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ICELAND |
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Last Updated: Monday 7 March 2005 National anthem |
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First settled in 874 AD, Norwegian and Celtic Scot and Irish immigrants moved into the 103,000 sq. km. volcanic island during the late 9th and 10th centuries AD. After having been dominated over previous centuries by Norway and Denmark, Iceland became fully independent in 1944. Today the population is almost entirely Icelandic, a homogeneous mixture of descendants of ancient Norse and Celts. DNA tests have recently shown that 60% of Icelandic women have the genetic traits of Scotswomen, making proof of a much greater affinity than ever thought.
At 278,000, some 12% are domiciled in rural districts and 88% in towns and villages. Present-day Danes number about a 1,000 and Norwegians some 250. Reykjavik, the the northernmost capital in the world, has a population of 86,000. The national church is the Evangelical Lutheran with 93% adherence. There are also other Protestant and Roman Catholic communities.
Icelandic, or islenzka, a Germanic language of the Scandinavian family.
After the first settlers arrived in the 9th century AD, Iceland was an independent republic between 930 when the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing, was established, and 1264. After recognizing by the Old Treaty of 1263 the rule of the King of Norway, both Iceland and Norway came in 1381 under the rule of the kings of Denmark. Since the 1st December, 1918, Iceland was only united with Denmark through a common sovereign up to the referendum of the 24th May, 1944 when the people decided to sever all ties with the Danish Crown, abrogate the Union Act, and approve a Bill for a republican constitution. Iceland was proclaimed a republic on the 17th June, 1944, now kept as Independence Day.
The president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term. President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson was first elected on the 1st August, 1996 and has continued in office since June 2000 unopposed. Members to the unicameral 63-seat Althing serve four-year terms.David Oddsson, leader of the conservative Independence Party, is prime minister since April, 1991. He was elected to a fourth term of office on the 10th May, 2003 to become Europe’s longest standing Prime Minister. The May 2003 elections gave 22 seats to the conservative Independence Party, 12 to the liberal Progressive Party, 20 to the Social Alliance, 5 to the Left-Green coalition and 4 to the Liberals. For administrative purposes Iceland is divided into 23 provinces, or syslur, each sysla functioning under a chief executive, or syslumathur. The syslur are Arnessysla, Austur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Austur-Hunavatnssysla, Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Borgarfjardharsysla, Dalasysla, Eyjafjardharsysla, Gullbringusysla, Kjosarsysla, Myrasysla, Nordhur-Isafjardharsysla, Nordhur-Mulasys-la, Nordhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Rangarvallasysla, Skagafjardharsysla, Snaefellsnes-og Hnappadalssysla, Strandasysla, Sudhur-Mulasysla, Sudhur-Thingeyjarsysla, Vestur-Bardhastrandarsysla, Vestur-Hunavatnssysla, Vestur-Isafjardharsysla and Vestur-Skaftafellssysla. There are also 14 urban municipalities, or kaupstadhir, each kaupstadhur having a town council, independent of the provinces, and functioning as administrative districts in their own right and in co-ordination with the provinces. The kaupstadhir are Akranes, Akureyri, Hafnarfjordhur, Husavik, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Kopavogur, Neskaupstadhur, Olafsfjordhur, Reykjavik, Saudharkrokur, Seydhisfjordhur, Siglufjordhur and Vesttmannaeyjar. The national anthem is O Gud vors lands, Oh God of our lands. Words written by M. Jochumsson in 1874 and tune by S. Sveinbjornsson.Oh God of our lands Oh God of our lands, oh lands of our God, We worship Your holy, holy name. From the solar systems the heavens bind a wreath for You, They are your warriors, the assembly of the ages. One day is for You like a thousand years, And a thousand years, one day, nothing less, One small flower of eternity with a quivering tear, That prays to its God and dies.
Iceland's thousand years, Iceland's thousand years, One small flower of eternity with a quivering tear, That prays to its God and dies. icelandreview.com - English-language site with news |
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