Total imports Export 
imports and exports surplus 
1896—1900 5 966 2 980 L 048 
1901 —1905 3497 #921 1927 
1906 1910 . [1531 25 38 2176 
1911—1915 (8 112 10 £80 1256 
1916~1920 . 33709 48453 102 162 5 256 
1921-1925 , 56562 64 212 120 774 7 650 
1926 . . . 57767 53070 110837  --4 697 
1927 . . . 53162 63153 116 315 9 991 
This summary shows that the exports have usually, though not al- 
ways during the Great War and the years immediately succeeding, ex- 
ceeded the imports in value. 
Compared with the number of population the total foreign trade 
(imports and exports) is larger than that of most other countries. This 
is largely due to the fact, that a country like Iceland which has a very 
limited range of products, must depend on foreign countries for a great 
number of important goods and necessaries. 
The import and export value per head of inhabitants may be seen 
from the following summary: 
1896—1900 
1901—1905 
1906—1910 
1911—1915 
1916—1920 
1921—1925 
i926 . . . 
qQ27 
Total 
169 kr, 
228 — 
39 304 — 
207 "63 — 
3€3 - 9 — 
580 - bo 1238 
568 — 522 - 1090 
515 — 611 — 1126 
(mports 
8 %&r 
Exports 
Ng 
It should be mentioned that the great increase in 1916—1920 is due sole- 
ly to the enormous general rise in the price-level during the Great War. 
The subjoined table roughly shows the value of the imports to Ice- 
land, distributed over the following groups: 
Total value 
1000 kr. 1000 kr. 
1926 1927 
7821 7532 
708 4811 
2 - 502 
7758 
7617 
1000 kr. Reckoned in percent. 
1925 1925 1926 1927 
Foodstuffs . . . . . . . 3651 3.7 25 14.2 
Coffee, sugar, tobacco etc. . 5903 Bu 9 9.0 
Other goods for consumption 4 537 6.6 
Textiles and clothes. . . . 11590 14.6 
Fuel and lighting materials . 9 334 14.3 
Building materials . . . . 6009 * 851 9.1 
Materials for the fishing trade 12178 ~ 111 18.2 15.3 
Materials for farming . . , 136% 1220 1,9 2.0 2.3 
Various materials for production 9 624 7760 137 163 14.6 
Total 70191 57 767 53162 100.0 100.0 100.0