Emigration from Iceland at record high in 2009

Nearly twice as many people left Iceland last year as moved in, producing the largest net emigration on record, according to officials statistics.

Statistics Iceland, the official agency, said some 10,612 people left the country in 2009 while 5,777 moved in.

Agency chief Omar Hardarson said Thursday that the net loss of 4,835 and the total emigration figure were the largest since record-keeping began in 1887, as so was the total figure for those leaving.

The agency did not speculate on …