Miscellaneous Facts about Iceland

Basic facts about Iceland:

Iceland is the world's 18^th largest island. It is closer to Europe geographically than North America (although geologically it contains parts of both continents), so it is considered European. Iceland has no standing army.

The time zone is 4 hours ahead of us back home (they don't switch for Daylight Savings).

The size of Iceland is 103,000 square km (roughly the size of Newfoundland without Labrador) and the population is 325,000 (compare Kitchener/Waterloo).

The capital is Reykjavik; Reykjavik and its surrounding suburbs have a population of 200,000 (two thirds of the population of Iceland).

Icelandic (a north Germanic language) is the national language (it is extremely difficult to learn!).  Icelandic has remained unchanged since the Middle Ages.  It is the only language that still uses the runic symbols of ð and þ. They do not adapt any new words into their language (ie computer, telephone), but invent new Icelandic words for them, usually with huge debates.  Most people understand and speak English. English and Danish are compulsory in school.

The religion is predominantly Christian, mostly Lutheran.

The average temperature in June is between 7 – 10 degrees C. Iceland does not have extreme temperatures, with only a range of -3C (winter average) to 15C (summer average). Expected highs for this week: 10C. Expected lows: 9C.

They have their own currency, the Icelandic krona. One Canadian dollar is roughly 100 ISK. In 2008, affected by the worldwide crisis, the nation's entire banking system collapsed. There was massive inflation, unemployment, and currency collapse. The economy has since then made a significant recovery. In 2013, it was ranked as the 13^th most developed country in the world. The people earn their livelihood from fishing, raising sheep and cattle, and from Icelandic ponies.

Icelanders are among the world’s healthiest people, with 81% reporting to be in good health. Obesity is not prevalent and infant mortality is low. Only one in ten people are cigarette smokers but most hotels and guesthouses are completely smoke free. The average life expectancy is 81.8, the 4th highest in the world. Iceland has the best literacy rate in the world at 100%.

Iceland is very safe with virtually no crime. Currently there are only 150 prisoners on the whole island. There is no police or security presence visible.

Almost all the energy used in Iceland comes from geothermal power, giving Iceland a very low level of pollution. They heat their homes and greenhouses with natural hot water. There are hundreds of thermal pools around Iceland.  Legally every child in Iceland is required to learn to swim before they can graduate.

Only one third of its roads are paved, making four wheel drive vehicles common. The main road around Iceland is called the Ring Road. It is 1332 km long so technically it could be driven in one day, although we are taking 10 days. There are no railways in Iceland.

There are no McDonalds in Iceland. There were 3 of them but they pulled out with the financial collapse. There are also no Starbucks or 7-11 stores, but there is a chain called 10-11. Iceland has one of the highest per capita consumption rates of Coca Cola in the world, so Frankie should be happy.

When humans arrived in Iceland, the only native land mammal was the Arctic fox, which came to the island at the end of the ice age, walking over the frozen sea. On rare occasions, bats have been carried to the island with the winds, but they are not able to breed here. Polar bears occasionally come over from Greenland, but no Icelandic populations exist. There are no native or free-living reptiles or amphibians on the island. There are also no ants or MOSQUITOS in Iceland!

Icelanders don't have surnames as such, but use their first names followed by “son of” or “daughter of” with their father or mother's name ie Elísabet Jónsdóttir ("Elísabet, Jón's daughter"). Thus the phone book is listed alphabetically by first name.