The country is located in the North Atlantic island. Not just scenic beauty but the location also has high cultural richness. The county remains to be unique in the most significant way. And that’s what attracts most tourists to put Iceland on their travel list. The place is blessed with magnificent glaciers, epic natural northern lights and thundering waterfalls. A combination of such rarest of the rare things makes the place a worth-visiting escape for every individual.
21 Facts about Iceland
1. Northern lights – September to March
This magnificent light is a result of the solar particles interacting with the atmosphere in the magnetic field of Earth. The northern lights are also popularly termed as the Aurora Borealis. The best time to experience this is from September to March. This remains to be the major attraction for most tourists.
2.National sport – Handball
The people here are fond of playing football, basketball, volleyball, and even horseback riding but the national sport of the country remains handball. It’s a team game consisting of seven players each. The objective of which remains to score a point hu driving the ball into the opposing net. After an hour the team with the highest points is declared the winner.
3. Icelandic horse
It’s considered to be one of the purest breeds in the world and are often known for their muscular bodies and the capability to grow long hair in winter and short in the summers. The Icelandic horse played a significant role in the history of Iceland.
4. National colors – Red, white and blue
The three colors that make up the country’s flag are the representatives of its specific elements. The volcanic fire is shown by red, its ice or snow by white and the ocean with blue.
5. Land of publishers
The literacy rate of the country remains high. So one in 10 Icelanders is likely to publish a book. Dating back to the 13th century the country had the tradition of reading books.
6. 11% is covered by glaciers
The glaciers remain to be a great tourist attraction. And here about 11% of the area is covered by glaciers out of which 269 have been named. It also has the largest Europe’s glacier namely Vatnajokull, which is almost three times the size of Rhode Island.
7. 74 years of beer ban
From 1915 until 1989 there was a ban on beer as a result of the referendum vote by the population. But, now March 1st in the country is celebrated as the “Beer day” which marks the significance of an end in the beer ban after 74 long years.
8. Longest workweeks in Europe
On average Icelanders work about 45 hours a week which is longer as compared to any other country in Europe.
9. Eco – Friendly at all times
Iceland ranks first on the list of one of the most eco-friendliest countries in the world. The major evidence of this is the electricity produced through renewable energy sources.
10. Hot spring baths all year round
You can swim at any time of the year in the hot springs of Iceland. These are natural springs created due to volcanic activity. These hot springs are found in different shapes and sizes all around the country.
11. Believe in elves and trolls
It’s true that most icelanders believe in elves and trolls along with other mythical creatures dating back to the Viking age. There are plenty of stories for them to share on these topics.
12. The last place on Earth where humans settled
It is the youngest landmass and the last place on Earth that was settled by humans. It’s surprising to know that the Vikings from Norway discovered Iceland by accident over 1,100 years ago.
13. 60% of the population resides in Reykjavik
Even though the place is small it still is highly populated. More than half of the population is located here. It is a place filled with restaurants, bars, cafes, and museums and is easily walkable too.
14. Has one of the original parliaments
The national parliament of the country is one of the longest-running institutions of its own kind. Its original site where it was developed can still be visited. It may seem a bit different but it exists even today in Iceland. It’s called the Althing.
15. Sparsely populated
The total population is around 360,000 with an average of around eight people per square mile. Since the human species is less in number the natural beauty remains to be more here.
16. The Geyser word comes from Iceland
Iceland is popular for its geysers along with all the other features. The word originates from the old Norse word Geysa which means to gush forth.
17. No army, no navy, no airforce
The place is so peaceful that it doesn’t need any such forces. Although there are coast guards , they haven’t seen much action in a long time.
18. First female president ever elected
Vigdis Finnbogadottir was the president from 1980 to 1996.
She is the first female official to be elected as the head of state in the whole world.
19. Naming committee
It’s true that the country has an official list of names that parents can choose from to name their kids. And if they wish to keep some wacky name they first need approval from the special naming committee.
20. River water is pure to drink
One doesn’t have to spend on buying bottled water here as the rivers are so clean that one can drink straight from it.
21. Penis museum
One of the most popular things in the county is the penis museum. It’s exactly what it sounds like. The place has a collection of all phallic imagery and scientific study of phallology.
Conclusion
The land of ice and fire is now a popular destination for most travelers. The escaping beauty is what makes the place a must-visit. From hot volcanoes to cold glaciers the place is well acquainted with both. There is no shortage of breathtaking beauty for one to explore here.
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