We grabbed my earliest day at Iceland back in 2012, looking to look for a Scandinavian country with some cool landscapes. And even though I DID come across those things in Iceland, I realized that country was filled with shocks of all sorts that I experiencedn’t become wanting.
These unique attributes are a big part of exactly what has brought me personally back once again to Iceland over and over again! (I’ve seen all in all, three times, in reality.)
While seriously European/Scandinavian in general, the united states of Iceland is special in so many methods we considered their quirkiness earned a whole blog post of the very own. From elves and trolls to glaciers and volcanoes, here are 20 fun Iceland information that make it the very cool nation it is.
Discover a cool videos from Iceland
20 Fun Details About Iceland
1. Viking Connections
Iceland had been satisfied by Vikings from Norway at some point from inside the 800s. This fact renders Iceland a fairly “young” country with regards to settlement, and in addition contributes to the unique social history. 
The Icelandic ponies in the united states nowadays were distinctive in the simple fact that these are typically immediate descendants from the horses the Vikings initially introduced more than from mainland European countries.
And a bonus enjoyable fact for your family: The Vikings are those just who offered both Iceland and Greenland her brands, intentionally mis-naming all of them both with the intention that their particular opposition would ideally go to ice-covered Greenland instead of after them to in which they really satisfied in Iceland.
2. Very First Parliament
Iceland is home to the first parliament reasons in European countries. In 930 advertising, the very first Parliament came across in Iceland as to what was now ?ingvellir Nationwide Playground. This site keeps since started dubbed a UNESCO World Heritage webpages due to its social, historical, and geographical importance.
3. Tectonic Dishes
The “geographical relevance” section of ?ingvellir getting called a UNESCO web site is caused by the reality that this is certainly certainly only TWO spots in world where you could see two of the planet’s tectonic dishes fulfilling above the earth’s surface (one other is within Africa). The us and Eurasian dishes jut upwards from the soil here in ?ingvellir, animated apart approximately 2 cm every year.
You can even go diving/snorkeling within plates in close ?ingvallavatn Pond.
4. Volcanoes
Because it’s situated on the Mid-Atlantic ridge, Iceland are a really energetic country geologically. There are more than 125 volcanic mountains in the united kingdom, some which have been however really productive, and another selection that could quickly awaken and turn energetic because the country variations and grows.
Iceland experience a volcanic eruption approximately once every 4 years, though the previous several years have experienced one eruption or more annually (everyone recall Eyjafjallajokull, best?). For this reason continual activity, a beneficial percentage of Iceland is included in lava sphere.
5. Hot springs for all
For the reason that all of the eruptive task going on beneath Iceland, the united states is stuffed with geothermal activity – and hot springs.
You’ll find a few popular commercial thermal pools and baths in Iceland (like the well-known Blue Lagoon near the airport together with Myvatn Nature bathrooms further north) which are man-made but full of organic geothermal h2o. Immediately after which discover the “wild” hot springs that individuals swimming because appear in all different kinds from lightweight swimming pools to heated rivers.
And also in Iceland, these hot springs and pool utilized year-round, actually during the cold winter months.
6. Eco-Friendly
Iceland could very well be the absolute most eco-friendly country I’m sure of. Therefore the kicker was, they do not even have to try quite difficult. Since whole nation is basically “alive” with eruptive task, the country harnesses hydro and geothermal electricity to electricity significantly more than 80percent of the nation.
Not too many fossil fuels become used up right here (there are even some hydrogen buses driving around Reykjavik!), & most house are heated up utilizing geothermal water that’s pumped right up from beneath places and areas.
7. Glaciers
Amazingly, another huge area of Iceland (11per cent) is covered in glaciers. Glaciers have the effect of carving on everything in Iceland which hasn’t already been designed by magma and earthquakes, producing for a landscape more unique than any some other country I’ve seen.
8. No Woodlands
Iceland ended up being created by some pretty severe phenomena: volcanoes and glaciers. A lot of the nation is created out by slow-moving glaciers, chewing in the land and gouging strong valleys involved with it.
But, contrary to popular belief, trees Would grow in Iceland. However, whenever Vikings arrived, they forested the crap out of it, cutting down the majority of the indigenous tress in the united states. Now, reforestation has been tried, however you will still definitely notice the diminished woodlands once you head to.
9. No mosquitos
These are issues that Iceland try inadequate… the united states are without creepy crawlies like snakes and dangerous bots. The island normally free from mosquitos. Scientists include puzzled by precisely why mosquitos become lacking from Iceland, but we for some reason do not think anyone misses all of them!
Sadly, Iceland WILL continue to have biting midges (sand flies), that may be worse than mosquitos.
10. Preserved Language
While really near to Danish and Norwegian, the Icelandic language remains completely unique. Statement with too many consonants abound, and syllables apparently simply blur with each other.
Unlike other dialects which have changed significantly on the years, Icelandic continues to be very near to its initial sources. A Bible from the early 1500s (the very first one imprinted in Icelandic, which can be found in a folk museum in Skogar) can certainly still be easily read by Icelanders these days.
Perhaps not unsurprisingly, the Iceland language provides extensive statement to describe weather condition – including more than 150 different ways to explain wind.