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106-536: Atlas Network was founded in 1981 by Antony Fisher , a British entrepreneur, who wanted to create a means to connect various think tanks via a global network. Described as "a think tank that creates think tanks," the organization partners with nearly 600 organizations in over 100 countries. Notable members of Atlas Network include think tanks such as the Institute of Economic Affairs in the United Kingdom;

212-569: A longhouse in Stöðvarfjörður that may date to as early as 800. Swedish Viking explorer Garðar Svavarsson was the first to circumnavigate Iceland in 870 and establish that it was an island. He stayed during the winter and built a house in Húsavík . Garðar departed the following summer, but one of his men, Náttfari , decided to stay behind with two slaves. Náttfari settled in what is now known as Náttfaravík, and he and his slaves became

318-469: A shield volcano with a magma chamber underneath). Several classifications of the systems exist, for example there is one of 30 systems, and one of 34 systems, with the later currently being used in Iceland itself. The climate of Iceland's coast is subarctic . The warm North Atlantic Current ensures generally higher annual temperatures than in most places of similar latitude in the world. Regions in

424-537: A summit in Reykjavík in 1986 between United States President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev , during which they took significant steps towards nuclear disarmament . A few years later, Iceland became the first country to recognise the independence of Estonia , Latvia , and Lithuania as they broke away from the USSR. Throughout the 1990s, the country expanded its international role and developed

530-549: A volcanic plateau with sand and lava fields , mountains and glaciers , and many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands . Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate , despite a latitude just south of the Arctic Circle . Its latitude and marine influence keep summers chilly, and most of its islands have a polar climate . According to the ancient manuscript Landnámabók ,

636-630: A "connector," putting "freedom intellectuals" and local think tanks in contact and financing their trips. The organization offers training, consulting, and professional certification related to fundraising, marketing, organizational leadership, and think tank management through its Atlas Network Academy program. In 2020, Atlas Network trained nearly 4,000 people in promoting free-market voices, preparing nearly 900 people to work at global think tanks. Philadelphia Magazine described Atlas Network as "supporting free-market approaches to eliminating poverty and noted for its refutation of climate change and defense of

742-444: A 32 percent increase in Iceland's gross national income between 2002 and 2007. In 2003–2007, following the privatisation of the banking sector under the government of Davíð Oddsson , Iceland moved towards having an economy based on international investment banking and financial services. It was quickly becoming one of the most prosperous countries in the world, but was hit hard by a major financial crisis . The crisis resulted in

848-664: A convicted child sex offender. Snap elections in October 2017 brought to power a new coalition consisting of the Independence Party, the Progressive Party, and the Left-Green Movement , headed by Katrín Jakobsdóttir . After the 2021 parliamentary election , the new government was, just like the previous government, a tri-party coalition of the Independence Party, the Progressive Party, and

954-665: A defence agreement was signed with the United States. American troops returned to Iceland as the Iceland Defence Force and remained throughout the Cold War . The US withdrew the last of its forces on 30 September 2006. Iceland prospered during the Second World War. The immediate post-war period was followed by substantial economic growth , driven by the industrialisation of the fishing industry and

1060-465: A famine that killed nearly a quarter of the island's population. In addition, the eruption caused dust clouds and haze to appear over most of Europe and parts of Asia and Africa for several months afterwards, and affected climates in other areas. Iceland has many geysers , including Geysir , from which the English word is derived, and the famous Strokkur , which erupts every 8–10 minutes. After

1166-567: A fellow for the Center for Latin America, which publishes the annual Index of Bureaucracy. Atlas Network also runs the Center for United States and Canada and the Center for Asia and Oceania. Defunct Newspapers Journals TV channels Websites Other Economics Gun rights Identity politics Nativist Religion Watchdog groups Youth/student groups Miscellaneous Other Atlas Network has been described as

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1272-512: A fifth of Atlas Network affiliates worldwide had either opposed tobacco controls or taken tobacco donations. A 2017 paper in the International Journal of Health Planning and Management said that Atlas Network "channeled funding from tobacco corporations to think tank actors to produce publications supportive of industry positions." The University of Bath 's Tobacco Control Research Group said Atlas Network "appears to have played

1378-603: A foreign policy orientated towards humanitarian and peacekeeping causes. To that end, Iceland provided aid and expertise to various NATO-led interventions in Bosnia , Kosovo , and Iraq . Iceland joined the European Economic Area in 1994, after which the economy was greatly diversified and liberalised. International economic relations increased further after 2001 when Iceland's newly deregulated banks began to raise great amounts of external debt , contributing to

1484-725: A fully sovereign and independent state in a personal union with Denmark. The Government of Iceland established an embassy in Copenhagen and requested that Denmark carry out on its behalf certain defence and foreign affairs matters, subject to consultation with the Althing. Danish embassies around the world displayed two coats of arms and two flags: those of the Kingdom of Denmark and those of the Kingdom of Iceland . Iceland's legal position became comparable to those of countries belonging to

1590-620: A huge number of fledgling think-tanks, most of which would not exist without his influence. It was through the Atlas Network that Fisher was able to extend his beliefs worldwide. By 1984, Fisher was watching over eighteen institutions in eleven countries. As of 2017, Atlas supports and works with nearly 500 free-market think-tanks in over 90 different countries. In his book Thinking the Unthinkable , Richard Cockett sketched Fisher's role in supporting other emerging think-tanks around

