her nearby
countries over fishing rights in the North Atlantic and adjacent
seas.
Geography
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
land: 100,250 sq km
water: 2,750 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
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 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: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 23%
forests and woodland: 1%
other: 76% (1993 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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
Whaling
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; more land covered by glaciers than in
all of continental Europe
People
Population: 272,512 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23% (male 32,608; female 31,061)
15-64 years: 65% (male 89,258; female 87,449)
65 years and over: 12% (male 14,510; female 17,626) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.57% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 14.87 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 7.01 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years an
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