Iceland , (Icelandic: Ísland) a country nominally in Northern Europe, is a large mountainous island in the north Atlantic Ocean, on the fault between Europe and North America. In a sense, it is a well-named territory, with over 11 per cent of the country covered by glaciers, but in another sense it is not, with a surprisingly mild climate and countless geothermal hot-spots. And of course the native spelling ("Ísland") is appropriate in English as well.
Regions
Cities
Other destinations
Although most visitors don't stray far from the capital city, this is a shame as some of the most memorable sights of Iceland are further afield.
There are many excursions offered by tour companies and are readily available from any of the main centres such as Reykjavik and Akureyri. They will fly you around and take you on to the glaciers and to the big volcanos for a reasonable price. However, the cheapest option is to drive around with a rented car since none of these sites have entry fees.
Interesting for a number of reasons. This is not only the site of the longest running parliament in the world (the name literally means parliamentary fields), it's also where the North-American and European continental shelf plates are being torn apart.
On the edge of the inhospitable Interior of Iceland about 60 miles east of Reykjavik, the river Hvita plunges down a double cascade to create what many people believe is the most beautiful waterfall in Iceland
A bit west of Gullfoss.
Geysir itself (from which the English word "geyser" derives) rarely erupts, but fortunately Strokkur next door goes off every five or ten minutes.
A lake near Akureyri in the North of Iceland, Myvatn has an unearthly appearance owing to special types of volcanic craters throughout the lake. There is plenty of activites to do in this area: Hekla volcano, Smajfall (desert where sulfuric steam comes out of the ground) and Dimmuborgir (aka The Black City aka The Gates of Hell).
The majestic glacier lake in southeast Iceland and is located near Hofn and on Route 1. Interior Iceland water runoff flows into Jokulsarlon lake which opens into the Atlantic Ocean.
A region of outstanding natural beauty reachable by bus (or 4x4) from Reykjavik. Situated in the Interior, it gives a taster of the uninhabited highlands at Icelands core.
Located in northwest Iceland, the West Fjords are somewhat isolated but beautiful to see.
Europe's largest waterfall located in southern end of Jokulsargljufur National Park.
A Golden Circle tour is available from Reykjavik which will take you round the Gulfoss waterfall, geysirs, the crater, the Garden of Eden and the Mid-atlantic rift/ place of Icelands first Parliament. Although you dont get much time at each stop the guide does tell you about Icelands history and some general information.
Iceland offers many hiking opportunities. Hiking in Iceland is no easy business, strong walking boots which support your ankle are recommended as the terrain is usually craggy lava rock or springly moss with hidden holes!
Understand
Iceland is a stunningly beautiful place if you enjoy strange and desolate landscapes. Lava fields, lava tubes, plains of fractured rock, ice, fire and steam.
Because it is so close to the Arctic Circle (a small island to the north of the main island crosses it), the amount of daylight varies dramatically by season. The sun sets briefly each night in June, but it doesn't get fully dark before it comes back up again. In March and September, days and nights are about equal, as elsewhere in the world. If you go in December, forget about sight-seeing; it'll be too dark outside. Summer is definitely the best time to go, and even then the tourist traffic is still mild. The midnight sun is a beautiful sight and one definitely not to be missed. It is easy to lose track of time when the sun is still high in the sky at 11pm.
People
Iceland was settled by Nordic and Celtic people in the 9th century AD - tradition says that the first permanent settler was Ingólfur Arnarson, a Norwegian Viking who made his home where Reykjavik now stands. The Icelanders still basically speak the language of the Vikings. Iceland maintains another Norse tradition: the custom of using patronymics rather than surnames (an Icelander's given name is followed by his or her parent's first name (usually the father's) and the suffix -son or -dóttir, e.g. Guðrún Pétursdóttir (Guðrún, Pétur's daughter). Members of the same family can therefore have many different "surnames", which can sometimes create confusion for visitors. Because of the patronymic last names Icelanders primarily use first names, e.g. phone books are alphabetized by first name rather than last name. This also applies when addressing an individual. Icelanders would never expect to be addressed as Mr. or Ms. Jónsson/-dóttir no matter how important they might be. Iceland has received a great number of immigrants last 10 years. In the last 5 years the population of immigrants has doubled. Most of these people come for employment. Most of them come from Eastern Europe and South East Asia. Immigrants in Iceland now count up to 10% of the population, giving Iceland similar proportion of immigration as Norway, Sweden etc.
