1 1-2 iceland-general-info

Topic 1-1-2

Iceland general informations

SBG

1NATO unclassified

………System

R…… AGENCY

PHASE 1Segment 1

Iceland

Topic 1.1.2Version 1.2

Topic 1-1-2


SBG

2NATO unclassified

Overview

• Geography• People• The Republic of Iceland• Climate• Public holidays• Industry• Practical info• Summary

Topic 1-1-2


SBG

3NATO unclassified

Geography

• Total area of 103000 km / 39756 Miles

– glaciers cover approximately 11% of the island

• Geologially a young country

– still in the progress of formation

• Over 800 hot springs and sulfurous areas

2 2

Topic 1-1-2


SBG

4NATO unclassified

Geography

• Straddles “the mid-Atlandic rift”

Topic 1-1-2


SBG

6NATO unclassified

Geography

• One of the most active volcanic countries in the world

23. January, 1973

Topic 1-1-2


SBG

7NATO unclassified

Geography

• Vestmannaeyjar

1973

Topic 1-1-2


SBG

8NATO unclassified

Geography

2000 Hekla

1998 Vatnajökull – Grímsvötn

1996 Vatnajökull

• Recent Eruptions:

http://www.norvol.hi.is

http://www.lmi.is/landsurvey.nsf/pages/index.html

(total damage about US $ 10-15 milj.)

Topic 1-1-2


SBG

9NATO unclassified

People

• Population

– ca.: 330.000

• Language

– Icelandic is a Teutonic language of the Nordic group

• Religion

– In the year 1000, Christianity was adopted at the Althing Parliament through an act of law

• Capital city

– Reykjavík

Topic 1-1-2


SBG

10NATO unclassified

The Republic of Iceland / Milestones

• 874 – 930

– The settlement of Iceland

• 930

– The Icelandic Parliament Alþingi (Althing) founded at Thingvellir (more)

• 1262

– Iceland comes under the Nordic crown and 118 years later, the Danish crown

• 1918

– Iceland becomes a sovereign state, with the same king as Denmark

Topic 1-1-2


SBG

11NATO unclassified

The Republic of Iceland / Milestones

• 1944

– The Republic of Iceland founded at Thingvellir

• 1949

– Iceland is one of the founding members of NATO

• 2004

– Prime Minister: Halldór Ásgrímsson

• 1996

– Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, elected president, and re-elected four years later

Topic 1-1-2


SBG

12NATO unclassified

Climate

• A cool temperature ocean climate

– Cool in the summer and rather mild in the winter

• Average temperatures:

Location: January July

Reykjavík

Akureyri

C° F° C° F°

-0.5° 31.1° 10.6° 51.0°

-2.2° 28.0° 10.5° 50.9°

Topic 1-1-2


SBG

13NATO unclassified

Climate http://www.mbl.is/frettir/vedur/Ref.:

Topic 1-1-2


SBG

14NATO unclassified

Public Holidays

• New Years Day

• Maundy Thursday

• Good Friday

• Easter Sunday

• Easter Monday

• First Day of Summer

• Labour Day (1. May)

• Ascension day

• White Sunday

• White Monday

• 17. June National Day (Independent Day)

• Bank Holiday (first Monday in August)

• Christmas Day

• Second Day of Christmas

• New Years Eve

• Total of 13 (sundays excepted)

• 6 of the 13 holidays sometimes overlap weekends

• Average is 10 a year

Topic 1-1-2


SBG

15NATO unclassified

Prime industries

• Fishing Industry

– Exportation of marine-products account for ……

Topic 1-1-2


SBG

16NATO unclassified

Prime industries

• Other trades

Agriculture, sheep and dairy farming, mostly for domestic use

Manufacturing industry

Aluminum factories

Tourism is a fast growing industry

Topic 1-1-2


SBG

17NATO unclassified

Practical Info

• Personal names

– Last name derived by adding “son” for males, and “dóttir” for females, to the fathers first name

“Pálsson” means son of Páll

“Pálsdóttir” means daughter of Páll

Linda Helgadóttir

SaraÓskarsdóttir

ElísabetPálsdóttir

EvaÁrnadóttir

Sigríður Stefánsdóttir

Berglind Haraldsdóttir

BirnaDaníelsdóttir

HildurMagnúsdóttir

Kári Pálsson

Páll Sigurðsson

María Magnúsdóttir

Sigurður Brjánsson

Anna Bjarnadóttir

Magnús Stefánsson

Vala Guðmundsdóttir

Brjánn Gunnarsson

Kristín Brandsdóttir

Bjarni Maríus Gylfason

Lilja Jóhannesdóttir

Stefán Karl Skúlason

Elín Káradóttir

Guðmundur Ólafsson

Jóna Gísladóttir

Gunnar Kárason

Gylfi Arason

JóhannesSveinsson

BrandurGrettisson

Skúli Magnússon

Ólafur Högnason

GísliAxelsson

KáriRóbertsson

Ref.: http://WWW.Íslendingabók.is

Topic 1-1-2


SBG

18NATO unclassified

Practical Info

• Currency

– The Króna is the basic unit of Iceland currency

* Date: 20. January 2006

• 1 US dollar:

– isl. kr. ca.: 62.00 *

Topic 1-1-2


SBG

19NATO unclassified

Practical Info

• Electric current

– 230 volts 50HZ

Landsvirkjun

Svartsengi Power Plant

Education

1 1-2 iceland-general-info