Chapter 82
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$19,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.8% industry: 31.5% services: 65.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
4.19 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 5.5% industry: 33.3% services: 61.2% (2003)
Unemployment rate:
7.3% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
8.6% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4% highest 10%: 22.2% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $64 billion expenditures: $71.87 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
67% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
7.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.09% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$36.78 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$43.07 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$109.5 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle, poultry, dairy products
Industries:
mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles
Industrial production growth rate:
3.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
37.66 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
37.11 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
10.69 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
14.68 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 60.1% hydro: 0.5% nuclear: 39% other: 0.3% (2001)
Oil - production:
32,580 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
162,800 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
66,660 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
178,400 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
20.18 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
2.545 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
13.36 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
138 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
10.45 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
8.098 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$8.018 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$87.77 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 61.1%, other manufactures 28.7%, food products 6.5%, raw materials 2%, fuels and electricity 1.6% (2003)
Exports - partners:
Germany 28.1%, Italy 5.6%, France 4.7%, Austria 4.6%, Romania 4.5%, UK 4.5%, Slovakia 4.2%, Poland 4.2% (2007)
Imports:
$86.88 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.7%, fuels and electricity 7.7%, food products 3.1%, raw materials 2.0% (2003)
Imports - partners:
Germany 26.6%, China 7.8%, Russia 6.9%, Austria 6.1%, Italy 4.5%, France 4.3%, Netherlands 4.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$302.6 million (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$24.05 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$125.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$108.6 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$45.54 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$41.93 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
forint (HUF)
Currency code:
HUF
Exchange rates:
forints (HUF) per US dollar - 186.16 (2007), 210.39 (2006), 199.58 (2005), 202.75 (2004), 224.31 (2003)
Communications Hungary
Telephones - main lines in use:
3.251 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
11.03 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized and is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication service domestic: the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was initiated in 1996; competition among mobile-cellular service providers has led to a sharp increase in the use of mobile cellular phones since 2000 and a decrease in the number of fixed-line connections international: country code - 36; Hungary has fiber-optic cable connections with all neighboring countries; the international switch is in Budapest; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system of ground terminals
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 17, FM 57, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios:
7.01 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
35 (plus 161 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:
4.42 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.hu
Internet hosts:
1.879 million (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)
Internet users:
4.2 million (2007)
Transportation Hungary
Airports:
46 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 26 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 10 (2007)
Heliports:
5 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 8,057 km broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 7,802 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified) narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 159,568 km paved: 70,050 km (30,874 km of interurban roads including 626 km of expressways) unpaved: 89,518 km (2005)
Waterways:
1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Budapest, Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Csepel, Baja, Mohacs (2003)
Military Hungary
Military branches:
Ground Forces, Hungarian Air Force (Magyar Legiero, ML) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in June 2004; 6-month service obligation, with reserve obligation to age 50 (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,391,400 females age 16-49: 2,337,240 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,890,105 females age 16-49: 1,943,422 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 62,197 female: 59,267 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.75% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Hungary
Disputes - international:
bilateral government, legal, technical and economic working group negotiations continue in 2006 with Slovakia over Hungary's failure to complete its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Hungary has implemented the strict Schengen border rules
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis and for South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited producer of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamine and methamphetamine; efforts to counter money laundering, related to organized crime and drug trafficking, are improving, but remain vulnerable; significant consumer of ecstasy
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Iceland
Introduction Iceland
Background:
Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. 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 land: 100,250 sq km water: 2,750 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Kentucky
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
4,970 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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 2,110 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)
Natural resources:
fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
Land use:
arable land: 0.07% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.93% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Total renewable water resources:
170 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.17 cu km/yr (34%/66%/0%) per capita: 567 cu m/yr (2003)
Natural hazards:
earthquakes and volcanic activity
Environment - current issues:
water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: 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:
304,367 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 21% (male 32,500/female 31,566) 15-64 years: 67% (male 103,231/female 100,545) 65 years and over: 12% (male 16,530/female 19,995) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 34.8 years male: 34.4 years female: 35.3 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.783% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
13.5 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
1.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.25 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.39 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.55 years male: 78.43 years female: 82.76 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.91 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
220 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Icelander(s) adjective: Icelandic
Ethnic groups:
homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6%
Religions:
Lutheran Church of Iceland 82.1%, Roman Catholic Church 2.4%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.3%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.6%, other Christian 2.8%, other religions 0.9%, unaffiliated 2.6%, other or unspecified 5.5% (2006 est.)
