AHC: Most Powerful Iceland by 2000

Let's see how far we can realistically push the military, political, and economical strength of Iceland by the year 2000. Any takers?
 
Does it have to be solely Iceland or can it encompass other things? Because I have an idea, and I want to state it
 
If possible let's avoid nuking the rest of the world just so that the Vikings are the last ones left standing and thus the strongest by default.
 
With 1900 POD? I think that Iceland was already on 2000 so powerful as it realistically was.

Altough one way could be that Iceland somehow annexes Greenland and/or Faroe Islands but not sure how this could happen.
 

Driftless

Donor
I've no clue how you make it happen, but Reykjavik becomes the replacement for Geneva as an international neutral diplomatic center.
 

Devvy

Donor
Little bit late to this thread, but Iceland is a little love of mine. Here's my attempt at making Iceland as prosperous as possible.

- As the Nazis invade Denmark with barely a fight, the Danish Royal Family and high rank officials evacuate to Iceland, as a country in personal union with Denmark, and from where they can act as a shadow Government preparing for a free Denmark again. This act bring a few hundred extra people to Iceland, but crucially a fair amount of wealth to an otherwise poor country.
- After WWII, many Danes return; however some stay, and by 1944 some have had kids in Iceland or at least "procreated" with the locals. Christian X returns to Iceland, but his second son Knud stays in Iceland to act as the King's representative in Iceland where he became semi-popular after learning Icelandic. The 1953 Act in Denmark removed Knud as heir presumptive, and so without much of a role in Denmark to return to, Knud opts to stay in Iceland.
- The remaining US Air Force base at Keflavik provides further stimulus to the economy, as US soldiers bring further wealth to Iceland and provide employment for the locals. The influx of Americans (and residual Danes) create a counterpush by the Icelandic Government for all education to be in Icelandic, the provision of Icelandic language-only radio and television, although foreign language newspapers remain in circulation. Tighter rules on family names are also enacted, to stop the bleed of Nordic patronymic names.
- Iceland rapidly modernises in the early stages of the Cold War, and despite the US/NATO base as Keflavik is generally regarded as fairly neutral due to it's absence of a military. A first aluminium smelter is built in the 1960s, rapidly followed by a second in the 1980s. Aluminium and fish become the staple exports of Iceland, and the rapidly enlarging economy requires further immigration - which is aimed at the other Nordic countries (in the Nordic Passport Union), although the 1970s see a number of Britons enter as Britain struggles with it's economy. Local "immersion" classes are held to help immigrants integrate with the language and culture of Iceland...as well as the cold.
- Meanwhile, the Government encourages children by free education and childcare, creating a spike in childbirth.
- The 1980s see Iceland, and it's "local royalty" now of Princess Elisabet and her Icelandic husband, playing host to a series of "detente" conferences between NATO and WP countries. The venue is popular; not only is it a quasi-neutral venue, roughly midpoint between the 2 major anchors of NATO and WP alliances, but the smaller country makes it easier to hold more regular "unofficial" talks without the press outside the door. The country is now a principality, centred on the descendants of Prince Knud.
- As the 1990s develop, Iceland becomes a convenient transit/connection point for transatlantic flights, with Icelandair offering many Europe - North America flights connecting via the expanding airport at Keflavik now that the US Air Force has left. Icelandair copy Finnair in opening direct routes to Japan, Korea and China bypassing Soviet air restrictions - and in faster times from Europe. Reykjavik Airport mostly closes, with domestic flights transferring to Keflavik Airport for connections as the rail link opens, although the airfield remains open for governmental/diplomatic planes..
- As the 2000s begin, Iceland begins a push to diversify, by attracting internet companies to host in Iceland - with fast telecoms access to both North America and Europe. The cheap geothermal electricity reduces hosting costs, whilst the cold outdoor air has vastly reduced cooling costs, attracting the likes of Yahoo, Google, and several game server companies to host in Iceland. An HVDC link to the UK, providing some electricity export potential to the UK (as well as the Faroes en route), brings in further revenue to the country.
- Low cost airlines promote tourism, which promptly rises and hotels shoot up as the country plays to it's strengths as the "outsider's holiday retreat", enjoying the wide outdoors, whilst retaining a rich set of city services - bars, restaurants, and some cultural landmarks in the city centre. Tourist crowding at popular sights in the countryside though have forced the Government to introduce ticketing on vehicle parking to maintain sites, and rising numbers are proving problematic - how do you market yourself as a natural wonder if all people can see are crowds? Expansion of tourist schemes is expected to the east to try and spread the tourist numbers over more sights than just the few around Selfoss. Environmentalism is promoted further by attempts to reforest some areas of Iceland, although the position of Iceland in the far north makes tree growing a slow process.

