WW II, 1939-1945 1969-1990






Iceland 1945-1969



In 1946 a social secirity law uplifted Iceland's social security network to the level of the best in the world; retirement pensions were guaranteed to persond 67 and over; family benefits to families with 4 and more children; universal insurance was granted. Social security quickly grew to make up a considerable part of state expenses; Iceland joined the ranks of the WELFARE STATES. Unemployment insurance was introduced in 1956.
Iceland received MARSHALL PLAN aid. The country experienced a considerable inflation. In 1952, the exchlusive fishery zone around Iceland was extended, unilaterally, by the Icelandic government, to 4, in 1958 to 12 nautical miles. In 1958, Britain refused to accept this, and the confrontation - the arrest of British fishermen, the liberation by the British navy - was referred to as the COD WAR (1958-1961).
In 1949, Iceland joined NATO. In 1951 a treaty was signed with the US, providing the legal basis for renewed US military presence on the island (at KEFLAVIK). In 1963 an underwater volcano erupted, creating the new island of SURTSEY.





EXTERNAL
FILES 		Iceland, in : Kenneth Janda, Political Parties : A Cross-National Survey
DOCUMENTS Defense of Iceland: Agreement Between the United States and the Republic of Iceland, May 5, 1951, from Avalon Project
Icelandic banknotes, from Ron Wise's World Paper Money and from Currency Museum
Lists of Presidents, Prime Ministers etc. from World Statesmen by Ben Cahoon
UN General Assembly 1946 Resolution No.34, Admission of Afghanistan, Iceland and Sweden
REFERENCE Article : Iceland, from Britannica Book of the Year 1946 pp.379-380, 1947 pp.394-395, 1948 pp.376-377, 1949 pp.335-336, 1950 pp.351-352, 1951 pp.353-354, 1952 pp.346-347, 1953 p.345, 1954 p.345, 1955 p.394, 1956 p.335, 1957 pp.397-398, 1958 pp.330-331, 1959 pp.327-328, 1960 pp.326-327, 1961 pp.332-333, 1962 p.324, 1963 p.441, 1964 p.418, 1965 pp.413-414, 1966 pp.366-367, 1967 pp.399-400, 1968 pp.402-403, 1969 pp.395-396 [G]
Article : Iceland, in : Americana Annual 1947 pp.332-333, 1957 pp.363-364, 1961 p.341, 1962 pp.346-347, 1963 p.314, 1964 p.312, 1965 p.322, 1967 p.341, 1968 p.334, 1969 pp.343-344, 1970 p.346 [G]
Article : Iceland, in : Funk & Wagnall's New Standard Encyclopedia Year Book 1946 pp.213-214, 1952 p.198, 1961 pp.153-154 [G]


This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted in 2000, last revised on September 28th 2007

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