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.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 18 years male: 17 years female: 19 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
7.6% of GDP (2004)
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 in 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 12 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party 36.6%, Social Democratic Alliance 26.8%, Progressive Party 11.7%, Left-Green Movement 14.3%, Liberal Party 7.3%, other 3.3%; seats by party - Independence Party 25, Social Democratic Alliance 18, Progressive Party 7, Left-Green Alliance 9, Liberal Party 4
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)
Political parties and leaders:
Independence Party or IP [Geir H. HAARDE]; Left-Green Movement or LGM [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Gudni AGUSTSSON]; Social Democratic Alliance or SDA [Ingibjorg Solrun GISLADOTTIR] (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Icelandic Psychiatric Human Rights Group
International organization participation:
Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Albert JONSSON chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1704 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653 FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Carol VAN VOORST embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik mailing address: US Department of State, 5640 Reykjavik Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-5640 telephone: [354] 562-9100 FAX: [354] 562-9118
Flag description:
blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
Economy Iceland
Economy - overview:
Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, yet with an extensive welfare system (including generous housing subsidies), low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution of income. In the absence of other natural resources (except for abundant geothermal power), the economy depends heavily on the fishing industry, which provides 70% of export earnings and employs 6% of the work force. The economy remains sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon. Substantial foreign investment in the aluminum and hydropower sectors has boosted economic growth which, nevertheless, has been volatile and characterized by recurrent imbalances. Government policies include reducing the current account deficit, limiting foreign borrowing, containing inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, and diversifying the economy. The government remains opposed to EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders' concern about losing control over their fishing resources. Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, and new developments in software production, biotechnology, and financial services are taking place. The tourism sector is also expanding, with the recent trends in ecotourism and whale watching. The 2006 closure of the US military base at Keflavik had very little impact on the national economy; Iceland's low unemployment rate aided former base employees in finding alternate employment.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$12.19 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$20 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$40,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.2% industry: 25.7% services: 69.1% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
181,000 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 5.1% industry: 23% services: 71.8% (2005)
Unemployment rate:
1% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
25 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
27.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $9.64 billion expenditures: $8.602 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
27.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
15.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
19.29% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$6.64 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$15.05 billion (31 December 2006)
Stock of domestic credit:
$49.67 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
potatoes, green vegetables; mutton, dairy products; fish
Industries:
fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production; geothermal power, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
9% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
11.71 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
9.312 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 0.1% hydro: 82.5% nuclear: 0% other: 17.5% (geothermal) (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
21,120 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
860.8 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
17,450 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$3.189 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$4.793 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite
Exports - partners:
Netherlands 21.3%, Germany 13.3%, UK 13.2%, Ireland 7.7%, US 7.3%, Spain 4.6%, Japan 4.3% (2007)
Imports:
$6.181 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:
US 13.7%, Germany 12.2%, Sweden 10.2%, Denmark 7.5%, Netherlands 5.7%, UK 5.4%, China 5.1%, Norway 4.6% (2007)
Economic aid - donor:
$6.7 million (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.436 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.073 billion (2002)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$27.8 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
Icelandic krona (ISK)
Currency code:
ISK
Exchange rates:
Icelandic kronur (ISK) per US dollar - 63.391 (2007), 70.195 (2006), 62.982 (2005), 70.192 (2004), 76.709 (2003)
Communications Iceland
Telephones - main lines in use:
186,700 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
347,500 (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is modern and fully digitized, with satellite-earth stations, fiber-optic cables, and an extensive broadband network domestic: liberalization of the telecommunications sector beginning in the late 1990s has led to increased competition especially in the mobile services segment of the market international: country code - 354; the CANTAT-3 and FARICE-1 submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Canada, the Faroe Islands, UK, Denmark, and Germany; a planned new section of the Hibernia-Atlantic submarine cable will provide additional connectivity to Canada, US, and Ireland; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:
260,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
14 (plus 156 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
98,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.is
Internet hosts:
263,980 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
20 (2001)
Internet users:
202,300 (2007)
Transportation Iceland
Airports:
99 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 94 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 63 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 13,058 km paved/oiled gravel: 4,397 km (does not include urban roads) unpaved: 8,661 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 2 by type: passenger/cargo 2 registered in other countries: 37 (Antigua and Barbuda 12, Bahamas 1, Belize 2, Denmark 2, Faroe Islands 1, Gibraltar 1, Malta 5, Marshall Islands 3, Norway 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Reykjavik
Military Iceland
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Icelandic National Police (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 74,896 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 62,342 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 2,393 female: 2,317 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0% of GDP (2005 est.)
Military - note:
Iceland has no standing military force; under a 1951 bilateral agreement - still valid - its defense was provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik; however, all US military forces in Iceland were withdrawn as of October 2006; although wartime defense of Iceland remains a NATO commitment, in April 2007, Iceland and Norway signed a bilateral agreement providing for Norwegian aerial surveillance and defense of Icelandic airspace (2008)
Transnational Issues Iceland
Disputes - international:
Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@India
Introduction India
Background: