欧洲:
英国 United Kingdom 爱尔兰 Ireland 比利时 Belgium 荷兰 Netherlands 法国 France 西班牙 Spain 葡萄牙 Portugal 意大利 Italy 希腊 Greece 奥地利 Austria 匈牙利 Hungary 德国 Germany 瑞士 Switzerland 罗马尼亚 Romania 俄罗斯 Russia 波兰 Poland 克罗地亚 Croatia (Hrvatska) 捷克 Czech 芬兰 Finland 瑞典 Sweden 挪威 Norway 冰岛 Iceland 土耳其 Turkey 丹麦 Denmark 阿尔巴尼亚 Albania 爱沙尼亚 Republic of Estonia 安道尔 Andorra 白俄罗斯 Belarus 保加利亚 The Republic of Bulgaria 波斯尼亚和黑塞哥维那 Bosnia and Herzegovina 梵蒂冈 Vatican City State (Holy See) 黑山 The Republic of Montenegro 拉脱维亚 Latvia 立陶宛 Republic of Lithuania 列支敦士登 Liechtenstein 卢森堡 Luxembourg 马耳他 Republic of Malta 马其顿 The Republic of Macedonia 摩尔多瓦 The Republic of Moldova 摩纳哥 Monaco 塞尔维亚 the Republic of Serbia 斯洛伐克 The Slovak Republic 斯洛文尼亚 the Republic of Slovenia 圣马力诺 San Marino 乌克兰 Ukraine |
| 冰岛 Iceland 首都:雷克雅未克 国家代码: is |
 冰岛它位于欧洲的西北部，面积10.3万平方公里，人口27.6万（2002年，全部是斯堪的纳维亚人。新教福音信义会是冰岛的国教会，教徒占全国人口的97%。官方语言为冰岛语。外贸函电及商务洽谈可用英语。首都雷克雅未克。冰岛有“火山岛”、“雾岛”、“冰封的土地”、“冰与火之岛”之称。 1918年12月1日独立，但实际上仍臣属于丹麦。1944年6月成立共和国。1971年12月8日与我国建交。 冰岛人均近三万美元，属中等发达国家。水产资源丰富，渔产品出口额占冰岛总出口额的80%左右， 全国13.5%的人口依靠捕鱼和渔加工业为生。渔业是冰岛国民经济的重要支柱。冰岛的渔类主要有鳕鱼，青鱼，沙丁鱼，比目鱼等， 其中以鳕鱼最多，肉味可口，经济价值很高是一种高级食品，甚受欧洲市场欢迎。年捕鱼量1979年创164.9万吨的历史最高记录，人均7.27吨，居世界首位。 白隼是冰岛的国鸟。这是一种北极鸟，体形大，飞得快、善于攻击其他鸟类。白隼有三种色型,真正白色的极少,异常珍贵。 冰岛货币为冰岛克朗。 当地商店的营业时间，正常工作时间，从上午9时至中午12时，下午1时至5时。某些商店星期六营业半天，但夏季除外。 冰岛多山，在劳格湖风景区一带，是一片小平原，西侧有一块巨大的石壁，长7公里，高30米，象一堵屏风，具有良好的扩音效果，使坐在各个角落的会议参加者都能听到大会的发言。这样的露天会场，真是别具情趣。 雷克雅未克是冰岛第一大港，全国政治、经济、文化中心。有鱼类加工、化工、水泥等工业。雷克雅未克数百年间，它一直是一座庄园。17世纪初成为国王的皇家庄园。1944年成为首都，也是外国人到冰岛旅游的起点。雷克雅未克和欧洲所有的首都不同，并非到处都有高楼大厦。市内交通四通八达，乘客上车自动将钱投入钱箱，不设售票员。这个城市的暖气设备和热水供应称世界第一。环境优美、空气清新，是一座世界上少有的无烟城市。 冰岛人受够了连绵寒冬，对阳光无限热爱。每年6、7月份，午夜常有太阳照耀，如同白昼，甚至可以看书写信。到了冬天，则刚好相反，有时整天不见太阳，而月亮当头。自古以来，冰岛人就有读书习惯，每到冬天，长夜漫漫，人们就在屋子里读书学习，冰岛是文化水平较高的国家。 中国可派船的基本港是斯特勒因斯维克港，该岛为冰岛船厂的专用港口，这是出口成交方面。在进口成交方面，中国方面可派船接货的转船或转船港口是阿库雷里、胡萨维克和雷克雅未克。我国发冰岛的航空和水陆路邮件均由北京散寄丹麦转。电报、电话均由北京经伦敦转。 对冰岛人来说，给小费是一种侮辱。用姓称呼冰岛人是不礼貌的，应该叫他们的名字。约会不一定非准时不可。谈工作一般不需要事先约会，“顺便进来坐坐”是冰岛的传统。如应邀到主人家去吃饭，一般情况下给男主人或女主人带件小礼品就可以了。 国家地理 自然地理：面积为１０．３万平方公里。是欧洲最西部的国家，位于北大西洋中部，靠近北极圈，冰川面积占８０００平方公里，为欧洲第二大岛。海岸线长约４９７０公里。全境３／４是海拔４００－８００米的高原，其中１／８被冰川覆盖。有１００多座火山，其中活火山２０多座。华纳达尔斯赫努克火山为全国最高峰，海拔２１１９米。冰岛几乎整个国家都建立在火山岩石上，大部分土地不能开垦，是世界温泉最多的国家，所以被称为冰火之国。多喷泉、瀑布、湖泊和湍急河流，最大河流锡尤尔骚河长２２７公里。冰岛属寒温带海洋性气候，变化无常。因受墨西哥湾暖流影响，较同纬度的其他地方温和。夏季日照长，冬季日照极短。秋季和冬初可见极光。 同北京时差比格林尼治时间晚1小时；比北京时间晚9小时 国际电话码 354 人口：２７．６万人（２００２年）。绝大多数为冰岛人，属日耳曼族。官方语言为冰岛语，英语为通用语言。近９０％的人信奉基督教路德教派。 首都：雷克雅未克（Reykjavik），人口１１２２６８人（２００１年１２月），年平均气温４.３℃。全国近三分之一的人生活在雷克雅未克。 行政区划：全国分为２３个省、２１个自治市和２０３个教区。 简史：８世纪末，爱尔兰修道士首先移居冰岛。９世纪后半叶，挪威开始向冰岛移民。公元９３０年建立议会和冰岛联邦。１２６２年，冰岛和挪威签定协议，冰岛臣属于挪威。１３８０年冰、挪同归丹麦统治。１９０４年获内部自治。１９１８年，冰丹签订联邦法，规定冰为主权国家，但外交事务仍由丹麦控制。１９４０年丹麦被德国占领，冰丹关系中断。同年英军进驻，次年美军取代英军驻冰。１９４４年６月１６日冰议会正式宣布解散冰丹联盟，１７日成立冰岛共和国。１９４６年加入联合国，１９４９年成为北约成员国。 国家历史 移民时期和古代冰岛共和国，公元860年挪威人的船只遇难漂流至冰岛。 874年被挪威国王驱逐的部落首领英格尔夫.阿耳纳逊军领家族和奴隶来冰岛定居,他们将一处有自喷温泉的地方命名为雷克雅未克(冒烟的峡湾)。此后来自挪威,间或亦有来自爱尔兰的移 民不断增加。10世纪前期,冰岛历史上的移民时期结束。 930年在雷克雅未克首次召开了名为阿耳庭的全体居民大会。阿耳庭既是立法会议,也是仲裁纠纷的法庭。 965年阿耳庭将全岛划分成4个行政区,各设一个由3名族长共同掌管的法庭,形成了古代的冰岛共和国。此期经济有较大发展。基督教传入,并于公元1000年成为国教。由于封建贵族纷纷投靠挪威,1262年冰岛成为挪威 的附属国,由挪威国王指派总督管治,从而结束了存在 300年之久的古代共和局面。 1202年以后的冰岛 冰岛臣服于挪威后,阿耳庭丧失立法权,只起司法机关的作用。挪威总督把挪威的法律推行到冰岛,对冰岛事务有决定权。1380年丹麦国王兼任挪威国王,冰岛亦成为丹麦的附庸国,引起冰岛人民的反对。1534年挪威被丹麦兼并,冰岛亦成为丹麦属地。 16世纪 30年代后期,科拉教区大主教J.阿拉松(1484一 1550)发动冰岛人民反对丹麦的统治,后被镇压。1602年 丹麦国王克里斯蒂安四世在冰岛推行贸易垄断制度,规定哥本哈根等三地的丹麦商人拥有在冰岛从事贸易的特权。贸易垄断长期束缚着冰岛经济发展,直到1854年丹 麦才被迫取消这种制度。 从19世纪中叶起,冰岛民族主义运动在J .西古尔茨松(1811一1879)领导下逐渐高涨起来。