Relationship dossier
Iceland
United States
Relationship assessment
Close security partners linked by a bilateral defense agreement and NATO cooperation.
Iceland toward United States
+75Iceland supports the bilateral defense framework with the United States and contributes to NATO cooperation as an alliance member. Icelandic authorities have permitted U.S. military use of Keflavík under agreed arrangements, while Iceland’s lack of standing armed forces shapes the practical limits of its security contribution.
United States toward Iceland
+75The United States has maintained a defense commitment to Iceland under the 1951 bilateral agreement and has used Keflavík for military operations under bilateral arrangements. U.S. engagement also supports Iceland’s security through NATO cooperation.
Overall relationship
+75The relationship is anchored by a durable defense agreement and NATO membership, with recurring bilateral security cooperation. Iceland’s strategic location and lack of standing armed forces make U.S. security guarantees especially significant. Political and economic links complement this security structure.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Iceland and the United States maintain a close security partnership, reinforced by Iceland’s strategic role in the North Atlantic and the 1951 bilateral defense agreement. Iceland is a NATO member, and U.S. forces have periodically operated from Keflavík under bilateral arrangements. The countries also cooperate through NATO and maintain extensive political and economic ties, although the defense relationship has evolved as Iceland has no standing armed forces.
Key developments
The United States and Iceland signed a bilateral defense agreement establishing a U.S. security commitment to Iceland.
Iceland joined NATO as a founding member.
Major uncertainties
- The scale and terms of current U.S. security activity in Iceland may change over time.
- The future scope of bilateral defense cooperation is shaped by Icelandic policy and wider NATO priorities.