1696-470: A low- silica lava associated with effusive volcanism as has occurred also in Hawaii . Iceland, however, has a variety of volcanic types (composite and fissure), many producing more evolved lavas such as rhyolite and andesite . Iceland has hundreds of volcanoes with about 30 active volcanic systems. Surtsey , one of the youngest islands in the world, is part of Iceland. Named after Surtr , it rose above

1802-609: A non-governmental 501(c)(3) organization, Atlas Network receives donations from foundations, individuals, and corporations, but not government funding. It has received major funding from Koch family foundations including the Charles Koch Foundation and the Charles Koch Institute , along with Koch-affiliated funds such as Donors Trust . Other donors include the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation ,

1908-538: A particular role in helping the tobacco industry oppose tobacco control measures in Latin America" during the 1990s. In 2022, Le Monde identified 17 Atlas Network partners engaged in lobbying and advocacy for "tobacco harm reduction," which supports vaping as a substitute for smoking. Some academics and news publications have linked Atlas Network to oil and gas producers, to efforts opposing governments' and activists' efforts against climate change , and to

2014-406: A phase of inactivity, Geysir started erupting again after a series of earthquakes in 2000 . Geysir has since grown quieter and does not erupt often. With the widespread availability of geothermal power and the harnessing of many rivers and waterfalls for hydroelectricity , most residents have access to inexpensive hot water, heating, and electricity. The island is composed primarily of basalt ,

2120-641: A popular holiday destination. In 2016, Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson resigned after being implicated in the Panama Papers scandal. Early elections in 2016 resulted in a right-wing coalition government of the Independence Party , the Reform Party and Bright Future . This government fell when Bright Future quit the coalition due to a scandal involving then-Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson 's father's letter of support for

2226-429: A republic in 1944, ending the remaining formal ties to Denmark. Although the Althing was suspended from 1799 to 1845, Iceland nevertheless has a claim to sustaining one of the world's longest-running parliaments. Until the 20th century, Iceland relied largely on subsistence fishing and agriculture. Industrialization of the fisheries and Marshall Plan aid after World War II brought prosperity, and Iceland became one of

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2332-489: A society where subsistence depended almost entirely on agriculture. The Black Death swept Iceland twice, first in 1402–1404 and again in 1494–1495. The former outbreak killed 50% to 60% of the population, and the latter 30% to 50%. Around the middle of the 16th century, as part of the Protestant Reformation , King Christian III of Denmark began to impose Lutheranism on all his subjects. Jón Arason ,

2438-659: A think tank that creates think tanks." The 2019 and 2020 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report ranked Atlas Network as 54th among the "Top Think Tanks in the United States." The organization's website says it is not named after Ayn Rand 's novel Atlas Shrugged , but some published sources say it is. Atlas Network's think tank partners "produce white papers, meet with politicos, liaise with the media, write legislation, and much more," as described by WNYC . In 2018, academic Karin Fischer described Atlas Network campaigns for deregulation and property rights as having so much influence that

2544-566: Is a sitka spruce planted in 1949 in Kirkjubæjarklaustur ; it was measured at 25.2 m (83 ft) in 2013. Algae such as Chondrus crispus , Phyllphora truncata and Phyllophora crispa and others have been recorded from Iceland. The only native land mammal when humans arrived was the Arctic fox , which came to the island at the end of the ice age, walking over the frozen sea. On rare occasions, bats have been carried to

2650-572: Is also an Atlas Network partner. Commentator Deroy Murdock , an Atlas Network senior fellow as of 2017, wrote that the organization "encourages institutions to use local knowledge to reduce government obstacles to upward mobility," featuring local entrepreneurs who overcome such obstacles. In Australia, Atlas Network has partnered with several free-market think tanks, including the Centre for Independent Studies , Institute of Public Affairs , and LibertyWorks. In New Zealand, Atlas Network has partnered with

2756-501: Is also where most settlements are situated. The island's interior, the Highlands of Iceland , is a cold and uninhabitable combination of sand, mountains, and lava fields . The major towns are the capital city of Reykjavík , along with its outlying towns of Kópavogur , Hafnarfjörður , and Garðabær , nearby Reykjanesbær where the international airport is located, and the town of Akureyri in northern Iceland. The island of Grímsey on

2862-460: Is closer to continental Europe than to mainland North America, although it is closest to Greenland (290 kilometres; 155 nautical miles), an island of North America. Iceland is generally included in Europe for geographical, historical, political, cultural, linguistic and practical reasons. Geologically, the island includes parts of both continental plates. The closest bodies of land in Europe are

2968-647: Is considered a "friend" of the organization. An Atlas Network executive wrote in the New York Post that its Liberty Forums are "like an Anti-Davos," offering trade-show-type environments for think tanks to exchange ideas. In Canada, Atlas Network partners with about a dozen think tanks. Atlas Network has partnered with the F.A. Hayek Foundation in Slovakia, the Association for Liberal Thinking in Turkey,