在冰岛人民要求自治与独立的压力之下,丹麦不得不在1843年同意冰岛重建阿耳庭,但又规定阿耳庭只是咨询机构而不是权力机构。1849年冰岛要求对内自治权,并且在1851年召开 全国会议正式提出实行自治的主张。经过谈判,冰岛在1874年赢得对内实行自治的权力,阿耳庭成为立法机构并制订自己的宪法,但一切重大问题仍需报请丹麦政府批准。1903年冰岛才单独设立政府来处理国内事务。19世纪末冰岛独立党建立。1916年社会民主党和进步党也相继成立。这些政党在争取独立的斗争中发挥了作用。1918年11月30日丹麦、冰岛签订联盟条约,规定冰岛为主权国家,但外交事务由丹麦控制。丹麦国王仍为冰岛的国家元首。1940年4月丹麦被法西斯德国占领后,冰岛同丹麦的联系被切断。冰岛阿耳庭宣布行使外交权和军事防御权。5月,英国出兵占领了冰岛。1941年7月8日,冰岛与美国签订《战时防务条约》,美军代替英军进驻冰岛。 冰岛共和国时期 第二次世界大战结束前,冰岛于1944年2月25日宣布冰丹联盟条约过期。3月8日,冰岛阿耳庭通过一部新宪法,决定成立共和国。6月16日正式宣布冰岛脱离丹冰联盟。6月17日,冰岛共和国宣布成立,S.比耶松任第一届总统。美国驻冰岛军队于1945年撤回, 仅保留了凯夫拉维克空军基地。1949年冰岛加入了北大西洋公约组织,1951年同美国缔结条约,以美承担冰岛防御责任为条件允许美国在冰岛驻军。1956年以前,冰岛政府大多由农民进步党和独立党联合组阁。1959年后大多由社会民主党和独立党联合组阁。美国军事基地问题长期成为冰岛人民所关切的政治问题,1971年由人民联盟和左派自由联盟等政党联合组阁的冰岛政府要求美国撤回驻军。同年12月8日,冰岛与中国建立外交关系。 冰岛经常遇到的另一重大问题是捕鱼区划界问题。 1958年冰岛决定将捕鱼区扩大到12海里,英国再三反对, 两年后才予承认。60年代国际渔业不景气,冰岛为保护民族利益,1972年将捕鱼区扩大到50海里。英国、联邦德国对此提出强硬抗议,英国还出动军舰为英国渔船护航,并与冰岛的巡逻艇发生多次纠纷,形成了旷日持久的冰英捕鱼战。海牙国际法庭于1974年判决拒绝认可冰岛宣布的50海里捕鱼区。冰岛于1974年又宣布将捕鱼区扩大至200海里。冰、英两国于1976年断绝外交关系,经3个月谈判英国承认了冰岛200海里捕鱼区,并与冰岛复交。1980年8月1日,V.芬博阿多蒂尔成为世界上第一位民选女总统,1984年8月1日连任。 国家政治 政治：实行共和制，议会和总统共同执掌立法权，法院执掌司法权，总统和政府共同拥有行政权。总统为国家元首，通过直接选举产生，对政府的行为享有否决权，任期四年，可连选连任。议会原分上下两院，１９９１年１０月合并为一院，共有议员６３名，任期四年。冰岛不建立军队。 国家经济 经济：渔业是经济支柱，工业以渔产品加工和炼铝等高能耗工业为主。外贸依存度大。渔业、水利和地热资源丰富，其他自然资源匮乏，石油等产品需要进口。可开发的年水力发电量为６４０亿度，地热能年发电量可达７２亿度。工业基础薄弱，除渔产品加工和针织等轻工业外，工业以炼铝等高能耗工业为主。渔业是冰岛国民经济的支柱产业，主要鱼种有毛鳞鱼、鳕鱼和青鱼，绝大部分渔产品出口，渔产品出口占商品出口总额的近７０％。冰岛的渔船队装备精良，鱼类加工技术在世界上占领先地位。所处纬度高, 日照量少，仅南部几个农场年产４００～５００吨农作物。可耕地面积１０００平方公里，占全国总面积的１％。畜牧业占较主要地位，大部分农业用地被用做饲料草场。相应的毛纺业和制革业比较发达。肉、奶、蛋自给有余，粮食、蔬菜、水果基本依靠进口。温室培育西红柿、黄瓜产量可满足国内７０％的消费。服务业在国民经济中占重要地位，包括商业、银行、保险和公共服务等，其产值约占国内生产总值的一半，从业人数占总劳力的三分之二强。１９８０年起大力发展旅游事业。主要旅游点有大冰川、火山地貌、地热喷泉和瀑布等。冰岛的人均国内生产总值近３万美元，名列世界前茅。那里的空气与水源的清新纯净在世界上堪称第一。人的平均寿命达到女８２．２岁，男７８．１岁。全民文化程度较高，早在１００多年前冰岛就消灭了文盲。１９９９年冰岛已成为世界上移动电话普及率最高的国家。 国家军事 军事：根据宪法，冰岛不设立军队。１９４９年加入北大西洋公约组织，１９５１年同美国签订防务协定，由美国负责其防务。美在冰设有空军基地和驻军，并配有战斗机、猎潜飞机和雷达站等军事装备和设施。冰岛有一支海洋巡逻队，备有巡逻艇和一些小型飞机，负责渔区保护和海上救护工作。 对外关系 与中国关系：１９７１年１２月８日，冰岛与中国建立大使级外交关系。１９９６年，两国政府签署了中冰避免双重征税协定，这是冰岛与欧洲及北美以外的第一个国家签署避免双重征税协定。２００２年６月，国家主席江泽民对冰岛进行国事访问。２００５年５月，冰岛总统格里姆松对中国进行国事访问。 观光旅游 冰岛对大多数探险爱好者来说是一个理想之地，现在来自美国的探险者数量是１０年前的两倍，２００３年，总数达到了３０万人——是这个国家人口总数的两倍还多。最具说服力的是冰岛当地的弗迦拉巴克探险装备旅游公司，每年都以惊人的速度找到新的探险路线。比如一些绿色沼泽和奥拉菲沙漠中的苔原地带，春季炎热的阿拉斯加火山口和大量知善鸟的聚集地韦斯特曼纳群岛。在冰岛居民大量集中的南部海岸附近，８０％的火山岛与冰河、湖泊、山洞熔岩混在一起，加上杂草丛生，似乎永远没有走出去的可能。 Located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Iceland is volcanically and geologically active on a large scale; this defines the landscape in various ways. The interior mainly consists of a plateau characterized by sand fields, mountains and glaciers, while many big glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Warmed by the Gulf Stream, Iceland has a temperate climate relative to its latitude and provides a habitable environment and nature. The settlement of Iceland began in 874 when, according to Landnámabók, the Norwegian chieftain Ingólfur Arnarson became the first permanent Norwegian settler on the island. Others had visited the island earlier and stayed over winter. Over the next centuries, people of Nordic and Gaelic origin settled in Iceland. Until the twentieth century, the Icelandic population relied on fisheries and agriculture, and was from 1262 to 1918 a part of the Norwegian and later the Danish monarchies. In the twentieth century, Iceland's economy and welfare system developed quickly. In recent decades, Iceland