Why the whole world is now in love with Iceland. Who lives well in Iceland In the photo: Icelandic national dish Plokkfiskur
I haven't updated this section for a long time. But we have already discussed with you. Look who is interested before the trip, and we will continue about Iceland. So …
1. Iceland is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, with a population of about 320 thousand people, and before the Second World War the population of the country was only 50 thousand.
2. Since everyone in Iceland knows each other, when parting or divorcing, the couple always tries to maintain a good relationship. Cases when an ex-boyfriend does not communicate with an ex-girlfriend or ex-spouses do not talk to each other are extremely rare, because in any case, they have almost all friends and acquaintances in common.
3. Instead of surnames in Iceland - patronymics, that is, an analogue of our patronymic. The particle "sleep" (that is, son) or "dottir" (if it is a daughter) is added to the father's name, it turns out, for example, Silia Palmarsdottir, that is, Celia is the daughter of Palmars.
4. In the event that the father for some reason does not recognize the child, the son or daughter receives a matronym as a surname, that is, the same patronymic, but by the mother's name.
5. Since everyone in Reykjavik knows each other, the doors of houses are often left unlocked, car keys are thrown in cars, and children in strollers are left unattended at the entrance to a cafe, bar or shop.
6. In Reykjavik it is considered normal to go to the nearest grocery store in pajamas.
7. Residents of Reykjavik almost always pay for purchases with bank cards, even if they order coffee at a bar. Cash is not accepted here.
8. Icelanders are sure that blowing your nose is bad for your health, so in winter everyone here sniffs, that is, sorry, suck snot into themselves.
9. But spitting, on the contrary, is not considered indecent, even girls spit without any problems on the street and in public places.
10. In fact, Iceland in winter is not as cold as we used to think, the temperature here rarely drops below -6 degrees.
11. But in winter it is dark in Iceland, December 21 - on the shortest day of the year, dawn comes at 10.30, and the sun sets at 16.00. In summer, long nights are replaced by long days, compared to which the white nights in St. Petersburg are simply not about anything, in June Iceland the sun sets for only a couple of hours.
12. The lack of sunlight in winter is to some extent compensated by the northern lights, it can be observed constantly, so after a couple of weeks you no longer pay attention to it.
13. Since the sun does not shine in Iceland in winter, all residents of the country, in order to avoid rickets and other unpleasant diseases, must take fish oil, but not in liquid form, but in tasteless capsules.
14. Almost all residents of Iceland have a Facebook profile, according to the latest data, Iceland is an active country in the social network.
15. Even if a resident of Iceland, for some reason, does not have a Facebook profile, it can still be easily found on the Internet. All residents of the country, of their own free will, register on the ja.is website, where they indicate their first and last name, telephone number, address and the place on the map where their house is located.
16. In Iceland, if a person is well disposed towards you, he demonstrates this by touching you every now and then.
17. There are an order of magnitude more blondes in Iceland than brunettes, so local residents love to dye their hair in a darker shade.
18. In order to spend a night with an Icelandic girl, long courtship is not required, most Icelandic women, as they say, are easy going, which is why Italians and Spaniards love to come to Reykjavik so much.
19. Icelanders are very tolerant, Reykjavik regularly hosts a gay parade, since 2010 homosexual marriages have been allowed here, and the percentage of bisexuals in the country is very high.
20. The most popular professions in Iceland are artist, musician or designer. Every second bartender or waiter tries to get an education in a creative specialty, and at the same time plays in some rock or folk group.
21. For the reason described above, no one uses the services of designers, for example, in order to come up with a design for an apartment or a wedding dress. The inhabitants of Iceland are sure that each of them is his own artist, therefore they prefer to come up with the interior of the apartment and the design of the dress on their own.
22. Repairs in apartments are also done mainly with their own hands, without hiring workers.
23. Icelanders are crazy about Eurovision, they take the competition for young performers very seriously, and during the live broadcast the whole country is watching what is happening on TV.
24. There are no McDonald's restaurants in Iceland, the latter closed in 2008 during the crisis.
25. The most popular names in Iceland are male - Yon and female - Guvrun. Also, ancient mythological names are still common, for example, aðalsteinn, which means "main stone".
26. Icelanders, like Russians, like to use in everyday life not full, but abbreviated versions of names, so David in the diminutive Icelandic version will be Dubby, Guvrun - Gunna, Stefan - Steppi, Yon - Nonnie, etc.
27. The language of Iceland has practically not changed over the past 1000 years, so there are letters in it that have disappeared from English, plus the inhabitants of the country can read the old Viking sagas in the original without any problems.
