FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
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 Hjalmar W. HANNESSON
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 anthem:
name: "Lofsongur" (Song of Praise)
lyrics/music: Matthias JOCHUMSSON/Sveinbjorn SVEINBJORNSSON
note: adopted 1944; the anthem, also known as "O, Guo vors Lands"
(O, God of Our Land), was originally written and performed in 1874
Economy ::Iceland
Economy - overview:
Iceland's Scandinavian-type social-market economy combines a
capitalist structure and free-market principles with an extensive
welfare system. Prior to the 2008 crisis, Iceland had achieved high
growth, low unemployment, and a remarkably even distribution of
income. The economy depends heavily on the fishing industry, which
provides 40% of export earnings, more than 12% of GDP, and employs
7% of the work force. It remains sensitive to declining fish stocks
as well as to fluctuations in world prices for its main exports:
fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon. Iceland's
economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service
industries in the last decade, particularly within the fields of
software production, biotechnology, and tourism. Abundant geothermal
and hydropower sources have attracted substantial foreign investment
in the aluminum sector and boosted economic growth, although the
financial crisis has put several investment projects on hold. Much
of Iceland's economic growth in recent years came as the result of a
boom in domestic demand following the rapid expansion of the
country's financial sector. Domestic banks expanded aggressively in
foreign markets, and consumers and businesses borrowed heavily in
foreign currencies, following the privatization of the banking
sector in the early 2000s. 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 more than 10 times the
country's GDP, became unsustainable. Iceland's three largest banks
collapsed in late 2008. The country secured over $10 billion in
loans from the IMF and other countries to stabilize its currency and
financial sector, and to back government guarantees for foreign
deposits in Icelandic banks. GDP fell 6.8% in 2009, and unemployment
peaked at 9.4% in February 2009. GDP fell 3.4% in 2010. Since the
collapse of Iceland's financial sector, government economic
priorities have included: stabilizing the krona, reducing Iceland's
high budget deficit, containing inflation, restructuring the
financial sector, and diversifying the economy. Three new banks were
established to take over the domestic assets of the collapsed banks.
Two of them have foreign majority ownership, while the State holds a
majority of the shares of the third. British and Dutch authorities
have pressed claims totaling over $5 billion against Iceland to
compensate their citizens for losses suffered on deposits held in
the failed Icelandic bank, Landsbanki Islands. Iceland agreed to new
terms with the UK and the Netherlands to compensate British and
Dutch depositors, but the agreement must first be approved by the
Icelandic President. Iceland began EU accession negotiations with
the EU in July 2010, however, public support has dropped
substantially because of concern about losing control over fishing
resources and in reaction to measures taken by Brussels during the
ongoing Eurozone crisis.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$11.86 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
$12.28 billion (2009 est.)
$13.17 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$12.77 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-3.4% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
-6.8% (2009 est.)
1% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$38,400 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
$40,000 (2009 est.)
$43,300 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.5%
industry: 24.7%
services: 69.9% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
188,000 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 4.8%
industry: 22.2%
services: 73% (2008)
Unemployment rate:
8.6% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
8% (2009 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28 (2006)
country comparison to the world: 123
25 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
12.4% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
Public debt:
123.8% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
113.9% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
12% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
14.55% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 8
22% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
18.99% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
19.29% (31 December 2007)
Stock of narrow money:
$4.413 billion (31 December 2010 est)
country comparison to the world: 95
$4.438 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$19.97 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
$24.28 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$46.03 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
$54.65 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.128 billion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 77
$5.557 billion (31 December 2008)
$40.56 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
potatoes, green vegetables; mutton, chicken, pork, beef, dairy
products; fish
Industries:
fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production;
geothermal power, hydropower, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
-1% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
Electricity - production:
16.84 billion kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
Electricity - consumption:
16.48 billion kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
Oil - consumption:
18,900 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
Oil - exports:
1,915 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
Oil - imports:
16,390 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
Current account balance:
-$42 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
-$440 million (2009 est.)