has seen economic reforms, free trade in the European Economic Area, and diversification from fishing to new economic fields in services, finance, and various industries. Today, Iceland has some of the world's highest levels of economic freedoms as well as civil freedoms. As of 2007, Iceland is the most developed country in the world with fellow Nordic country Norway according to the Human Development Index and one of the most egalitarian, according to the calculation provided by the Gini coefficient. It is also the fourth most productive country per capita. Icelanders have a rich culture and heritage, like cuisine and poetry thus the country itself has many names coined by poets. Iceland is a member of the UN, NATO, EFTA, EEA and OECD, but not of the European Union. The country is a candidate for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council. Topography Strokkur, a geyser in the process of erupting. Lying on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Iceland is one of the most geologically active areas on Earth.Iceland is located in the North Atlantic Ocean just south of the Arctic Circle, which passes through the small island of Grímsey off Iceland's northern coast, but not through mainland Iceland. Unlike neighbouring Greenland, Iceland is considered to be a part of Europe, not of North America, though geologically the island belongs to both continents. Because of cultural, economic and linguistic similarities, Iceland in many contexts is also included in Scandinavia. The closest bodies of land are Greenland (287 km) and the Faroe Islands (420 km). The closest distance to the mainland of Europe is 970 km (to Norway). Iceland, as seen from space Iceland, as seen from space on January 29, 2004. Source: NASAIceland is the world's 18th largest island, and Europe's second largest island following Great Britain. The country is 103,000 km² (39,768.5 sq mi) in size, of which 62.7% is wasteland. Lakes and glaciers cover 14.3%; only 23% is vegetated. The largest lakes are Þórisvatn (Reservoir): 83–88 km² (32–34 sq mi) and Þingvallavatn: 82 km² (32 sq mi); other important lakes include Lögurinn and Mývatn. Öskjuvatn is the deepest lake at 220 m (722 ft). A map of Iceland with major towns marked.Many fjords punctuate its extensive coastline, which is also where most settlements are situated because the island's interior, the Highlands of Iceland, is a cold and uninhabitable combination of sand and mountains. The major towns are the capital Reykjavík, Kópavogur, Hafnarfjörður, Reykjanesbær, where the international airport is located, and Akureyri. The island of Grímsey on the Arctic Circle contains the northernmost habitation of Iceland. Iceland has four national parks: Jökulsárgljúfur National Park, Skaftafell National Park, Snæfellsjökull National Park, and Þingvellir National Park. Geological activity A geologically young land, Iceland is located on both the Iceland hotspot and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which runs right through it. This combined location means that geologically the island is extremely active, having many volcanoes, notably Hekla, Eldgjá, and Eldfell. The volcanic eruption of Laki in 1783–1784 caused a famine that killed nearly a quarter of the island's population; the eruption caused dust clouds and haze to appear over most of Europe