28. The local population is generally very fond of reading, today, according to some sources, Icelanders are the most reading people in the world.
29. The price of wine in Iceland is often influenced not by the year of production or the quality, but by the strength. Thus, an expensive but light French wine can cost several times less than a 15-degree mumble.
30. There is no armed force in Iceland, and the Coast Guard does some of its functions.
31. Police officers in Iceland do not carry weapons, they are not given pistols.
32. Residents of Reykjavik for the most part park badly, they can throw their car right across the street. Having tow trucks and parking fines in the wrong place is of little help.
33. Icelanders try to use only renewable energy sources, gas and petrol are used here only to refuel cars and boats, and that is because electric cars have not taken root in the country.
34. There is no need to pay for water in restaurants and cafes, it is still poured from the tap. This water comes from local thermal springs, and therefore it is absolutely drinkable.
35. But hot tap water in Iceland smells of rotten eggs. The fact is that it also enters the water supply system directly from hot thermal springs, and they are rich in hydrogen sulfide.
36. Taking hot thermal baths is a popular option for evening entertainment in Reykjavik, the cost of the visit with the purchase of a subscription is about 5 euros.
37. The houses of Iceland, as well as in Russia, have a central heating system, which favorably distinguishes the country from Italy or France, where you have to pay for each activation of the heater.
38. Until the seventies of the twentieth century, Icelandic legislation allowed the inhabitants of the country to kill Turks with impunity. This is due to the fact that in the past, Turkish pirates have often plundered Icelandic ships and coastal villages.
39. To this day, Icelandic legislation allows the inhabitants of the country to kill polar bears for food.
40. Licorice is very popular in Iceland, it is added to any dishes, plus they produce chocolate sweets stuffed with licorice.
41. National dish of Iceland - haukarl - rotten Greenland shark meat cut into small pieces. If you do not chew and just swallow it is still quite edible, but if you chew the meat, you will feel the "magic" taste of urea. The fact is that the Greenland shark has no urinary tract and its meat contains poisonous ammonia. In order for the meat to be eaten, it is left to rot for three months underground or in the basement. The taste of this dish, among other things, was mocked by the creators of The Simpsons in one of the episodes of the animated series.
42. In Iceland, fish is mainly eaten, and all dishes are watered excessively with mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup, after which the real taste of the fish may not be recognized.
43. Most Icelanders have very bad teeth, while Iceland is one of the main sugar-consuming countries, and Coca-Cola is also very popular here.
44. Most Icelanders still believe in elves and trolls, which makes it difficult to build a house or road. Before starting construction, here they consult with local "witches" on the subject of whether it is possible to move this or that stone, or whether an elf lives under it. Sometimes, in order not to "offend" the elf and move the stone, Icelanders have to perform magical rites, for example, keep the stone in honey for some time.
45.2,148 people in Iceland adhere to the pagan teachings of the Ásatrú Association, which is based on the revival of Icelandic and Norse pagan beliefs. This religion is officially accepted, and its ministers can perform a wedding ceremony, which is equivalent to the traditional registration of marriage.
46. In addition to the well-known Santa Claus in Iceland, there are 15 other Santa Claus of different types, by and large they are all elves, in which the locals believe.
47. Every major store in Reykjavik has a playground.
48. All Icelanders wear lopapeysa - a knitted jacket made of sheep wool with a characteristic national pattern. We can say that this is the very example of a national costume that has not disappeared over time.
49. Icelanders pride themselves on having the oldest undisturbed parliament in the world, called Alþingi and founded in 930.
50. Residents of Iceland are very gullible, when they are hired, they do not ask a foreigner for recommendations from a previous job, but simply take the newcomer's word for it.
51. In the Icelandic Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, the so-called "nekrostany", made from the skin of the lower body of a dead man, are on display. To get them, the Icelandic sorcerer had to enlist the consent of a person during his lifetime, and after death, dig up the body from the grave and flay the skin in one piece. Then the ritual demanded to steal a coin from the widow and put nekroshtans in the scrotum along with a special sign drawn on a piece of paper. It was believed that wearing pants like this would get rich quick.
52. Every citizen of Iceland has access to the Íslendingabók website, a genealogical database containing information on the family ties of all Icelanders since the 18th century. The task of compiling such a base could be solved thanks to the not very large population of the state (just over 300 thousand) and the fact that Iceland throughout its history was weakly influenced by both emigration and immigration. Many young people use this site to check if their new lover is a cousin or cousin to rule out the possibility of incest. Another popular use of the site is to check the degree of relationship with famous personalities. For example, each Icelander can find out how many generations he has been related to by family ties with Bjork.
