Republic of Iceland

Island Iceland
Anthem Lofsöngur
Capital	Reykjavik
Government	Republic and parliamentary democracy
President
- 1944-1952	Sveinn Björnsson
- 1952	Interim Triumvirate
- 1952-1968	Ásgeir Ásgeirsson
- 1968-1980	Kristján Eldjárn
- 1980-1996	Vigdís Finnbogadóttir
- From 1996	Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson
Prime minister
- 1944	Björn Thórdarson
- 1944-1947	Ólafur Thors
- 1947-1949	Stefán Jóhann Stefánsson
- 1949-1950	Ólafur Thors
- 1950-1953	Steingrímur Steinthórsson
- 1953-1956	Ólafur Thors
Legislature	Althing
History
- June 17, 1944	Established
NATO accession	April 9, 1949
Area	103,001 km²
Population
- 2010	318,452
Density	3/km²
GDP	2010 (PPP)
- Total	US$ 12 billion
- Per capita	US$ 37,976
Currency	Icelandic króna
Iceland
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Iceland is a republic and a parliamentary democracy located in the North Atlantic. Ísland in Icelandic.

History

Iceland was settled in the late 9th and early 10th centuries, principally by people of Norse origin. In 930 A.D., the ruling chiefs established a republican constitution and an assembly called the Althingi (Alþingi) the oldest parliament in the world. Iceland remained independent until 1262, when it entered into a treaty establishing a union with the Norwegian monarchy. Iceland was then passed to Denmark in the late 14th century when Norway and Denmark were united under the Danish crown.

In the early 19th century, national consciousness was revived in Iceland. The Althingi had been abolished in 1800 but was reestablished in 1843 as a consultative assembly. In 1874, Denmark granted Iceland limited home rule, which was expanded in scope in 1904. The constitution, written in 1874, was revised in 1903. The Act of Union, a 1918 agreement with Denmark, recognized Iceland as a fully sovereign state united with Denmark under a common king. Iceland established its own flag, but Denmark continued to represent Icelandic foreign affairs and defense interests.

German occupation of Denmark in 1940 severed communications between Iceland and Denmark. Consequently, Iceland moved immediately to assume control over its own territorial waters and foreign affairs. In May 1940, British military forces occupied Iceland. Responsibility for Iceland's defense passed to the United States in July 1941. Following a plebiscite, Iceland formally became an independent republic on June 17, 1944. In October 1946, the Icelandic and U.S. Governments agreed to terminate U.S. responsibility for the defense of Iceland, but the United States retained certain rights at Keflavík. Iceland became a charter member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949. After the outbreak of hostilities in Korea in 1950, and pursuant to the request of NATO military authorities, the United States and Iceland agreed that the United States should again make arrangements for Iceland's defense. A bilateral defense agreement signed on May 5, 1951 remains in force, even though the U.S. military forces are no longer permanently stationed in Iceland. Iceland is the only NATO country with no standing military of its own.

Cultural Achievements

The Sagas, almost all written between 1180 and 1300 A.D., remain Iceland's best-known literary accomplishment, and they have no surviving counterpart anywhere in the Nordic world. Based on Norwegian and Icelandic histories and genealogies, the Sagas present views of Nordic life and times up to 1100 A.D. The Saga writers sought to record their heroes' great achievements and to glorify the virtues of courage, pride, and honor, focusing in the later Sagas on early Icelandic settlers. The best-known Icelandic writer of the 20th century is the 1955 Nobel Prize winner Halldór Kiljan Laxness. The literacy rate is 99.9%, and literature and poetry are legendary passions with the population. Per capita publication of books and magazines is the highest in the world.

Unlike its literature, Iceland's fine arts did not flourish until the 19th century because the population was small and scattered. Iceland's most famous painters are Ásgrímur Jónsson, Jón Stefánsson, and Jóhannes Kjarval, all of whom worked during the first half of the 20th century. The best-known modern sculptor, Ásmundur Sveinsson (1893-1982), drew his inspiration from Icelandic folklore and the Sagas for many of his works. Today, Kristján Jóhannsson and Garðar Thór Cortes are Iceland's most famous opera singers, while pop singer Björk and progressive rock band Sigur Rós are well known internationally.