Climate
Despite its name, Iceland is very mild for a country at that latitude owing to the warming effect of the Atlantic Gulf Stream. The weather is often compared with that of New England (though cooler in the winter). However the rapidly changing weather has given rise to the local saying: 'If you don't like the weather, wait fifteen minutes'!
- some Icelandic people also believe that if the winter is hard and long then the summer will be good and warm.
Get in
By plane
Iceland is easily reached via air and the international airport is Keflavik, in the southwest of the country about 40 km from Reykjavik.
The airport itself is quite barren; if you have a lengthy layover you should make sure to bring books or other entertainment.
An airport transfer bus service (called the FlyBus) runs between the airport and Reykjavik bus terminal via various hotels (1100 Kr , 45 minutes). A return is 300 Kr cheaper than 2 singles. Another great option is to take the bus which stops at the Blue Lagoon either to or from the airport, then continues every half hour or so to Reykjavik.
Be warned, a metered taxi costs about 9500 krona (roughly US$140).
Nonstop flights on Icelandair are available at the best value from the U.S. and Canada, with gateways in New York City, Boston, Halifax, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Orlando Sanford, and Baltimore/Washington. Destinations beyond Iceland include most major European cities (i.e. Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Glasgow, Helsinki, London, Oslo, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Munich, Paris, and Stockholm, with newly-added cities Bergen and Gothenburg), with Icelandair's hub-and-spoke network connecting via Keflavik in Iceland. (Please note that some destinations are seasonal.) You can also stopover in Iceland for up to seven nights at no additional airfare on your way to or from Europe. That's two destinations for the price of one!
Another option is the low cost airline Iceland Express which flies from Copenhagen and London (Stansted) to Keflavik (with additional service during the summer month to Frankfurt-Hahn, Berlin Schönefeld, Friedrichshafen, Alicante, Gothenburg and Stockholm Arlanda). New connections have been added in 2007 from Copenhagen directly to Akureyri and Egilsstadir.
The Icelandic travel search engine dohop.com finds low cost flights to Reykjavik from 200 cities in Europe. Make sure you check out all prices as the so called "low cost" option may not be the lowest cost option at all.
In addition to this British Airways will offer flights from London and SAS from Oslo starting in 2006.
By boat
Getting to Iceland by boat takes longer than by plane but has the advantage of allowing you to take your own vehicle.
In the summer, Smyril Line's MV Norrøna sails to picturesque Seyðisfjörður in a week round trip from Hanstholm in Northern Jutland (Denmark) via Tórshavn (Faroe Islands), Lerwick (Shetland Islands) and Bergen (Norway).
The website is slightly vague on the costs and doesn't show many special offers, so it's worth calling their friendly sales office in Shetland. In July & August 2005 a return ticket from Lerwick could be had for ~£50.
Get around
By plane
Aircraft in Iceland are like buses or trains elsewhere - they're the main form of internal travel other than the roads. Be warned though, that the ride can be a bit bumpy if you're coming into one of the fjords like Akureyri.
Scheduled service to domestic destinations, including Greenland and Faroe Islands, is provided by Air Iceland.
By car
Driving in Iceland is on the right-side of the road. Headlights and seatbelts for all passengers must be on at all times. There are excellent car hire desks from Hertz and Avis in the airport, as well as a local company, Alp. Hiring a car can be extremely expensive, especially for four-wheel-drives. Renting cars on-location is almost never cheaper than doing so in advance.
Be aware that car rentals - also at the airports - are not open around the clock.
There is one main highway, Route 1-Ring Road, that encircles the country. If traveling around the country,the gas tank should be kept near full because stations can be 100-200km apart. Also, because of Iceland's everchanging weather, one should keep extra food and know where guesthouses/hotels are located in case of a road closure.
Most mountain roads are closed until the end of June, or even longer because of wet and muddy conditions which make them totally impassable. When these roads are opened for traffic many of them can only be negotiated by four wheel drive vehicles. The roads requiring four wheel drive (and possibly snow tires) are route numbers with an "F" prefix, e.g. F128.
Icelandic roads are adequate or at least tolerable if you are driving in populated areas. The interior of the country is a different matter and a good four-wheel drive vehicle is essential even if you stay to the "roads", you might have to cross many rivers and fords, some of which can be over 4 feet (1.2m) deep - especially if it has been raining.
