Iceland - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Iceland, it was Floki VILGERDARSON, an early Norse explorer of the island (9th century), applied the name "Land of Ice" after spotting a fjord full of drift ice to the north and spending a bitter winter on the island; he eventually settled on the island, however, after he saw how it greened up in the summer and that it was, in fact, habitable. The Government system in this country is the unitary parliamentary republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 64 municipalities (sveitarfelog, singular - sveitarfelagidh); Akranes, Akureyri, Arneshreppur, Asahreppur, Blaskogabyggdh, Bolungarvik, Borgarbyggdh, Dalabyggdh, Dalvikurbyggdh, Eyjafjardharsveit, Eyja-og Miklaholtshreppur, Fjallabyggdh, Fjardhabyggdh, Fljotsdalshreppur, Floahreppur, Gardhabaer, Grimsnes-og Grafningshreppur, Grindavikurbaer, Grundarfjardharbaer, Grytubakkahreppur, Hafnarfjordhur, Horgarsveit, Hrunamannahreppur, Hunathing Vestra, Hunabyggdh, Hvalfjardharsveit, Hveragerdhi, Isafjardharbaer, Kaldrananeshreppur, Kjosarhreppur, Kopavogur, Langanesbyggdh, Mosfellsbaer, Mulathing, Myrdalshreppur, Nordhurthing, Rangarthing Eystra, Rangarthing Ytra, Reykholahreppur, Reykjanesbaer, Reykjavik, Seltjarnarnes, Skaftarhreppur, Skagabyggdh, Skagafjordhur, Skeidha-og Gnupverjahreppur, Skorradalshreppur, Snaefellsbaer, Strandabyggdh, Stykkisholmur, Sudhavikurhreppur, Sudhurnesjabaer, Svalbardhsstrandarhreppur, Sveitarfelagidh Arborg, Sveitarfelagidh Hornafjordhur, Sveitarfelagidh Olfus, Sveitarfelagidh Skagastrond, Sveitarfelagidh Vogar, Talknafjardharhreppur, Thingeyjarsveit, Tjorneshreppur, Vestmannaeyjar, Vesturbyggdh, Vopnafjardharhreppur
National symbols

Gyrfalcon; national colors: blue, white, red.

The flag
The National flag of Iceland has 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); the colors represent three of the elements that make up the island: red is for the island's volcanic fires, white recalls the snow and ice fields of the island, and blue is for the surrounding ocean.
The National Anthem
Title "Lofsongur" (Song of Praise)
Lyric/music Matthias JOCHUMSSON/Sveinbjorn SVEINBJORNSSON
More about the government of Iceland
Date of Independence 1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark; birthday of Jon SIGURDSSON, leader of Iceland's 19th Century independence movement)
National holiday Independence Day, 17 June (1944)
Legal system civil law system influenced by the Danish model
International law organization participation has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Constitution
History Several previous; latest ratified 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944 (at independence)
Amendments Proposed by the Althingi; passage requires approval by the Althingi and by the next elected Althingi, and confirmation by the president of the republic; proposed amendments to Article 62 of the constitution – that the Evangelical Lutheran Church shall be the state church of Iceland – also require passage by referendum; amended many times, last in 2013
Citizenship
Citizenship by birth no
Citizenship by descent only at least one parent must be a citizen of Iceland
Dual citizenship recognized yes
Residency requirement for naturalization 3 to 7 years
Executive Branch
Chief of state President Halla TOMASDOTTIR (since 1 August 2024)
Head of government Prime Minister Bjarni BENEDIKTSSON (since 9 April 2024)
Cabinet Cabinet appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the prime minister
Elections/appointments president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 4-year term (no term limits); election last held on 1 June 2024 (next to be held in June 2028); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition becomes prime minister
Election results
2024:
percent of vote - Halla TOMASDOTTIR (independent) 34.1%, Katrin JAKOBSDOTTIR (Left-Green Movement) 25.2%, Halla Hrund LOGADOTTIR (independent) 15.7%, Jon GNARR (Social Democratic Alliance) 10.1%, Baldur PORHALLSSON (independent) 8.4%, other 6.5%

2020:
Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON reelected president; percent of vote - Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON (independent) 92.2%, Gudmundur Franklin JONSSON (independent) 7.8%

2016: Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON elected president; Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON (independent) 39.1%, Halla TOMASDOTTIR (independent) 27.9%, Andri Snær MAGNASON (Democracy Movement) 14.3%, David ODDSSON (independent) 13.7%, other 5%
Legislative branch
Description Unicameral Althingi or Parliament (63 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed-list proportional representation vote using the D'Hondt method; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections Last held on 30 November 2024 (next to be held by 30 November 2028)
Election results Seats by party - SDA 15, IP 14, Reform Party 11, People's Party 10, CP 8, PP 5; composition - men 34, women 29; percentage women 46%
Judicial branch
Highest court(s) Supreme Court or Haestirettur (consists of 7 judges)
Judge selection and term of office Judges proposed by Ministry of Interior selection committee and appointed by the president; judges appointed for an indefinite period
Subordinate courts Appellate Court or Landsrettur; 8 district courts; Labor Court
Diplomatic representation in the US
Chief of mission Ambassador Svanhildur Hólm VALSDÓTTIR (since 18 September 2024)
Chancery House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW, #509, Washington, DC 20007
Telephone [1] (202) 265-6653
FAX [1] (202) 265-6656
Email address and website
[email protected]

https://www.government.is/diplomatic-missions/embassy-of-iceland-in-washington-d.c/
Diplomatic representation from the US
Chief of mission Ambassador Carrin F. PATMAN (since 6 October 2022)
Embassy Engjateigur 7, 105 Reykjavik
Mailing address 5640 Reykjavik Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-5640
Telephone [354] 595-2200
FAX [354] 562-9118
Email address and website
[email protected]

https://is.usembassy.gov/
National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites 3 (1 cultural, 2 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales Thingvellir National Park (c); Surtsey (n); Vatnajökull National Park - Dynamic Nature of Fire and Ice (n)
Key Political parties and their leaders in Iceland
  • International organization participation
  • Arctic Council
  • Australia Group
  • BIS
  • CBSS
  • CD
  • CE
  • EAPC
  • EBRD
  • EFTA
  • FAO
  • FATF
  • IAEA
  • IBRD
  • ICAO
  • ICC (national committees)
  • ICCt
  • ICRM
  • IDA
  • IFAD
  • IFC
  • IFRCS
  • IHO
  • ILO
  • IMF
  • IMO
  • IMSO
  • Interpol
  • IOC
  • IOM
  • IPU
  • ISO
  • ITSO
  • ITU
  • ITUC (NGOs)
  • MIGA
  • NATO
  • NC
  • NEA
  • NIB
  • NSG
  • OAS (observer)
  • OECD
  • OPCW
  • OSCE
  • PCA
  • Schengen Convention
  • UN
  • UNCTAD
  • UNESCO
  • UPU
  • WCO
  • WHO
  • WIPO
  • WMO
  • WTO
  • All Important Facts about Iceland

    Want to know more about Iceland? Check all different factbooks for Iceland below.

    Iceland is found in Northern Europe