Geography

Iceland is a volcanic island in the North Atlantic Ocean east of Greenland and immediately south of the Arctic Circle. It lies about 4,200 kilometers (2,600 mi.) from New York and 830 kilometers (520 mi.) from Scotland. About 79% of Iceland's land area, which is of recent volcanic origin, consists of glaciers, lakes, a mountainous lava desert (highest elevation 2,000 meters--6,590 ft.--above sea level), and other wasteland. About 28% of the land is used for grazing, and 1% is cultivated. The inhabited areas are on the coast, particularly in the southwest where about 60% of the population lives. Because of the Gulf Stream's moderating influence, the climate is characterized by damp, cool summers and relatively mild but windy winters. In Reykjavík, the average temperature is 11°C (52°F) in July and -1°C (30°F) in January.

Government

The president, elected to a 4-year term, has limited powers. When Iceland became a republic in 1944, the post of president was created to fill the void left by the Danish king. Although the president is popularly elected and has limited veto powers (he can force a public referendum on a proposed law by refusing to sign it), the expectation is that the president should play the same limited role as a monarch in a traditional parliamentary system.

The prime minister and cabinet exercise most executive functions. The parliament is composed of 63 members, elected every 4 years unless it is dissolved sooner. Suffrage for presidential and parliamentary elections is universal for those 18 and older, and members of the parliament are elected on the basis of parties' proportional representation in six constituencies. The judiciary consists of the Supreme Court, district courts, and various special courts. The constitution protects the judiciary from infringement by the other two branches.

Politics

Iceland's current government consists of a majority coalition between the center-left Social Democratic Alliance (SDA) and the leftist, environmentally focused Left-Green Movement (LG). The SDA-LG coalition, which holds 34 out of the 63 seats in parliament, was elected on April 25, 2009 in early parliamentary elections that were prompted by the country's economic crisis in the fall of 2008. The Chair of the SDA party, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, is Iceland's first female Prime Minister and LG Chair Steingrímur J. Sigfússon serves as the country's Finance Minister. The government has initiated significant economic reforms and has submitted Iceland's application to join the European Union (EU).

There are five political parties represented in parliament:

Social Democratic Alliance: Formed in 2000 from three leftist parties--the Social Democratic Party, the People's Alliance, and the Women's List--the SDA was created to challenge the long-dominant Independence Party. Though this effort failed initially, under the leadership of Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, the SDA eventually formed a coalition government with the Independence Party (IP) in 2007. It is now the senior member in a government coalition with the LG. The party has worked to reconcile the widely varying foreign policy views of its members, which range from strong support for NATO membership to pacifism and neutrality. The SDA is also the most openly pro-EU of Iceland's political parties.

Left Green Movement: The LG was founded in 1999 by a group of politicians who did not agree with the planned merger of the leftist parties in Iceland that resulted in the SDA. The Left Greens won a respectable 9% of the vote (5 seats) in 2003, but in the 2007 election they improved significantly, with 14% of the total vote (9 seats). The LG captured 22% of the vote and 14 seats in the 2009 election and joined the SDA as the junior partner in the coalition government. As its name implies, the party is focused on a Nordic socialist model of governance with a strong emphasis on environmental issues. It formally opposes EU membership for Iceland but is open to change should the Icelandic public demand it.

Independence Party: The IP was formed in 1929 and is the center-right political party in Iceland. Iceland's recent political upheaval follows nearly two decades of relative stability under the IP, much of it marked by an Independence-Progressive coalition that was in power from 1995-2007. Longtime IP leader Davíð Oddsson was Prime Minister from 1991-2004, making him the longest-serving prime minister in Europe. The IP elected parliamentarian Bjarni Benediktsson to follow former Prime Minister Geir Haarde as Party Chairman in late March 2009, after Haarde announced in January his intent to leave politics while undergoing treatment for esophageal cancer. Following the economic collapse of 2008, the IP undertook a thorough review of its policy on joining the EU, concluding that the question should be decided by a national referendum at the conclusion of accession negotiations with Brussels. Party support plummeted to 24% (16 seats) in the elections in April 2009, from 37% (25 seats) in the 2007 elections.

Progressive Party: The centrist agrarian Progressive Party has been a party to government for over 30 of the past 40 years. Its support dropped from 23% (15 seats) in the 1995 parliamentary election to 12% (7 seats) in 2007. The party, however, rebounded slightly in 2009 receiving 15% of the vote and nine seats in parliament. The Progressive Party has faced internal instability in the past few years, and power struggles have led to frequent change in the party's leadership. Current Chairman Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson was elected at the party's national congress in January 2009, following the sudden resignation of Guðni Ágústsson in November 2008. Ágústsson himself had replaced Jón Sigurðsson after the party's disastrous showing in the 2007 elections.

