Cruising to 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

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

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)

Economy

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 4% 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. 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. Growth had been remarkably steady in 1996-2001 at 3%-5%, but could not be sustained in 2002 in an environment of global recession. Growth resumed in 2003, and estimates call for strong growth until 2007, slowly dropping until the end of the decade.

Transportation

Airports: 97 (2005)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 5
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 92
Roadways: total: 13,028 km
paved/oiled gravel: 4,343 km
unpaved: 8,685 km (2005)

Merchant marine

Total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,479 GRT/1,296 DWT
By type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1
Registered in other countries: 30 (Antigua and Barbuda 7, Belize 1, Denmark 1, Faroe Islands 3, Gibraltar 1, Malta 4, Norway 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 10) (2005)

Sailing Specifics: Ports and terminals

Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Hornafjordhur, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur

Disputes

Iceland disputes Denmark's alignment of the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

Other Sailing Destinations in the Region

Arctic Ocean - Bermuda - Spain and Canary Islands - Cape Verde Islands - Faeroes Islands - France - Greenland - Iceland - Ireland - Portugal, the Azores and Madeira - United Kingdom

Further Reading

Back to "vacations"

 


sailingahead.com