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Iceland Hit Hard by Financial Crisis
Ash Plume Wreaks Havoc on Air Travel

Ash Plume Wreaks Havoc on Air Travel

In late March 2010, the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted. The event produced minimal seismic activity, but an explosion on April 14 resulted in a volcanic ash plume in the atmosphere over northern and central Europe. Air travel in the region was halted for several days, causing the cancellation of several thousand flights and disrupting the travel plans of millions of people.

In a bit of an anticlimax, the former Icelandic prime minister, Geir Haarde, was acquitted of charges of negligence stemming from the 2008 financial crisis. He was found guilty of not holding enough cabinet meetings, but the verdict carried no sentence.

The June 2012 presidential election saw the reelection of Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson with 52.8% of the vote. The other candidates included Thóra Arnórsdóttir and Ari Trausti Gudmundsson who polled 33.2% and 8.6% respectively. Turnout was 69.2%.

See also Encyclopedia: Iceland .
U.S. State Dept. Country Notes: Iceland
Statistics Iceland http://www.hagstofa.is/template40.asp?PageID=261 .