53. The most famous representatives of Icelandic folklore are the Huldufolk, or hidden people, who are often identified with the elves. According to legends, these creatures hide in the mountains, although some Icelanders build small houses for them in their gardens and even small churches in order to convert the elves to Christianity. Sometimes in Iceland, construction projects for buildings or communications are changed so as not to disturb the alleged habitats of the elves, and in 2004 Alcoa even had to get a certificate from a government expert that the chosen site for the construction of an aluminum smelter was free of hidden people. Polls show that the number of Icelanders who admit or are sure of its existence is greater than those who doubt or completely deny the elves.
54. Iceland is predominantly inhabited by coastal areas and people travel around the country mainly along the coastal strip. Historically, Icelanders call the northwestern edge of the island west, the north-eastern edge of the island, east the eastern edge, and the south the Reykjavik area. Therefore, linguistic incidents are possible: heading from the northwestern outskirts towards the northeastern outskirts, the Icelander says that he is going "north", although in fact he is moving east, and heading from the southwestern outskirts towards Reykjavik, that is, in fact north, the Icelander says he is going south.
55. Until the 1990s, Iceland had a law according to which a foreigner wishing to take Icelandic citizenship must adopt an Icelandic name or change his name according to the traditions of the Icelandic language. But for celebrities, exceptions were made. When the Soviet conductor and pianist Vladimir Ashkenazi emigrated to Iceland, the government of the country added a new name to the official list of permitted names - "Vladimir Ashkenazi".
56. In the Scandinavian countries, dishes made from rotten or fermented fish are common. For example, the Icelandic hakarl dish is made from rotten shark meat, and the Swedish surstroemming is made from sour herring.
57. Most of the inhabitants of Iceland do not have the usual surname, but are designated by name and patronymic. For example, Magnus Karlsson is Magnus, son of Karl, and Anna Karlsdottir is Anna, daughter of Karl.
59. The Scandinavian countries (Norway and Iceland) have the highest fertility rates in Europe among the indigenous rather than immigrant population. The Scandinavians initially focused on improving the quality of life of the child, and not on increasing the number of births.
60. Detifoss waterfall, located in Iceland, is considered the most powerful waterfall in Europe: it discharges about 500 m³ of water per second. Splashes from it are visible at a distance of a kilometer, and in sunny weather the waterfall is certainly decorated with a rainbow.
62. For a long time, negotiations between representatives of the Scandinavian countries were conducted "in a Scandinavian way" (in Swedish, Norwegian or Danish), but in recent years the Scandinavian languages have become more often replaced by English at the request of the representatives of Finland and Iceland
63. The largest glacier in Europe Vatna-Yokul (“the glacier that gives water”, 8.5 thousand square kilometers, which is equal to the area of all glaciers of the European subcontinent) is located in the southeast of the country.
64. According to European Union statistics, more than 25% of the energy consumed by Scandinavians comes from renewable sources. For comparison, we note that for other European countries this figure is, on average, only six percent.
65. According to experts, Iceland, Germany and Norway finance most of all health care - more than 9% of the state budget.
66 Reykjavik is the northernmost metropolis in the world (64 north latitude), founded in 874. Reykjavik got its name for the eruption of geothermal vapors from geothermal sources, and literally it means "Smoky Bay".
67. The widest "boiling" river in the world - Deidartunguver north of Reykjavik. The water consumption in these cascades of boiling water from hot springs is 225 liters. per second.
68. The longest living creature on Earth is found off the coast of Iceland. It turned out to be a clam. Scientists have counted the number of rings on its shell and found that the creature is 405-410 years old.
69. The territory of Iceland covers 103,300 square meters. km, of which glaciers occupy 11,000 square meters. km, and lakes - 2,700 sq. km. The country is rich in forests, stretching over an area of about
1,511 sq. Km. The largest lake in the country is called Dingvallavatn, and the highest peak is Hvannadalshnukur. 70. More than 300,000 people live in the country, of which about 150,000 live in the capital. Part of the population settled along the coastal areas. Many interior regions of the country are not suitable for living. The average life expectancy of Icelanders is 80 years.
71. Since Iceland has many volcanoes, 30 of which have erupted over the past two hundred years, they are used to generate geothermal energy. The rivers flowing through the territory of the country provide it with hydroelectric energy. Since there are many rivers with hot water, the country receives heating that does not pollute the environment.
