Sport is an important part of Icelandic culture, as the population is generally quite active. [212], A considerable portion of the government budget is assigned to health care,[212] and Iceland ranks 11th in health care expenditures as a percentage of GDP[213] and 14th in spending per capita. [71][133][134], Many political parties remain opposed to EU membership, primarily due to Icelanders' concern about losing control over their natural resources (particularly fisheries). 3. There is something truly fascinating about walking around in the city of Reykjavík with fresh air in your lungs and neon-colored iron curated houses at every corner. Iceland, which is a member of the UN, NATO, EFTA, Council of Europe and OECD, maintains diplomatic and commercial relations with practically all nations, but its ties with the Nordic countries, Germany, the United States, Canada and the other NATO nations are particularly close. [58] The centre-right Independence Party was returned to power in coalition with the Progressive Party in the 2013 election. [180] When the Kárahnjúkavirkjun started operating, Iceland became the world's largest electricity producer per capita. The president, in contrast, is elected by popular vote for a term of four years with no term limit. 1 = All cities with a population of 20,000 or more. The minimum number of school days was once 170, but after a new teachers' wage contract, it increased to 180. In grammar and vocabulary, it has changed less from Old Norse than the other Nordic languages; Icelandic has preserved more verb and noun inflection, and has to a considerable extent developed new vocabulary based on native roots rather than borrowings from other languages. The Black Death swept Iceland twice, first in 1402–1404 and again in 1494–1495. The population of the island is believed to have varied from 40,000 to 60,000 in the period ranging from initial settlement until the mid-19th century. Whilst many people base themselves in Reykjavik, the city is often overlooked as folks rush out to immerse themselves in Iceland’s natural beauty. ", "CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF ICELAND", "Iceland passes gay marriage law in unanimous vote", "Icelandic parliament votes for EU membership", "Icelanders to get a referendum on joining the EU", "Iceland has a new government, and it could result in the country joining the EU", "2011 Global Peace Index – Methodology, Ethodology, Results & Findings", "Guinness Records Book website (requires log in)", "World's largest Electricity Producer per Capita", "Trade and Economy, Embassy of Iceland, Undated. As a result, there is a limit on how many restaurants and grocery shops you can find in each town, as well as hotels. There is something truly great about this sports town which has amazing diners, restaurants and cafés – fantastic shops and even an excellent swimming pool. City, relatively permanent and highly organized centre of population, of greater size or importance than a town or village. Wild mammals include the Arctic fox, mink, mice, rats, rabbits, and reindeer. [107] A more recent 2012 survey found that around three-quarters of respondents stated they were satisfied with their lives, compared to a global average of about 53%. To that end, Iceland provided aid and expertise to various NATO-led interventions in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraq. Drangajökull glacier is special in Iceland as it is the only one whose height does not exceed 1000m and, unlike many others, it thankfully hasn’t receded in recent years. [138], Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, including software production, biotechnology, and finance; industry accounts for around a quarter of economic activity, while services comprise close to 70%. Reykjavík (/ ˈ r eɪ k j ə v ɪ k,-v iː k / RAYK-yə-vik, -veek; Icelandic: [ˈreicaˌviːk] ()) is the capital and largest city of Iceland.It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói bay. Whaling in Iceland has been historically significant. For many of us — of, shall we say, a certain age — our introduction to Iceland came from the classic videogame and TV show, Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?. The temperature records for Reykjavík are 26.2 °C (79.2 °F) on 30 July 2008, and −24.5 °C (−12.1 °F) on 21 January 1918. An active volcano found a few kilometers north of Skógar waterfall on the south coast of Iceland, the eruption in 2010 had a knock-on effect across Europe by halting many international flights. Steinn Steinarr was an influential modernist poet during the early 20th century who remains popular. RKV serves general aviation traffic, and has daily or regular domestic flights to 12 local townships within Iceland. Iceland is the only country in the world to have a population under two million yet still have a floating exchange rate and an independent monetary policy. See also about Scandinavian names ... *oo* matches names which contain oo _ is a wildcard that matches ... (a state based around the city of Kiev). The OECD Economic Survey of