David Oddsson
Prime Minister

(pronounced "DA-vid ODD-suhn")

"A nation can have a common sense of self-confidence, just like its common credit worthiness: it can act in completed certainty that it will fare well if it has educated itself and matured and made a devoted effort."

The Republic of Iceland occupies an island in the North Atlantic, just touching the Arctic Circle. To the northwest is Greenland, to the east is Norway and to the south is the United Kingdom. Iceland covers an area of 103,000 sq km (39,679 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 279,384 in 2002. About 79% of the land area in Iceland consists of glaciers, lakes, a mountainous lava desert and other wasteland. The per capita gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated to be US$27,100 in 2002. The Icelandic unit of currency is the krona (plural: kronur). Icelandic is the primary language, although...