A word of warning is in order: With the growing number of tourists on the Icelandic roads it has become evident that the roads are dangerous for the visitors. Please be careful! The number of drivers that lose control of hired cars on the gravel roads is disproportionately high. And the accidents are sadly too often fatal.
There are two signs that foreigners should pay attention to. First, "malbik endar" means that the road changes from a paved road to a gravel road. Slow down before these changes, for one can lose control easily. Also "einbreið brú" means that a one-lane bridge is approaching. Arrive at the bridge slowly and assess the situation. If another car has arrived at the bridge first allow them the right-of-way.
If you are travelling by road a great site to check is the Iceland Meteorological Office who have an excellent set of pages including the weather and driving conditions on all of the main roads.
The DUI limit in Iceland is 0.05%.
Driving in Iceland is an amazing experience - the changing landscapes are unlike anything else in the world. Pay attention to the driving rules and you will have a wonderful time.
By bus
BSI Travel
Runs regular bus service to most parts of the country, especially around the Ring Road (Route 1).
Special offers include 1-4 week unlimited bus travel round the Ring Road (optionally with travel round the West Fjords); one time-unlimited breakable journey around the Ring Road in either direction.
Some of the largest excursion companies include Reykjavik Excursions which actually operates bus routes all over the West, South and East part of the country and SBA-Nordurleid which operates routes all over the North and East of Iceland.
By bicycle
Cycling is a good way to experience Iceland, and provides a very different cultural experience to other means of transport. You should bring your own touring bike; don't buy locally, unless you really have too much money to spare. Traffic in and out of Reykjavík is heavy, otherwise, it's OK. You can cycle safely on the Ring Road, or take the bike on the buses (which are equipped with bicycle racks) serving the Ring Road and do side trips.
By thumb
Hitchhiking is a cheap way of getting around in Iceland. The country is among the safest in the world, people are quite friendly and the percentage of cars who do give rides is high, especially in the off-season. However, low traffic in areas outside Reykjavik makes hitchhiking in Iceland an endurance sport. Even on the main ring-road there is quite often less than one car an hour in the eastern parts. Nearly everybody speaks English and most drivers are interested in conversations.
Hitchhiking into the interior is tough, but everything works if you have enough time - calculating in days, not in hours. For longer distances or less touristic areas be prepared with some food, water and a tent or similar. The weather can be awful and sometimes spoils the fun of this way of traveling.
Talk
The official language of Iceland is Icelandic (íslenska), which remains very similar to although not quite the same as 13th-century Norse. Icelandic writing uses the Latin alphabet, but with two unusual characters long ago lost from English: eth (Ð, ð), pronounced like the voiced th of "them", and thorn (Þ, þ), pronounced like the unvoiced th of "thick". Materials in English often substitute "dh" and "th" respectively, so eg. Fjörður is written Fjordhur and þingvellir is written Thingvellir. Loanwords are shunned and new words are regularly made for concepts like computers, known as tölva ("number-prophetess"). Speakers of Scandinavian languages like Danish, Norwegian or Swedish will be able to puzzle out some written words, but are unlikely to understand the spoken language.
Most Icelanders speak English, but it doesn't hurt to be aware of your 'please and thank you' to make things go a little more smoothly. Many people have basic knowledge of German, the Scandinavian languages (Danish in particular) and some Spanish and French too. At college level, Icelandic students choose a "second language" to study, often between Spanish, German, French or Italian for example. Many students also opt to study a third language. Danish and English are taught at a elementary school level.
Consult the Icelandic phrasebook for more information.
Buy
The local currency is the Icelandic 'krona (ISK). Sample exchange rates (June 2007): 1 GBP = 122 ISK, 1 USD = 62 ISK. Note: You will get a better rate of exchange if you buy and sell your krona in Iceland itself.
Iceland has a huge number of great little craft shops that sell everything from musical baskets and wonderful weird porcelain sculpture to paintings, glasswork, and jewelry. An interesting note is the National Galleries tend to carry the same artists work in the gift shops rather than the usual mass marketed product carried at so many other museums.
Icelandic wool goods (hats, gloves etc.) are soft and warm; don't just buy them for other people if you plan to visit the interior.
There is also a plethora of interesting local music CDs (beyond just Björk) worth hunting for. Obscurities worth picking up include Eberg, Hera, Worm is Green, Múm, Sigur Rós, Singapore Sling, and Bellatrix. Be warned that many of these CDs are often available back home as imports for much lower prices. CDs tend to cost around 2,500 Kr (~$40 or £20) here. The best place to find true rarities is 12 Tonar, which is in downtown Reykjavik. This Icelandic institution also serves as one of the country's major record labels.