Iceland 2008 had highlighted Iceland's challenges in currency and macroeconomic policy. Arctic Adventures. . Reykjavík Airport (RKV)[168] is the second-largest airport, located just 1.5 km from the capital centre. [71] Until 2003, the constituencies for the parliamentary elections were the same as the regions, but by an amendment to the constitution, they were changed to the current six constituencies: The redistricting change was made to balance the weight of different districts of the country, since previously a vote cast in the sparsely populated areas around the country would count much more than a vote cast in the Reykjavík city area. Iceland is a country in the North Atlantic Ocean, far to the northwest of the UK. ", "The ultimate guide to Icelandic delicacies, part one", "Coffee: Who grows, drinks and pays the most? [76] In addition, the eruption caused dust clouds and haze to appear over most of Europe and parts of Asia and Africa for several months afterward, and affected climates in other areas. "Two millennia of North Atlantic seasonality and implications for Norse colonies", "The History of Iceland (Gunnar Karlsson) – book review", "Iceland: Milestones in Icelandic History", Ecological imperialism: the biological expansion of Europe, 900–1900, "Iceland lost almost 5000 people in 2009", "Viðskiptablaðið – Hagvöxtur 2012 mun minni en spár gerðu ráð fyrir", "Iceland vote: Centre-right opposition wins election", "Iceland's Prime Minister Steps Down Amid Panama Papers Scandal", "Iceland elections leave ruling centre-right party in driving seat", "How Iceland's government was brought down by a letter from PM's father demanding paedophile's pardon", "An Environmentalist Is Iceland's New Prime Minister", "On the Encounter Between the Nordic and the Northern: Torn Apart But Meeting Again? Recent archaeological excavations have revealed the ruins of a cabin in Hafnir on the Reykjanes peninsula. Beginning on 20 May 1944, Icelanders voted in a four-day plebiscite on whether to terminate the personal union with Denmark, abolish the monarchy, and establish a republic. The interior consists of a plateau characterised by sand and lava fields, mountains, and glaciers, and many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. From our time spent in Iceland and feedback gathered from our travel network here is our Top 10 of the best and most beautiful places to visit in Iceland… Gullfoss Waterfall – one of the most famously stunning places to visit in Iceland. Despite its proximity to the Arctic, the island's coasts remain ice-free through the winter. Strong voices within the community expressed concerns with this, stating that it is impossible to block access to pornography without compromising freedom of speech.[257][258][259]. [140] Iceland's agriculture industry, accounting for 5.4% of GDP,[71] consists mainly of potatoes, green vegetables (in greenhouses), mutton and dairy products. Centuries of isolation have helped to insulate the country's Nordic culture from external influence; a prominent example is the preservation of the Icelandic language, which remains the closest to Old Norse of all modern Nordic languages. [64][65][66][67] Geologically, the island includes parts of both continental plates. [33] By 930, most arable land on the island had been claimed; the Althing, a legislative and judicial assembly, was initiated to regulate the Icelandic Commonwealth. It is also the location of the capital Reykjavík, the northernmost national capital in the world. Afterwards he was put on trial and banished from Iceland for 3 years. On average, Iceland receives around 1.1 million visitors annually, which is more than three times the native population. [245], Iceland is home to LazyTown (Icelandic: Latibær), a children's educational musical comedy program created by Magnús Scheving. Next on the list is the town of Hafnarfjörður, most commonly linked to being the town of lava, elves and Vikings. Localities shaded in pale green in the table are their respective regional capitals. Garðabær offers excellent opportunities for hiking in nature and the atmosphere of the town is quiet and soothing. The sagas say that the rather despondent Flóki climbed a mountain and saw a fjord (Arnarfjörður) full of icebergs, which led him to give the island its new and present name. [184], On 22 January 2009, Iceland announced its first round of offshore licences for companies wanting to conduct hydrocarbon exploration and production in a region northeast of Iceland, known as the Dreki area. Rather than using family names, as is the usual custom in most Western nations, Icelanders carry patronymic or matronymic surnames, patronyms being far more commonly practiced. [161] Iceland has 13,034 km (8,099 mi) of administered roads, of which 4,617 km (2,869 mi) are paved and 8,338 km (5,181 mi) are not. Geothermally heated outdoor pools are widespread, and swimming courses are a mandatory part of the national curriculum. On 20 November 2008, the Nordic countries agreed to lend Iceland $2.5 billion. Elísabet Jónsdóttir ("Elísabet, Jón's daughter" (Jón, being the father)) or Ólafur Katrínarson ("Ólafur, Katrín's son" (Katrín being the mother)). This is evident from literary evidence dating from the settlement period as well as from later scientific studies such as blood type and genetic analyses. The first thing you see entering town is the Ölfusá River which is the most voluminous river in Iceland. "[108] It has 63 members, elected for a maximum period of four years.