72. The Scandinavians settled in Iceland at the beginning of the 9th century. The founder of the capital is the Norse Viking Ingólfur Arnarson. Thus, people here use the Viking language, which has been perfected by many civilizations. The inhabitants of the island bear their father's names, not surnames. Consequently, members of the same family have different surnames, which can confuse foreigners.
73. Icelanders take advantage of the heritage of antiquity with some modern changes. They live in perfect harmony. There are many artists in the country who are specialists in the art of singing and composing.
74. At different times of the year, many colorful festivals are held here, themed exhibitions are often organized. The country has an excellent culinary tradition, where seafood delicacies play an important role. 75. Iceland is one of the first countries in the world to have a republican government. The country is now ruled by a parliament called Althing, with 63 members. These members are elected every four years. The head of state has no influence on the country's politics.
76. The country's economy is heavily dependent on fishing. Most of the people in the country work in the fishing industry and other related businesses. Today's government focuses on the tourism industry, and the export industry is also the second largest industry, close to the fishing industry. The bulk of the country's income comes from the export of seafood.
77. Iceland is a recognized member of the European Economic Area (EEA) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) .78. The many activities on the island are attracting more and more tourists. These include whale watching, bird watching, hiking, horse riding, skiing, cycling, fishing, kayaking and glacier excursions.
79. Less than one percent of the world's population will be able to pronounce the word Eyjafyatlayukutl. This is the most famous Icelandic volcano. Out of several thousand people surveyed, only 0.005% managed to pronounce this word.
80. Since July 1, 2010, striptease has been banned in Iceland. Today, this is the only European country where this kind of dance is prohibited. 81. Despite the strong physical condition of the majority of the population, the most widespread sport in the country is chess. In 1931, the parliament was dismissed for vacations due to the arrival of the famous Russian chess player Alexei Alekhin.
82. Today, more than 11% of Iceland is covered with glaciers. Parliament in Iceland has been operating since the tenth century, namely since 930, and is considered the oldest working parliament in the world. It still works today.
83. Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, the northernmost capital of the planet Earth. Back in the ninth century, the pioneer of the island built a farm on the site of the capital, from which the country grew in all directions. His name was Ingolf Arnarson. Translated from the ancient Celtic language, Reykjavik reads "Smoking Bay" .84. In 1963, the new island of Sertsey appeared in the ocean off the southern coast of Iceland as a result of a volcanic eruption.
86. Iceland is the largest volcanic island.
87. The Scandinavians settled in Iceland at the beginning of the 9th century. The first settler is the Norse Viking Ingolv Arnarsson.
88. Iceland produces 4 times more books per capita than the United States.
89. Iceland has a dedicated phallogical museum displaying 150 penises from over 40 mammalian species, as well as a collection of related items. So far, there is no human phallus in the exposition, but the curator of the museum has already secured consent to receive this exhibit after the death of an eighty-year-old farmer who is still in a "sexual" order.
90. The central part of the island in winter is so harsh and so similar to the lunar landscape that NASA worked with its astronauts to reach the lunar surface in Central Iceland.
91. Vigdis Finnbogadottir is the first woman president in Europe and the second in the world. Icelanders are very proud of this fact. She was elected in 1980 and remained in office for 4 terms until 1996.
92. The area of the country is 7 times larger than the area of the Moscow region.
93. The 1 Icelandic crown coin depicts a cod, 10 crowns a herring, 50 crowns a crab and 100 crowns a sea bass. The Icelandic currency is called isk for abbreviated form.
94. There are no trees in Iceland. Rather, there are separate trees and artificial plantings, but there are no dense forests. The first Icelandic settlers are to blame for this. When the field was depleted, they burned out a new section of the forest and sowed barley on it. Gradually, the forests on the island disappeared, and today soil erosion is one of the main problems of the country.
95. Icelanders are very proud of their language, and in every possible way oppose the pernicious, as it seems to them, influence of other languages on Icelandic. There is even a special language commission, the main purpose of which is to protect Icelandic from the penetration of foreign words. When a foreign concept or definition comes into use in a country, the commission deliberately invents or finds an Icelandic equivalent for it.
96. There are few cats in Iceland.
97. There are no railways in Iceland at all. Traveling on normal Icelandic roads is preferable in a 4x4 jeep. Optimally - on a super jeep with huge, more than a meter, wheels.
The original article is on the site InfoGlaz.rf The link to the article this copy was made from is
Iceland is becoming more and more popular with tourists. This is not a tribute to fashion - with the development of social networks, the beauties of the northern island are spreading throughout the globe. Hot springs, waterfalls, volcanoes, glaciers, geysers, green spaces - conquers at first sight. Come for an unforgettable experience, and we will tell you how to get it.
