Iceland (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain everything about Iceland and its physical and cultural characteristics. Also, what is its economy, religion and the history of this country.

Iceland

Iceland is a national state whose official name is the Republic of Iceland. It is a large island located in the Atlantic Ocean between Greenland and northern Europe. It is the seventeenth largest country in Europe but one of the least populated with only 387,000 inhabitants.

Due to its location on the mid-Atlantic ridge, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are frequent in Iceland.

Its form of government is a parliamentary republic, and its capital is the city of Reykjavíkwhich is characterized by being one of the least populated national capitals in the world.

Why is it called “Iceland”? The name Iceland comes from an Old Norse word. island which can be translated as “land of ice”. However, the first name of the territory was Snaeland (“land of snow”), put by the Viking navigator Naddoddr, from the Faroe Islands.

Another name given later was Garoarshólmur (“islets of Gardar”), until the Scandinavian navigator Flóki Vilgerðarson reached its shores in the 9th century. This navigator was the one who baptized those lands with the name Iceland.

CURIOUS FACTS

According to the World Economic Forum, Iceland is the country with the smallest wage gap between men and women in the world.
There is no McDonald's on the entire island, after the company closed its last location in 2009.
Iceland is one of the few countries in the world that does not have its own army. However, it has been a member of NATO since 1949.

Features of Iceland

Some characteristics of this country are:

Its population is 387,000 inhabitants.
Its area is 103,125 square kilometers, which represents a population density of only 3.7 inhabitants per square kilometer.
Its capital is the city of Reykjavík.
The predominant climate is the cold polar tundra.
The predominant relief is mountainous. It has a large number of active volcanoes.
The official language is Icelandic.
The predominant religion is Protestant Christianity.
Its currency is the Icelandic crown.
The main economic activities are fishing, industry, energy production and tourism.
It is one of the favorite places for tourists from all over the world to observe the northern lights.

Area, population and capital of Iceland

Iceland has an area of 103,125 square kilometers. It has a population of 387,000 inhabitants, making it one of the least populated countries in Europe and the world. Its population density is 3.7 inhabitants per square kilometer.

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Iceland is divided into 8 administrative regions made up of 72 municipalities. The most populated region is Reykjavík, where its capital is located. This region concentrates more than 64% of the country's total population. The eastern, southern, northwestern and Western Fjord regions are characterized by being demographic voids: their population is so scarce that the population density is less than one inhabitant per square kilometer.

The capital of Iceland is the city of Reykjavík. It has a population of 133,000 inhabitants, which represents 34.3% of the country's total.

Climate, relief and hydrography of Iceland

iceland northern lights — In winter there are approximately four hours of sunlight.

The climate that predominates throughout the island of Iceland is the cold polar tundra.. In this climate, no month of the year exceeds 10 °C average temperature.

Most of the ground is covered in snow and ice for much of the year.and glaciers occupy more than 10% of the country's surface. One of the most peculiar characteristics of the island is that in winter it receives around four hours of sunlight a day and during the summer (which lasts two months) it does not get dark at practically any time of the day.

Being on the mid-Atlantic ridge, Volcanoes predominate in the relief of Iceland. The “Highlands” of Iceland constitute an extensive area of volcanoes and glaciers where the Hvannadalshnúkur volcano is located, the highest peak in the country at 2,119 meters high. There is also the Vatnajökull glacier, the second largest in Europe, which with more than 8,000 square kilometers of extension occupies 8% of the country's total surface.

The hydrography of Iceland is characterized by the presence of short rivers, which remain frozen much of the year. In summer they thaw and increase their flow. The longest is the Thjorsa River, 230 kilometers long. Lakes of glacial and volcanic origin also make up Icelandic hydrography. Although none are very extensive, they are distributed throughout the island.

The flora and fauna of the country are adapted to low temperatures throughout almost the entire year and the tundra biome is found throughout the island. This biome is characterized by the practically total absence of trees: only vegetation adapted to permafrost grows, that is, soils that are permanently covered with ice. The animals found in Iceland are also adapted to these conditions, including reindeer, foxes, marine animals such as whales and hundreds of species of birds.

Icelandic culture

The official language of Iceland is Icelandic.a North Germanic language closely related to Faroese and western dialects of Norwegian. In religious matters, freedom of worship is total, although Protestantism is the official religion and that professed by the majority of the population.

