Iceland Country Report

Terrorism risks are negligible. There are few high-profile targets aside from a NATO radar station, and no known non-state armed groups operate in the country. The most probable form of attacks would be a shooting attack by a lone radicalised jihadist actor against state or Jewish assets, or a similar attack against Muslim assets or individuals by far-right individuals. However, both scenarios are unlikely overall. From October 2015, Iceland is a signatory to the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism protocol regarding foreign terrorist fighters.

War risks are negligible. Iceland, a NATO member, has no standing army, although it maintains a coast guard and air defences. Since the withdrawal of US Air Force fighter units from Keflavik Air Base in 2006, NATO countries have operated a periodic, rotating deployment of fighter aircraft to patrol Iceland's airspace. Iceland disputes the ownership of Rockall Island and the surrounding oil reserves with the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Denmark. However, any disputes are likely to be resolved at the diplomatic level and extremely unlikely to lead to any military conflict.

Political protests have become more regular in the aftermath of the protests that followed the country's financial and banking collapse in 2008–09. Perceived corrupt practices are also a probable trigger of protests. Both political and environmental protests are likely to be predominantly peaceful, aimed at raising awareness, and concentrated outside government offices in Reykjavík rather than intended to cause disruption or damage to business operations. Exceptions include protests against specific projects that are perceived as environmentally damaging. There is little patience among the public for perceived 'anti-social behaviour' - this limits the occurrence of disruptive activism.