By 2017, the population of Iceland is around 500,000; Reykjavik is a busting semi-cosmopolitan capital of 350,000'ish, playing host to intergovernmental conferences as well as international company conferences a year (as multinational companies host meetings at the midpoint thanks to it's excellent air links between Europe, North America and the Far East via the polar route). Akureyri in the north remains a popular destination for backpackers and the "off-piste" holidaymakers, with a population of around 50,000. The larger population forces several costly infrastructure projects in the 1990s as car congestion caused problems in the capital and in the countryside as tourists filled small country roads. New roads need to be built, and a monorail line (a route which busted the bank, but the underhanging monorail style made the route far more impervious to the snow and ice which made it far better utilised) links the airport, Reykjavik, Selfoss (for the tourist sights of Thingvellir, Geysir, Gulfoss and Fludir Spa), as well as north linking in the overspill towns of Akranes and Bourganes. Iceland views itself as a second Switzerland - mostly neutral although trading extensively with the European Union, United States and Canada, as well as the Caribbean for bauxite imports.
 

Anchises

Banned
Let's see how far we can realistically push the military, political, and economical strength of Iceland by the year 2000. Any takers?


I see essentially 2 ways:

1) Everyone else is massively weakened. WW3, a massive pandemic etc. But Mass Death scenarios are mostly boring so I think a MASSIVE economic crisis in the late 90s would be really interesting. Something in the ballpark of the Great Depression that allows Iceland to establish itself as a haven of stability instead of Switzerland. Maybe the bursting of the tech bubble+ another bubble+a massive corruption scandal in the swiss banking system.

Then I could see Iceland as a mix of the Cayman Islands and Switzerland with loose oversight for the banking system and a very strict banking secrecy.

2) Some wankish scenario where everything is just great for Iceland OR a scenario where things went moderately better for Iceland without being very distinct from OTL.
 
Technology wank, where the internet in the 90s is as advanced as it is in the 2010s. Then cryptocurrency wank, where Iceland can somehow leverage its position as a center for cryptocurrency mining (as it is IOTL due to the cool climate and extensive renewable power available) into much more tangible financial power. Maybe Iceland early on adopts cryptocurrency mining as a way of strengthening its own national currency. If 2000 = 2020 in terms of rough "technology levels", then Iceland will be in an interesting place.
 
1960s: Cuban Missile Crisis leads to WW3, devastating Europe and most of Asia. In one of the last gasps of the war, bioweapns including a primitively crossed smallpox and flu hybrid are released. "Chicago Flu" becomes the black plague of the later 20th century.

1970s: As the United States is consumed from disease and resulting food shortages, much of the rest of the world falls prey to civil war. South America, potentially a rallying point, is also consumed by civil conflicts including war between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and a series of pro-Nazi states. Many nations isolate themselves completely, leaving the last bastions of civilization outside of North America as Greater Australia (add New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Kerguelen, Sri Lanka, and a slew of Pacific and Indian Ocean Islands), Switzerland, Iceland (with the highest birth rate in the world and lowest rate of cancer), Greenland, and plague-ravaged United Ireland. Oddly, another is named the Boerange Free State as Africa is consumed in civil war along with China, South Asia, and the Middle East. Interestingly, Central America comes together as a united country along with northernmost Colombia and the remnant Cuban state.

1980s: A new strain of "Chicago Flu" proves fatal to almost a third of those who contract it with what remaining reserve of civilization in North America drained as it shatters like a glass table in rock. Food becomes more valuable than gold in most areas as Iceland unites with Greenland, the Faeroe Islands, the Orkney Islands, and Labrador (among the last bastions of Canada following the plague and War of American Hunger). Switzerland also begins expansion but more gradually. However, the new flu strain wipes out over 60% of the survivors when it finally reaches Lausanne in late 1988, stalling expansion and causing the 'Fortress Switzerland' initiative to be enacted. Exile becomes the new death penalty, or so they think.

1990s: As a vaccine for the Strain 2 Flu is developed in Iceland, the world begins the long climb back to some semblance of normalcy. Sailing ships become the new normal while radios are the basis for international trade and communication. Swizterland goes entirely isolated while two small exile communities emerge at Munich and Lyon. They bring some technology and civilizing influence, also causing each to become the strongest new city-states in their respective former countries. Iceland begins expanding rapidly as its birth rate continues accelerating, with Scandinavia and Canada as main areas of interest along with Bermuda and startegic islands in the Atlantic. North America continues to decline as the Western League and Rocky Mountain Association wear each other out in protracted warfare.

2000: Iceland becomes the strongest nation in the world as it raids several military caches in Canada, the northern US, the former Soviet Union, and Europe as it develops its own small arms and aircraft industries. With colonies ranging from Helsinki to Hawaii, its territories control many of the world's strategic waterways while its military has the almost unique triad of navy, air force, and land-based army. With a unique bull-pup military rifle and the ability to make crude transistors, its level of impressive (OTL mid to late 1960s) technology dominates its few opponents. Switzerland might challenge them but their "Fortress Switzerland" doctrine means they have a concentrated but isolated population. With the formation of the Boerange Union of States, a greatly depopulated southern Africa is beginning to recover as is Greater Australia, which also maintains a strict isolation policy. North America rallies around Albany GA, Amarillo TX, Valentine NE, Redding CA, Twin Falls ID, and Athens OH, an Empire of Canada emerges from Saskatchewan. With a global population of 265 million, the first global census without a decline is cause for celebration though the threat of Superflu always remains and unknown military threats can emerge in the depopulated old world...
 
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