3074-555: Is nonpartisan and "willing to talk to all parties." Matt Warner is the organization's president, while Tom G. Palmer serves as executive vice president for international programs. Warner and Palmer co-authored the book Development with Dignity: Self-Determination, Localization, and the End of Poverty . Palmer, known in libertarian circles since the 1970s, has promoted libertarian efforts in various countries including communist and post-communist Eastern Europe , Iraq and Afghanistan ; after

3180-627: Is the author of Liberalism and the Free Society in 2021. He has said he advocates for a "freedom philosophy," and quoting Friedman, has summarized Atlas Network's function as "to develop alternatives to existing policies, to keep them alive until the politically impossible becomes the politically inevitable." In an opinion article in The Chronicle of Philanthropy , Lips argued for funding market-oriented nonprofit groups instead of increasing traditional foreign aid . He has said Atlas Network

3286-462: Is the region's westernmost and most sparsely populated country . Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík , which is home to about 36% of the country's roughly 380,000 residents (excluding nearby towns/suburbs which are separate municipalities). The official language of the country is Icelandic . Iceland is on a rift between tectonic plates , and its geologic activity includes geysers and frequent volcanic eruptions . The interior consists of

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3392-593: Is the surface expression of the Iceland Plateau , a large igneous province forming as a result of volcanism from the Iceland hotspot and along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge , the latter of which runs right through it. This means that the island is highly geologically active with many volcanoes including Hekla , Eldgjá , Herðubreið , and Eldfell . The volcanic eruption of Laki in 1783–1784 caused

3498-587: The 2021 Cuban protests , according to disinformation expert Julián Macías Tovar. Tovar, cited in The Guardian , also said that Atlas Network partners' Twitter accounts had been involved in bot or troll center campaigns during the 2019 Bolivian political crisis , the 2021 Ecuadorian general election , and the 2021 Peruvian general election . Atlas Network partners opposed the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Atlas Network worked with its partners to create

3604-410: The 2022 Russian invasion , he traveled inside Ukraine to help coordinate Atlas Network aid. Only 30 people work specifically for Atlas Network, although more than 1,000 people participate in it via its partner think tanks, according to Global Think Tanks: Policy Networks and Governance , published in 2020. Atlas Network is organized into centers by region. Entrepreneur Magatte Wade is director of

3710-532: The Althing , one of the world's oldest functioning legislative assemblies. After a period of civil strife , Iceland acceded to Norwegian rule in the 13th century. In 1397, Iceland followed Norway's integration into the Kalmar Union along with the kingdoms of Denmark and Sweden, coming under de facto Danish rule upon its dissolution in 1523. The Danish kingdom introduced Lutheranism by force in 1550, and

3816-909: The Atlas Economic Research Foundation by Antony Fisher , a British entrepreneur who was influenced by economist F.A. Hayek and his book, The Road to Serfdom . After founding the Institute of Economic Affairs in London in 1955, Fisher had helped establish the Fraser Institute , the Manhattan Institute and the Pacific Research Institute in the 1970s. The late Linda Whetstone , Fisher's daughter, served as chairman of Atlas Network. Margaret Thatcher , F. A. Hayek , and Milton Friedman , all friends of Fisher, formally endorsed

3922-463: The Boreal Kingdom . Plantlife consists mainly of grassland, which is regularly grazed by livestock. The most common tree native to Iceland is the northern birch ( Betula pubescens ), which formerly formed forests over much of Iceland, along with aspens ( Populus tremula ), rowans ( Sorbus aucuparia ), common junipers ( Juniperus communis ), and other smaller trees, mainly willows. When

4028-1201: The Canadian Review of Sociology . An article in The New Republic blamed Atlas Network for its partners' efforts in some countries to criminalize climate protesting , particularly in Germany, although Atlas Network has said it supports free speech for climate protestors. Some academics have described Atlas Network as an "oil-industry-funded transnational network" and "the predominant vehicle for fossil capital's global mobilization against climate science and policy", and its affiliates as being "partly funded by Koch and allied capitalists, with heavy support from fossil fuel-based fortunes". Atlas Network told The New Republic that it has "no partnerships with extractive industries such as oil and gas companies, we receive no funding from oil and gas companies and have not received funding from oil and gas companies for nearly 15 years." The Intercept , The Guardian , and The New Republic have described Atlas Network as having ties to right-wing and conservative movements, including

4134-706: The Cato Institute , Heartland Institute , American Legislative Exchange Council , Manhattan Institute , Pacific Research Institute , and Acton Institute in the United States; the Fraser Institute and MacDonald-Laurier Institute in Canada; the Centre for Independent Studies in Australia; and the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union . Atlas Network was founded in 1981 in San Francisco as

4240-617: The Cato Institute , the Heartland Institute , The Heritage Foundation , and the American Legislative Exchange Council , which are active in conservative politics. Atlas Network states on its website that it is nonpartisan. Atlas Network has received funding from American and European businesses and think tanks to coordinate and organize libertarian organizations in the developing world. Atlas Network has been described as "self-replicating,

4346-602: The Faroe Islands (420 km; 225 nmi); Jan Mayen Island (570 km; 310 nmi); Shetland and the Outer Hebrides , both about 740 km (400 nmi); and the Scottish mainland and Orkney , both about 750 km (405 nmi). The nearest part of Continental Europe is mainland Norway, about 970 km (525 nmi) away, while mainland North America is 2,070 km (1,120 nmi) away, at

