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mb-2'><small><span class='breadcrumb-item'><a href='/about/'>Organization</a></span><span class='breadcrumb-item'><a href='/about/states/'>Arctic States</a></span></small></nav><h1>Iceland</h1></div></div><div class='submenu bg-light' id='submenu'><h5><a href='/about/states/'>Arctic States</a></h5><div class='py-1'><a href='/about/states/canada/' class=''>Canada</a></div><div class='py-1'><a href='/about/states/denmark/' class=''>The Kingdom of Denmark</a></div><div class='py-1'><a href='/about/states/finland/' class=''>Finland</a></div><div class='py-1'><a href='/about/states/iceland/' class='current'>Iceland</a></div><div class='py-1'><a href='/about/states/norway/' class=''>Norway</a></div><div class='py-1'><a href='/about/states/russian-federation/' class=''>The Russian Federation</a></div><div class='py-1'><a href='/about/states/sweden/' class=''>Sweden</a></div><div class='py-1'><a href='/about/states/the-united-states/' class=''>The United States</a></div></div> <section class='container'> <div class='container border-bottom pb-3 textblock'> <div class='lead'></div> <h3>Quick Facts</h3> <p><strong>Arctic Territory: </strong><br /> All of Iceland</p> <p><strong>Arctic Population: </strong><br /> 365,000</p> </div> </section> <section class='block block_text bg-transparent'> <div class='container'> <div class='row justify-content-center'><div class='col-md'><div class='bg-transparent depth-1'> <div class='textblock'><h2>Iceland and the Arctic Region</h2> <p>Iceland is an Arctic State where the Arctic Circle passes through its northernmost community, Grimsey Island, 40 kilometers off the north coast of Iceland. Iceland has approximately 365,000 inhabitants.</p> <p>Iceland’s key industries have been largely based on the sustainable utilization of natural marine and energy resources. The country has the highest share of renewable energy in any national total energy budget, with about 85 percent of the total primary energy supply derived from domestically produced renewable energy sources and geothermal water is used to heat around 90 percent of Icelandic homes. In recent years, tourism has become a key pillar of the Icelandic economy and growing emphasis has been placed on innovation and the creative sector.</p> <h3>Indigenous Peoples</h3> <p>Iceland is the only Arctic State that does not have an Indigenous population. From the start of settlements in the ninth century AD to today, Iceland inhabitants have mostly come from Northern Europe.</p> <h2>Iceland in the Arctic Council</h2> <p>Iceland held its first Chairmanship from 2002-2004. Throughout its first Chairmanship, Iceland’s priorities included:</p> <ul> <li>Arctic human development</li> <li>The use of information and telecommunication technology in the Arctic</li> <li>Strengthening cooperation on Arctic research</li> </ul> <p>Throughout its current chairmanship, Iceland’s priorities include:</p> <ul> <li>The Arctic marine environment, including plastics, micro-plastics and marine litter, the blue bioeconomy and sustainable shipping</li> <li>Climate and green energy solutions to reduce emissions and improve air quality</li> <li>People and communities of the Arctic, including economic opportunities, telecommunications and gender equality</li> <li>Strengthening the Arctic Council through constructive cooperation</li> </ul> <h3>Key accomplishments include:</h3> <ul> <li>Under Iceland’s lead, the Arctic Human Development Report (AHDR) was approved by Ministers at the Inari-meeting in 2002 as a priority project, forming an integral part of its Chairmanship program. The report was an effort to strengthen the cultural, social and economic dimensions of the work of the Arctic Council. The report represents the first comprehensive attempt to document and compare systematically the welfare of Arctic residents on a circumpolar basis.</li> <li>In order to make better use of financial and other resources allocated to Arctic research, the Icelandic Chairmanship emphasized the strengthened relationship and cooperation among parties involved in Arctic research. The increased involvement of science and education authorities, as well as Arctic residents, in such cooperation was considered instrumental to its success.</li> <li>Resulting from the work of the Arctic Council Project Support Fund Expert Group, Arctic Ministers requested at the Reykjavik Ministerial meeting in 2004 that Senior Arctic Officials establish an Arctic Council Project Support Instrument (PSI) that should focus on funding activities aimed at preventing and mitigating pollution in the Arctic, and develop a set of guidelines for the Instrument in close cooperation with the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO) and the Arctic Council’s Arctic Contaminants Action Program (ACAP) Working Group.</li> </ul> <p>Iceland is committed to the principle of sustainable development and recognizes the necessity of close cooperation between the States and peoples of the region and beyond. Iceland will hold its third Chairmanship in 2035-2037.