Prices
Getting to Iceland can be done very economically: Iceland Air offers many excellent fares and promotions. However, as soon as one steps off the plane the situation changes quite drastically. In Iceland, everything is very expensive. Specifically, fresh vegetables (especially organic, if you can find them) and beer (minimum 500 ISK / pint = US$8.06 or GB£4.10, averaging at 600 ISK. Spirits are priced even higher, as alcohol is taxed by how strong it is). A three-course meal in a mid-range restaurant can easily cost 5000 ISK ($80.65 or £40.99 without alcohol). A similar meal in a top restaurant will cost about 9000 ISK ($145.16 or £73.77 again, without alchohol). A small rental car will cost at least 4000 ISK per day ($64 or £32.79 if you shop around.....a lot), and you should expect to pay about 110 ISK/L for petrol (that works out to about $6.69/gallon or £0.90/Liter). On the other hand, smoked salmon is quite reasonably priced---unfortunately bagels and cream cheese are not.
If you are not on a budget, it is best to not check the exchange rate before leaving, it will make the trip more pleasant. If traveling on a budget, a change of travel plans may be in order.
Eat
Most Icelandic cuisine involves lamb or fish in some form or other, so a liking for one (or both) of these is an advantage. A vegetarian diet can be tricky to maintain and veganism will require you to self-cater (although there are two vegetarian restaurants in downtown Reykjavík).
Distinctively Icelandic foods include:
Food is no problem for Westerners in the cities; there is the usual complement of eateries and restaurants for your delectation. Some of the hotel restaurants are very good indeed but if you're looking for a bite to eat on the move you can't really beat a 'Subway' or a very long bag of chips (fries) from the drive-through cafe near the airport in Akureyri. They are fabulous! (NB. Icelanders usually don't use ketchup as a condiment with chips, but rather use an unholy cocktail of ketchup and mayonnaise that they call kokkteilsósa. Make sure you try this)
Any Icelanders' first choice of fast food is usually the pylsa or hot dog. It is usually served with a choice of fried onions, fresh onions, ketchup, mustard and remoulade. It is cheap compared with other fast food staples at around 200 kr, and is sold in every one of the small convenience stores/eateries/video rentals/sweet shops that litter Icelandic towns. The most popular hot dog stand is called Bæjarins bestu (Towns best) and is by the harbor. Icelanders love it.
Vid fjorubordid is a gourmet restaurant located in Stokkseyri by the south coast of Iceland specializing in lobster. Stokkseyri is about 40 minutes drive from Reykjavík
Drink
Alcoholic drinks are very expensive compared to the UK and USA. Liquor can be purchased at licenced bars, restaurants, or VinBud, the state monopoly.
There are three local brands of Iceland beer: Egils, Thule, Viking.
Visitors arriving by air should note that there is a duty free store for arriving passengers where they can buy cheap alcohol (at least cheap compared to Iceland). To find the duty free store just follow the Icelanders. No Icelander in their right mind will pass the duty free store upon arrival.
Because of the high cost of alcohol in bars and restaurants, you can save some money by purchasing alcohol at a Vínbuð or duty-free shop, and enjoying a few before going 'out on the town'.
-Also make sure you try a drink called "ópal" http://b2.is/?sida=tengill&id=141546 (Tarantino spent his new years 2005-2006 there and tells all details about partying there! very tempting and interesting)
-Also taste Brennivin or Black death
Sleep
If you're visiting in summertime, you won't regret bringing an eyemask with you. During the height of summer there is no actual darkness and in the Northern part of the country the sun might just dip for a few minutes below the horizon.
Hotels
The hotels are usually fairly basic around the island but you can usually get a room even in August just by phoning them up and reserving it before you get there. They are very clean and well maintained, light and airy with nothing at all that could even remotely be considered 'dingy'. They are expensive though.
Fosshotels is a chain of tourist class hotels. The chain focuses on friendlier atmosphere. Fosshotels are situated all around Iceland, close to the island's most treasured nature spots.
Inns of Iceland feature low priced guesthouses in Reykjavik.