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4452-752: The John Templeton Foundation and the Lilly Endowment . Research by the activist website DeSmog said Atlas Network had received millions of dollars from Koch-affiliated groups, the ExxonMobil Foundation, and the Sarah Scaife Foundation . As of 2005, Atlas Network had received $ 440,000 from ExxonMobil itself. In 2023, Atlas Network said it had received no funding from oil and gas companies "for nearly 15 years". Of Atlas Network partners, 57% in

4558-633: The Lithuanian Free Market Institute , and Libertad y Desarrollo in Chile to establish Free Enterprise Training Centers. The organization also partners with Chile's Fundación Piensa and Argentina's Libertad y Progreso. In 2021, Atlas Network partnered with Cuban anti-communism activist Ruhama Fernandez to share her story after Fernandez was arrested for criticizing the Cuban government. The Ukraine-based Bendukidze Free Market Center

4664-589: The Little Ice Age , and overgrazing by sheep imported by settlers caused a loss of critical topsoil due to erosion . Today, many farms have been abandoned. Three-quarters of Iceland's 100,000 square kilometres (39,000 sq mi) is affected by soil erosion; 18,000 km (6,900 sq mi) is affected to a degree serious enough to make the land useless. Only a few small birch stands now exist in isolated reserves. The Icelandic Forest Service and other forestry groups promote large-scale reforestation in

4770-771: The London School of Economics (where he taught) and talked about his plans to go into politics. Hayek, however, convinced him that think-tanks were the best medium for effecting political change. In 1952, Fisher took a study trip to the United States, where he visited the new Foundation for Economic Education (FEE). F. A. Harper of the FEE introduced Fisher to former colleagues from the Agriculture Department of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York , who showed him intensive chicken farming techniques. Fisher

4876-529: The Mid-Atlantic Ridge , a ridge along which the oceanic crust spreads and forms new crust. This part of the mid-ocean ridge is located above a mantle plume, causing Iceland to be subaerial (above the surface of the sea). The ridge marks the boundary between the Eurasian and North American Plates , and Iceland was created by rifting and accretion through volcanism along the ridge. Many fjords punctuate Iceland's 4,970-km-long (3,088-mi) coastline, which

4982-704: The Treaty of Kiel formally ceded Iceland to Denmark in 1814. Influenced by ideals of nationalism after the French Revolution , Iceland's struggle for independence took form and culminated in the Danish–Icelandic Act of Union in 1918, with the establishment of the Kingdom of Iceland , sharing through a personal union the incumbent monarch of Denmark . During the occupation of Denmark in World War II, Iceland voted overwhelmingly to become

5088-463: The Vestmannaeyjar archipelago. Lakes and glaciers cover 14.3% of its surface; only 23% is vegetated. The largest lakes are Þórisvatn reservoir: 83–88 km (32–34 sq mi) and Þingvallavatn : 82 km (32 sq mi); other important lakes include Lagarfljót and Mývatn . Jökulsárlón is the deepest lake, at 248 m (814 ft). Geologically, Iceland is part of

5194-872: The World Bank 's Doing Business Index "follows exactly Atlas' policy recommendations". In 1981, Atlas Network helped economist Hernando de Soto found the Institute for Liberty and Democracy (ILD) in Peru and invested in the Institut Economique de Paris (IEP) in France . In 1983, Fisher helped launch the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) in Dallas, Texas , and the Jon Thorlaksson Institute in Iceland (now replaced by

5300-412: The settlement of Iceland began in 874 AD, when the Norwegian chieftain Ingólfr Arnarson became the island's first permanent settler. In the following centuries, Norwegians , and to a lesser extent other Scandinavians , immigrated to Iceland, bringing with them thralls (i.e., slaves or serfs) of Gaelic origin. The island was governed as an independent commonwealth under the native parliament,

5406-481: The 111 Hurricane Squadron, which was in the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain. Shortly after that posting, in April 1940, their cousin Michael Fisher was killed in the Battle of Flanders. A few days later Fisher's closest friend and a member of the 111 Hurricane Squadron, David Berry, was killed when his Hurricane was shot down over Flanders during the Dunkirk evacuation. On 15 August 1940, Fisher saw his brother Basil plummet to his death after Basil's Hurricane

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5512-508: The 1850s under the leadership of Jón Sigurðsson , based on the burgeoning Icelandic nationalism inspired by the Fjölnismenn and other Danish-educated Icelandic intellectuals. In 1874, Denmark granted Iceland a constitution and limited home rule. This was expanded in 1904, and Hannes Hafstein served as the first Minister for Iceland in the Danish cabinet. The Danish–Icelandic Act of Union , an agreement with Denmark signed on 1 December 1918 and valid for 25 years, recognised Iceland as

5618-404: The 1980s. In the late 1970s, Fisher assisted Greg Lindsay in the development of the Centre for Independent Studies in Sydney. Cockett wrote, "In 1981, to co-ordinate and establish a central focus for these institutes that Fisher himself started up all over the world, he created the Atlas Economic Research Foundation which in 1987 joined up with the Institute for Humane Studies (IHS) (founded by