Liberal Party and Citizens' Movement: Iceland's Liberal Party, devoted to changing the current fisheries management system, stumbled badly in the April 2009 elections and did not make it over the 5% threshold for representation in the Alþingi. Taking the Liberals' place as the fifth party in parliament was the new Citizens' Movement, which surprised many observers by earning four seats in the legislature. The Citizens' Movement was the only new party to successfully use the protests of 2008-2009 to launch itself into prominence. Subsequently, however, internal strife has torn the party apart. All four members resigned from the party; one is now an independent member of Parliament and the other three formed a parliamentary group called The Movement, which has no constituency.

Iceland's current President is Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, a former political science professor who led the far-left People's Alliance in 1987-1995 and served as Finance Minister in 1988-91. Although Grímsson won office with only a 41% plurality in 1996, he was not challenged for re-election in 2000 and was re-elected again on June 26, 2004. In 2008, Grímsson was again re-elected by default. This follows a well-established tradition of giving deference to sitting presidents. Once in office, a president can generally count on serving as many terms as he or she likes, assuming good behavior. Reflecting the belief that the president is "above politics," presidential candidates run for election as individuals--since 1952, political parties have played no role in nominating or endorsing candidates.

Foreign Policy

Iceland maintains diplomatic and commercial relations with practically all nations, but its ties with other Nordic states, with the United States, and with the other NATO member states are particularly close. Icelanders remain especially proud of the role Iceland played in hosting the historic 1986 summit in Reykjavík between President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, which set the stage for the end of the Cold War.

Iceland has greatly increased its international profile since the early 1990s. From the mid-1990s until 2007, Iceland opened a number of missions overseas, including in all five permanent member countries of the UN Security Council in anticipation of its (ultimately unsuccessful) bid for a rotating seat on the UN Security Council in 2009-2010. The buildup also included missions to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg and to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Vienna. In 1998, it bolstered its delegation to NATO, assigning a permanent representative to the military committee for the first time ever. However, in the wake of the economic crisis in fall 2008, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs announced budget cuts resulting in the closure of four overseas missions. Iceland currently has 20 missions in 17 countries.

European Union (EU) membership was one of the top campaign issues in the 2009 parliamentary elections. In July 2009, the parliament voted in favor of applying for EU membership. The European Council accepted the application on July 27, 2009 and referred it to the European Commission to analyze Iceland's preparedness for negotiations. On February 24, 2010, the European Commission delivered a positive opinion on Iceland’s application and referred it to the European Council. The Icelandic government has a target date of 2012 for joining the EU, which will be subject to a national referendum in Iceland. Icelanders also have a strong emotional bond with the Baltic states, and Iceland prides itself on being the first country to have recognized these countries' claim for independence in 1991.

Notwithstanding its status as an unarmed nation, Iceland has been eager to do its part to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security. One of the niches it is helping to fill is in civilian peacekeeping and crisis management. It took a significant step forward in this area in 2001 by launching its Icelandic Crisis Response Unit (ICRU). In setting up the ICRU, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs established a roster of over 100 experts in various occupations (police officers, nurses, doctors, lawyers, engineers, journalists, etc.) who will be specially trained and prepared to deploy to trouble spots abroad on short notice. Iceland, due to financial constraints, has had to dramatically reduce the number of deployed peacekeepers serving worldwide.

Membership in International Organizations

Iceland is a member of the following organizations: Arctic Council, Barents Euro-Arctic Council; Council of Baltic Sea States; Council of Europe; European Economic Area; European Free Trade Organization; EFTA Court; EFTA Surveillance Authority; North Atlantic Treaty Organization; Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development; International Criminal Police Organization; International Council for the Exploration of the Sea; International Hydrographic Organization; International Maritime Satellite Organization; International Union for the Publication of Custom Tariffs; Nordic Council; North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission; North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization; the International Whaling Commission; and the North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission.

