New Iceland

The Republic of Iceland, simply known as New Iceland, or more commonly Iceland, is a small island nation located in the Atlantic Ocean. New Iceland is the reestablishment of pre-2006 Iceland, which collapsed in 2006 alongside all other world nations.

January 2006
In January 2006, all the governments of the world mysteriously collapsed and the planet went into anarchy. Following the collapse, many micro-nations began to form throughout Earth and alliances began to bind groups of these nations.

New Iceland
In July 2008, the Republic of Iceland reformed under the name of New Iceland, though it commonly was called Iceland as it always had been. Two days after its re-founding, the nation joined the North Atlantic Defense Coalition.

Politics
Iceland is a representative democracy and parliamentary republic. The nation's parliament is the Alþingi, which is one of the parliamentary institutions in the world. The parliament has sixty-three members which are elected every four years. The President is largely a ceremonial figure that serves as a diplomat, though he does have the power to block a law passed by the parliament and put it to a national referendum. Iceland's head of government is the Prime Minister, who, alongside the cabinet, takes care of the executive part of the government. Following general elections, the President appoints people to the cabinet. Elections for town councils, parliament, and the presidency are held every four years. The nation has a Supreme Court (Hæstiréttur) which has justices appointed for life by the President and district courts.

The Cabinet consists of the following:


 * Prime Minister's Office
 * Ministry of Business Affairs
 * Ministry of Communications
 * Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture
 * Ministry for the Environment
 * Ministry of Finance
 * Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture
 * Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 * Ministry of Health
 * Ministry of Industry
 * Ministry of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs
 * Ministry of Social Affairs

Political Parties

 * Independence Party
 * Left-Green Movement
 * Liberal Party
 * Progressive Party
 * Social Democratic Alliance

Parliament

 * Independence Party, 25 Seats
 * Social Democratic Alliance, 18 Seats
 * Left-Green Movement, 9 Seats
 * Progressive Party, 7 Seats
 * Liberal Party, 4 Seats

President and Cabinet

 * President - Kristófer Ágústsson (IP)
 * Vice President - Kristján Magnússon (IP)
 * Ministry of Business Affairs - Guðlaugur Skarphéðinsson (SDA)
 * Ministry of Communications - Sturla Haarde (IP)
 * Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture - Þorgerður Sverrisdóttir (IP)
 * Ministry for the Environment - Kristján Sigurðsson (SDA)
 * Ministry of Finance - Björn Böðvarsson (IP)
 * Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture - Einar Mathiesen (IP)
 * Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Ingibjörg Sveinbjarnardóttir (SDA)
 * Ministry of Health - Össur Þórðarson (IP)
 * Ministry of Industry - Jóhanna Gunnarsdóttir (SDA)
 * Ministry of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs - Árni Bjarnason (IP)
 * Ministry of Social Affairs - Geir Stefánsson (SDA)

Administrative Divisions
Iceland is divided into regions, constituencies, counties, and municipalities. There are eight regions, used primarily for statistical reasons. There are six constituencies: Reykjavík North, Reykjavík South, Southwest, Northwest, Northeast, and South. Iceland has twenty-three counties which handle tax collection, administering bankruptcy declarations, performing civil marriages, and managing police forces. The nation then has seventy-nine municipalities which handle schools, transportation, and zoning.

Administrative
Citizenship is granted to those born to nationals of Iceland and granted to foreigners who live in Iceland for seven years and become employed and attempt to learn Icelandic. All citizens are issued with identity cards that they are required to carry at all times. All nationals are required to register with their race and religion for census purposes. The professional retirement age is sixty. The age of suffrage for all citizens is sixteen. Voting is voluntary. Citizens can get drivers licenses at the age of sixteen. The age of candidacy is eighteen.

Military
Biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons research, construction, and storing is outlawed. These type of weapons are also forbidden to be used in warfare by the Iceland military. The military is completely voluntary and any sort of draft is banned. Any adult citizen can serve in the military, and the military is not allowed to discriminate. Women serve alongside men in the army. All defense industries are owned by the state. The military has a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Iceland does not maintain an intelligence agency. All prisoners of war must be treated well and torture is outlawed. The government does not export arms.

Health
Abortion is illegal, except in cases of rape, incest, the mother's bad health, socioeconomic factors, and/or fetal defects. Alcohol can only be sold from licensed outlets to adults, and the legal drinking age is twenty. The government does not subsidize contraceptives. Circumcision is outlawed. Euthanasia is illegal. The age of consent is fourteen. Companies must clearly label their products in an easily understood way, and all ingredients must be listed, including genetically modified ingredients. Nutritional information must be listed too. The government actively and strictly enforces the nation's food standards. There is a universal health care system, though some private clinics operate in urban areas. Recreational drugs are illegal, though medical marijuana is legal in cases approved by the Ministry of Health. Organ donations are only legal with the consent of the patient. The government subsidizes the cost of pharmaceutical drugs for everyone. Smoking is legal in private homes, clubs, and areas that property owners have designated. All sports clubs are privately owned. Only adults may purchase tobacco. Vaccinations are required for all children, regardless of religious or ideological reasons.