</p></div> </div></div><div class='col-md-3'> <div class='mb-3 p-4'> <img src='/site/assets/files/2921/flags-yellowknife-2014.360x360.jpg' alt='Bergdís Ellertsdóttir' loading='lazy' class='img-fluid mb-3 rounded-circle'> <h5>Bergdís Ellertsdóttir</h5> <em>Senior Arctic Official; Ambassador</em> <p class='small'><p><strong>Contact for press inquiries</strong></p> <p>Ægir Þór Eysteinsson<br /> Press Officer<br /> Ministry for Foreign Affairs<br /> Við Austurhöfn, 101 Reykjavík<br /> +354 545 9974</p></p><div><a href='http://twitter.com/IcelandArctic'><i class='bi bi-twitter'></i> IcelandArctic</a></div> </div></div></div></div></section><section class='block block_break bg-transparent'> <div class='container'><div class='w-100'></div></div></section><section class='block block_text bg-transparent'> <div class='container'> <div class='row justify-content-center'><div class='col-md'><div class='bg-transparent depth-1'> <div class='textblock'><h3>Chairmanships</h3> <p><strong>2019-2021</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://oaarchive.arctic-council.org/handle/11374/2600">2021 Reykjavik declaration</a></li> <li><a href="https://oaarchive.arctic-council.org/handle/11374/2586">2021 Reykjavik Ministerial documents</a></li> <li><a href="https://oaarchive.arctic-council.org/handle/11374/2425">SAO meeting documents</a></li> <li><a href="https://oaarchive.arctic-council.org/handle/11374/2456">Chairmanship program</a></li> </ul> <p><strong>2002-2004</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="http://hdl.handle.net/11374/89">2004 Reykjavik declaration</a></li> <li><a href="https://oaarchive.arctic-council.org/handle/11374/1560">2004 Reykjavik Ministerial documents</a></li> <li><a href="https://oaarchive.arctic-council.org/handle/11374/296">SAO meeting documents</a></li> </ul></div> </div></div><div class='col-md'><div class='bg-transparent depth-1'> <div class='textblock'><h3>Learn more</h3> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.government.is/media/utanrikisraduneyti-media/media/nordurlandaskrifstofa/A-Parliamentary-Resolution-on-ICE-Arctic-Policy-approved-by-Althingi.pdf">Iceland’s Arctic Policy </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.mfa.is/">Ministry for Foreign Affairs </a></li> <li><a href="http://eng.umhverfisraduneyti.is/">Ministry for the Environment </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.svs.is/en/">Stefansson Arctic Institute </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.ust.is/the-environment-agency-of-iceland/">Environment Agency of Iceland </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.lhg.is/english">Icelandic Coast Guard </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.rannis.is/english">The Icelandic Centre for Research (RANNIS) </a></li> <li><a href="http://en.vedur.is/">Metrological Institute </a></li> </ul></div> </div></div></div></div></section><section class='block block_news bg-transparent'> <div class='container'><h3>Related news</h3><div class='row mb-5 '> <div class='col-md-4 pr-2'><a 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justify-content-center'><div class='col-md'><div class='bg-transparent depth-1'> <div class='textblock'><h5><a href="https://oaarchive.arctic-council.org/">Key documents</a></h5> <p><a href="http://hdl.handle.net/11374/1916">Agreement on Enhancing International Arctic Scientific Cooperation (2017)</a></p> <p><a href="http://hdl.handle.net/11374/529">Agreement on Cooperation on Marine Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response in the Arctic (2013)</a></p> <p><a href="http://hdl.handle.net/11374/531">Agreement on Cooperation on Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue in the Arctic (2011)</a></p> <p><a href="http://hdl.handle.net/11374/85">Ottawa Declaration (1996)</a></p></div> </div></div><div class='col-md'><div class='bg-transparent p-4 depth1'> <div class=''></div> <div class='listContainer list-about plain'><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/about/states/'>Arctic States</a> <p class='list-summary'>The eight Arctic states are permanent members of the Arctic Council.</p> </div> </div><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/about/permanent-participants/'>Permanent Participants</a> <p class='list-summary'>Out of a total of 4 million inhabitants of the Arctic, approximately 500,000 belong to Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Peoples’ organizations have been granted Permanent Participants status in the Arctic Council.</p> </div> </div><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/about/working-groups/'>Working Groups</a> <p class='list-summary'>The Council's activities are conducted in six Working Groups.</p> </div> </div><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/about/task-expert/'>Task forces and expert groups</a> </div> </div><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/about/observers/'>Observers</a> </div> </div><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/about/secretariat/'>Arctic Council Secretariat</a> <p class='list-summary'>The Arctic Council Secretariat (ACS) supports the Chair of the Arctic Council.</p> </div> </div><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/about/indigenous-peoples-secretariat/'>Indigenous Peoples' Secretariat</a> <p class='list-summary'>The Indigenous Peoples' Secretariat (IPS) provides support for the Permanent Participants, the groups representing Arctic Indigenous Peoples in the Arctic Council.