It also is a member of the United Nations and most of its related organizations, specialized agencies, and commissions, including the International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, World Tourism Organization, Food and Agricultural Organization, International Atomic Energy Agency, International Civil Aviation Organization, International Fund for Agricultural Development; Industrial Development Organization; International Labor Organization, International Maritime Organization, International Telecommunications Union, UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Universal Postal Union, World Health Organization, and World Meteorological Organization; World Intellectual Property Organization; International Bank for Reconstruction and Development; International Development Association; International Finance Corporation Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency and International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes; UN Conference on Disarmament; Economic Commission for Europe; UN High Commissioner for Refugees; Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights; Commission of Human Rights; UN Conference on Trade and Development.

Security

The U.S. and Iceland signed a bilateral agreement in 1951 stipulating that the U.S. would make arrangements for Iceland's defense on behalf of NATO and provide for basing rights for U.S. forces in Iceland. In March 2006 the U.S. announced it would continue to provide for Iceland's defense but without permanently basing forces in the country; Naval Air Station Keflavik closed in September 2006 after half a century. The Government of Iceland expressed disappointment, and even opposition politicians opposed to the U.S. military presence criticized the manner of the closing, but bilateral discussions ensued to explore new ways of ensuring the country's security, with an emphasis on a "visible defense." Negotiations concluded with a technical agreement on base closure issues (e.g., facilities return, environmental cleanup, residual value) signed on September 29, 2006, and a "Joint Understanding" on future bilateral security cooperation (focusing on defending Iceland and the North Atlantic region against emerging threats such as terrorism and trafficking) signed by the Secretary of State and Icelandic Prime Minister and Foreign Minister in Washington on October 11, 2006. The United States also cooperated with local officials to mitigate the impact of job losses at the Air Station, notably by encouraging U.S. investment in industry and tourism development in the Keflavík area. The Government of Iceland formed a public corporation to oversee redevelopment of the former base site. In fall 2007 the university-level "Keilir Atlantic Center of Excellence" began its operations with a focus on aviation, science and energy technology, and innovation. Former base housing is now rented by roughly 1,100 university students (at Keilir as well as institutions in Reykjavik) and commercial redevelopment of other areas of the former base is proceeding.

Cooperative activities in the context of the new agreements began almost immediately after the closure of the base, with the arrival of the amphibious ship USS Wasp in October 2006 as the first U.S. Navy port visit since 2002. Subsequent activities have included joint search and rescue, disaster surveillance, and maritime interdiction training with U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard units, a port call by the U.S.-led NATO Standing Maritime Group 1, and U.S. deployments to support the NATO air surveillance mission in Iceland. The U.S. and Iceland jointly led planning and execution of Northern Viking air defense exercises in 2007 and 2008, and planning for subsequent joint endeavors is underway. Additionally, the U.S. Coast Guard's First District (Boston) and the Icelandic Coast Guard signed an agreement in 2008 to develop a joint training and exchange program, with the first activity--a joint search and rescue exercise--taking place in August 2008.

In 2008, the Government of Iceland passed its first defense budget ($20 million) and on June 1, 2008 established the Icelandic Defense Agency (IDA), under the direction of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The IDA oversees support of cooperative defense activities, military exercises in Iceland, and maintenance of defense-related facilities, including the operation of the Iceland Air Defense System radar sites, which the United States handed over to Iceland on August 15, 2007. Defense spending in the 2009 budget was reduced to roughly $13 million, due to government-wide budget cuts as well as considerable devaluation of the krona. The Government of Iceland announced in 2009 that the short-lived IDA would be closing in 2010. It offered assurances, however, that all of the IDA's functions and responsibilities would continue.

The Government of Iceland contributes financially to NATO's international overhead costs and recently has taken a more active role in NATO deliberations, planning, and peacekeeping. Iceland hosted the NATO Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Reykjavík in June 1987 and again in May 2002. Iceland hosted the NATO Military Committee in April 2007 and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in October 2007.

Economy

Iceland, a stable democracy with a dynamic consumer economy, suffered an economic crisis in October 2008. The banking sector collapsed, and the Icelandic Government turned to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for assistance.

In the years before the crisis, Iceland enjoyed an economic boom with several years of strong economic growth spurred by economic reforms, deregulation, and low inflation. The economy suffered an initial setback in spring 2006 when credit rating agencies and other international financial firms released a number of reports raising questions about the activities and stability of Iceland's major banks and the state of the Icelandic economy. These reports were widely covered in the international financial press, causing a marked drop in the value of shares listed on the Icelandic stock exchange and of the Icelandic krona, but the market recovered temporarily.

