voting strength: (1983 election) 38.7% Independence, 19.5% Progressive, 17 3%

People's Alliance, 11.7% Social Democratic, 12.8% other

Communists: est. less than 100, some of whom participate in the People’s Alliance, which drew 22 489 votes in the 1983 parliamentary elections

Member of: Council of Europe, EC (free trade agreement pending resolution of fishing limits issue), EFT A, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICES, IDA, IFC, 1HO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, IWC—International Whaling Commission, NATO, Nordic Council, OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WSG

Economv

GNP: $2.17 billion (1984), $9,040 per capita; 59% private consumption, 22% private investment, 17% government (1981); —0.6% net export of goods and services (1981); change in stockbuilding 10%; growth rate -5.5% (1983)

Natural resources: fish, hydroelectric and geothermal power, diatomite

Agriculture: cattle, sheep, dairying, hay, potatoes, turnips

Fishing: catch, 1,519,000 (1984) metric tons; marine product exports, $500 million (1984)

Major industries: fish processing, aluminum smelting, diatomite production, hydroelectricity

Shortages: grains, sugar, vegetables and vegetable fibers, fuel, wood, minerals

Electric power: 913,000 kW capacity (1985); 4.332 billion kWh produced (1985), 17,975 kWh per capita

Exports $743.3 million (f.o.b., 1984); fish and fish products animal products, aluminum, diatomite

Imports: $843.8 million(c.i.f., 1984); machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, textiles

Major trade partners: (1984) EC 41.8% (FRG 11.8%, UK 10.7%, Denmark 6.2%, Netherlands 5.7%), US 16.9%, CEMA 10.3%, Japan 4.2%

Aid: economic authorizations, including Ex-Im from US, $19.1 million (FY70-81)

Budget: (1984) expenditures $577.2 million revenues $530 5 million

Monetary conversion rate· 41.47 kronur= US$1 (October 1985 average)

Fiscal year: calendar year

NOTE: The information regarding Iceland on this page is re-published from the 1986 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Iceland 1986 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Iceland 1986 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.