5724-686: The Advancement of Liberty). In the early 2000s, Atlas Network moved to distribute general purpose funds through grant competitions. The organization provides limited amounts of financial support to new think tanks on a case-by-case basis. Grants are usually given for specific projects and range between $ 2,000 and $ 5,000. In 2020, Atlas Network provided more than $ 5 million in the form of grants to support its network of more than 500 partners worldwide. According to Atlas Network, its grants fund coaching, networking, pitch competitions, award programs, and other "ambitious projects for policy change." The organization funds Costa Rica 's IDEAS Labs, which helped reform

5830-494: The Arctic Circle contains the northernmost habitation of Iceland, whereas Kolbeinsey contains the northernmost point of Iceland. Iceland has three national parks : Vatnajökull National Park , Snæfellsjökull National Park , and Þingvellir National Park . The country is considered a "strong performer" in environmental protection, having been ranked 13th in Yale University 's Environmental Performance Index of 2012. A geologically young land at 16 to 18 million years old, Iceland

5936-474: The Asia Think Tank Shark Tank championship for his research on the high cost of construction in Sri Lanka and his proposal to lower the taxes on construction materials. In 2019, Students for Liberty and Entrepreneurship (South Sudan) led by John Mustapha Kutiyote won the award for promoting home ownership by women. Students for Liberty Brasil won the 2021 Latin America competition for their project on educating Brazilian favela residents about property rights. As

6042-420: The Center for African Prosperity and the historian Ibrahim B. Anoba is a fellow at the center. Wade said in Reason that the solution to Africa's economic problems lies in a "cheetah generation" of young Africans who embrace free markets, individualism, human rights, and transparency in government. In her words, "[Africa is] poor because we don't let our entrepreneurs work." Antonella Marty of Argentina served as

6148-423: The Commonwealth of Nations, such as Canada, whose sovereign is King Charles III . During World War II, Iceland joined Denmark in asserting neutrality. After the German occupation of Denmark on 9 April 1940, the Althing replaced the King with a regent and declared that the Icelandic government would take control of its own defence and foreign affairs. A month later, British armed forces conducted Operation Fork ,

6254-454: The IEA) while he himself concentrated on the fund-raising side". Cockett explained that after his success at the Fraser Institute, Fisher went to New York where in 1977 he set up the International Center for Economic Policy Studies (ICEPS), later renamed the Manhattan Institute . "The incorporation documents for the ICEPS were signed by prominent attorney Bill Casey , later Director of the Central Intelligence Agency". Cockett comments that "under

6360-486: The Icelandic Research Centre for Innovation and Economic Growth). Atlas Network helped establish the Hong Kong Centre for Economic Research in 1987 and the Liberty Institute in New Delhi in 1996. Atlas Network grew from 15 think tanks in nine countries in the mid-1980s to 457 think tanks in 96 countries as of 2020. Atlas Network generally refrains from taking any institutional positions on public policy subjects that its partners support. According to The Guardian , more than

6466-503: The Left-Green Movement, headed by Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir. In April 2024, Bjarni Benediktsson of the Independence party succeeded Katrín Jakobsdóttir as prime minister. Iceland is at the juncture of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. The main island is entirely south of the Arctic Circle , which passes through the small Icelandic island of Grímsey off the main island's northern coast. The country lies between latitudes 63 and 68°N , and longitudes 25 and 13°W . Iceland

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6572-441: The Mont Pelerin member F. A. Harper in 1961) to provide a central institutional structure for what quickly became an ever-expanding number of international free-market think-tanks or research institutes". According to Cokett, "Fisher used the local and international gatherings of the Mont Pelerin Society to find personnel, fund-raisers and donors for many of the Atlas Institutes" as the international think-tanks proliferated. Fisher

6678-514: The US Marshall Plan programme, through which Icelanders received the most aid per capita of any European country (at US$ 209, with the war-ravaged Netherlands a distant second at US$ 109). Vigdís Finnbogadóttir assumed Iceland's presidency on 1 August 1980, making her the first elected female head of state in the world. The 1970s were marked by the Cod Wars —several disputes with the United Kingdom over Iceland's extension of its fishing limits to 200 nmi (370 km) offshore. Iceland hosted

6784-402: The Ukraine Freedom Fund, acquiring, transporting, and providing goods to Ukrainians, and supporting Atlas Network partner groups in the country. The Washington Examiner said the aid totaled $ 3.5 million by December 2022. The chief executive officer of Atlas Network is Brad Lips. Lips joined Atlas Network, then known as the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, in 1998 and became CEO in 2009. He

6890-861: The United States received funding from the tobacco industry between 1990 and 2000. Analysis in the International Journal of Health Planning and Management in 2016 said that a lack of transparency and data about think tank funding had made it difficult to ascertain the amounts of tobacco industry funding to Atlas Network and partners since 2003. Atlas Network said that corporate funding accounted for less than 2% of its total donations in 2020. National Review said in 2021 that "fossil-fuel and tobacco interests" provided less than 1% of Atlas Network's funding over two decades, versus 98% from individuals and foundations. As of 2020, Atlas Network had assets of $ 15,450,264. Revenue and support as of 2020: $ 15,545,000 Antony Fisher Sir Antony George Anson Fisher AFC (28 June 1915 – 8 July 1988), nicknamed AGAF ,

