Download - 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
Iceland general informations
SBG
2NATO unclassified
Overview
• Geography• People• The Republic of Iceland• Climate• Public holidays• Industry• Practical info• Summary
Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
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
Iceland general informations
SBG
4NATO unclassified
Geography
• Straddles “the mid-Atlandic rift”
Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
SBG
6NATO unclassified
Geography
• One of the most active volcanic countries in the world
23. January, 1973
Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
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
Iceland general informations
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
Iceland general informations
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
Iceland general informations
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
Iceland general informations
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
Iceland general informations
SBG
13NATO unclassified
Climate http://www.mbl.is/frettir/vedur/Ref.:
Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
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
Iceland general informations
SBG
15NATO unclassified
Prime industries
• Fishing Industry
– Exportation of marine-products account for ……
Topic 1-1-2
Iceland general informations
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
Iceland general informations
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
Iceland general informations
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 *