Page last updated on February 5, 2013
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
conventional short form:
Iceland
local long form:
Lydveldid Island
local short form:
Island
Government type:
constitutional republic
Capital:
name: Reykjavik
geographic coordinates:
64 09 N, 21 57 W
time difference:
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland
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)
Constitution:
16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times
Legal system:
civil law system influenced by the Danish model
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
[see also: Suffrage country ranks ]
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August 1996)
head of government:
Prime Minister Johanna SIGURDARDOTTIR (since 1 February 2009)
cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
elections:
president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits); election last held on 30 June 2012 (next to be held in June 2016); note - 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 elected president; percent of vote - Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON 52.8%, Thora ARNORSDOTTIR 33.2%, Ari Trausti GUDMUNDSSON 8.6%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Althingi (parliament) (63 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections:
last held on 25 April 2009 (next to be held in 2013)
election results:
percent of vote by party - Social Democratic Alliance 29.8%, Independence Party 23.7%, Left-Green Movement 21.7%, Progressive Party 14.8%, Citizens' Movement 7.2%, other 2.8%; seats by party - Social Democratic Alliance 20, Independence Party 16, Left-Green Movement 14, Progressive Party 9, Citizens' Movement 4
note:
the Citizens' Movement disintegrated in September 2009; three of its former MPs are now represented under the banner of The Movement and the fourth former MP is an MP for the Left-Green Movement); three MPs from the Left-Green Movement left the party during early 2011 (two are now independents and the third has joined the Progressive Party); one MP left the Progressive Party in August 2011 and is now an independent
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by the president); eight district courts (justices are appointed for life by the president)
Political parties and leaders:
Independence Party (Sjalfstaedisflokkurinn) or IP [Bjarni BENEDIKTSSON]; Left-Green Movement (Vinstrihreyfingin-graent frambod) or LGM [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party (Frjalslyndi flokkurinn) [Sigurjon THORDARSON]; The Movement (Hreyfingin) [Birgitta JONSDOTTIR]; Progressive Party (Framsoknarflokkurinn) or PP [Sigmundur David GUNNLAUGSSON]; Social Democratic Alliance (Samfylkingin) or SDA [Johanna SIGURDARDOTTIR]
International organization participation:
Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, EU (candidate country), FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, 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
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gudmundur A. STEFANSSON
chancery:
House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW #509, Washington, DC 20007
telephone:
[1] (202) 265-6653
FAX:
[1] (202) 265-6656
consulate(s) general:
New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Luis E. ARREAGA
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
Flag description:
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); the colors represent three of the elements that make up the island: red is for the island's volcanic fires, white recalls the snow and ice fields of the island, and blue is for the surrounding ocean
National symbol(s):
gyrfalcon
National anthem:
name: "Lofsongur" (Song of Praise)
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