6996-594: The administration of Donald Trump in the United States, Brexit in the United Kingdom, and anti-government protests in Latin America. An article in International Affairs analyzing 52 Atlas Network partners said that "while some Atlas-affiliated partners show readiness to confront the threat of nationalist and authoritarian societal mobilization, others conceive it as a tactical or strategic opportunity to advance free market causes". According to The Guardian , "Atlas took no position on Brexit itself, and many of its European partners were opposed, but directors of UK groups in

7102-466: The country's climate continued to grow colder, resulting in mass emigration to the New World , particularly to the region of Gimli , Manitoba in Canada, which was sometimes referred to as New Iceland . About 15,000 people emigrated, out of a total population of 70,000. A national consciousness arose in the first half of the 19th century, inspired by romantic and nationalist ideas from mainland Europe. An Icelandic independence movement took shape in

7208-588: The country's pension laws in 2020. Atlas Network also supports the Philippines -based Foundation for Economic Freedom, which works on property rights. Atlas Network supports the Burundian think tank CDE Great Lakes, which has helped reduce the paperwork and fees required to start a business in the country. The think tank works with local entrepreneurs such as "Papa Coriandre," who formalized his small business and has since grown it from two to 139 employees. Atlas Network’s Templeton Freedom Award, supported by Templeton Religion Trust and named after Sir John Templeton ,

7314-416: The country's total exports. Birds, especially seabirds, are an important part of Iceland's animal life. Atlantic puffins , skuas , and black-legged kittiwakes nest on its sea cliffs. Commercial whaling is practised intermittently along with scientific whale hunts. Whale watching has become an important part of Iceland's economy since 1997. Around 1,300 species of insects are known in Iceland. This

7420-417: The country. Due to the reforestation efforts, the forest cover of Iceland increased six-fold since the 1990s. This helps to offset carbon emissions, prevent sand storms and increase the productivity of farms. The planting of new forests has increased the number of trees, but the result does not compare to the original forests. Some of the planted forests include introduced species . The tallest tree in Iceland

7526-402: The directorship of William Hammett the Manhattan Institute became probably Fisher's greatest success after the IEA". In 1977, Cockett wrote, Fisher moved to San Francisco "with his second wife Dorian, who he had met through the Mont Pelerin Society , and founded the Pacific Research Institute in 1979" and Fisher and Milton Friedman lived in the same apartment block in San Francisco during

7632-527: The eruption, known as the Mist Hardships ( Icelandic : Móðuharðindin ), over half of all livestock in the country died. Around a quarter of the population starved to death in the ensuing famine . In 1814, following the Napoleonic Wars , Denmark-Norway was broken up into two separate kingdoms via the Treaty of Kiel , but Iceland remained a Danish dependency. Throughout the 19th century,

7738-645: The events known locally as the Turkish Abductions , in which hundreds of residents were taken into slavery in North Africa and dozens killed; this was the only invasion in Icelandic history to have casualties. The 1707–08 Iceland smallpox epidemic is estimated to have killed a quarter to a third of the population. In 1783 the Laki volcano erupted, with devastating effects. In the years following

7844-481: The first permanent residents of Iceland to be documented. The Norwegian-Norse chieftain Ingólfr Arnarson built his homestead in present-day Reykjavík in 874. Ingólfr was followed by many other emigrant settlers, largely Scandinavians and their thralls , many of whom were Irish or Scottish . By 930, most arable land on the island had been claimed; the Althing , a legislative and judicial assembly

7950-622: The free-market think tank New Zealand Taxpayers' Union . The leader of New Zealand's libertarian ACT party , David Seymour , once worked for the Atlas Network-affiliated Frontier Centre for Public Policy in Canada. Atlas Network chair Debbi Gibbs' father helped found the ACT party. In May 2024, Atlas Network co-hosted its Europe Liberty Forum in Madrid, Spain , with its Spanish partner Fundalib (Foundation for

8056-471: The greatest migration from Iceland since 1887, with a net emigration of 5,000 people in 2009. Iceland's economy stabilised under the government of Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir and grew by 1.6% in 2012. The centre-right Independence Party was returned to power in coalition with the Progressive Party in the 2013 election. In the following years, Iceland saw a surge in tourism as the country became

8162-482: The invasion and occupation of the country, violating Icelandic neutrality . In 1941, the Government of Iceland, friendly to Britain, invited the then-neutral United States to take over its defence so that Britain could use its troops elsewhere. On 31 December 1943, the Danish–Icelandic Act of Union expired after 25 years. Beginning on 20 May 1944, Icelanders voted in a four-day plebiscite on whether to terminate

8268-527: The island was first settled, it was extensively forested, with around 30% of the land covered in trees. In the late 12th century, Ari the Wise described it in the Íslendingabók as "forested from mountain to sea shore". Permanent human settlement greatly disturbed the isolated ecosystem of thin, volcanic soils and limited species diversity . The forests were heavily exploited over the centuries for firewood and timber. Deforestation , climatic deterioration during

8374-440: The island was then called Garðarshólmur, which means "Garðar's Isle". Then came a Viking named Flóki Vilgerðarson ; his daughter drowned en route, then his livestock starved to death. The sagas say that the rather despondent Flóki climbed a mountain and saw a fjord ( Arnarfjörður ) full of icebergs, which led him to give the island its new and present name. The notion that Iceland's Viking settlers chose that name to discourage