and parts of Asia and Africa for several months after the eruption. There are also many geysers in Iceland, including Geysir, from which the English word is derived. With this widespread availability of geothermal power, and because many rivers and waterfalls are harnessed for hydroelectricity, most residents have hot water and home heat cheaply. The island itself is composed primarily of basalt, a low-silica lava associated with effusive volcanism like Hawaii. But Iceland has various kinds of volcanoes, many of which produce more evolved lavas such as rhyolite and andesite. Dettifoss, the most powerful waterfall in Europe, is located in north-eastern Iceland.Iceland controls Surtsey, one of the youngest islands in the world. It rose above the ocean in a series of volcanic eruptions between November 8, 1963 and June 5, 1968. Climate The climate of Iceland's coast is cold oceanic. The warm North Atlantic Current ensures generally higher annual temperatures than in most places of similar latitude in the world. The winters are mild and windy while the summers are damp and cool. Regions in the world with similar climate include the Aleutian Islands, Alaska Peninsula and Tierra del Fuego although these regions are closer to the equator. Despite its proximity to the Arctic, the island's coasts remain ice-free through the winter. Ice incursions are rare, the last having occurred on the north coast in 1969. There are some variations in the climate between different parts of the island. Very generally speaking, the south coast is warmer, wetter and windier than the north. Low-lying inland areas in the north are the most arid. Snowfall in winter is more common in the north than the south. The Central Highlands are the coldest part of the country. The highest air temperature recorded was 30.5 °C (86.9 °F) on 22 June 1939 at Teigarhorn on the south-eastern coast. The lowest was -38 °C (-36.4 °F) on 22 January 1918 at Grímsstaðir and Möðrudalur in the northeast hinterland. The temperature records for Reykjavík are 24.8 °C (76.6 °F) on 11 August 2004, and -24.5 °C (-12.1 °F) on 21 January 1918. Mean daily maximum and minimum temperatures (°C) (1961–1990) Location Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec All Reykjavík 1.9 2.8 3.2 5.7 9.4 11.7 13.3 13.0 10.1 6.8 3.4 2.2 High 7.0 -3.0 -2.1 -2.0 0.4 3.6 6.7 8.3 7.9 5.0 2.2 -1.3 -2.8 Low 1.9 Akureyri 0.9 1.7 2.1 5.4 9.5 13.2 14.5 13.9 9.9 5.9 2.6 1.3 High 6.7 -5.5 -4.7 -4.2 -1.5 2.3 6.0 7.5 7.1 3.5 0.4 -3.5 -5.1 Low 0.2 Flora and fauna An Icelandic sheepThe short time since the last ice age, 10,000 years ago, has mostly prevented plants and animals from migrating to the island or evolving locally. There are around 1,300 known species of insects in Iceland, which is rather low compared with other countries (about 925,000 are known in the world). The only native land mammal when humans arrived was the arctic fox, which came to the island at the end of the ice age, walking over the frozen sea. There are no native reptiles or amphibians on the island. Phytogeographically, Iceland belongs to the Arctic province of the Circumboreal Region within the Boreal Kingdom. According to the WWF, the territory of Iceland belongs to the ecoregion of Iceland boreal birch forests and alpine tundra. Approximately three-quarters of the island are barren of vegetation; plant