Iceland - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Iceland, it was Floki VILGERDARSON, an early Norse explorer of the island in the 10th century, applied the name "Land of Ice," from the local words ís (ice) and land (land). 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.
The flag
The National flag of Iceland has .
Info
The National Anthem
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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) |
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| 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) |
| Amendment process | 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 |
| 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 Kristrun FROSTADOTTIR (since 21 December 2024) |
| Cabinet | Cabinet appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the prime minister |
| Election/appointment process | president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 4-year term (no term limits); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition becomes prime minister |
| Most recent election date | 1 June 2024 |
| Election results | 2024: Halla TOMASDOTTIR elected president; 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% |
| Expected date of next election | June 2028 |
| Legislative branch | |
| Legislature name | Parliament (Althingi) |
| Legislative structure | Unicameral |
| Number of seats | 63 (all directly elected) |
| Electoral system | Proportional representation |
| Scope of elections | Full renewal |
| Term in office | 4 years |
| Most recent election date | 11/30/2024 |
| Parties elected and seats per party | Social Democratic Alliance (S) (15); Independence Party (D) (14); Liberal Reform Party (C) (11); People’s Party (F) (10); Center Party (M) (8); Progressive Party (B) (5) |
| Percentage of women in chamber | 46% |
| Expected date of next election | November 2028 |
| 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 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 (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Erin SAWYER (since January 2025) |
| 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
Info
International organization participation
All Important Facts about Iceland
Want to know more about Iceland? Check all different factbooks for Iceland below.