1. Visit the Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is perhaps the main symbol of Iceland. The world famous geothermal resort is open all year round. Here you can not only relax, but also heal - the water contains mineral salts, seaweed, therapeutic mud. The water temperature in the lagoon is 37-40 degrees throughout the year. The entrance is not cheap - such is the price of popularity. The lagoon is located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, a 40-minute drive from Reykjavik.2. Buy an Icelandic sweater
The sovereign stores of Reykjavik have a huge selection of woolen clothing: sweaters, gloves, hats, etc. The Icelandic Lopapeis sweater has a special ornamentation around the neck. Despite its high price, it remains the most popular souvenir among tourists. The sweater will come in handy already on the trip - an indispensable item in the harsh climate of Iceland.It is better to buy Lopapeis at the Kolaportið market: the quality does not differ from those sold in the numerous tourist shops in the city center, and the price is lower. The market opens on weekends and you can buy whatever your heart desires, from old records and books to fresh fish.
3. See whales
From May to September, whales come to the shores of Iceland. Seeing the sea giant in its natural habitat is an unforgettable sight. Usually they go to the north of Iceland, to the village of Husavik - local companies promise to meet with whales in 98% of cases. A whale safari costs about 100 euros per person, and there is a chance to hit the unfortunate 2%, but it's worth a try. 
4. Try Icelandic cuisine
The basis of Icelandic cuisine is fish - dried, fried, pickled. Some of the local culinary delights may surprise even the most seasoned hiker, such as rotten shark meat, a whale dish or a whole sheep's head cooked. Especially impressionable, it is better to limit yourself to skyr - a dairy product that resembles yogurt and cottage cheese. Visit Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur and sample a traditional Icelandic hot dog called pása. 
5. Swim in the Atlantic Ocean
You can take bus number 12 and go to the southernmost town of Vik. Four hours drive - and you are on a black sandy beach. Vik is not the only place in Iceland where you can go for a good swim. Take a look at Nautholsvik Beach, which is located in the bay of the same name near Perlan. The sea water here mixes with the hot spring water, so you can swim - the water heats up to 20-35 degrees. 
6. Enjoy nature
Only 300 thousand people live on the huge island. It is difficult to find a more suitable place for unity with nature - mountains, waterfalls, volcanoes, geysers are transferred to a completely different world. Explore Thingvellir Nature Park, the Western Fjords Coast, the Valley of Geysers, the Ice Lagoon - and just look around, because Iceland has beauty at every turn. 
7. Participate in the activities of the "Culture Nights"
A traditional Icelandic festival called Culture Night takes place in Reykjavik in August. Every year it brings together 100 thousand Icelandic residents and visiting guests. This day is special - all over the city there are screenings of films dedicated to Iceland, various photo exhibitions, all museums are open. The day when the streets of the city are filled with artists, musicians and actors. And if you feel strong enough, take part in the "Reykjavik marathon" race, which has been held since 1984. 
8. View Reykjavik from the tallest building in the city
Hallgrimskirkja is one of the main attractions in the Icelandic capital. The Lutheran Church is also used as an observation tower and offers a wonderful view of Reykjavik and the surrounding mountains. 
9. Recalculate waterfalls
An impossible task - there are countless waterfalls in Iceland. This is due to geological features and glaciers. The most famous waterfalls are Skogafoss, Dettifoss, Godafoss, Gullfoss, Selfoss. They say that in the first days in Iceland, you admire every waterfall, and by the end of the trip you just stop noticing them. Check if this opinion applies to you. 
10. Learn Icelandic
Icelandic is one of the oldest languages in the world. Don't miss the opportunity to get to know one of the locals and learn at least a few words - in just a few days it won't be a problem for you to quickly pronounce the name of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano.For most of us, Iceland is associated with the singer Bjork, who was born in this distant country, as well as with the Vikings and the snow. But Iceland, it turns out, has amazing nature with geysers, volcanoes, glaciers and waterfalls. Iceland's nature is a source of inspiration for many photographers and artists. No matter when you visit Iceland (summer or winter), the Icelanders will always welcome you very hospitably.
Geography of Iceland
Iceland is located northwest of Great Britain in the North Atlantic Ocean, where it meets the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is an island. The total territory of Iceland, together with all the islands, is 103,000 sq. Km.
14.3% of Iceland's territory is occupied by lakes and glaciers. Only 23% of Iceland's territory has vegetation that corresponds to the geographic location of this state. The largest lakes in Iceland are Þingvallavatn, Lagarfljót and Mývatn.
