Overview of Human Rights in Iceland

Iceland is a constitutional republic. The government works to respect the civil and human rights of its citizens and enjoys an exemplary human rights record. If abuses do occur, the law provides means to investigate and prosecute offenders effectively.  Isolated reports of excessive use of force by police and societal discrimination against minorities are occasionally reported.  Nonetheless, Iceland holds one of the best human rights reputations across the globe.

Human Development Index (HDI) Rank: 2nd out of 177

Note: Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index that measures the level of well-being of nations in the world. It uses factors such as poverty, literacy, life-expectancy, education, gross domestic product, and purchasing power parity to assess the average achievements in each nation. It has been used in the United Nation’s Human Development Report since 1993.