List of wars involving Iceland

The following is a list of wars involving Iceland. Although modern Iceland does not maintain a standing army, navy nor air force; it maintains a militarised coast guard which is in charge of defending the country and has deployed a small peacekeeping force internationally on a few occasions. Iceland has never participated in a full-scale war nor invasion and the constitution of Iceland has no mechanism to declare war.

Before the 15th century

Viking battles

Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Result Icelandic
losses
Battle of Vinland (1003) Icelandic Vikings Native warriors Victory
  • Viking victory and withdrawal.
22 dead
Battle of Vinland (1010) Icelandic Vikings Native warriors Victory
  • Native attack repelled; Viking withdrawal.
2 dead

Internal strifes

Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Result Icelandic
losses
Age of the Sturlungs
(12201264)
Gothis Gothis Old Covenant
Hundreds

15th to 19th century

Date Conflict / Event Allies Enemies Result
1538–1550 Icelandic Reformation Catholics Denmark
Protestants
Danish/Protestant victory
1627 Turkish Abductions Denmark-Norway Ottoman Empire Abduction of 400-800 Icelanders
1700, 1709–20 Iceland in the Great Northern War Denmark-Norway Swedish Empire Coalition victory
  • Trade obstructed
  • Increase in exports
1803-1815 Iceland in the Napoleonic Wars France
Denmark-Norway
Coalition Forces Dano-French defeat
  • Dissolution of Denmark-Norway
  • Iceland remains within Denmark as a dependency
1809 Jørgen Jørgensen's Revolution Iceland Denmark-Norway

United Kingdom

Revolution stopped
  • Jørgen taken back to Britain

20th century

Date Conflict / Event Allies Enemies Result
1914-1918 Iceland in World War I Denmark Iceland stays neutral throughout the war
  • Economic regression
1939-1945 Iceland in World War II Kingdom of Iceland (until 1944)

Republic of Iceland (from 1944)

United Kingdom
Canada
United States

 Nazi Germany

Iceland stays neutral throughout the war
1940 Invasion of Iceland / Operation Fork Kingdom of Iceland United Kingdom Operation successful
1940-1945 Occupation of Iceland Kingdom of Iceland (until 1944)

Republic of Iceland (from 1944)

United Kingdom (from 1940 until 1941)
Canada (from 1940 until 1941)
United States (from 1941)
Military occupation of Iceland
1958-1961 First Cod War Republic of Iceland United Kingdom Victory
  • Territorial waters expanded to 12 nautical mile
1972-1973 Second Cod War Republic of Iceland United Kingdom Victory
  • 50 nautical mile exclusive fishery zone created
1975-1976 Third Cod War Republic of Iceland United Kingdom Victory
  • Exclusive fishery zone expanded to 200 nautical miles

21st century

Peacekeeping

Mission Start date End date Location Troops deployed
MNF-I 2003 2004  Iraq 2
ISAF 2003 2014  Afghanistan 2–32

See also

References

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