life consists mainly of grassland which is regularly grazed by livestock. The only tree native to Iceland is the northern birch Betula pubescens, which formerly formed forest over much of southern Iceland. Permanent human settlement greatly disturbed the isolated ecosystem of thin, volcanic soils and limited species diversity. The forests were heavily exploited over the centuries for firewood and timber. Deforestation caused a loss of critical topsoil due to erosion, greatly reducing the ability of birches to grow back. Today, only a few small birch stands exist in isolated reserves. The planting of new forests has increased the number of trees, but does not compare to the original forests. Some of the planted forests include new foreign species. The animals of Iceland include the Icelandic sheep, cattle, and the sturdy Icelandic horse. Many varieties of fish live in the ocean waters surrounding Iceland, and the fishing industry is a main contributor to Iceland’s economy, accounting for more than half of its total exports. Wild mammals include the arctic fox, mink, mice, rats, rabbits and reindeer. Before and around the 1900s polar bears occasionally visited the island, traveling on icebergs from Greenland. Birds, especially sea birds, are a very important part of Iceland's animal life. Puffins, skuas, and kittiwakes nest on its sea cliffs. Though Iceland no longer has a commercial whaling fleet (as of August, 2007) it still allows scientific whale hunts, which are not supported by the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). History A 19th century depiction of a meeting of the Alþingi at Þingvellir. Age of settlement See also Settlement of Iceland and Icelandic Commonwealth. The first people thought to have inhabited Iceland were Irish monks or hermits who came in the eighth century, but left with the arrival of Norsemen, who systematically settled Iceland in the period circa AD 870-930. The first known permanent Norse settler was Ingólfur Arnarson, who built his homestead in Reykjavík in 874. Ingólfur was followed by many other emigrant settlers, largely Norsemen and their Irish slaves. By 930, most arable land had been claimed and the Althing, a legislative and judiciary parliament, was founded as the political hub of the Icelandic Commonwealth. Christianity was adopted in 1000. The Commonwealth lasted until 1262, when the political system devised by the original settlers proved unable to cope with the increasing power of Icelandic chieftains. Middle Ages to the Early Modern Era The internal struggles and civil strife of the Sturlung Era led to the signing of the Old Covenant, which brought Iceland under the Norwegian crown. Possession of Iceland passed to Denmark-Norway in the late 14th century when the kingdoms of Norway and Denmark were united in the Kalmar Union. In the ensuing centuries, Iceland became one of the poorest countries in Europe. Infertile soil, volcanic eruptions, and an unforgiving climate made for harsh life in a society whose subsistence depended almost entirely on agriculture. The Black Death swept Iceland in 1402–1404 and 1494–1495, each time killing approximately half the population. Jón Sigurðsson, leader of the Icelandic independence movementAround the middle of the 16th century, King Christian III of Denmark began to impose Lutheranism on all