Iceland has several volcanoes, some of which are active. Now the most famous Icelandic volcano is Eyjafjallajokudl, due to the eruption of which in 2010 air traffic was paralyzed throughout Europe.
The highest peak in Iceland is Hvannadalshnukur peak, which reaches a height of 2,109 meters.
Capital
The capital of Iceland is Reykjavik, which is now home to more than 125 thousand people. Historians believe that the settlement of people on the territory of modern Reykjavik existed already in the 9th century.
Official language
In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic, which is a Scandinavian language.
Religion
More than 77% of Icelanders are Lutherans (Protestants) belonging to the Church of Iceland. Another 10% of Iceland's inhabitants are Catholics.
State structure
According to the constitution, Iceland is a parliamentary republic, the head of which is a President elected by direct universal suffrage for 4 years.
Legislative power belongs to the unicameral Parliament - Althingi, consisting of 63 deputies.
The main political parties in Iceland are the Social Democratic Alliance, the Independence Party, the Green Left and the Progressive Party.
Climate and weather
The climate in Iceland is subarctic maritime, the same as, for example, in Alaska. The warm current of the Gulf Stream has a decisive influence on the Icelandic climate. The climate on the south coast of Iceland is noticeably milder than on the north coast. The average annual air temperature in Iceland is + 5C, and the average annual rainfall is 779 mm.
The highest average air temperature in Iceland is observed in July and August - + 14C.
Average air temperature in Reykjavik:
- January - 0С
- February - + 0.5C
- March - + 1.5C
- April - + 4C
- May - + 7C
- June - + 10C
- July - + 11.5C
- August - + 11C
- September - + 8C
- October - + 5C
- November - + 2C
- December - 0С
Sea in Iceland
In the north, Iceland is washed by the Greenland Sea, in the northwest, the Danish Strait separates this country from Greenland, and in the east is the Norwegian Sea.
Rivers and lakes
About 14.3% of Iceland's territory is occupied by glaciers and lakes. The largest lakes are Þingvallavatn, Lagarfljót and Mývatn.
Iceland has many rivers, most of which originate in glaciers. The longest Icelandic rivers include Tjørsau (230 km) in the south of the country and Jökulsau au Fjödlum in the northeast.
There are a lot of salmon in Icelandic rivers, and trout in the lakes.
History
Iceland was inhabited by Norse Vikings in the 9th century. The first settlement on the site of modern Reykjavik was founded in 874 by Ingolf Arnason.
In 1262, Iceland fell under the rule of Norway. Around the middle of the 16th century, Lutheranism began to spread in Iceland. Subsequently, this country became completely Lutheran.
In 1814 Spain became part of Denmark. In the middle of the 19th century, a movement emerged in Iceland that fought for the independence of this country (by peaceful means). As a result, Denmark recognized Iceland's independence in 1918. Thus, the Kingdom of Iceland was proclaimed, having an allied union with Denmark. In June 1944, Iceland was recognized as an independent republic.
In 1946, Iceland was admitted to the UN, and in 1949 it became a member of the NATO military bloc.
Icelandic culture
The origins of Icelandic culture go back to Norwegian traditions. This is due to the fact that it was the Norse Vikings who first settled Iceland.
Some Viking traditions are still preserved in Iceland. So, at the end of January, Icelanders celebrate Men's Day (Bóndadagur). On this day, Icelandic men used to jump around their house while singing songs loudly. In this way, they tried to appease the harsh January weather. Nowadays, few Icelanders jump around their houses on Men's Day, but on this day women give them various gifts and flowers.
At the end of February, Iceland celebrates Women's Day (Konudagur). On this day, Icelandic men bring coffee to their women in bed in the morning and give them flowers.
Icelandic cuisine
The main products of Icelandic cuisine are fish, meat, vegetables, dairy products, cheese. We advise tourists in Iceland to try the following traditional local dishes:
- Hangikjöt - smoked lamb
- Harðfiskur - dried fish;
- Saltkjöt - salted lamb;
- Bjúgu - smoked sausage;
- Þorramatur - marinated meat or fish (including shark meat);
- Lax is a salmon dish.
The traditional Icelandic soft drink, Skyr, is made from sour milk and resembles yogurt.
When it comes to alcoholic beverages in Iceland, the inhabitants of this country prefer beer and the local potato vodka with caraway seeds Brennivín.
Iceland landmarks
Despite the fact that Iceland is a very small country, there are many interesting places for tourists to visit. In our opinion, the top ten Icelandic attractions include the following:
Cities and resorts
The largest Icelandic cities are Habnarfjordur, Akureyri, Kopavogur, and of course Reykjavik.
