Country exposure · IS

Iceland
Europe · Reykjavik · unitary parliamentary republic
What Iceland means for your money — the prices you pay, the tariffs in motion, and where U.S. policy could change both.

$1.0B
U.S. imports, 2025
-6.1%
change in one year
$774M
U.S. exports, 2025
364K
Population
$33.5B
GDP
In your house
What you buy that Iceland makes
America bought $1.0B in goods from Iceland in 2025. Of every $100 of it, here's where the money went.
Pharmaceutical preparations
medicines and pharmacy items
Fish and shellfish
fish, shrimp, shellfish
Cell phones and other household goods, n.e.c.
cell phones and home electronics
Steelmaking materials
Other foods
Materials, excluding chemicals
Other consumer nondurables
U.s. goods returned, and reimports
Medicinal equipment
medical devices and equipment
Alcoholic beverages, excluding wine
spirits and liquor
2026 so far (through April): $224M in imports. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade in Goods (customs basis).
The other direction
What America sells to Iceland
$774M in 2025 — a trade rupture cuts both ways, for American producers as well as American prices.
Computers
$357Mlaptops, desktops, monitors
Minimum value shipments
$93MComputer accessories
$83Mkeyboards, drives, computer parts
Telecommunications equipment
$48Mphones, routers, networking gear
Passenger cars, new and used
$18Mnew and used cars
Civilian aircraft, engines, equipment, and parts
$15MMedicinal equipment
$12Mmedical devices and equipment
Industrial machines, other
$11MOther foods
$10MWhere you stand
U.S. tariff posture toward Iceland
No U.S. tariff action singles this country out. Its goods face the universal 10% temporary import surcharge under Section 122 of the Trade Act (which replaced the IEEPA reciprocal baseline in February 2026) plus the sectoral Section 232 duties — steel and aluminum at 50% — that apply to all countries. The Section 122 surcharge is statutorily temporary — scheduled to lapse on or about July 23, 2026 (a 150-day cap) unless extended or replaced.
Reciprocal tariff (universal baseline)
10%
The universal 10% floor — a Section 122 import surcharge since February 2026, previously the EO 14257 reciprocal baseline — applies to nearly all U.S. imports. This country has no higher assigned rate of its own.
Policy in motion
Tariff status: a moving target
No U.S. tariff action names Iceland. These are the universal measures — applied to every country without a country-specific arrangement — that set its treatment.
2026-04-06
Section 232 metals coverage expanded
In effectThe April 2026 proclamation strengthening Section 232 actions on aluminum, steel, and copper expanded derivative-product coverage for all countries, keeping the general metals rate at 50%.
91 FR 18201 →2026-02-24
IEEPA reciprocal tariffs terminated — replaced by 10% Section 122 surcharge
In effectExecutive Order 14389 (Ending Certain Tariff Actions) terminated the IEEPA tariff duties — including the EO 14257 reciprocal baseline — effective February 24, 2026. A flat 10% Section 122 temporary import surcharge (Proclamation 11012 of February 20, 2026) replaced them, leaving the universal rate unchanged at 10% on a different statutory basis. Section 122 caps such surcharges at 150 days, so this 10% surcharge is scheduled to lapse on or about July 23, 2026 absent further action (the administration has signaled it could raise the rate toward the 15% statutory maximum).
91 FR 9437 →2025-11-13
Agricultural products exempted from reciprocal tariffs
In effectExecutive Order 14360 of November 14, 2025 removed reciprocal duties from certain agricultural products listed in its annexes (coffee, cocoa, bananas, and other goods the U.S. does not produce in sufficient quantity), retroactive to November 13, 2025 — for all countries subject to the reciprocal tariff.
90 FR 54091 →2025-06-04
Section 232 steel and aluminum duties doubled to 50%
In effectThe June 3, 2025 proclamation raised Section 232 duties on steel and aluminum articles and derivatives from 25% to 50% for all countries, effective June 4, 2025.
90 FR 24199 →2025-04-05
Universal 10% reciprocal baseline takes effect
In effectExecutive Order 14257 (signed April 2, 2025) imposed a 10% ad valorem reciprocal duty on imports from all trading partners, effective April 5, 2025. Countries without a higher Annex I rate remain at this baseline.
Federal Register · 2025-06063 →2025-03-12
Section 232 steel and aluminum duties set at 25% for all countries
In effectProclamations of February 10, 2025 terminated all country exemptions and quota arrangements and applied 25% Section 232 duties to steel and aluminum imports from every country, effective March 12, 2025.
90 FR 9817 →
Made for America
What Iceland makes for America
Iceland is a direct U.S. source of 5 essential goods Americans rely on — the items themselves, shipped finished off the line.
Go deeper
The supply chain view
Iceland sits upstream of 3 essential American goods through 3 tracked inputs.
agricultural
4%Fish Meal and Fish Oil (Aquaculture Feed)
mineral
3%Calcined Petroleum Coke (CPC) — Aluminum Anodes
energy
2%Electricity (electrolytic refining)
Reference
The country itself
Europe · Geography, people, economy, and government — public-domain data from the CIA World Factbook.
Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althingi, which was established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter-century, 20% of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Denmark granted limited home rule in 1874 and complete independence in 1944. The second half of the 20th century saw substantial economic growth driven primarily by the fishing industry. The economy diversified greatly after the country joined the European Economic Area in 1994, but the global financial crisis hit Iceland especially hard in the years after 2008. The economy is now on an upward trajectory, primarily thanks to a tourism and construction boom. Literacy, longevity, and social cohesion are first-rate by world standards.