Economics
Advertising is allowed, given that it is family appropriate. The government operates a central bank, though many private banks exist. Child labor is forbidden. Trade unions are allowed, though membership is completely voluntary. The government requires the trade unions and employers to negotiate the daily working hours. The energy of Iceland is provided by private companies that are subsidized by the government. Fireworks can only be purchased by those sixteen and over. All workers have the right to strike. Democratic Workers Councils are permitted to run businesses. Employers can only fire striking employees who have no legitimate reason to strike. Secondary strikes are illegal, unless the trade unions are closely related. Foreign investors can only invest in national companies with government approval. Gambling is only legal in private homes and casinos that hold special licenses. The minimum wage is set at a level considered the "living wage". Telephone lines are provided free of charge to all citizens. Pornography is illegal. Prostitution is illegal. Affirmative action is illegal. Stock exchanges are completely legal.

Justice
All people have the right to appeal against the judgment of the court. Curfews are only allowed in states of emergency. The death penalty is outlawed. DNA is recorded for all persons who have committed a crime. Extradition of criminals to nations with cruel or inhumane treatment of suspects is not permitted. The private sector and government can set up gated communities. The government does not actively search for illegal aliens. All legal representation is paid for by the state. Malpractice suits may be brought against doctors. There is no cap on monetary damages awarded to patients in lawsuits. There are only local police departments that are maintained by cities. Police can only carry standard arms, though specially trained units may carry military-grade weapons. Torture is outlawed in all cases. An education plan is provided to all prisoners to help with rehabilitation. Prisoners can voluntarily do certain jobs within the prison for a small wage.

Education
The school system of the nation is made of public and private schools; with the majority of students in public school system run by the state. Private schools usually have a tuition and, in most cases, are religious. Schools tend to focus on preparing students for their future and the schools emphasize on the teaching of science, mathematics, and social studies. Schools are required to give sex ed to all students. Education is compulsory until fifteen. Homeschooling is not permitted. Standardized testing is not used in the schools. Teachers cannot use corporal punishment. The government also offers free publicly owned nurseries and pre-school educational centers. Students in school are not required to sing the national anthem. Nearly all the universities are private, though many of them receive government support, lowering tuition costs and allowing more citizens attendance. Some public universities exist, though are less common.

Media
The government maintains an independent radio station and television channel for educational and informational purposes. Private stations and channels that are family-friendly are allowed. The Internet is completely open to the public, though police can run investigations concerning criminal activities. International media is permitted. Nudity is regulated on television. Videogames have a ratings system as a guideline for the game's content.

Culture
Works of technology and art are protected by copyright. Iceland's government actively protects scenery, localities, cultural, and historical sites. The government funds local governments in the building and maintaining of libraries. Viewing of movies is unregulated and a ratings system acts as a guideline for a movie's content. The government maintains a system of museums nationwide.

Science
Animals cannot be used in the cosmetic or medical research. The government subsidizes the research of pharmaceuticals.

Technology
Human cloning is illegal. Software patents can be received from patents offices. The government does not operate a national space agency.

Ecology
The killing of animals is regulated. Ownership of domesticated animals must be registered with their local government. It is illegal to hunt endangered animals. Only zoos may hold endangered animals and exotic animals. A national agency owns all forests, but work cutting them down is contracted to private companies. Logging is allowed by license only. Hunting and fishing is restricted to certain areas and times. The government maintains a system of national parks. Iceland enforces highly restrictive industrial pollution standards. Only vehicles that use environmentally friendly fuels are allowed. The government funds public recycling facilities. All logging and clearance operations must replant trees. The government handles waste disposal. The governments sets a standard for all tap water to ensure it is drinkable. Commercial whaling is legal with whaling quotas.

Agriculture
The government subsidizes small farms. Farm size is not regulated. The production and selling of genetically modified crops is illegal. Farmers may not use harmful chemicals on their crops.

Civil Liberties
Adoption is only allowed to couples who pass a qualifying test. Segregation is banned for all public amenities. The public has the right to assemble, but police may disperse groups if they are a risk to safety. Bestiality is illegal. Gun ownership is legal with background checks and waiting periods. Assault weapons, though, are outlawed for the civilian population. Divorces are legal with a grounded cause, and either partner may initiate a divorce. The national flag may not be desecrated. All foreign marriages are recognized. Individuals can sue over falsehoods published about them. Gay civil unions are legal. Public nudity is illegal. Individuals have a right to privacy. Slavery is illegal. Women have the same working rights as men.

Infrastructure
Eminent domain is allowed, though rarely practiced; when it is practiced, a property's owner must give permission to the government to use eminent domain. The nation's energy is mostly reliant on alternative sources, such as wind, water, and sun; nuclear power is illegal. Private and public power stations exist side-by-side. Local governments maintain fire departments. There is a nationalized post office, though some private ones exist too. Public transport is subsidized by the government. Housing is private, but the government subsidizes the cost of rent for low-income families.

Religion
There is a voluntary state religion, Lutheran Christianity, and national church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland. Foreign missionaries must be permitted by the government to visit. Religions can freely and openly advertise themselves. Religions are not taxed. Teacher-led prayers are outlawed, except in religious schools.

Ethnic Groups
Iceland is ninety-four percent Icelandic and the remaining six percent is foreign born population. The foreign born population consists of: Polish, Lithuanians, Germans, Danish, Portuguese, Filipinos, Yugoslavs, Americans, Thais, Latvians, British, Swedish, Chinese, Czechs, and Norwegians.

Religion
The majority of Icelanders are Lutheran. Eighty-four percent of the population is Lutheran. Then, two percent is Roman Catholic, two percent is a variety of between 20-25 smaller Christian denominations, and then one percent is non-Christian. Eleven percent is atheist.

Age Groups
Icelands's average life expectancy is 84 years for women and 82 years for men. The following chart summarizes age groups as a percentage of population:

National Holidays
The following is a list of holidays sanctioned by the Iceland government: