The land of ice is what the Vikings called Iceland when they landed on its shores in the 9th century. This sparsely populated area is indeed 3/4 covered with glaciers and lava fields. There are over a hundred active volcanoes in Iceland.
1. Geographical location
Iceland is an island state. It is located at the 66th northern parallel, in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, near the Arctic Circle. The closest country to it is Norway, located about a thousand kilometers away. Despite such a long distance, Iceland is considered a European country. The language brings it closer to the Scandinavian countries: Denmark, Sweden and Norway.
2. Unique landscape
Due to its proximity to the Arctic Circle and special geological characteristics, the flora of Iceland is very poor. The local landscape is characterized by rare birch trees and wind-blown plains on which long-fleece rams graze. Iceland's landscape is almost entirely composed of minerals, volcanoes, basalt deposits, fjords and glaciers.
3. Features of the climate
Iceland has a cold climate. The sun rarely peeps out even in summer. However, the winter is not as cold as one might think, since the island is warmed by the warm sea current of the Gulf Stream.
4. Natural hot water
Thanks to volcanic activity, Iceland has real underground thermal reserves, with warm waters, small mud lakes, from which hot steam containing sulfur comes out. Also in the country there are many geysers - springs from which jets of hot water beat at irregular intervals. This natural energy is used to heat most Icelandic homes.
5. Former colony
Irish monks settled on the lands of Iceland in the 8th century, but it was the Norse Vikings with their families and Celtic slaves who colonized the island around 860. The country that converted to Christianity in the 11th century is home to the oldest functioning parliament in the world, the Althingi, which was originally the seat of law and dispute resolution. In the 13th century, Norway came to control the Althing. Two centuries later, Iceland becomes a Danish colony and reluctantly accepts imposed Lutheranism. It received some autonomy only in 1918.
6. Peaceful country
Iceland only became independent in 1944. It is the only Scandinavian country that has always strived for neutrality and peace. So, in 1985, Iceland renounced all types of nuclear weapons on its territory.
7. Fish power
Iceland literally lives on fish thanks to the generous waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the jobs in the country are created precisely in the fishing industry. Seafood is exported in large quantities. Icelandic herring and cod are probably known all over the world.
8. The cleanest capital in the world
Iceland's main city is Reykjavik. Half of the country's population lives in it. It is the cleanest city in the world thanks to the active use of geothermal energy.