his subjects. The last Catholic bishop in Iceland was beheaded in 1550, and the country subsequently became fully Lutheran. Lutheranism has since remained the dominant religion. In the 1600s and 1700s, Denmark imposed harsh trade restrictions on Iceland, while pirates from England, Spain and Algeria raided its coasts. A great smallpox epidemic in the 18th century killed around one-third of the population. In 1783 the Laki volcano erupted, with devastating effects. The years following the eruption, known as the Mist Hardships (Icelandic: Móðuharðindin), saw the death of over half of all livestock in the country, with ensuing famine in which around a quarter of the population died. Independence and recent history In 1814, following the Napoleonic Wars, Denmark-Norway was broken up into two separate kingdoms via the Treaty of Kiel. Iceland remained a Danish dependency. A new independence movement arose under the leadership of Jón Sigurðsson, inspired by the romantic and nationalist ideologies of mainland Europe. In 1874, Denmark granted Iceland home rule, which was expanded in 1904. The Act of Union, an agreement with Denmark signed on December 1, 1918, recognized Iceland as a fully sovereign state under the Danish king. During the last quarter of the 19th century many Icelanders emigrated to North America, largely Canada, in search of better living conditions. Iceland during World War II joined Denmark in asserting neutrality. After the German occupation of Denmark on April 9, 1940, Iceland's parliament declared that the Icelandic government should assume the Danish king's authority and take control over foreign affairs and other matters previously handled by Denmark on behalf of Iceland. A month later, British military forces occupied Iceland, violating Icelandic neutrality. In 1941, responsibility for the occupation was taken over by the United States Army. Allied occupation of Iceland lasted throughout the war. On December 31, 1943 the Act of Union agreement expired after 25 years. Beginning on May 20, 1944, Icelanders voted in a four-day plebiscite on whether to terminate the union with Denmark and establish a republic. The vote was 97% in favor of ending the union and 95% in favor of the new republican constitution. Iceland formally became an independent republic on June 17, 1944, with Sveinn Björnsson as the first President. The Allied occupation force left in 1946. Iceland became a member of NATO on March 30, 1949, amid domestic controversy and riots and on May 5, 1951, a defense agreement was signed with the United States. American troops returned to Iceland and remained throughout the Cold War until autumn 2006. The immediate post-war period was followed by substantial economic growth, driven by industrialization of the fishing industry and Marshall aid and Keynesian government management of the economies of Europe, all of which promoted trade. The 1970s were marked by the Cod Wars – several disputes with the United Kingdom over Iceland's extension of its fishing limits. The economy was greatly diversified and liberalized following Iceland's joining of the European Economic Area in 1992. Government Iceland is a representative democracy and a parliamentary republic. The modern parliament, called "Alþingi" (English: Althing), was founded in 1845 as an advisory body to the Danish king. It