Icelandair Hotels which include the Edda summer hotels and the Icelandair hotels. Icelandair Hotels are upscale, Scandinavian style hotels located in most major cities of Iceland. Most notable is the Nordica on the outskirts of downtown Reykjavik. For luxury accommodation in downtown Reykjavik, 101 Hotel is the only design hotel and celebrities’ most favorite one.
Outside of Reykjavik, one of the best hotels in Iceland is Hotel Budir on the Snaefell Peninsula.
Guesthouses
Guesthouses are between hotels and hostels in prices and services. At some times if traveling in groups the guesthouses can be cheaper than the hostels. Guesthouses will usually have more space than a hostel with a shared bathroom that is cleaner and less crowded.
Domus Guesthouse is one of the better guesthouses in Reykjavik. Their winter season lasts longer than others so their prices in May are cheaper than the Salvation Army hostel and the HI hostel outside the city. It is conveniently located near Laugevegur (the main street for shopping and bars) and the owners are very nice.
Hostels
Iceland has many hostels throughout the entire country. They can be found on Hostelling International Iceland.
Camping
If you're traveling on a budget, camping is your best bet. There are sites located throughout the country, especially at places you'd want to visit. They range from fully-equipped (hot showers, washing machines, cooking facilities) to farmers' fields with a cold-water tap. Expect to pay 500-1000 Kr per person per night.
If you intend to camp in Iceland you must be prepared for the cold, 3 season sleeping bags are essential and an inner, I would also highly recommend thick pyjamas and a warm hat! A bedding roll is also useful as you may end up sleeping on very rough ground...and that's just not very comfortable at all!
Mountain Huts
Trekkers will need to use some of the mountain huts, either government or privately-run. These range from dormitory accommodation to fully-staffed facilities. Booking ahead is likely to be necessary at popular times of year (and they may only be accessible in summertime).
See
The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa. For passengers departing or arriving on afternoon flights Reykjavik Excursions offers airport transfers which include a visit to the Blue Lagoon (from 3400 ISK).
A bus from the Main Bus Station in Reykjavik takes 40 minutes and costs 3000 ISK, including admission to the Blue Lagoon.
For an out of the way drive rent a car and travel along the southern part of the ring road to the town of Vik with its magnificent black sand beaches, rock outcroppings, glaciers, and lava fields.
South-central Iceland, easily accessible by car or tour from Reykjavik, boasts a number of sights: the Gullfoss waterfall Europe is quite spectacular; Geysir , the namesake of all geysers, and its neighbor Strokkur which erupts every five minutes or so; and Thingvellir, a beautiful landscape of water-cut lava fields, which is historically important as the site of Iceland's parliamentary government circa 930 AD.
Vatnajökull glacier is located in Southeast Iceland and is Europe's largest glacier. Jökulsárlón, the largest glacier lake in Iceland, is located off Route 1 and part of Vatnajökull glacier.
In the colder months, one may frequently get stunning views of the Aurora Borealis, a.k.a. Northern Lights anywhere away from city lights.
Husavík is home to the Icelandic Phallological Museum .
The Iceland Saga Trail Association is an association for those involved in history- and saga-related tourism in Iceland. The members offer museums, exhibitions, heritage sites, festivals and the sites of certain sagas.
Do
Tour companies
Work
Unemployment in Iceland is low and wages high. Work permits are required for citizens of most countries. The exceptions are citizens of the Nordic Countries (Greenland, Faroe Islands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Aland Islands, Finland) and EU/EEA countries. As of May 1, 2006 there are no restrictions on the latest entrants into the EU.
Work permits can be very difficult to get if you do not come from any of the aformentioned countries. Iceland has a relatively strict immigration policy.
Beware of offers for contracted work in Iceland. Your wage levels may be lower than average and your rights may be affected. Iceland is a highly unionized society with over 90% of the workforce members in labour unions.
A great resource is the Directorate of Labour website
Stay safe
Emergency Phone No: 112
Driving around Iceland can be difficult or even dangerous. Inform yourself on local conditions and make sure your vehicle and driving skills are up to the task. Be aware that many roads (even parts of the main country road) are unpaved and can turn into slippery mud during the summer. There have been a number of instances where foreigners, unprepared for "Icelandic roads", have been in accidents, some of them fatal. Since the roads are very quiet and the distances between settlements great, some Icelanders abuse this by speeding considerably. Sheep can often be found on the road.
