The president, elected to a 4-year term, has limited powers. The prime minister and cabinet exercise most executive functions. The parliament is composed of 63 members, elected every 4 years unless it is dissolved sooner. Suffrage for presidential and parliamentary elections is universal for those 18 and older, and members of the parliament are elected on the basis of parties’ proportional representation in six constituencies. The judiciary consists of the Supreme Court, district courts, and various special courts. The constitution protects the judiciary from infringement by the other two branches.

Principal Government Officials
President–Olafur Ragnar Grimsson
Prime Minister–Halldór Ã?sgrímsson
Foreign Minister–Davíð Oddsson
Minister of Finance–Geir H. Haarde
Minister of Justice–Björn Bjarnason
Minister of Agriculture–Guðni Ã?gústsson
Minister of Communications–Sturla Böðvarsson
Minister of Fisheries–Ã?rni M. Mathiesen
Minister for the Environment and Nordic Cooperation–Sigríður Anna Þórðardóttir
Minister of Industry and Commerce–Valgerður Sverrisdóttir
Minister of Health and Social Security–Jón Kristjánsson
Minister of Social Affairs–Ã?rni Magnússon
Minister of Education, Science and Culture–Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir
Speaker of Althingi–Halldor Blondal
Ambassador to the U.S.–Helgi Agustsson
Ambassador to the UN–Hjalmar W. Hannesson
Ambassador to NATO–Gunnar Gunnarsson
Ambassador to the EU–Kjartan Johannsson

transliteration key:
Þ is “th”
ð is “d”

Iceland maintains an embassy in the United States at 1156 - 15th Street, NW, Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20005 [tel. (202) 265-6653], and a consulate general at 800 Third Ave, 36th floor, New York, NY 10022 [tel. (212) 593-2700]. Iceland also has 25 honorary consulates in major U.S. cities.