orse and Celts 94%,
population of foreign origin 6%

Religions:
Lutheran Church of Iceland 85.5%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.1%, Roman
Catholic Church 2%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.5%, other Christian
2.7%, other or unspecified 3.8%, unaffiliated 2.4% (2004)

Languages:
Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Iceland

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 (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)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 17 June (1944)

Constitution:
16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times

Legal system:
civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August
1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Geir H. HAARDE (since 7 June 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
elections: president, largely a ceremonial post, is elected by
popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits); election last
held 26 June 2004 (next to be held June 2008); 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 85.6%, Baldur AGUSTSSON
12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party
33.7%, Social Democratic Alliance 31%, Progressive Party 17.7%,
Left-Green Movement 8.8%, Liberal Party 7.4%; seats by party -
Independe