Check out the following website for up-to-date road-condition information: http://www.vegag.is/vefur2.nsf/pages/fu_fv_faerdogvedur_eng.html
As mentioned earlier, Iceland is among the safest places in the world, so there is next to no chance of getting robbed or harassed. This, however, excludes Reykjavík, which has recently begun to suffer of some petty theft, and monthly news of night-time rapes downtown.
Stay healthy
The medical facilities in Iceland are good and available free to European Union citizens with a valid E-111 form or its replacement ID card. Scandinavian citizens must show valid passport and medical insurance to be treated.
Infectious diseases aren't a problem in Iceland. Inoculations aren't required except if you are arriving from countries that suffer from infectious diseases like cholera.
The biggest threat to your health is likely to be accidental injury or bad weather. Always make sure you have more than adequately warm and waterproof clothing. Selection of appropriate clothing is especially important in Iceland and can even be a matter of life and death. The most known Icelandic outdoor wear brand is 66°North (the latitude of the Arctic circle) which has been tried and tested by Icelanders in rough conditions for 80 years. Exercise extra caution in geothermal areas.
Respect
Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland (Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland; ) is a country of northwestern Europe, comprising the island of Iceland and its outlying islets in the North Atlantic Ocean between Greenland, Norway, Ireland, Scotland and the Faroe Islands. As of April 2007, it had a population of 309,699. Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík.
Due to its location on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Iceland is very volcanically and geologically active; this identifies the landscape in various ways. The interior mainly consists of a plateau characterized by sand fields, mountains and glaciers, while many big glacial rivers stream to sea through the lowlands. Due to the Gulf Stream, Iceland has a temperate climate relative to its latitude, which provides habitable environment and nature.
Iceland has a history of habitation since about the year 874 when, according to Landnámabók, the Norwegian chieftain Ingólfur Arnarson became the first permanent Norwegian settler on the island. Others had visited the island earlier and stayed over winter. Over the next centuries, people of Nordic and Gaelic origin settled in Iceland. Until the twentieth century, the Icelandic population relied on fisheries and agriculture, and was from 1262 to 1944 a part of the Norwegian and later the Danish monarchies. In the 20th century, Iceland's economy and welfare system developed quickly.
Today, Iceland is a developed country, the world's fifth and second in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and human development respectively. It is based upon a free market economy where service, finance, fishing and various industries are the main sectors. Tourism is popular, as many people are attracted to Iceland's exotic scenery. Iceland is a member of the UN, NATO, EEA, and OECD.
Administrative divisions
Iceland is divided into regions, constituencies, counties, and municipalities. There are eight regions which are primarily used for statistical purposes; the district court jurisdictions also use an older version of this division. Many fjords punctuate its 4,970 kilometre (3,088 mi) long coastline, which is also where most towns are situated because the island's interior, the Highlands of Iceland, is a cold and uninhabitable combination of sands and mountains. The major towns are the capital Reykjavík, Keflavík, where the international airport is situated, and Akureyri. The island of Grímsey on the Arctic Circle contains the northernmost habitation of Iceland.
The only native land mammal when humans arrived was the arctic fox. It came to the island at the end of the ice age, walking over the frozen sea. There are no native reptiles or amphibians on the island. There are around 1,300 known species of insects in Iceland, which is rather low compared with other countries (there are about 925,000 known species in the world). During the last Ice Age almost all of the country was covered by permanent snow and glacier ice. This explains the low number of living species in Iceland.
When humans arrived, birch forest and woodland probably covered 25-40% of Iceland’s land area, but soon the settlers started to remove the trees and forests to create fields and grazing land. During the early twentieth century the forests were at their minimum and were almost wiped out of existence. The planting of new forests has increased the number of trees since, but this can not be compared with the original forests. Some of those planted forests have included new foreign species.
Iceland has four national parks: Jökulsárgljúfur National Park, Skaftafell National Park, Snæfellsjökull National Park, and Þingvellir National Park.
Area
Geological and volcanic activity
A geologically young land, Iceland is located on both a geological hot spot, thought to be caused by a mantle plume, and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which runs right through it. This combined location means that geologically the island is extremely active, having many volcanoes, notably Hekla, Eldgjá, and Eldfell. The volcanic eruption of Laki in 1783-1784 caused a famine that killed nearly a quarter of the island's population; the eruption caused dust clouds and haze to appear over most of Europe and parts of Asia and Africa for several months after the eruption.
There are also geysers (a word derived from the name of one in Iceland, Geysir). With this widespread availability of geothermal power, and also because of the numerous rivers and waterfalls that are harnessed for hydro power, residents of most towns have hot water and home heat for a low price. The island itself is composed primarily of basalt, a low-silica lava associated with effusive volcanism like Hawaii. There are, however, a variety of volcano-types on Iceland that produce more evolved lavas such as rhyolite and andesite.
Iceland controls Surtsey, one of the youngest islands in the world. It rose above the ocean in a series of volcanic eruptions between November 8, 1963 and June 5, 1968. The modern population of Iceland is often described as a "homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts" but some history scholars reject the alleged homogeneity as a myth that fails to take into account the fact that Iceland was never completely isolated from the rest of Europe and actually has had a lot of contact with traders and fishermen from many nations through the ages.
Iceland has extensive genealogical records about its population dating back to the Age of Settlement. Although the accuracy of these records is debated, biopharmaceutical companies such as deCODE Genetics see them as a valuable tool for conducting research on genetic diseases.
The population of the island is believed to have varied from 40,000 to 60,000 in the period from initial settlement until the mid-19th century. During that time, cold winters, ashfall from volcanic eruptions, and plagues adversely affected the population several times. The first census was carried out in 1703 and revealed that the population of the island was then 50,358. Improving living conditions triggered a rapid increase in population from the mid-19th century to the present day - from about 60,000 in 1850 to 310,000 in 2006.
In 2004, 20,669 people (7% of the total population) who were living in Iceland had been born abroad, including children of Icelandic parents living abroad. 10,636 people (3.6% of the total population) had foreign citizenship. The most populous nationalities are Poles (7,000), Danes (890), ex-Yugoslavians (670), Filipinos (647) and Germans (540).
The island's spoken language is Icelandic, a North Germanic language. In terms of etymology, the Icelandic language is the closest to Old Norse, the language of the Vikings. Today, the closest language still in existence to Icelandic is Faroese. In education, the use of Icelandic Sign Language for the Deaf in Iceland is regulated by the National Curriculum Guide. The predominant religion is Lutheran.
Prominent foreign languages include English, Danish, other Scandinavian languages and German.
The southwest corner of Iceland is the most densely populated region and the location of the capital Reykjavík, the northernmost capital in the world. The largest towns outside the capital region are Akureyri and Reykjanesbær.
Politics
The modern parliament, called "Alþingi" (English: Althing), was founded in 1845 as an advisory body to the Danish king. It was widely seen as a reestablishment of the assembly founded in 930 in the Commonwealth period and suspended in 1799. It currently has sixty-three members, each of whom is elected by the population every four years. The president of Iceland is a largely ceremonial office that serves as a diplomat, figurehead and head of state, but who can also block a law voted by the parliament and put it to a national referendum.
The head of government is the prime minister, who, together with the cabinet, takes care of the executive part of government. The cabinet is appointed by the president after general elections to Althing; however, this process is usually conducted by the leaders of the political parties, who decide among themselves after discussions which parties can form the cabinet and how its seats are to be distributed (under the condition that it has a majority support in Althing). Only when the party leaders are unable to reach a conclusion by themselves in reasonable time does the president exercise this power and appoint the cabinet himself. This has never happened since the republic was founded in 1944, but in 1942 the regent of the country (Sveinn Björnsson, who had been installed in that position by the Althing in 1941) did appoint a non-parliamentary government. The regent had, for all practical purposes, the position of a president, and Björnsson in fact became the country's first president in 1944.
The governments of Iceland have almost always been coalitions with two or more parties involved, due to the fact that no single political party has received a majority of seats in Althing in the republic period. The extent of the political powers possessed by the office of the president are disputed by legal scholars in Iceland; several provisions of the constitution appear to give the president some important powers but other provisions and traditions suggest differently. Iceland had elected the first female president ever, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir in 1980 and she retired from office in 1996. Elections for the office of town councils, parliament and presidency are all held every four years. The next elections are going to be held in 2010, 2011 and 2008, respectively.
Following the May 2007 parliamentary elections, the current government is a coalition between the right wing Independence Party and the social democratic Alliance under the Prime Ministe Geir Haarde of the Independence Party. The government enjoys a vast majority in Althing, 43 out of 63 members supporting it.
Military
Iceland is a NATO member, and although it has no standing army, it maintains an expeditionary military peacekeeping unit known as the Icelandic Crisis Response Unit or Íslenska Friðargæslan.