National symbols of Iceland

The national symbols of Iceland are:

The flag of Iceland. It was proclaimed as the official flag after the country's independence in 1944. It consists of a red Scandinavian cross with white edges on a dark blue background.
The national anthem of Iceland. It is known as Lofsöngur. The lyrics were written by Matthías Jochumsson and the music by Sveinbjörn Sveinbjörnsson. It has been used as the official anthem since 1944.
The coat of arms of Iceland. It consists of a coat of arms with the shape and colors of the Icelandic flag resting on a block of lava. This block is surrounded by a bull, an eagle, a dragon and a giant. It was also used from 1944.

Economic activities of Iceland

Iceland has one of the nominal GDP per capita highest and the third highest human development index (HDI) in the world today.

Its main economic activities are:

lfishingto which 7% of the workforce is dedicated and contributes 40% of operating income
The production of geothermal energy and hydroelectric, activities that make Iceland andThe main producer of electrical energy per capita in the world.
The industry, among which stand out food processing and the production of aluminum and iron.
tourism, that attracts thousands of people to visit the glaciers, volcanoes, hot springs, waterfalls and the northern lights.

Its main trading partners are the Netherlands, Spain, Norway and the United Kingdom. Its currency is the Icelandic crown.

The northern lights

The northern lights are one of the main tourist attractions in Iceland. They are produced when charged particles from the sun, mainly electrons and protons, collide with gases in the Earth's atmosphere and generate colorful lights in the sky. Iceland is one of the best places in the world to witness the Northern Lights due to its geographical location and low light pollution. The best time to observe the northern lights is during the winter months, when the nights are longer and darker.

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History of Iceland

The greatest representative of the Icelandic independence movement was Jón Sigurðsson.

The first settler in Iceland was Ingólfur Arnarson, an explorer from Norway who settled in the territory of present-day Reykjavík in 874, in the era of Viking expansion. He was followed by other Norse settlers who brought with them their families and their servants or slaves. In 930 the Icelandic Commonwealth was formed, governed by an assembly called Althing.

At the end of the 10th century, Norwegian King Olaf I forced his subjects to convert to Christianity and sent evangelization missions to Iceland. The Althing accepted the conversion around the year 1000, and in 1262 Iceland joined the Norwegian crown.

At the end of the 14th century, the crowns of Norway and Denmark were united and Iceland came under their sovereignty. In the 16th century, the Protestant Reformation became strong in Denmark and was imposed on Iceland, whose last attempts at resistance were defeated in 1550. The lands of the monasteries were confiscated and commercial privileges were granted to Danish merchants.

In 1661, King Frederick III of Denmark and Norway established an absolute monarchy which led to the formation of a state bureaucracy in Iceland and, later, to the abolition of the Althing (1800). In 1814, Denmark and Norway separated, leaving Iceland in Danish hands.

Since the mid-19th century, nationalist claims have grown, proposing that Iceland be governed by Icelanders. Among the protagonists of the independence movement, Jón Sigurðsson stood outwho got the king to grant Iceland its own Constitution in 1874 and to recognize the Althing as a legislative power. In 1904, Iceland achieved greater autonomy. Simultaneously, economic problems and a volcanic eruption promoted the emigration of Icelanders, especially to Canada.

In 1918 the Kingdom of Iceland achieved independence, in union with the Danish monarchy, which was in charge of foreign affairs. In 1944, Iceland permanently separated from Denmark and became a republic. In the 1950s and 1970s it clashed with the British government over fishing rights in the North Atlantic (the so-called “cod wars”). At the beginning of the 21st century, Iceland faced severe economic difficulties.

References

“Iceland” https://es.wikipedia.org/.
“Iceland” https://www.britannica.com/.
“Seven things you didn't know about Iceland” https://elpais.com/.
“What it's really like to live in Iceland, the most 'immigrant-friendly' country in the world” https://www.bbc.com/.
“Facts about Iceland” https://www.icelandairhotels.com/.
“The Official Gateway to Iceland” https://www.iceland.is/.
Civitatis (sf) Geography of Iceland. https://www.islandia.com
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2023) Iceland. Country sheet. Diplomatic Information Office of Spain. https://www.exteriores.gob.es/
Milo, A (2023) Northern lights. What are they and how are they formed?. https://www.ngenespanol.com/
Nunez, C. (2023) What is tundra? Nhttps://www.nationalgeographic.es/