Carry On Icelandic: Culture [selections] (2004)
View all of Alþjóðasamstarf - International Cooperation
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Iceland joined the United Nations in 1946 and took part in the establishment of the OECD, Council of Europe, NATO, and other international organizations. More recently, Iceland has gained membership of GATT, UNESCO, EFTA, and EES.
Recently Iceland has increased its participation in UN and NATO peace-keeping operations. For this purpose Iceland has contributed doctors, medics, engineers and law enforcement officials.
Iceland is not a member of the European Union. The Icelandic government has been against membership due in large part to the fear that the membership of such a small nation as Iceland to a large European economic grouping would weaken its sense of nationality and culture. Iceland controls rich fishing grounds which form the main basis of Iceland's economic survival.
Many Icelanders think however that membership would come with clear advantages and that non-membership may lead to an economic and political isolation which could endanger the nation's rate of economic development.
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