The financial sector was hit hard by the global credit crisis beginning in 2007. In the first six months of 2008, the Icelandic krona began devaluing and inflation rose to nearly 12%. Difficulties increased as Icelandic banks could not get financing on the global market and, with liabilities estimated at approximately 10 times GDP, they were forced to turn to their lender of last resort, the Central Bank of Iceland. The Financial Supervisory Authority took possession of the three large commercial banks, and Iceland turned to the IMF for a $5 billion loan package that included bilateral loans from the Nordics and other countries. A letter of intent sent to the IMF outlined the strategy for the recovery of the economy. Its main components were to stabilize the currency, establish trust in Iceland’s monetary policy, revise fiscal policy to meet the increased debt burden, and restructure the banking system. The Executive Board of the IMF approved the loan package in November 2008, subject to Iceland following the proposed economic recovery program, and subsequently disbursed the first tranche of the loans. Two reviews of the program have since been conducted, the second in April 2010, allowing Iceland to draw a third disbursement.

The financial crisis has resulted in a dramatic rise in unemployment from less than 2% to 9.3% in March 2010, and widespread business closures and bankruptcies. Political turmoil resulted in the resignation of the cabinet and installation of an interim government in January 2009 and early elections, as well as the replacement of the Central Bank and Financial Supervisory Authority leadership. At the end of 2008, inflation was at 18.6% and the currency had depreciated by roughly 90%. Inflation has since subsided to a large degree, dropping to 7.5% in June 2010. The government has made good progress in restructuring the banking system. Following the takeover of the three big commercial banks, new banks were established around Icelandic assets, transferred from the old banks. The majority shares of two of the new banks have been sold to private investors, while the government still holds a majority stake in the third one. The old banks are still in receivership.

In April 2010, the Special Investigatory Commission (known informally as the Truth Commission) released a 2,000-page report on the banking meltdown. The report detailed the banks’ questionable practices, all while the banking sector exploded exponentially in size. It provided the basis for investigation by the Special Prosecutor, who has since arrested some suspects and frozen their assets. Two former ministers and a parliamentary group leader have taken leaves of absence.

As a small and undiversified economy, Iceland depends heavily on imports for consumption and industry. Its main exports are aluminum and marine products. Aluminum exports exceeded marine product exports in value for the first time in 2008. The tourism industry is the third-largest provider of foreign currency to the economy. Other important exports include ferro-silicon alloys, equipment and electronic machinery for fishing and fish processing, and pharmaceuticals. The vast majority of Iceland's exports go to the European Union (EU) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, followed by the United States and Japan. The U.S. is by far the largest foreign investor in Iceland, primarily in the aluminum sector. A Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with the United States was signed in January 2009.

Iceland's relatively liberal trading policy was strengthened by accession to the European Economic Area in 1994 and by the Uruguay Round agreement, which also brought significantly improved market access for Iceland's exports, particularly seafood products. The agricultural sector, however, remains heavily subsidized and protected. Iceland became a full member of the European Free Trade Association in 1970 and entered into a free trade agreement with the European Community in 1973. Under the European Economic Area agreement, which took effect January 1, 1994, there is basically free cross-border movement of capital, labor, goods, and services between Iceland, EU, and EEA countries. However, following the financial turmoil in fall 2008, movements of capital to and from Iceland were restricted by the Rules on Foreign Exchange issued by the Central Bank. These rules are intended to be temporary measures to strengthen and stabilize the exchange rate of the Icelandic krona. In August 2009, the Central Bank published a strategy on how to lift the restrictions. As of November 2009, the first step of the strategy, permitting the inflow of foreign currency for new investments and the outflow of capital converted to foreign currencies from such investments, had been implemented. Subsequent phases will be introduced as conditions allow, but the Central Bank of Iceland has been acquiring ISK-denominated assets held by foreign entities in order to make it easier to lift capital controls.

Iceland has no railroads. Organized road building began around 1900 and has greatly expanded in the past decade. The current national road system connects most of the population centers along the coastal areas and consists of about 13,000 kilometers (8,125 mi.) of roads, of which about 4,800 kilometers (2,982 mi.) are paved. Regular air and sea service connect Reykjavík with the other main population centers.

Iceland has felt the economic impact of the April to May 2010 Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption. In the short term, tourism and transportation were disrupted. In the longer term, the ash and flooding have hurt some of Iceland’s most productive agricultural lands, including the area that produces about 12% of Iceland’s dairy products, 15% of its cattle, and 17% of its horses.

