15 Interesting Facts About Iceland

Flag of Iceland. By Dickelbers. Wikimedia Commons

15 Interesting Facts About Iceland

Speak about the most famous European countries for their rough landscapes and vistas, and Iceland will fill the void. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a mid-ocean ridge (a divergent or constructive plate boundary that runs over the Atlantic Ocean’s floor and is part of the world’s longest mountain range. North and south of the Azores Triple Junction, the ridge separates the North American Plate from the Eurasian Plate and the African Plate in the North Atlantic. It separates the African and South American plates in the South Atlantic. The ridge runs southeast of Greenland from a junction with the Gakkel Ridge (Mid-Arctic Ridge) to the Bouvet Triple Junction in the South Atlantic. It contains interesting facts that you may not be aware of, and if you are aware of them, they will be deeply discussed in this context. Let’s get started:

1. One of the youngest landmasses formed by volcanic activity

The most distinguishing aspects of the Icelandic scenery include active volcanoes, vivid green valleys, glacier-cut fjords, black sand beaches, and roaring rivers. Iceland formed roughly 25 million years ago, is one of the world’s youngest landmasses, and as a result, it is home to some of the world’s most active volcanoes.

The island was formed by a volcanic hotspot caused by a split in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which connects the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. As the two tectonic plates collide, the landmass continues to grow by around 5 centimeters every year.

The most recent volcanic eruptions were Eyjafjallajökull in 2010 and Grmsvötn in 2011. Surtsey, the world’s newest island, was produced by a volcanic eruption near Iceland in 1963. Iceland, like New Zealand, has frequent earthquakes.

Read: Top 10 Facts about Iceland

2. Iceland is home to Vatnajökull

Picture By Juhászlegeny. Wikimedia Commons

Vatnajökull, literally “Lake Glacier,” and sometimes translated as Vatna Glacier in English, is Iceland’s largest and most voluminous ice cap, and the second largest in Europe after the Severny Island ice cap of Novaya Zemlya.

It is located in the southeast of the island and accounts for around 8% of the country. Vatnajökull is Europe’s second largest ice cap in terms of volume (about 3,000 km3) and area (after the still larger Severny Island ice cap of Novaya Zemlya, Russia, which is in the extreme northeast of Europe). It was added to the Vatnajökull National Park on June 7, 2008.

3. Has the lowest population densities in Europe

For decades, Iceland’s foreign population was less than 2%, but it began to climb in the late 1990s and truly took off in 2005, peaking at 7.6% in 2009. But, at this point, the reason for immigration had been undercut by economic turmoil.

With a net departure of 5,000 persons in 2009, Iceland had its largest exodus since 1887. Under Jóhanna Sigurardóttir’s administration, Iceland’s economy stabilized and increased by 1.6% in 2012.

Many Icelanders, however, are still dissatisfied with the state of the economy and the government’s austerity policies. In the 2013 elections, the center-right Independence Party was re-elected in combination with the Progressive Party, led by Sigmundur Dav Gunnlaugsson. According to Statistics Iceland (2013), the overall population of Iceland is 321,857 people, a minor rise of 0.7% or 2,282 people from 2012.

4. Reykjavik, the capital city of Iceland

By Andreas Tille Wikimedia Commons

Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik (Reykjavik), is the world’s northernmost capital and Europe’s westernmost capital. Reykjavik is Iceland’s government, administration, and economic activity center, located in southwestern Iceland on a peninsula with stunning panoramic views of the highlands and the Atlantic Ocean.

Reykjavik, designated as a UNESCO City of Literature in 2011, is also home to Iceland’s major cultural organizations. It boasts a thriving arts scene and is known for being a vibrant, creative city with a diverse range of cultural events and a bustling grassroots arena.

With the 2011 opening of the Harpa, Reykjavik’s majestic concert hall and conference center on the harbor, the city confirmed its role as a pivotal location in world events and culture. Reykjavik is also an excellent starting point for day, weekend, or longer excursions into the countryside and all the tourist spots.

