Conventional Long Form Name of Country: Republic of Iceland Capital City: Reykjavik Type of Government: Parliamentary republic Date of Independence: June 17th, 1944 National Holiday: Independence Day (June 17th) Chief of State: President Gudni Thorlacius Johannesson Head of Government: Prime Minister Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson Description of Executive Branch/Powers: President directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 4-year term (no term limits); election last held on 25 June 2016 (next to be held in June 2020); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition becomes prime minister Description of Legislative Branch/Powers: Unicameral Althingi or Parliament (63 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) Description of Judicial Branch/Powers: Highest court is Supreme Court or Haestirettur (consists of 9 judges); judges proposed by Ministry of Interior selection committee and appointed by the president; judges appointed for an indefinite period Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Ambassador to the U.S.: Ambassador Geir Hilmar HAARDE Location of Their Embassy to the U.S.: House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW (Washington D.C.) Locations of Their Consulates in the U.S.: New York City Name of U.S. Ambassador to the Them: Ambassador Robert C. BARBER Location of U.S. Embassy: Reykjavik Location of U.S. Consulate There: Reykjavik Name of UN Representative: Einar Gunnarsson Description of the Symbolism of Their Flag: 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 National Symbols: Gyrfalcon; national colors: blue, white, red Descriptions of International Disputes: Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; the European Free Trade Association Surveillance Authority filed a suit against Iceland, claiming the country violated the Agreement on the European Economic Area in failing to pay minimum compensation to Icesave depositors Quantity of Refugees Inside of Country and Countries of Origin of Refugees: N/A Quantity of Internally Displaced Persons: N/A Quantity of Stateless Persons: 131 Description of Current Human Trafficking Issues: N/A Description of Illicit Drug Trafficking/Use: N/A
Chief of State: President Gudni Thorlacius Johannesson
Head of Government: Prime Minister Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson