All About

Iceland

Iceland is an island near the Arctic Circle in the North Atlantic Ocean. The country nearest to Iceland is Greenland, followed by the Faroe Islands and then Scotland.

Where Is Iceland?

It is 40 000 square miles, which is about the same size as Portugal. However, 80% of the country is not inhabited, with Iceland having a population of only 320 000 people, half of which live in the capital city.

The capital city is Reykjavik. It would take five hours to fly from Reykjavik to New York and three hours to fly to London.

Iceland

Faroe Islands

United Kingdom

Iceland was the last European country in which people settled. Vikings arrived in the 9th century and found an uninhabited country. Norsemen from Scandinavia and the Celts from the British Isles brought pigs, cows, sheep and goats and began a life of farming and fishing.

The History of Iceland

Iceland formed the oldest parliament in the world in AD930, called ‘Althingi’ which means the ‘National Assembly’. It was made from local groups who discussed, and sorted out, disputes between people.

Iceland has been ruled by Norway and Denmark in the past but is now self-governed (in charge of its own laws and rules) with an elected President who is head of state.

United Kingdom

Iceland

Iceland is known as the Land of Ice and Fire. This is because it has the largest glaciers in Europe and some of the most active volcanoes in the world.The country is famous for its geothermal lagoons and natural hot springs. Geothermal energy heats 90% of buildings in Iceland and most of the swimming pools.

Land of Ice and Fire

Geothermal energy is heat created from deep inside Earth so it is a clean, natural source of energy.

Did you know?

Mývatn Nature Baths in Iceland

Iceland is known for its geysers, waterfalls and black-sand beaches.The high level of silicates (a type of salt) and minerals in the water are known to be good for the skin and many people bathe in the warm waters.

Fresh water rivers flow through Iceland and it is recommended that people drink directly from the rivers, as the water is so pure and clean. The hot geysers regularly erupt, sending volumes of hot water into the air.

Natural Wonders

The particles cause the sky to turn different colours,from greens and purples to yellows and violet.

Due to the location of Iceland, it is an isolated country with extremes in nature. In the summer, Iceland experiences 24 hours of daylight. Imagine being in bed when it is light outside for the whole night!

However, in the winter, there are only a few hours of daylight.

Despite the dark winters, Iceland enjoys the natural phenomenon of the Northern Lights – Aurora Borealis. This is when electrically charged particles from the Sun enter the atmosphere above the magnetic poles. In Iceland’s case, this is above the North Pole.

Close to Nature

Vatnajökull is Europe’s largest ice sheet. Its name means ‘water glacier’.

It is 8100 km² (3100 square miles) in size.

Beneath the ice sheet are numerous volcanoes which can erupt at any time.

Europe’s Largest Ice Sheet

Vatnajökull was used in a scene in the James Bond film, A View to a Kill in 1985.

Did you know?

Iceland sits on two tectonic plates (the jigsaw pieces of Earth’s crust). These shift and cause earthquakes and volcanoes to form. There are about 130 volcanoes in Iceland, some of which are still active. The black-sand beaches are caused by the volcanic minerals and lava fragments from the volcanoes.

Volcanoes

Iceland’s most famous volcano, Eyjafjallajökull, erupted in 2010 causing a massive ash cloud which disrupted European flights for many days.

Southern black-sand beach

Facts about Iceland

Language: Icelandic, with English and Danish also taught in schools.

Currency: Icelandic krona – ISK

Religion: mainly Christian

Flag: the flag represents the white of the snow and ice, the red of the volcanoes and the blue is symbolic of the Atlantic Ocean.

Traditions and Culture

Icelanders have fought hard to preserve their language, which is similar to the Old Norse language which was spoken across all the Nordic countries like Norway, Finland, Denmark and Sweden. However, during the 18th century, the Icelandic language was under threat from Danish rule.

16th November is now ‘the day of the Icelandic tongue’, when a special award is given to someone who has helped with the growth of the Icelandic language.

Iceland is also proud of its unique stories, called Icelandic Sagas, which began in the 10th century. These stories are steeped in history, telling of political diversions, war and family honour.

An example of a page from an Icelandic Saga.

Traditions and Culture

Iceland is also a country of great creativity, with art and music being highly valued.

One of the most famous musicians from Iceland is Bjork.

Icelandic filmmakers and designers have also begun to gain worldwide recognition.

Sport and Leisure

Due to the varied terrain and extremes in nature, there are a wide range of sports and leisure activities available when in Iceland.

Popular activities like rafting, fishing, diving, whale watching and snorkelling make use of the clean waters surrounding the island, while the snowy mountains lend themselves to hiking, climbing, dog sledding and snowmobiling.

What would you like to do if you were to visit Iceland?Think about it…

Icelandic Words

• Nenna (pronounced nennah)This is a verb meaning something we cannot be bothered with.

• Skreppa (pronounced skreppah)This verb means to run off for a little while.

• Jæja (pronounced yai-yah)This means ‘well then …’

• Duglegur (pronounced doog-leg-ur) This adjective describes someone who is hardworking and intelligent and determined.