Exports:
$4.619 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
$4.05 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products 40%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon,
diatomite
Exports - partners:
Netherlands 30.71%, UK 12.73%, Germany 11.21%, Norway 5.75%, Spain
4.82% (2009)
Imports:
$3.677 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
$3.318 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:
Norway 12.97%, Netherlands 8.62%, Germany 8.3%, Sweden 8.03%,
Denmark 7.27%, US 6.94%, China 4.98%, UK 4.55%, Brazil 4.09% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$4.206 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
$3.883 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.073 billion (2002)
country comparison to the world: 127
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA (31 December 2010)
$9.2 billion (#REF!)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
$8.8 billion (31 December 2008)
Exchange rates:
Icelandic kronur (ISK) per US dollar - 139.319 (2010), 123.638
(2009), 85.619 (2008), 63.391 (2007), 70.195 (2006)
Communications ::Iceland
Telephones - main lines in use:
185,200 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 126
Telephones - mobile cellular:
349,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 167
Telephone system:
general 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)
Broadcast media:
state-owned public television broadcaster operates 1 TV channel
nationally; several privately-owned TV stations broadcast nationally
and roughly another half-dozen operate locally; about 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 (2007)
Internet country code:
.is
Internet hosts:
344,748 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 55
Internet users:
301,600 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 129
Transportation ::Iceland
Airports:
99 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 59
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 93
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 63 (2010)
Roadways:
total: 12,869 km
country comparison to the world: 128
paved/oiled gravel: 4,438 km (does not include urban roads)
unpaved: 8,431 km (2009)
Merchant marine:
total: 2
country comparison to the world: 146
by type: passenger/cargo 2
registered in other countries: 19 (Antigua and Barbuda 9, Belize 2,
Denmark 3, Finland 1, Gibraltar 1, Norway 3) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Reykjavik
Military ::Iceland
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Icelandic National Police (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 75,259 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 62,705
females age 16-49: 61,392 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 2,318
female: 2,263 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
0% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
Military - note:
Iceland has no standing military force; under a 1951 bilateral
agreement - still valid - its defense was provided by the US-manned
Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik; however,
all US military forces in Iceland were withdrawn as of October 2006;
although wartime defense of Iceland remains a NATO commitment, in
April 2007, Iceland and Norway signed a bilateral agreement
providing for Norwegian aerial surveillance and defense of Icelandic
airspace (2008)
Transnational Issues ::Iceland
Disputes - international:
Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe
Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@India (South Asia)
Introduction ::India
Background:
The Indus Valley civilization, one of the world's oldest, flourished
during the 3rd and 2nd millennia B.C. and extended into northwestern
India. Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated onto the Indian
subcontinent about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier
Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. The
Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. - which reached its
zenith under ASHOKA - united much of South Asia. The Golden Age
ushered in by the Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries A.D.) saw a
flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Islam spread across
the subcontinent over a period of 700 years. In the 10th and 11th
centuries, Turks and Afghans invaded India and established the Delhi
Sultanate. In the early 16th century, the Emperor BABUR established
the Mughal Dynasty which ruled India for more than three centuries.
European explorers began establishing footholds in India during the
16th century. By the 19th century, Great Britain had become the
dominant political power on the subcontinent. The British Indian
Army played a vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance
to British rule, led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU,
eventually brought about independence in 1947. Communal violence led
to the subcontinent's bloody partition, which resulted in the
creation of two separate states, India and Pakistan. The two
countries have fought three wars since independence, the last of
which in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation
of Bangladesh. India's nuclear weapons tests in 1998 caused Pakistan
to conduct its own tests that same year. In November 2008,
terrorists allegedly originating from Pakistan conducted a series of
coordinated attacks in Mumbai, India's financial capital. Despite
pressing problems such as significant overpopulation, environmental
degradation, extensive poverty, and widespread corruption, rapid
economic development is fueling India's rise on the world stage. In
January 2011, India assumed a nonpermanent seat in the UN Security
Council for the 2011-12 term.