8480-621: The island with the winds, but they are not able to breed there. No native or free-living reptiles or amphibians are on the island. The animals of Iceland include the Icelandic sheep , cattle , chickens , goats , the sturdy Icelandic horse , and the Icelandic Sheepdog , all descendants of animals imported by Europeans. Wild mammals include the Arctic fox, mink , mice, rats, rabbits, and reindeer . Polar bears occasionally visit

8586-415: The island, travelling from Greenland on icebergs, but no Icelandic populations exist. In June 2008, two polar bears arrived in the same month. Marine mammals include the grey seal ( Halichoerus grypus ) and harbour seal ( Phoca vitulina ). Many species of fish live in the ocean waters surrounding Iceland, and the fishing industry is a major part of Iceland's economy, accounting for roughly half of

8692-437: The last Catholic bishop of Hólar , was beheaded in 1550 along with two of his sons. The country subsequently became officially Lutheran, and Lutheranism has since remained the dominant religion. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Denmark imposed harsh trade restrictions on Iceland. Natural disasters, including volcanic eruptions and disease, contributed to a decreasing population. In the summer of 1627, Barbary Pirates committed

8798-513: The network were prominent in the official campaign to take Britain out of the EU." In Brazil, Atlas Network had a role in the "Free Brazil" movement in 2014 that led to the rise of Jair Bolsonaro , and it sponsors the Liberty Forum where policies of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva were opposed. Atlas Network was linked to an online campaign that used fake accounts against the Cuban government during

8904-481: The northeastern hinterland. The temperature records for Reykjavík are 26.2 °C (79.2 °F) on 30 July 2008, and −24.5 °C (−12.1 °F) on 21 January 1918. The entire country is in a single ecoregion , the Iceland boreal birch forests and alpine tundra . Some areas are covered by glaciers . Phytogeographically , Iceland belongs to the Arctic province of the Circumboreal Region within

9010-410: The northern tip of Labrador . Iceland is the world's 18th-largest island , and Europe's second-largest island after Great Britain and before Ireland. The main island covers 101,826 km (39,315 sq mi), but the entire country is 103,000 km (40,000 sq mi) in size, of which 62.7% is tundra . Iceland contains about 30 minor islands, including the lightly populated Grímsey and

9116-401: The ocean in a series of volcanic eruptions between 8 November 1963 and 5 June 1968. Only scientists researching the growth of new life are allowed to visit the island. The country has around 30 active volcanic systems. Within each are volcano-tectonic fissure systems and many, but not all of them, also have at least one central volcano (mostly in the form of a stratovolcano , sometimes of

9222-510: The organization. Fisher conceived Atlas Network as a means to connect various think tanks via a global network through which the organizations could learn best practices from one another and "pass the best research and policy ideas from one to the other." Initially comprising only Fisher's think tanks, Atlas Network grew to include many others, including those affiliated with the Koch family . Major American think tanks in Atlas Network have included

9328-517: The personal union with Denmark, abolish the monarchy, and establish a republic. The vote was 97% to end the union, and 95% in favour of the new republican constitution. Iceland formally became a republic on 17 June 1944, with Sveinn Björnsson as its first president. In 1946, the US Defence Force Allied left Iceland. The nation formally became a member of NATO on 30 March 1949, amid domestic controversy and riots . On 5 May 1951,

9434-634: The settlement of their verdant isle is most likely a myth. According to both Landnámabók and Íslendingabók , monks known as the Papar lived in Iceland before Scandinavian settlers arrived, possibly members of a Hiberno-Scottish mission . An archaeological excavation has revealed the ruins of a cabin in Hafnir on the Reykjanes peninsula . Carbon dating indicates that it was abandoned sometime between 770 and 880. In 2016, archaeologists uncovered

9540-669: The signing of the Old Covenant in 1262, which ended the Commonwealth and brought Iceland under the Norwegian crown. Possession of Iceland passed from the Kingdom of Norway (872–1397) to the Kalmar Union in 1415, when the kingdoms of Norway, Denmark, and Sweden were united. After the break-up of the union in 1523, it remained a Norwegian dependency, as a part of Denmark–Norway . Infertile soil, volcanic eruptions, deforestation, and an unforgiving climate made for harsh life in

9646-480: The smallest population of any NATO member and is the only one with no standing army , possessing only a lightly armed coast guard . The Sagas of Icelanders say that a Norwegian named Naddodd (or Naddador) was the first Norseman to reach Iceland; in the ninth century, he named it Snæland or "Snowland" because it was snowing. Following Naddodd, the Swede Garðar Svavarsson arrived, and so

9752-463: The south coast is warmer, wetter, and windier than the north. The Central Highlands are the coldest part of the country. Low-lying inland areas in the north are the aridest. Snowfall in winter is more common in the north than in the south. The highest air temperature recorded was 30.5 °C (86.9 °F) on 22 June 1939 at Teigarhorn on the southeastern coast. The lowest was −38 °C (−36.4 °F) on 22 January 1918 at Grímsstaðir and Möðrudalur in

