Colin deM

Iceland was first occupied 874 by Norse settlers, who founded a republic and a parliament 930. In 1000 the inhabitants adopted Christianity and about 1263 submitted to the authority of the king of Norway. In 1380 Norway, and with it Iceland, came under Danish rule. Iceland remained attached to Denmark after Norway became independent 1814. From 1918 it was independent but still recognized the Danish monarch. During World War II Iceland was occupied by British and US forces and voted in a referendum for complete independence 1944.

After independence In 1949 Iceland joined NATO and the Council of Europe , and in 1953 the Nordic Council. Since independence it has been governed by coalitions of the leading parties, sometimes right- and sometimes left-wing groupings, but mostly moderate. The centre and right-of-centre parties are the Independents and Social Democrats, while those to the left are the Progressives and the People's Alliance. More recent additions have been the Social Democratic Alliance and the Women's Alliance.

Most of Iceland's external problems have been connected with the overfishing of the waters around its coasts. Domestically governments have been faced with the recurring problem of inflation. In 1985 the Althing unanimously declared the country a nuclear-free zone, banning the entry of all nuclear weapons.

The 1987 elections ended control of the Althing by the Independence and Progressive parties, giving more influence to the minor parties, including the Women's Alliance, which doubled its seat tally. In June 1988 Vigdis Finnbogadottir was reelected president for a third four-year term with 92.7% of the vote. Steingrimur Hermannsson became prime minister. Following a general election April 1991, he was replaced by David Oddsson, who led a new centre-right coalition of the Independence Party and the Social Democratic Party. Oddsson's coalition was re-elected 1995.

In 1992 Iceland announced its defiance of a worldwide ban on whaling in order to resume its own whaling industry.

The 1944 constitution provides for a president, as head of state, and a legislature, the 60-member Althing, both elected by universal suffrage for a four-year term. Voting is by a system of proportional representation that ensures, as nearly as possible, equality between the proportions of the votes cast and seats won. Once elected, the Althing divides into an upper house of 21 members and a lower house of 40. The upper-house members are chosen by the Althing itself, and the remainder of 40 automatically constitute the lower house. Members may speak in either house but vote only in the one for which they have been chosen. Legislation must pass through three stages in each house before being submitted to the president for ratification. On some occasions the Althing sits as a single house. The president appoints the prime minister and cabinet on the basis of parliamentary support, and they are collectively responsible to the Althing.

Capital (from 1918) and chief port of Iceland, on the SW coast; population (1992) 100,850. Fish processing is the main industry. Reykjavik is heated by underground mains fed by volcanic springs. It was a seat of Danish administration 1801-1918.

The log entries are produced from messages sent by both Clipper yachts via their InmarsatC using BT satellite services. They are compiled either by Colin de Mowbray or David Cullen and the intention is to have them published by 1000BST daily

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