Geography ::India
Location:
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal,
between Burma and Pakistan
Geographic coordinates:
20 00 N, 77 00 E
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 3,287,263 sq km
country comparison to the world: 7
land: 2,973,193 sq km
water: 314,070 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than one-third the size of the US
Land boundaries:
total: 14,103 km
border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463
km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km
Coastline:
7,000 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north
Terrain:
upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along
the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m
Natural resources:
coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese,
mica, bauxite, rare earth elements, titanium ore, chromite, natural
gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 48.83%
permanent crops: 2.8%
other: 48.37% (2005)
Irrigated land:
558,080 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
1,907.8 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 645.84 cu km/yr (8%/5%/86%)
per capita: 585 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive
flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes
volcanism: Barren Island (elev. 354 m, 1,161 ft) in the Andaman Sea
has been active in recent years
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air
pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water
pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap
water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing
population is overstraining natural resources
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean
trade routes; Kanchenjunga, third tallest mountain in the world,
lies on the border with Nepal
People ::India
Population:
1,173,108,018 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2
Age structure:
0-14 years: 30.5% (male 187,197,389/female 165,285,592)
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 384,131,994/female 359,795,835)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 28,816,115/female 31,670,841) (2010
est.)
Median age:
total: 25.9 years
male: 25.4 years
female: 26.6 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.376% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
Birth rate:
21.34 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Death rate:
7.53 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
Net migration rate:
-0.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
Urbanization:
urban population: 29% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.12 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 49.13 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 53
male: 47.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 50.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.46 years
country comparison to the world: 159
male: 65.46 years
female: 67.57 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.65 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2.4 million (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
310,000 (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,
and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, dengue fever, Japanese
encephalitis, and malaria
animal contact disease: rabies
water contact disease: leptospirosis
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Indian(s)
adjective: Indian
Ethnic groups:
Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)
Religions:
Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other 1.8%,
unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)
Languages:
Hindi 41%, Bengali 8.1%, Telugu 7.2%, Marathi 7%, Tamil 5.9%, Urdu
5%, Gujarati 4.5%, Kannada 3.7%, Malayalam 3.2%, Oriya 3.2%, Punjabi
2.8%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.2%, other 5.9%
note: English enjoys the status of subsidiary official language but
is the most important language for national, political, and
commercial communication; Hindi is the most widely spoken language
and primary tongue of 41% of the people; there are 14 other official
languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati,
Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and
Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken
widely throughout northern India but is not an official language
(2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 61%
male: 73.4%
female: 47.8% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male: 11 years
female: 10 years (2007)
Education expenditures:
3.2% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 142
Government ::India
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of India
conventional short form: India
local long form: Republic of India/Bharatiya Ganarajya
local short form: India/Bharat
Government type:
federal republic
Capital:
name: New Delhi
geographic coordinates: 28 36 N, 77 12 E
time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*,
Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*,
Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa,
Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand,
Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Puducherry*, Punjab,
Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand,
West Bengal
Independence:
15 August 1947 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 26 January (1950)
Constitution:
26 January 1950; amended many times
Legal system:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; separate
personal law codes apply to Christians, Hindus, and Muslims
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Pratibha Devisingh PATIL (since 25 July
2007); Vice President Mohammad Hamid ANSARI (since 11 August 2007)
head of government: Prime Minister Manmohan SINGH (since 22 May 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of
the states for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held
in July 2007 (next to be held in July 2012); vice president elected
by both houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last
held in August 2007 (next to be held August 2012); prime minister
chosen by parliamentary members of the majority party following
legislative elections; election last held April - May 2009 (next to
be held no later than May 2014)
election results: Pratibha PATIL elected president; percent of vote
- Pratibha PATIL 65.8%, Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT - 34.2%