Iceland: Forest Cover, 2005
| Total Land Area (ha) | 10,025,000 | | Total Forest Area (ha) | 46,000 | | Percent Forest Cover | 0.46% | | Primary Forest Cover (ha) | - | | Primary Forest, % total forest | 0.00% | | Primary Forest, % total land | 0.00% | | Other wooded land (ha) | 104,000 |
Iceland : Forest types
| Tropical (% forest area) | 0% | | Subtropical (% forest area) | 0% | | Temperate (% forest area) | 0% | | Boreal/polar (% forest area) | 100% |
Iceland: Breakdown of forest types, 2005
| Primary forest (ha | %) | - | 0.0% | | Modified natural (ha | %) | 17,000 | 37.0% | | Semi-natural (ha | %) | - | 0.0% | | Production plantation (ha | %) | 17,000 | 37.0% | | Production plantation (ha | %) | 12,000 | 26.1% |
Iceland: Change in Forest Cover
| TOTAL FOREST COVER | | Forest 1990 (ha) | 25,000 | | Forest 2000 (ha) | 38,000 | | Forest 2005 (ha) | 46,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | 1,300 | 5.20% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | 1,600 | 4.21% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | 21,000 | 84.00% | | Change in rate (%) | -19.03% | | PRIMARY FOREST COVER | | Primary 1990 (ha) | - | | Primary 2000 (ha) | - | | Primary 2005 (ha) | - | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | - | #DIV/0! | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | - | #DIV/0! | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | - | #DIV/0! | | Change in rate (%) | #DIV/0! | | OTHER WOODED LAND | | Other 1990 (ha) | 104,000 | | Other 2000 (ha) | 104,000 | | Other 2005 (ha) | 104,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | - | 0.00% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | - | 0.00% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | - | 0.00% | | Change in rate (%) | #DIV/0! | | PLANTATIONS | | Other 1990 (ha) | 8,000 | | Other 2000 (ha) | 21,000 | | Other 2005 (ha) | 29,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | 1,300 | 16.25% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | 1,600 | 7.62% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | 21,000 | 262.50% | | Change in rate (%) | -53.11% | TOTAL DEGRADATION/CONSERVSION
Forest area+Wooded Area-Plantations | | Other 1990 (ha) | 121,000 | | Other 2000 (ha) | 121,000 | | Other 2005 (ha) | 121,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | - | 0.00% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | - | 0.00% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | - | 0.00% | | Change in rate (%) | #DIV/0! |
Iceland: Primary
| Primary or "old-growth" vegetation | | Primary Forest 2005 (ha) | 0 | | Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) | 0 | | Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) | 0 | | Undisturbed vegetation 2005 (% land area) | 0.00% |
Iceland: Forest designation
| Ownership of forest land, 2000 | | Public (%) | 46.6% | | Private (%) | 53.2% | | Other (%) | 0.8% | | Ownership of other wooded land, 2000 | | Public (%) | 28.9% | | Private (%) | 69.0% | | Other (%) | 2.0% | | Designated functions of forest � primary function 2005 | | Production (%) | 19.8% | | Protection (%) | 10.4% | | Conservation (%) | 0.0% | | Social Services (%) | 14.8% | | Multiple Services (%) | 54.1% | | None of Unknown (%) | 0.0% |
Iceland: Disturbances affecting forest land 2000
| Forest Area annually affected by | | Fire (%) | 0.00% | | Insects (ha) | 0.00% | | Diseases (ha) | 0.00% | | Other (ha) | 0.00% |
Iceland: Protected areas
| Protected areas | | Biosphere reserves, 2005 | | Wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), 2005 | 3 | | World Heritage sites, 2004 | 0 | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories I-V, percent of total land | 4.7% | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories Ia, Ib, and II, extent, percent of total land | 1.72% | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories III, IV, and V, percent of total land, 2004 | 2.90% | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories VI and other, percent of total land, 2004 | 0.00% |
Iceland: Biodiversity - Wildlife
| Amphibians | | total species | 0 | | endemic species | | | threatened species | 0 | | Birds | | total species | 305 | | endemic species | 1 | | threatened species | 0 | | Mammals | | total species | 0 | | endemic species | 0 | | threatened species | 7 | | Reptiles | | total species | 0 | | endemic species | 0 | | threatened species | 0 | | Wildlife diversity | | total species | 305 | | endemic species | 1 | | threatened species | 7 |
Iceland: Biodiversity - Plants
| Growing stock composition | 3 most common species
% of total growing stock | 87.40% | | Growing stock composition | 3 most common species
% of total growing stock | 95.40% | | Number of Native tree species | | | Native tree species | 3 | | Number of tree species in IUCN red list | | Critically Endangered | | 0 | | Endangered | 0 | | Vulnerable | 0 | | Vascular Plant Species, 2004 | | Total | | | Number endemic | 1 | | Number of Threatened Plant Species, 2004 | | Species threatened | 0 |