was widely seen as a reestablishment of the assembly founded in 930 in the Commonwealth period and suspended in 1799. It currently has sixty-three members, each of whom is elected every four years. The president of Iceland is a largely ceremonial office that serves as a diplomat, figurehead and head of state, but who can also block a law voted by the parliament and put it to a national referendum. The current president is Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson. The head of government is the prime minister, who, together with the cabinet, takes care of the executive part of government. The cabinet is appointed by the president after general elections to Althing; however, this process is usually conducted by the leaders of the political parties, who decide among themselves after discussions which parties can form the cabinet and how its seats are to be distributed, under the condition that it has a majority support in Althing. Only when the party leaders are unable to reach a conclusion by themselves in reasonable time does the president exercise this power and appoint the cabinet himself. This has not happened since the republic was founded in 1944, but in 1942 the regent of the country (Sveinn Björnsson, who had been installed in that position by the Althing in 1941) did appoint a non-parliamentary government. The regent had, for all practical purposes, the position of a president, and Sveinn in fact became the country's first president in 1944. Stjórnarráðið, the seat of the executive branchThe governments of Iceland have almost always been coalitions with two or more parties involved, due to the fact that no single political party has received a majority of seats in Althing in the republic period. The extent of the political powers possessed by the office of the president is disputed by legal scholars in Iceland; several provisions of the constitution appear to give the president some important powers but other provisions and traditions suggest differently. In 1980, Icelanders elected Vigdís Finnbogadóttir as president, the world's first directly elected female head of state. She retired from office in 1996. Elections for the office of town councils, parliament and presidency are each held every four years. The next elections are scheduled for 2010, 2011 and 2008, respectively. Subdivisions The Althing in Reykjavík, with the cathedral on the left.Iceland is divided into regions, constituencies, counties, and municipalities. There are eight regions which are primarily used for statistical purposes; the district court jurisdictions also use an older version of this division. Until 2003, the constituencies for the parliament elections were the same as the regions, but by an amendment to the constitution, they were changed to the current six constituencies: Reykjavík North and Reykjavík South (city regions); Southwest (four geographically separate suburban areas around Reykjavík); Northwest and Northeast (north half of Iceland, split); and, South (south half of Iceland, excluding Reykjavík and suburbs). The redistricting change was made in order to balance the weight of different districts of the country, since a vote cast in the sparsely populated areas around the country would count much more than a vote cast in the Reykjavík city area. The imbalance between districts has been