Top 25 interesting and strange facts about Iceland
Iceland is a relatively small country. Although Iceland is located in a geographically northerly place, the hard work of the descendants of the Vikings still managed to build it into a relatively beautiful and prosperous business. Iceland has been one of the countries with a higher standard of living for many years. The cold northern climate, the friendliness of Icelanders, and some beautiful scenery, all of which have attracted some tourists from all over the world to come for sightseeing.
If you are looking for cool facts about Iceland, you will not believe these things! Did you know that Icelanders leave their children outside and like to eat rotten sharks? Is there an app to prevent dating your cousin?
Tourism has exploded in Iceland recently, and the Nordic island nation now hosts more than 2 million tourists every year.
Considering that Iceland’s diverse terrain allows people to visit black beaches, blue glaciers, and roaring waterfalls, as well as whale watching and rare opportunities to see the mysterious northern lights, this is not surprising.
There are many other fascinating facts about Iceland. Here are 25 exciting things to learn about the land of fire and ice that you may not have known before! Add some general information that can be used to plan your trip.
1. Not many people
If you are like me, you like to go to places that are not too crowded. As long as you avoid the Reykjavík area, Iceland can be prepared for it compared to the rest of Europe. Iceland has only 339,462 people, and more than one-third of them live in the capital. Iceland is almost the size of Kentucky, with 4.4 million residents. Although the tourism industry has boomed in the past decade, there are still many places worth exploring.
2. Iceland is an eco-friendly country
Knowing that most of Iceland's electricity comes from geothermal and hydropower, I am very impressed. In other words, this is a country with clean energy and a small carbon footprint. Scientists in Iceland are studying how to use more geothermal energy as part of a plan that might change the world.
3. Icelanders believe in elves
The survey shows that 54.4% of countries believe that there are huldufólk, invisible elves, and trolls living in the countryside, and many others are at least open to this possibility. You can see evidence of this belief on your trip to Iceland. This information was established in some tiny wooden elfhól "elves" inhabited by elves. There is even an official elven school in Iceland, where you can learn about the history of Icelandic elves.
4. McDonald's does not exist in Iceland
Once upon a time, you could dine in one of the few McDonald’s restaurants in Iceland. This changed in 2009, and it seems that Golden Arches will not return anytime shortly. I'm thrilled with this fact, but don't worry; several other fast-food chains in Iceland. Hot dogs are prevalent there!
5. Iceland is one of the safest countries
Coming from the United States, I am pleasantly surprised by the rare violent crime in Iceland. How many, do you ask? In 2017, the country was shocked by the unprecedented number of murders: four. In a typical year, there is an average of 1.6 murders and other violent or drug-related crimes.
6. Trees once covered it
This interesting fact is also one of the few less idyllic things about Iceland. Before the Vikings plundered Iceland, 40% of the country was covered by trees. However, they need all the trees to build houses, boats, and clear farmland. Now, this figure is only 2%, despite the ongoing reforestation work.
7. Iceland is mosquito-free!
Mosquitoes can sometimes make life in the United States miserable, so I am happy to find that Iceland is one of the few mosquito-free environments in the world. No matter when you visit, you don't have to worry about these pests. Surprisingly, for this reason alone, Iceland's population is not high.
8. They ate something nasty
Iceland has some very disgusting food to eat. Now, don't get me wrong. They are also famous for some delicious seafood and lamb. But their traditional dishes may have a vomiting reflex! The most famous is Hakarl or fermented shark. This stuff is buried in the ground for 6-12 weeks and then dried in the sun. It tastes like ammonia (urine?) and is eaten with unsweetened gin. Yum! Oh, they also like to eat a bit smoky goat's head (Svið) sometimes.
9. No traditional surname
When a child is born in Iceland, their last name is different from their parents' last name. Instead, their surnames are derived from the names of their father or mother. The musician Björk provides us with a good example. Her father's name is Guðmundur. The full name of Björk is Björk Guðmundsdottir, which means the daughter of Guðmundur.
10. There was a peaceful revolution in Iceland
There are few reports in the international press, but Iceland has a thriving (peaceful) revolution. In 2008, the country’s banking system collapsed, unemployment soared, and citizens worried that supermarkets would run out of food. The people of Iceland took to the streets, peacefully protested against pots and pans, and completely blocked all traffic around the capital. In the end, the prime minister and the former government were forced to resign, and the people wrote a new constitution for themselves.
