Sveitafélög

Sveitafélög is an Icelandic term that translates to "municipalities" or "local authorities." These are the primary administrative units responsible for governing local affairs within Iceland. Each sveitafélag has a democratically elected council that makes decisions regarding local services and development. The responsibilities of sveitafélög typically include providing education, healthcare, social services, land use planning, and maintaining local infrastructure such as roads and water systems. The number of sveitafélög has fluctuated over time due to mergers and reorganizations aimed at increasing efficiency and resource management. These mergers often aim to create larger, more capable municipalities that can better serve their residents. The Icelandic government sets the framework within which sveitafélög operate, but they possess a significant degree of autonomy in their day-to-day operations. Revenue for sveitafélög is primarily generated through local property taxes and state subsidies. The Icelandic Association of Municipalities (Samband íslenskra sveitarfélaga) is an organization that represents the interests of all sveitafélög and facilitates cooperation between them.