d over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.22 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.96 years
male: 76.85 years
female: 81.19 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.03 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Icelander(s)
adjective: Icelandic

Ethnic groups: homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norwegians
and Celts

Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 96%, other Protestant and Roman
Catholic 3%, none 1% (1988)

Languages: Icelandic

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% (1976 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
conventional short form: Iceland
local long form: Lyoveldio Island
local short form: Island

Data code: IC

Government type: constitutional republic

Capital: Reykjavik

Administrative divisions: 23 counties (syslar, singular--sysla)
and 14 independent towns* (kaupstadhir, singular--kaupstadhur);
Akranes*, Akureyri*, Arnessysla, Austur-Bardhastrandarsysla,
Austur-Hunavatnssysla, Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Borgarfjardharsysla,
Dalasysla, Eyjafjardharsysla, Gullbringusysla, Hafnarfjordhur*,
Husavik*, Isafjordhur*, Keflavik*, Kjosarsysla, Kopavogur*,
Myrasysla, Neskaupstadhur*, Nordhur-Isafjardharsysla,
Nordhur-Mulasys-la, Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Olafsfjordhur*,
Rangarvallasysla, Reykjavik*, Saudharkrokur*, Seydhisfjordhur*,
Siglufjordhur*, Skagafjardharsysla, Snaefellsnes-og Hnappadalssysla,
Strandasysla, Sudhur-Mulasysla, Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla,
Vesttmannaeyjar*, Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Vestur-Hunavatnssysla,
Vestur-Isafjardharsysla, Vestur-Skaftafellssysla

Independence: 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Establishment of the
Republic, 17 June (1944)

Constitution: 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944

Legal system: civil law system based on Danish law; does not
accept 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 David ODDSSON (since 30 April
1991)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 29 June 1996 (next to be