As a candidate country of the European Union, Iceland (IS) is included in the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS). The three NUTS levels are:
The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe. It has an area of 4,475,757 km2 (1,728,099 sq mi) and an estimated population of about 513 million. The EU has developed an internal single market through a standardised system of laws that apply in all member states in those matters, and only those matters, where members have agreed to act as one. EU policies aim to ensure the free movement of people, goods, services and capital within the internal market, enact legislation in justice and home affairs and maintain common policies on trade, agriculture, fisheries and regional development. For travel within the Schengen Area, passport controls have been abolished. A monetary union was established in 1999 and came into full force in 2002 and is composed of 19 EU member states which use the euro currency.
Iceland is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic, with a population of 360,390 and an area of 103,000 km2 (40,000 sq mi), making it the most sparsely populated country in Europe. The capital and largest city is Reykjavík, with Reykjavík and the surrounding areas in the southwest of the country being home to over two-thirds of the population. Iceland is volcanically and geologically active. The interior consists of a plateau characterised by sand and lava fields, mountains, and glaciers, and many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate, despite a high latitude almost entirely outside the Arctic Circle. Its high latitude and marine influence keep summers chilly, with most of the archipelago having a tundra climate.
Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics or NUTS is a geocode standard for referencing the subdivisions of countries for statistical purposes. The standard, adopted in 2003, is developed and regulated by the European Union, and thus only covers the member states of the EU in detail. The Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics is instrumental in the European Union's Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund delivery mechanisms and for locating the area where goods and services subject to European public procurement legislation are to be delivered.
- NUTS-1: IS0 Iceland
- NUTS-2: IS00 Iceland
- NUTS-3: Capital area / Rest of country
- IS001 Höfuðborgarsvæðið (Capital Region)
- IS002 Landsbyggð (rest of country)
Greater Reykjavík is a region in southwestern Iceland that comprises the national capital Reykjavík and six municipalities around it. Each municipality has its own elected council. Municipal governments cooperate extensively in various fields: for example waste policy, shared public transport and a joint fire brigade.
Below the NUTS levels, there are two Local Administrative Unitary levels (LAU-1: regions, LAU-2: municipalities).
The regions of Iceland are mainly used for statistical purposes. The district court jurisdictions also follow these divisions. The postal code system follows the regions as well, with a few exceptions. Prior to 2003, the regions were also used as overall constituencies in certain parliamentary elections. Excluding its usage in collecting national statistics, particularly census data, these definitions rely upon the discontinued Reykjavík capital proper.
The municipalities of Iceland are local administrative areas in Iceland that provide a number of services to their inhabitants such as kindergartens, elementary schools, waste management, social services, public housing, public transportation, services to senior citizens and handicapped people. They also govern zoning and can voluntarily take on additional functions if they have the budget for it. The autonomy of municipalities over their own matters is guaranteed by the Icelandic constitution.
