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Kingdom of Iceland

Kingdom of Iceland
Konungsríkið Ísland
Kongeriget Island
Personal union with Denmark
1918–1944
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem
Lofsöngur
"Song of Praise"
The Kingdom of Iceland in 1942.
Capital Reykjavík
Languages Icelandic, Danish
Religion Church of Iceland
Government Constitutional monarchy
King
 •  1918–1944 Kristján X
Regent
 •  1941–1944 Sveinn Björnsson
Prime Minister
 •  1918–1920 Jón Magnússon (first)
 •  1942–1944 Björn Þórðarson (last)
Legislature Althing
Historical era Interwar period / WWII
 •  Act of Union 1 December 1918
 •  Fall of Denmark 9 April 1940
 •  Operation Fork 10 May 1940
 •  National referendum 20 May 1944
 •  Republic proclaimed 17 June 1944
Area
 •  1944 103,125 km² (39,817 sq mi)
Population
 •  1944 est. 125,967 
     Density 1.2 /km²  (3.2 /sq mi)
Currency Króna
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Denmark
Iceland

The Kingdom of Iceland (Icelandic: Konungsríkið Ísland; Danish: Kongeriget Island) was a constitutional monarchy that existed through the Act of Union with Denmark signed on 1 December 1918. It lasted until 17 June 1944 when a national referendum established the Republic of Iceland in its place.

Iceland had been under the control of the Crown of Denmark since 1380, although formally it had been a Norwegian possession until 1814. In 1874, one thousand years after the first acknowledged settlement, Denmark granted Iceland home rule. The constitution, written the same year, was revised in 1903 and the extent of Iceland's home rule increased in 1904. A minister for Icelandic affairs, residing in Reykjavík, was made responsible to the Althing, the Icelandic parliament.

On 1 December 1918, the Act of Union, an agreement with Denmark, recognized Iceland as a fully sovereign state in personal union with Denmark through a common monarch. The Kingdom of Iceland established its own flag and coat of arms and asked that Denmark represent its foreign affairs and defence interests. The Act would be reviewed in 1940 and could be revoked three years later if agreement to continue it could not be reached.


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Wikipedia

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