[109]. Their annual festival is the Kótilettan which is a BBQ festival hosted in mid-June. [82] The resultant cloud of volcanic ash brought major disruption to air travel across Europe. Reykjavík’s main attractions are its swimming pools, Hallgrímskirkja Church, Harpa Concert Hall, the Grandi District, the city pond and the world-famous hot dog stand, Bæjarins bestu. On rare occasions, bats have been carried to the island with the winds, but they are not able to breed there. Esja so many like to hike the mountain and then visit the town. [131] The constitution explicitly prohibits the enactment of noble privileges, titles, and ranks. Swimming is popular in Iceland. Important compositions since the 15th to the 19th century include sacred verse, most famously the Passion Hymns of Hallgrímur Pétursson, and rímur, rhyming epic poems. Infertile soil, volcanic eruptions, deforestation and an unforgiving climate made for harsh life in a society where subsistence depended almost entirely on agriculture. Kópavogur. Their annual festival is the Light Festival which is a music and arts festival held during the 1st weekend in September. The 2002 James Bond movie Die Another Day is set for a large part in Iceland. Iceland is also a world-class destination for alpine ski touring and Telemark skiing, with the Troll Peninsula in Northern Iceland being the main centre of activity. [265] Following up on this, Iceland made its debut at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Despite low tax rates, agricultural assistance is the highest among OECD countries and a potential impediment to structural change. It is said that the first Vikings is Iceland was a man whose name was Naddoðr from the Faroe Islands. Once having landed at Keflavík airport Reykjanesbær is the first settlement you will see and is really a great place to spend the first night or last before your flight. Visit Iceland, iceland tours, travels, holidays, what to do, travel, trips, travel, guide, attractions, vacation, sightseeing, activities, destination Carbon dating indicates that it was abandoned sometime between 770 and 880. Around a quarter of the population starved to death in the ensuing famine. As of 2008[update], there have been nine Icelandic chess grandmasters, a considerable number given the small size of the population. USD, 109 Other schools offering university-level instruction include Reykjavík University, University of Akureyri, Agricultural University of Iceland and Bifröst University. In 1946, the US Defence Force Allied left Iceland. Isometric iceland map with city names and administrative divisions. Iceland has a left–right multi-party system. Most likely, the city you live in is not nearly as complicated as your name, as long as … This stage of education is governed by the Upper Secondary School Act of 1996. [107] Nevertheless, Iceland's education system is considered excellent: the Programme for International Student Assessment ranks it as the 16th best performing, above the OECD average. Selfoss is the largest town with a variety of shops, services and many restaurants and fast food places. Compulsory education, or grunnskóli, comprises primary and lower secondary education, which often is conducted at the same institution. Though not compulsory, everyone who has had a compulsory education has the right to upper secondary education. [78], With the widespread availability of geothermal power, and the harnessing of many rivers and waterfalls for hydroelectricity, most residents have access to inexpensive hot water, heating, and electricity. Selfoss is the biggest town along the South Coast and has many great restaurants and a fantastic swimming pool. [93] Marine mammals include the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) and harbor seal (Phoca vitulina). After participating in its first parliamentary elections, the Women's List helped increase the proportion of female parliamentarians by 15%. [128], Until the 20th century, Iceland was a fairly poor country. The population of the regions of Iceland according to official estimates. [71], 74 municipalities in Iceland govern local matters like schools, transport, and zoning. [250], Guðrún S. Gísladóttir, who is Icelandic, played one of the major roles in Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky's 1986 film The Sacrifice. [256] In February 2013 the country (ministry of the interior) was researching possible methods to protect children in regards to Internet pornography, claiming that pornography online is a threat to children as it supports child slavery and abuse. 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