Demographics

Most Icelanders are descendants of Norwegian settlers and Celts from the British Isles, and the population is remarkably homogeneous. According to Icelandic Government statistics, 94% of the nation's inhabitants live in urban areas (localities with populations greater than 200) and about 63% live in the Reykjavík metropolitan area. Of the Nordic languages, the Icelandic language is closest to the Old Norse language and has remained relatively unchanged since the 12th century. About 84% of the population belongs to the state church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, or other Lutheran Churches. However, Iceland has complete religious freedom, and about 20 other religious congregations are present.

Most Icelandic surnames are based on patronymy, or the adoption of the father's first given name. For example, Magnús and Anna, children of a man named Pétur, would hold the surname Pétursson and Pétursdóttir, respectively. Magnús' children, in turn, would inherit the surname Magnússon, while Anna's children would claim their father's first given name as their surname. Women normally maintain their original surnames after marriage. This system of surnames is required by law, except for the descendants of those who had acquired family names before 1913. Most Icelanders, while reserved by nature, rarely call each other by their surnames, and even phone directories are based on first names. Because of its small size and relative homogeneity, Iceland holds all the characteristics of a very close-knit society.

President

• Sveinn Björnsson (₩) (June 17, 1944 - January 25, 1952)
• Interim Triumvirate (₩) (January 25, 1952 - July 31, 1952)
• Ásgeir Ásgeirsson (₩) (July 31, 1952 - July 31, 1968)
• Kristján Eldjárn (₩) (July 31, 1968 - July 31, 1980)
• Vigdís Finnbogadóttir (₩) (July 31, 1980 - July 31, 1996)
• Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson (₩) (July 31, 1996 - )

Prime minister

• Björn Thórdarson (₩) (June 17, 1944 - October 21, 1944)
• Ólafur Thors (₩) (October 21, 1944 - February 4, 1947)
• Stefán Jóhann Stefánsson (₩) (February 4, 1947 - December 6, 1949)
• Ólafur Thors (₩) (December 6, 1949 - March 14, 1950)
• Steingrímur Steinthórsson (₩) (March 14, 1950 - September 11, 1953)
• Ólafur Thors (₩) (September 11, 1953 - July 24, 1956)
• Hermann Jónasson (₩) (July 24, 1956 - December 23, 1958)
• Emil Jónsson (₩) (December 23, 1958 - November 20, 1959)
• Ólafur Thors (₩) (November 20, 1959 - November 14, 1963)
• Bjarni Benediktsson (₩) (November 14, 1963 - July 10, 1970)
• Jóhann Hafstein (₩) (July 10, 1970 - July 14, 1971)
• Ólafur Jóhannesson (₩) (July 14, 1971 - August 28, 1974)
• Geir Hallgrímsson (₩) (August 28, 1974 - September 1, 1978)
• Ólafur Jóhannesson (₩) (September 1, 1978 - October 15, 1979)
• Benedikt Gröndal (₩) (October 15, 1979 - February 8, 1980)
• Gunnar Thoroddsen (₩) (February 8, 1980 - May 26, 1983)
• Steingrímur Hermannsson (₩) (May 26, 1983 - July 8, 1987)
• Thorsteinn Pálsson (₩) (July 8, 1987 - September 28, 1988)
• Steingrímur Hermannsson (₩) (September 28, 1988 - April 30, 1991)
• Davíd Oddsson (₩) (April 30, 1991 - September 15, 2004)
• Halldór Ásgrímsson (₩) (September 15, 2004 - June 15, 2006)
• Geir H. Haarde (₩) (June 15, 2006 - February 1, 2009)
• Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir (₩) (February 1, 2009 - )

Nation

• Iceland

Icelandic Polities

• Kingdom of Iceland (1918-1944)

Neighbouring Nations

• Denmark
• Norway
• United Kingdom (Commonwealth realm)

References

• Iceland: Guide to Law Online (Library of Congress)
  
• Iceland: Location Map 2013 (UN OCHA, PNG)
  
• The World Factbook (CIA)
  
• Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments (CIA)
  
• U.S. Department of State
  
• GOV.UK
  
• Australian Government
  
• Inter-Parliamentary Union - Althing
  
• BBC News Country Profile
  
• BBC News Time Line
  
• World Statesmen.org
  
• International Constitutional Law Project
  
• Psephos Election Archive
  
• Wikipedia