There are a lot of geysers and lakes in Iceland that have medicinal properties. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are several geothermal resorts in this country. The most famous of them is located on the Blue Lagoon Lake.
Souvenirs / shopping
Iceland is a small and distant country located in the west of Northern Europe in the North Atlantic Ocean. Perhaps Iceland will not enter the top thirty countries where most people would like to go on vacation, because few people remember about it at all. But recently, thanks to the Euro 2016 championship, the whole world learned about this small country.
Europe not only learned about Iceland, but fell in love with this unique country, where only 330 thousand people live, and Icelandic footballers, it turned out, play so selflessly and united that they literally swept away the almost invincible England. Now everyone loves the Icelandic national team, which plays in such a way that it takes your breath away, loves what they do and especially their fans. The video, where, after winning the 1/8 finals, the entire sector of fans repeated Icelandic applause for the players after the players, conquered all football fans.
Here are 19 facts that make Iceland more remarkable and unique.
(19 photos total)
Such a unity of the team and fans would be the envy of many national football teams.
On the Instagram of the main Icelandic celebrity, singer Bjork, 410 thousand people are subscribed (80 thousand more than the population of Iceland).
Icelanders meet and socialize in hot pools. There is nowhere else.
Iceland does not have a standing army. According to Forbes, the country ranks first in the world for peacefulness.
There are no mosquitoes. That is, it does not exist at all, it does not exist.
Dog coldness in Iceland is a myth. The average temperature of the winter months does not drop below minus 4 degrees Celsius.
There cannot be a Lokomotiv club in Iceland, because there are no railways there.
There are no McDonald's restaurants in Iceland. The latter closed back in 2008 at the height of the crisis.
Until 1989, beer was considered an illegal drink in Iceland.
Strip clubs have been banned since 2010.
Icelandic police do not carry weapons, because there is practically no crime in the country.
The match of Euro 2016 Hungary - Iceland was watched on TV by 98% of the country's population.
In Iceland's top league, the shortest season is from May to September.
On April 24, 1996, in the game against Estonia, Arnor Gudjohnsen was replaced by his son Eidur. This is the first time in the history of football that a father and son have participated in the same international match.
Hannes Haldersson, the main goalkeeper of the national team, made his living as a director three years ago. In particular, he produced a video clip of Iceland's representatives at Eurovision 2012.
Gudmundur Benediktsson, the most emotional commentator who was coach of Reykjavik a couple of days ago, is married to the granddaughter of Albert Gudmundsson, Iceland's first professional footballer. He managed to play for Milan and Arsenal, and then became the Minister of Finance of Iceland.
The captain of the national team, Aron Gunnarsson, started playing football only at the age of 15. Prior to that, he was a promising handball player and played three matches in the Icelandic adult championship.
Evgeny Melnik
Composes music, poetry, prose. He reads and writes a lot: about art, football, rock and nu-jazz. Crazy about Dada, Iceland and Mamleev's prose.
Iceland is one of the most mysterious places on earth. This is where elf rights are constitutionally enshrined, and postmen and police play football better than guys who can spend 250,000 euros on champagne in one night.
Perhaps now you will want to learn more about the Land of Ice and Fire, or maybe you will even start saving your salary to visit this mysterious island someday. And you will have to postpone a lot, since the prices in the country of sheep and dumplings are one of the highest in Europe.
Anthony Doudt / Flickr.com Products and prices
Iceland is known for its high food prices. A liter of milk here costs a little less than a euro, a kilogram of potatoes - 1 euro, bread - 2 euros. At the same time, the prices for meat are fantastic. For example, one kilogram of pork is sold for 14 euros, chicken for 17 euros. But this is not the worst thing.
If you want to chick with some blonde lady in a restaurant, then you should take a loan, because for a three-course meal you can easily shell out more than a hundred euros! But there is also an alternative - go to a local fast food and gorge on "some" 15–20 euros.
/~helmar/Flickr.com But souls tormented by narzan should better stay at home. Icelanders are known for their drunkenness. At the same time, in the morning they go to work as if nothing had happened. But your head may start to ache after you become familiar with the cost of "firewater" in Iceland.
For a bottle of ordinary wine you will have to pay about 15-18 euros, beer - 2-4 euros. The stronger the drink, the more expensive it is. So a bottle of mumble may be worth more than a bottle of decent but light French wine.
When simplicity is better than stealing
Vegetables in Iceland are also very expensive, as they are grown in greenhouses. Vegetable stalls are just on the street, only there are no sellers in them. Prices are written on the plates, and there are scales and money boxes nearby. Yes, yes, people themselves come, weigh, put money in a box, take change and move on. This is not easy to believe, so it is better to go to Iceland and see for yourself.