Geography
- Location
- Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the United Kingdom
- Area
- 103,000 sq km
- Climate
- temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
- Terrain
- mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
- Natural resources
- fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite
- Coastline
- 4,970 km
- Natural hazards
- earthquakes and volcanic activity volcanism: Iceland is situated on top of a hotspot and experiences severe volcanic activity; Eyjafjallajokull (1,666 m) erupted in 2010, sending ash high into the atmosphere and seriously disrupting European air traffic; scientists continue to monitor nearby Katla (1,512 m), which has a high probability of eruption; Grimsvoetn and Hekla are Iceland's most active volcanoes; other historically active volcanoes include Askja, Bardarbunga, Brennisteinsfjoll, Esjufjoll, Hengill, Krafla, Krisuvik, Kverkfjoll, Oraefajokull, Reykjanes, Torfajokull, and Vestmannaeyjar
People & society
- Population
- 364,036 (2024 est.)
- Nationality
- Icelander(s)
- Ethnic groups
- Icelandic 78.7%, Polish 5.8%, Danish 1%, Ukrainian 1%, other 13.5% (2024 est.)
- Languages
- Icelandic, English, Polish, Nordic languages, German
- Religions
- Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland (official) 58.6% Roman Catholic 3.8%, Independent Congregation of Reykjavik 2.6%, Independent Congregation of Hafnarfjordur 1.9%, pagan worship 1.5%, Icelandic Ethical Humanist Association 1.4%, other (includes Zuist and Pentecostal) or unspecified 18.7%, none 7.7% (2024 est.)
- Median age
- 38.2 years (2025 est.)
- Life expectancy at birth
- 84 years (2024 est.)
Economy
- Economic overview
- high-income North Atlantic island economy; not an EU member but market integration via European Economic Area (EEA); dominant tourism, fishing, and aluminum industries vulnerable to demand swings and disruption from volcanic activity; inflation remains above target rate; barriers to foreign business access and economic diversification
- Industries
- tourism, fish processing; aluminum smelting; geothermal power, hydropower; medical/pharmaceutical products
- Agricultural products
- milk, chicken, lamb/mutton, barley, potatoes, pork, beef, eggs, other meats, cucumbers/gherkins (2023)
- Exports - partners
- Netherlands 27%, Germany 11%, USA 10%, UK 8%, Norway 6% (2023)
- Imports - partners
- Norway 11%, China 9%, Germany 9%, Netherlands 8%, USA 7% (2023)
Government
- Government type
- unitary parliamentary republic
- Capital
- Reykjavik
- Independence
- 1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark; birthday of Jon SIGURDSSON, leader of Iceland's 19th-century independence movement)
- Constitution
- several previous; latest ratified 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944 (at independence)
- Executive branch
- President Halla TOMASDOTTIR (since 1 August 2024)
- Legislative branch
- Parliament (Althingi)
Full reference data
Every field, by section — CIA World Factbook. Open a topic to expand it.
Introduction
Travel Facts
Please visit the following links to find further information about your desired destination.
World Health Organization (WHO) - To learn what vaccines and health precautions to take while visiting your destination.
US State Dept Travel Information - Overall information about foreign travel for US citizens.
To obtain an international driving permit (IDP). Only two organizations in the US issue IDPs: American Automobile Association (AAA) and American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA)
How to get help in an emergency? Contact the nearest US embassy or consulate, or call one of these numbers: from the US or Canada - 1-888-407-4747 or from Overseas - +1 202-501-4444
Page last updated: Wednesday, November 09, 2022