5. The official Language is Icelandic

Icelandic is a North Germanic language spoken by around 314,000 people, the vast majority of whom reside in Iceland, where it serves as the national language. It is most closely linked to Faroese, western Norwegian dialects, and the extinct language Norn because it is a West Scandinavian language.

The language is conservative in comparison to most other Germanic languages. While the majority of them have significantly decreased degrees of inflection, Icelandic retains a four-case synthetic grammar and is differentiated by a large range of irregular declensions.

Icelandic vocabulary is likewise quite conservative, with the country’s language regulator actively coining phrases based on older Icelandic words rather than accepting loanwords from other languages.

Because the written language has remained relatively unchanged, Classic Old Norse literature from the 10th to 13th centuries can be read with considerable ease by Icelandic speakers.

6. Home to World’s oldest Parliament, the Althing

Picture By Bragi Thór Josefsson. Wikimedia Commons

The Althing is Iceland’s national parliament. It is the world’s oldest still-functioning legislative.] It was established in 930 at Thingvellir (the “assembly fields”), some 45 kilometers (28 miles) east of Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik. Iceland as a country began with the formation of the Althing.

There are six electoral seats in Iceland. Each constituency elects nine representatives. Additional nine seats are allocated to parties based on how many people voted for them across the country.

The Althing was established about the year 930, around 60 years after humanity first arrived on the island of Iceland. It began with a gathering of the country’s most influential leaders. They gathered to make laws and make justice decisions.

7. Iceland is one of the few countries without military

Iceland is one of the countries without an army. Iceland hasn’t had a standing army since 1869, yet it is a NATO member. The Crisis Response Unit is an expeditionary military peacekeeping force.

There is also a large militarized Coast Guard with an air defense system, as well as a police agency with a police tactical squad. From 1951 through 2006, Iceland had a defense pact with the United States, which kept an Iceland Defense Force and a military facility in the country.

Following its closure, the United States indicated that it will continue to provide defense for Iceland, but without permanently basing forces in the country. There are other agreements with Norway, Denmark, and other NATO countries covering military and other security missions.

8. The Famous Aurora Borealis is seen in Iceland

By Lenny K Wikimedia Commons

Polar lights can be seen near the poles. Winters in these locations are quite gloomy, whereas summers are totally light. The closer we get to the poles, the more the days and nights disappear, and there is a half-year period of darkness followed by a half-year period of brilliance.

Iceland is close enough to the North Pole to experience a few months of the midnight sun when the sky is too bright for the Northern Lights to emerge. They are still visible, but because the sky is illuminated by the sun, we cannot see the Aurora Borealis in Iceland.

There is also a seven-month period from September to March when we have both dark nights and bright daylight, allowing us to see the Aurora Borealis at night. As a result, only visitors visiting Iceland between late August and early April will be able to see the Aurora.

9. Iceland horses are known for their five gaits

Have you ridden an Icelandic horse before, or do you intend to? That is a fantastic experience to try when in Iceland. Icelandic horses are extraordinary and lovely creatures.

The Icelandic horse has only been bred within the borders of Iceland for over a thousand years. They are quite strong and have developed to survive in harsh weather conditions, but they are also extremely sociable and gentle with humans.

The gaits of Icelandic horses, however, set them apart. All horses have three, but Icelandic horses have five in total. Every horse in the world has three gaits: walk, trot, and canter. Icelandic horses can add two more to their repertoire: the tölt and the flying pace.

10. Iceland Blue Lagoon is one of the tourist attraction

By Hippolyte de Saint-Rambert Wikimedia Commons

The Blue Lagoon is a massive geothermal spa on a lava field in southwest Iceland. Its pools have an average temperature of roughly 38°C (100oF), making them perfect for warming up against Iceland’s chilly weather.

It gets its distinctive milky blue color from the numerous silica particles in the water, which are extremely beneficial to the skin. This silica is utilized in one of the thermal baths’ exfoliating facial treatments, along with algae and even lava masks!

Bathing in the hot springs is complimented by various attractions such as a sunbathing area, hydro massage waterfalls, a soothing steam cave, drinking water fountains, a sauna, a steam bath… and even a poolside bar!