The doors in the houses are also not locked here, but this is not the most unusual thing. It is interesting that a complete stranger can enter a lonely house lost in the mountains, and they will immediately give him a drink, feed him and put him to bed. At the same time, if you are a prominent man, and there is only one defenseless woman in the house, the alignment and attitude will not change in any way - it has been tested on our own experience.
Freedom of views
Freedom of opinion on certain taboo topics is legendary in Iceland.
For example, it is common knowledge that one of the prime ministers of Iceland, Johanna Sigurdardottir, is known as the first person in history to rule the government in the status of an open bisexual. Such a free attitude towards orientation is not surprising, because it is absorbed with mother's milk.
How? There are many geothermal springs in the country, which are visited not only by tourists, but also by local residents. It is necessary to take a shower before visiting them.
Shriram Rajagopalan / Flickr.com There are showers in Iceland, although they are located in public places, while most of them do not have doors and walls. And the fact that it is customary for Icelanders to ask the name of a partner only after sex, and even then not always, is probably known to many.
A nation of multitankers
In Russia, the concept of a "multi-stationer" is usually associated with a person tortured by life, who turns around at several jobs for the sake of feeding his family. Oddly enough, but Icelanders also have something similar.
Here people do not order designers for themselves and make repairs exclusively by themselves. Every second Icelander considers himself a great artist, a creative person. For this reason, many things, which sometimes include sewing clothes, selection of furniture, home improvement, they do exclusively with their own hands.
But that's not all. In Iceland, a comedian musician can become a prominent politician, a hairdresser's son a president, and a bank CEO a fisherman. World-famous commentator Gudmundur Benediktsson is not even a professional commentator, since his main place of work was the football club Reykjavik, where he held the position of assistant coach.
And the son of a hairdresser, President Oulawur Grimsson, has been in office for 20 years. At the end of the fourth term, he wanted to resign, but the citizens did not let him in.
Iceland and its music
Music in Iceland is not only self-sufficient, but also influential in the context of world culture.
In 1997, the now cult group Sigur Ros was founded here. Their music is called "magic", "heavenly", "divine". They play a mixture of ambient, post-rock and minimalism. Band leader Jonesi Birgisson is known for his unearthly falsetto, as well as being openly homosexual and playing the electric guitar with a bow. Moreover, of all the participants, only he has the appropriate education.
Icelanders' compositions are often used as soundtracks. If the titles of the films "Vanilla Sky", "Immortals: War of the Worlds", "Penelope", "Slumdog Millionaire" tell you something, then it's time to listen to the track Hoppipolla.
Iceland is a country of amazing ratios
Gary Lineker (legendary English footballer) marveled that Iceland has more volcanoes than professional footballers.
There are actually more volcanoes - 126 versus 120. There are indeed a lot of things "more than people", so it is not surprising that people master many different professions. For example, there are more sheep than homo sapiens - 420,000 versus 332,500.
But there are even more adorable tupik birds in Iceland, of which there are as many as 4 million!
David Reid / Flickr.com On the other hand, there are absolutely no ants on the island, and scientists don't know why.
About conservatism
From the outside, Iceland may seem like an extremely liberal country. The doors in the houses are not closed here. Any person from the street is welcomed as a long-awaited guest. There is no army in the country, almost no police. Products are on the street without any vendors. A naked person in a public place is a common occurrence, and sexual orientation does not have conservative social markings. But in fact, Iceland is one of the most conservative countries in the world.
It is extremely difficult to obtain a residence permit here. Moreover, Icelanders are so meticulous that they even have a special language commission. For what? If a foreign word is introduced into the language, then the commission is engaged in creating a local equivalent for it. For this reason, Icelandic is almost the only language that has almost no archaic forms, words with an emasculated meaning, and other relict phenomena.
In what language the Skalds wrote the Elder Edda 1,000 years ago, it is read in the same language today. Iceland is very jealous of everything national, here literally everything is shrouded in traditions. Each encyclopedia says that the local parliament (Althingi) is considered the oldest in Europe - it is 1,000 years old. Icelanders also wanted to join the EU, but changed their minds.
In general, if you decide to splash in the geysers and admire the northern lights - fill your suitcases with Icelandic crowns and go on your journey! True, in this country it is better to use credit cards, since it is not customary to pay in cash here.
Are you wondering how waiters and other service personnel live without a tip? Yes, they live great! Leaving a tip in Iceland is considered an insult.