</p> </div> </div><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/about/norway-chair-2/'>Norway's Chairship, 2023-2025</a> <p class='list-summary'>Stability and constructive cooperation in the Arctic</p> </div> </div><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/about/previous-chairmanships/'>All Chairmanships</a> <p class='list-summary'>All Arctic Council Chairmanships, meetings and documents.</p> </div> </div><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/about/timeline/'>History</a> <p class='list-summary'>The Arctic Council turned 25 in 2021! Learn more with this timeline of our history.</p> </div> </div><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/about/jobs/'>Jobs</a> </div> </div></div> </div></div><div class='col-md'><div class='bg-transparent p-4 depth1'> <div class=''></div> <div class='listContainer list-work plain'><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/explore/work/cooperation/'>Agreements and cooperation</a> <p class='list-summary'>The establishment of the Arctic Council was considered an important milestone enhancing cooperation in the circumpolar North. In the Ottawa Declaration, the eight Arctic States established the Council as a high-level forum to provide means for promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic States – including the full consultation and full involvement of Arctic Indigenous communities and other Arctic inhabitants.</p> </div> </div><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/explore/work/arctic-knowledge/'>Data and knowledge</a> <p class='list-summary'>At any given time the Council’s subsidiary bodies – the Working and Expert Groups – are engaged in close to 100 projects and initiatives.</p> </div> </div><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/explore/work/monitoring/'>Monitoring</a> <p class='list-summary'>As the Arctic continues to experience a period of intense and accelerating change it has become increasingly important to have better information on the status and trends of the Arctic environment.</p> </div> </div><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/explore/work/assessments/'>Assessments</a> <p class='list-summary'>Through the ever-growing body of assessments produced by its six Working Groups, the Arctic Council serves as knowledge broker and global advocate for Arctic topics. The Working Groups’ assessments have been instrumental in bringing Arctic issues to a global arena through policy recommendations and international cooperation.</p> </div> </div><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/explore/work/policy-recommendations/'>Recommendations</a> <p class='list-summary'>The strong knowledge base produced by the Arctic Council’s Working Groups and other subsidiary bodies feeds into recommendations for informed decision-making.</p> </div> </div></div> </div></div><div class='col-md'><div class='bg-transparent p-4 depth1'> <div class=''></div> <div class='listContainer list-topics plain'><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/explore/topics/arctic-peoples/'>Arctic Peoples</a> <p class='list-summary'>The Arctic is home to almost four million people today – Indigenous people, more recent arrivals, hunters and herders living on the land, and city dwellers.</p> </div> </div><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/explore/topics/biodiversity/'>Biodiversity</a> <p class='list-summary'>The Arctic is home to more than 21,000 known species of highly cold-adapted mammals, birds, fish, invertebrates, plants and fungi and microbes.</p> </div> </div><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/explore/topics/climate/'>Climate</a> <p class='list-summary'>The temperatures in the Arctic continue to rise at three times the global annual average.</p> </div> </div><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/explore/topics/ocean/'>Ocean</a> <p class='list-summary'>The Arctic States hold a responsibility to safeguard the future development of the region and to develop models for stewardship of the marine environment.</p> </div> </div><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/explore/topics/pollutants/'>Pollutants</a> <p class='list-summary'>The Arctic environment carries the traces of human-induced pollution – from soot to plastics, from methane to pesticides.</p> </div> </div><div class='listItem'><div class='list-text'> <a href='/explore/topics/emergency/'>Emergencies</a> <p class='list-summary'>Harsh conditions and limited infrastructure in much of the Arctic increase risks and impacts and hinder response activities.</p> </div> </div></div> </div></div></div></div></section><section class='block block_code bg-transparent'> <div class='container'><div class="text-center"> <small> © <script type="text/javascript">document.write(new Date().getFullYear());</script> Arctic Council Secretariat | <a href="/privacy-policy/">Privacy policy and disclaimers</a> </small> </div></div></section> </footer>  <div class="bg-secondary p-3 cookie-banner" style="display: none"> We use cookies to save your language preference and better understand how visitors use the site. 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