Read: Top 10 facts about the Blue Lagoon, Iceland

11. Icelandic cuisine includes unique dishes

Icelandic food has a lengthy history. Lamb, dairy, and fish are important components of Icelandic cuisine, the latter due to the fact that Iceland has traditionally been inhabited only near its shore. The tastes of this classic country meal are derived from the methods of preservation: pickling in fermented whey or brine, drying, and smoking.

Contemporary Icelandic chefs typically place greater emphasis on the quality of available ingredients than on age-old cooking traditions and practices. Iceland has a plethora of seafood eateries.

Competitors in the annual Food and Fun chef’s competition (held since 2004) develop inventive meals using fresh Icelandic products. The quality of the lamb meat, shellfish, and (most lately) skyr are all sources of pride. Seabirds and ducks are also local components (including their eggs), as well as fish and trout, crowberry, blueberry, rhubarb, Iceland moss, wild mushrooms, wild thyme, lovage, angelica, and dried seaweed.

12. Iceland is home to several active Geysers

Geysir, commonly known as Big Geysir, is a geyser in Iceland’s Hauka valley (Haukadalur). The spouting hot spring named identical phenomena everywhere around the world.

It spewed boiling water as early as the 13th century, but it has been generally inactive since 1916 due to sediment building in the subsurface water tunnels. Its circular pool measures 60 feet (18 meters) in circumference and is 4 feet (1.2 meters) deep.

Although it now spouts considerably less frequently than some of the other geysers in the area, its height can periodically reach approximately 200 feet (61 m). Geysers are caused by shallow magma bodies heating groundwater. They are typically connected with places that have previously had volcanic activity. The abrupt release of pressure that has been trapping near-boiling water in deep, tight conduits under a geyser causes the spouting movement.

13. It is home to some of the World’s most famous Musician

Icelandic music combines vivid folk and pop roots with a thriving classical and modern music culture.

Icelandic artists include the medieval music group Voces Thules, the alternative rock band The Sugarcubes, singers Björk, Hafds Huld, and Emiliana Torrini, the post-rock band Sigur Rós, the post-metal band Sólstafir, the indie folk/indie pop band Of Monsters and Men, the blues/rock band Kaleo, the metal band Skálmöld, and the techno-industrial band Hatari.

Traditional Icelandic music is related to Scandinavian music genres. Despite its small population, Iceland is home to numerous well-known and acclaimed bands and musicians. Icelandic music has a lengthy history, with some tunes dating back to the 14th century still being sung today.

14. Icelanders have a strong belief in elves

According to polls, more than half of Icelanders believe in, or at least consider the existence of, the Huldufolk – the hidden people.

To be clear, Icelandic elves are not the diminutive, green, pointy-eared sort that assists Santa store toys at Christmas; they are the same size as you and me, but most of us don’t see them.

They’re generally a peaceful species, but if you treat them disrespectfully, such as by blasting dynamite through their rock houses and churches, they’re not shy about expressing their dissatisfaction. The rough environment of Iceland is no bucolic idyll; the ground itself boils and spits wildly, the surrounding craggy, black mountains fester menacingly, and the sky above is continually ruptured by the iron-grey clouds it strains to hold up.

15. Iceland has famous Authors, including Nobel prize winner

Picture By Magnussen. Wikimedia Commons

Halldór Kiljan Laxness (1902-1998) received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1955 “for his vivid epic strength, which has rejuvenated Iceland’s great narrative art.” He is the first and only Icelandic Nobel Prize winner in all categories.

Halldór Laxness created works such as novels, poetry, journalism, essays, and plays. He is most known for three series of works set in Iceland that integrate social realism in some fashion and were written in the 1930s.

Salka Valka: An Icelandic Novel (1931-1922) depicts life in an Icelandic fishing town; Sjálfstaett fólk: Hetjusaga (“Independent People: An Epic”, 1934-35) is a four-part series based on the life of poet Magnus Hjaltason Magnusson; and Heimsljós (“World Light”, 1937-1940) is a four-part series.