11. Iceland is an egalitarian society
Iceland attaches great importance to the concept of equality. It is considered the most feminist country globally and has long been very accepting of the LGBTQ community. In addition, only 3% of countries do not belong to the middle class.
12. The temperature is usually mild
Iceland is the perfect choice for summer travel because the average high temperature is only 57 degrees Fahrenheit. The average summer low for overnight stays is 44 degrees, so it never gets too cold. However, winter in Iceland can be very wild due to cold winds and blizzards.
13. Baby resting alone
You may not have to worry about hearing a baby cry in an Icelandic restaurant. It shocks many people, but leaving the baby out of the stroller is a common practice. You will see this all over the country, including when the temperature drops to 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit (-5 degrees Celsius).
14. People swimming in winter
One helpful thing for water heated by geothermal volcanoes is that you can go swimming no matter how cold outside. There are countless hot springs, and many Icelandic hotels have heated swimming pools that can maintain a temperature of at least 86 degrees Fahrenheit at all times.
15. There are 30 active volcanoes
I am fascinated by volcanoes, and I am glad to see some of them during my trip to Iceland. Including an active eruption flying over the Holuhraun lava field in 2014, it’s so cool! There are about 130 volcanoes, 30 of which are active. No one has erupted at the moment (but it can be changed). Scientists are already very good at predicting volcanic eruptions, and the risk to residents and tourists is small.
16. You can visit an extraordinary museum
Before I went to Iceland, I never thought that an entire museum would be dedicated to the penis. Even stranger is that the collection of 200 penises on display at the Phallological Museum includes specimens of mythological creatures such as trolls.
17. Iceland was elected the first female president
As mentioned earlier, Iceland leads the world in feminism. Unsurprisingly, the country was also the first female president Vigdís Finnbogadóttir to be elected as a female president from 1980 to 1996. Icelanders also elected an openly gay woman as prime minister in 2009.
18. Homemade ice cream is everywhere
The unofficial national dessert of Iceland is ice cream. Regardless of the weather, people wait in long lines every day. After trying some homemade ice cream, I understand why; it's delicious!
19. The wizard once arrested in Iceland
Iceland looks idyllic in many ways, but this country does have a dark history. Like many places in the United States and Europe, Iceland experienced a witch hunt from 1654 to 1690. Although because men were the primary target, only one woman was prosecuted as a witch during this time
20. Super Jeep is one thing
Iceland is full of remote and rugged landscapes, and to reach some of them, especially in winter, some locals use "super jeeps." The Super Jeep is a highly modified truck with a raised suspension and oversized tires that can cross deep rivers or through deep snow and ice. Most roads in Iceland are paved, but these jeeps can travel in winter for off-road trails into the central highlands.
21. Iceland is young
In terms of terrain, Iceland is the youngest country in the world. At the same time, Iceland was the last European country to settle. But don't be fooled by the young people of Iceland because it is still about 25 million years old.
22. Most of the country is uninhabited
Due to Iceland’s unique topography, only 20% of it is inhabited by humans. Many remote uninhabited areas can be visited, but I strongly recommend that you first register for the ICE-SAR program using the 112 Iceland app. If something goes wrong in an unknown place, this is the best way to get help.
23. Iceland has no military
Iceland has no army and only participated in one conflict. The Cold War was a power struggle with Britain for exclusive fishing rights within 200 miles of Icelandic. Iceland won after attacking the enemy's fishing net with scissors.
24. Icelandic students learn three languages
Icelandic students will learn their mother tongue, as well as English and Danish. It is estimated that at least 80% of young students can understand basic English, and some claim that as many as 98% of adults can speak multiple languages fluently. Everyone I met in Iceland did not encounter any problems.
25. There is an app to prevent dating your girlfriend
Since Iceland has a small population, everyone has related problems. This may be a problem in the local dating scene. Therefore, there is a smartphone app called Íslendinga-App for Icelanders to check if they are related. The company's slogan is "Turn the app upside down before you lie down on the bed." Haha!
Iceland is an exceptional tourist destination. Stargazing is breathtaking, the local cuisine is unusual, and locals are often happy to share one of the entertainment legends and myths of the area.
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