Iceland: Value of forests
| Biomass stock in forest, 2005 | | Above-ground biomass (M t) | 3 | | Below-ground biomass (M t) | n.s. | | Dead wood (M t) | n.s. | | Total (M t) | 3 | | Carbon stock in forest, 2005 | | Carbon in above-ground biomass (M t) | 1 | | Carbon in below-ground biomass (M t) | n.s. | | Carbon in dead wood (M t) | n.s. | | Carbon in litter (M t) | n.s. | | Soil carbon (M t) | 4 | | Change in growing stock 1990 - 2005 | | Annual change rate (1000 cubic m/yr) | | 1990-2000 | 40 | | 2000-2005 | 60 | | Growing stock per hectare 1990 - 2005 | | Annual change rate ( cubic m/ha per yr) | | 1990-2000 | -2.09 | | 2000-2005 | -1.17 | | Wood removal 2005 | | Industrial roundwood (1000 cubic m) | n.s. | | Wood fuel (1000 cubic m) | n.s. | | Total wood removal 2005 (1000 cubic m) | n.s. | | Total wood removal 2005 (% of growing stock) | n.s. | | Plant products 2005 | | Food (t) | - | | Fodder (t) | 0 | | Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) | - | | Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) | - | | Raw material for utensils, handicrafts & construction (t) | - | | Ornamental plants (t) | 92 | | Exudates (t) | 0 | | Other plant products (t) | 0 | | Animal products 2005 | | Living animals (units) | 0 | | Hides, skins and trophies (units) | 0 | | Wild honey and bee-wax (t) | 0 | | Bush meat (t) | 0 | | Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) | 0 | | Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) | 0 | | Other edible animal products (t) | 0 | | Other non-edible animal products (t) | 0 | | Value of wood and non-wood forest product removal 2005 | | Industrial roundwood (US$) | $101,000 | | Wood fuel (US$) | $53,000 | | Non-wood forest products (US$) | $300,000 | | Total value (US$) | $454,000 | | Total value ($USD/ha) | $10 | | Employment in forestry 2000 | | Total people employed | n.s. |
Iceland : Production, trade and consumption of forest products, 2002
| Woodfuel ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | 0 | | Imports | 0 | | Exports | 0 | | Consumption | 0 | | Industrial roundwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | 0 | | Imports | 0 | | Exports | 0 | | Consumption | 0 | | Sawnwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | 0 | | Imports | 71 | | Exports | 0 | | Consumption | 71 | | Wood-based panels ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | 0 | | Imports | 27 | | Exports | 0 | | Consumption | 27 | | Pulp for paper ('000 metric tons), 2002 | | Production | 0 | | Imports | 0 | | Exports | 0 | | Consumption | 0 | | Paper and paperboard ('000 metric tons), 2002 | | Production | 0 | | Imports | 32 | | Exports | 0 | | Consumption | 32 |
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Iceland: Environment
| Environment - current issues | water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment | | Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation | | Natural hazards | earthquakes and volcanic activity |
Iceland: Land use / Resources
| Land use (%) | arable land: 0.07%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.93% (2001) | | Natural resources | fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite |
Iceland: Economy
| Economy - overview: | 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 8% 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 budget and current account deficits, limiting foreign borrowing, containing inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, diversifying the economy, and privatizing state-owned industries. 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. | | GDP - per capita | $34,600 (2005 est.) | | GDP - real growth rate (%) | 5.9% (2005 est.) | | Agriculture - products | potatoes, green vegetables, mutton, dairy products, fish | | GDP - composition by sector (%) | agriculture: 11.8%, industry: 22.3%, services: 65.9% (2005 est.) | | Industries | fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production, geothermal power; tourism | | Population below poverty line (%) | NA | | Debt - external | $3.073 billion (2002) | | Labor force - by occupation (%) | agriculture, fishing and fish processing 10.3%, industry 18.3%, services 71.4% (2003) |
Iceland: Population / Demographics
| Population (July 2005) | 296,737 | | Population growth rate (%) (2005) | 0.91% | | Population density (people/sq km) (2005) | 3.0 | | Percent rural (2003) | 7.2% | | Median age (years) | total: 34 years | | Total fertility rate (children born/woman) | 1.92 (2005 est.) | | Ethnic groups (%) | homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6% |
Largest Cities in Iceland
Cities and urban areas in Iceland with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002.
| City | Country | City Population | Urban Area Population |
| Reykjav�k | Iceland | 114200 | 114200 |
 Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005) and the State of the World�s Forests (2005, 2003, 2001)
Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com
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