ine. Over the next quarter
century, 20% of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and
the US. Limited home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete
independence attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social
cohesion are first-rate by world standards.

Geography Iceland

Location: Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK

Geographic coordinates: 65 00 N, 18 00 W

Map references: Arctic Region

Area: total: 103,000 sq km water: 2,750 sq km land: 100,250 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Kentucky

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 4,988 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the
continental margin territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy
winters; damp, cool summers

Terrain: mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields;
coast deeply indented by bays and fiords

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m

Natural resources: fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Land use: arable land: NEGL permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (23%
permanent pastures) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: earthquakes and volcanic activity

Environment - current issues: water pollution from fertilizer runoff;
inadequate wastewater treatment

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Environmental Modification,
Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: strategic location between Greenland and Europe;
westernmost European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national
capital in the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of
continental Europe

People Iceland

Population: 279,384 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (male 33,189; female 31,155) 15-64 years:
65.1% (male 91,704; female 90,199) 65 years and over: 11.9% (male 14,828;
female 18,309) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.52% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 14.37 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.93 deaths/1,000 population