Iceland has a Coast Guard (Landhelgisgæslan) which operates armed Offshore Patrol Vessels as well as aircraft and a counter-terrorism team named Sérsveit Ríkislögreglustjóra (English: "The Special Operations Task Force of the National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police"), commonly referred to as Víkingasveitin (The Viking Team or Viking Squad) similar to the German GSG 9 and has approximately 55 members. The Icelandic National Police consists of over 700 officers and unpaid volunteer Rescue and Civil Defence Units have more than 4,000 active members and have overall 18,000 registered members
From 1951 until 2006 military defence was provided by a predominantly United States-manned force in the NATO base on Miðnesheiði near Keflavík. This base, which the Americans called the Naval Air Station Keflavik and located at the Keflavik International Airport, is now in the hands of the Sheriff of Keflavík Airport. An air defence radar network, known as the Iceland Air Defence System (IADS) or Íslenska Loftvarnarkerfið is operated by Ratsjárstofnun.
On April 24, 2007, an agreement between Iceland and Norway was announced that would enhance the cooperation between the countries in matters of security and defence. Norway does however not assume any responsibility for the defence of Iceland during wartime. The United States and NATO would then shoulder the responsibility.
Economy
Iceland is the fifth most productive country in the world based on GDP per capita at purchasing power parity. It is also ranked second on the 2006 United Nations Human Development Index. Renewable energy in Iceland provides over 70% of the nation's primary energy and the country expects to be energy-independent by 2050. With the exception of abundant hydro-electric and geothermal power, Iceland lacks natural resources and the economy historically depended heavily on the fishing industry, which still provides almost 40% of export earnings and employs 8% of the work force. The economy is vulnerable to changing world fish prices and sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to drops in world prices for its main material exports: fish and fish products, aluminium, and ferrosilicon. Although the Icelandic economy still relies heavily on fishing it is increasingly becoming less important as the travel industry and other service, technology, energy intensive and various other industries grow.
The Ring Road of Iceland and some towns it passes through.
1.Reykjavík, 2.Borgarnes, 3.Blönduós, 4.Akureyri,
5.Egilsstaðir, 6.Höfn, 7.Selfoss
The centre-right government plans to continue its policies of reducing the budget and current account deficits, limiting foreign borrowing, containing inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, diversifying the economy, and privatising state-owned industries. The government remains opposed to EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders' concern about losing control over their fishing resources.
Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, and new developments in software production, biotechnology, and financial services are taking place. The tourism sector is also expanding, with the recent trends in ecotourism and whale-watching. Growth slowed between 2000 and 2002, but the economy expanded by 4.3% in 2003 and grew by 6.2% in 2004. The unemployment rate of 1.3% (2006 est.) is among the lowest in the European Economic Area.
Over 99% of the country's electricity is produced from hydropower and geothermal energy.
Culture
Icelandic culture has its roots in Viking and Norse traditions. Icelandic literature is extremely popular and renowned, in particular the sagas and eddas which were written around the time of the island’s settlement. Icelanders generally have a traditional liberal Nordic outlook, similar to other Scandinavian countries such as Norway and Sweden. Until the Christianisation of Iceland, many traditional Viking beliefs held strong, remnants of which remain today. For example, many Icelanders either believe in elves or are unwilling to rule out their existence. Iceland has an extremely high Human Development Index, and was recently ranked the fourth happiest country in the world.
Icelandic cuisine is unique. The majority of the national foods are based around fish, lamb and dairy products. Þorramatur is the national food, consisting of many different dishes; this is not consumed on a daily basis but usually around the month of Þorri. Traditional dishes include skyr, cured ram scrota, rotten shark, singed sheep heads and a sausage made from the offal of sheep.
Though changing in the past years, Icelanders remain a very healthy nation. Children and teenagers participate in various types of leisure activities. Popular sports today are mainly soccer, athletics and basketball. Sports such as golf, tennis, swimming, chess and horseback riding on Icelandic horses are also popular.
Iceland is home to Nick Jr's LazyTown (Latibær), created by Magnús Scheving. It has become a huge phenomenon with children and adults and is shown in over 98 countries, including the US, Canada, Sweden and Latin America. The LazyTown Studios are located in Garðabær.
Iceland is also the home of the reasonably successful 80s and 90s band The Sugar Cubes from which very successful singer Björk hailed.
See also
Geography
Politics
Economy
Culture
Other
External links
