Iceland Lydhveldidh Ísland
Iceland is a striking combination of fire and ice; where the natural phenomena of active volcanoes, geysers and hot springs occur amid glaciers, ice fields and fjords. This sparsely populated country resting at the edge of the Arctic Circle sits atop one of the world's most volcanically active areas and volcanoes and other seismic activity have regularly devastated parts of the country.
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Must-see attractions nearby:
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In 1963, a new island, Surtsey, emerged from the sea off Iceland's south coast. Many Icelanders take advantage of this geothermal energy to heat their homes and businesses. As a result Iceland's air is very clean.
Due to its northerly latitude Iceland experiences midnight sun in summer and in winter some locations don't see the sun for weeks.
More than 80% of Iceland's 103,000sq km/40,000sq mi remains uninhabited. Ice-caps including Vatnajökull, Europe's largest glacier, cover 11% of the country. Iceland's trees are scarce and original homesteads were built from turf.
The population of 278,000 is heavily dependent on the surrounding sea for its livelihood. Reykjavík, Iceland's capital city in the country's southwestern corner, is home to more than half the population. Akureyri on the north coast is the only other highly populated center.
Iceland is a Scandinavian country with a rich history, literature and folklore. Apart from the 9th C Irish monks who regarded this part of the world as a retreat, Iceland's first permanent settlers came from Norway. Rejecting the monarchy at home they set up the Althing, now the world oldest parliament, in 930. Sagas, medieval folk tales passed on through the centuries recalling this period, are still read by Iceland's completely literate population.
At the end of the 14th C Iceland came under Danish rule. In 1602 a Danish king imposed a corrupt trade monopoly with Sweden and Denmark which damaged Iceland's economy. After 500 years of foreign rule Iceland finally became self-governing in 1918 and fully independent in 1944.
High-technology is pervasive in Iceland. Despite this, some folklorists believe in elves and hidden people and couples planning a new house will sometimes hire "elf-spotters" to ensure their lot is free from them. Chess is prevalent is Iceland. The memorable Fischer-Spassky match was played here in 1972. More books are printed, bought and read in Iceland than anywhere else in the world.
Iceland's warmest months are June, July and August with a maximum temperature of about 10.6°C/52° F. There is growing popularity for winter sports when the temperature dips to -1°C/30°F and bird-watching and fishing remain common diversions.
Due to its northerly latitude Iceland experiences midnight sun in summer and in winter some locations don't see the sun for weeks.
More than 80% of Iceland's 103,000sq km/40,000sq mi remains uninhabited. Ice-caps including Vatnajökull, Europe's largest glacier, cover 11% of the country. Iceland's trees are scarce and original homesteads were built from turf.
The population of 278,000 is heavily dependent on the surrounding sea for its livelihood. Reykjavík, Iceland's capital city in the country's southwestern corner, is home to more than half the population. Akureyri on the north coast is the only other highly populated center.
Iceland is a Scandinavian country with a rich history, literature and folklore. Apart from the 9th C Irish monks who regarded this part of the world as a retreat, Iceland's first permanent settlers came from Norway. Rejecting the monarchy at home they set up the Althing, now the world oldest parliament, in 930. Sagas, medieval folk tales passed on through the centuries recalling this period, are still read by Iceland's completely literate population.
At the end of the 14th C Iceland came under Danish rule. In 1602 a Danish king imposed a corrupt trade monopoly with Sweden and Denmark which damaged Iceland's economy. After 500 years of foreign rule Iceland finally became self-governing in 1918 and fully independent in 1944.
High-technology is pervasive in Iceland. Despite this, some folklorists believe in elves and hidden people and couples planning a new house will sometimes hire "elf-spotters" to ensure their lot is free from them. Chess is prevalent is Iceland. The memorable Fischer-Spassky match was played here in 1972. More books are printed, bought and read in Iceland than anywhere else in the world.
Iceland's warmest months are June, July and August with a maximum temperature of about 10.6°C/52° F. There is growing popularity for winter sports when the temperature dips to -1°C/30°F and bird-watching and fishing remain common diversions.