9858-541: The spreading of climate change denial . Atlas Network collaborated with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute of Canada in a push for oil and gas development on Indigenous land, according to documents described in The Guardian . Atlas affiliates in Canada have "extensive and deepening board interlocks" involving the fossil fuel industry, other policy groups, and academia, and are "a reactionary current" against most climate actions, Nicolas Graham wrote in

9964-545: The tobacco industry." Atlas Network holds four regional Liberty Forums (in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe) and an international conference in the United States. At its December 2021 "Liberty Forum and Freedom Dinner" in Miami, Florida, for think tank partners from around the world, Mario Vargas Llosa and Yeonmi Park were among the 800 attendees, and Yotuel performed. Llosa, a Nobel Prize winner and classical liberal ,

10070-550: The world with similar climates include the Aleutian Islands , the Alaska Peninsula , and Tierra del Fuego , although these regions are closer to the equator. Despite its proximity to the Arctic, the island's coasts remain ice-free through the winter. Ice incursions are rare, with the last having occurred on the north coast in 1969. The climate varies between different parts of the island. Generally speaking,

10176-680: The world's wealthiest and most developed nations. In 1994 it became a part of the European Economic Area , further diversifying its economy into sectors such as finance, biotechnology, and manufacturing . Iceland has a market economy with relatively low taxes , compared to other OECD countries, as well as the highest trade union membership in the world . It maintains a Nordic social welfare system that provides universal health care and tertiary education . Iceland ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as quality of life, education, protection of civil liberties, government transparency, and economic freedom. It has

10282-689: The world. Cockett wrote, "On the strength of his reputation with the IEA, he was invited in 1975 to become co-director of the Fraser Institute in Vancouver, founded by the Canadian businessman T. Patrick Boyle in 1974. Fisher let the young director of the Fraser Institute, Michael Walker , get on with the intellectual output of the Institute (just as he had given free rein to Seldon and Harris at

10388-545: Was George N. Crocker 's widow. Fisher died on 8 July 1988 in San Francisco, California. Bibliography Iceland Iceland ( Icelandic : Ísland , pronounced [ˈistlant] ) is a Nordic island country between the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans , on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe . It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and

10494-465: Was a British businessman and think tank founder. He participated in the formation of various libertarian organisations during the second half of the twentieth century, including the Institute of Economic Affairs and the Atlas Network . Through Atlas Network, he helped establish up to 150 other institutions worldwide. Antony Fisher was born on 28 June 1915, into a wealthy mining family. He

10600-644: Was a co-founder of the Fraser Institute , the Manhattan Institute , the Pacific Research Institute , the National Center for Policy Analysis , the Centre for Independent Studies , and the Adam Smith Institute . He was knighted four weeks before his death. Fisher was married twice. He had four children with his first wife, including Linda Whetstone , who was involved with many of Fisher's think tanks. His granddaughter, Rachel Whetstone , serves as senior vice-president of communications and public policy for Uber . Fisher's second wife, Dorian Fisher,

10706-515: Was adopted by consensus around 999–1000, although Norse paganism persisted among segments of the population for some years afterward. The Icelandic Commonwealth lasted until the 13th century when the political system devised by the original settlers proved unable to cope with the increasing power of Icelandic chieftains. The internal struggles and civil strife of the Age of the Sturlungs led to

10812-852: Was established in 2004. In 2015, the Acton Institute was awarded $ 100,000 for its documentary film “ Poverty, Inc. ” In 2020, the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies won the award for its Affordable Food for the Poor Initiative. In 2021, India's Centre for Civil Society was the winner. In 2022, the Sri Lanka–based Advocata Institute, an Atlas Network partner, won its Asia Liberty Award and the Templeton Freedom Award. The organization's Think Tank Shark Tank competition allows professionals to pitch their projects to judges. In 2018, Dhananath Fernando won

10918-668: Was impressed and returned to start England's first battery cage chicken farm, Buxted Chickens, which eventually made him a millionaire. In 1955, he used his fortune to set up the influential Institute of Economic Affairs with Ralph Harris . In 1971, Fisher founded the International Institute for Economic Research, which went on to spawn both the Atlas Network in 1981 and the International Policy Network in 2001. Through these operations, Fisher provided financial and operational support for

11024-558: Was initiated to regulate the Icelandic Commonwealth . The lack of arable land also served as an impetus to the settlement of Greenland starting in 986. The period of these early settlements coincided with the Medieval Warm Period , when temperatures were similar to those of the early 20th century. At this time about 25% of Iceland was covered with forest, compared to 1% in the present day. Christianity

11130-560: Was shot down and his parachute caught fire. The experience both traumatised Fisher and, according to a biography, galvanised him into a belief that he must act to make the world a freer and more prosperous place where nation states would not go to war. After World War II, Fisher was alarmed by the election of a Labour government, the nationalisation of industry, and the introduction of central economic planning. In 1945, he had read The Road to Serfdom by Austrian economist F. A. Hayek which influenced his thinking. Fisher sought out Hayek at

11236-695: Was two years old when his father was killed by a sniper in Gaza during World War I. Fisher was educated at Eton College . He graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge , with a degree in engineering. Fisher also excelled at dancing while studying at Trinity. During the Second World War , Fisher served as a fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force , being awarded the Air Force Cross . He and his brother Basil Fisher were assigned to

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