Iceland

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Iceland (Icelandic: Ísland) is an island country in the northern Atlantic Ocean. It has an area of 103,000 km² and a population of 304,000[1]. Thus the country is very sparsely populated, with a population density of 2.9/km². Its capital is Reykjavík, which has a population of 116,000. Most people in Iceland, about 84%, belong to the State Lutheran Church. Iceland's currency is the Icelandic króna.

Iceland has been independent since 1918 and a republic since 1944, when the current constitution was established. Its parliament, the Althingi, has 63 members. They are elected for four years. The Head of State is the Prime Minister, who is directly elected every four years by all citizens who are 18 or over.

Prominent features of Iceland's landscape are the glaciers and geysers. Covering 8% of the country, the Vatnajökull is the largest glacier in Iceland.

References

  1. As of July 2006.