reduced by the new system, but still exists. Iceland's twenty-three counties are, for the most part, historical divisions. Currently, Iceland is split up among twenty-six magistrates (sýslumenn) that represent government in various capacities. Among their duties are tax collection, administering bankruptcy declarations, and performing civil marriages. After a police re-organization in 2007, which combined police forces in multiple counties, about half of them are in charge of police forces. There are seventy-nine municipalities in Iceland which govern local matters like schools, transportation and zoning. These are the actual second-level subdivisions of Iceland, as the constituencies have no relevance except in elections and for statistical purposes. Reykjavík is by far the most populous municipality, about four times more populous than Kópavogur, the second one. Politics Iceland has a left-right multi-party system. The biggest party is the right wing Independence Party (’’Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn’’), while the second largest one is the social democratic Alliance (‘’Samfylkingin’’). Following the May 2007 parliamentary elections, these two formed a coalition, enjoying a strong majority in Althing, with 43 out of 63 members supporting it. Other political parties that have a seat in Althing are the centrist Progressive Party (‘’Framsóknarflokkurinn’’), which had been in government with the Independence Party for 12 years before the 2007 election, the Left-Green Movement (‘’Vinstrihreyfingin - grænt framboð’’), founded in 1999, and the Centre-right Liberal Party. Many other parties exist on the municipal level, most of which only run locally in a single municipality. Foreign relations Iceland maintains diplomatic and commercial relations with practically all nations, but its ties with the Nordic countries, Germany, the US, and the other NATO nations are particularly close. Icelanders remain especially proud of the role Iceland played in hosting the historic 1986 Reagan-Gorbachev summit in Reykjavík, which set the stage for the end of the Cold War. Iceland's principal historical international disputes involved disagreements over fishing rights. Conflict with Britain led to a series of so-called Cod Wars in 1952-1956 as a result of the extension of Iceland's fishing zone from 3 to 4 nautical miles (6 to 7 km), 1958-1961 following a further extension to 12 nautical miles (22 km), 1972-1973 with another extension to 50 nautical miles (93 km) and in 1975-1976: another extension to 200 nautical miles (370 km). Iceland has no standing army. The U.S. Air Force maintained four to six Interceptors at the Keflavík base, until 30 September 2006 when they were withdrawn. Iceland supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq despite much controversy and condemnation in Iceland, deploying an Coast Guard EOD team to Iraq which was replaced later by members of the Icelandic Crisis Response Unit. Iceland has also participated in the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and the 1999 bombing of Yugoslavia. Demographics Citizenship of Iceland residents (1.1.2008) Total 313,376 Iceland 291,942 Poland 8,488 Lithuania 1,332 Germany 984 Denmark 966 Portugal 890 Philippines 743 Ex-Yugoslavia 651 United States 598 Thailand 545 Latvia 431 United Kingdom 420 Sweden 407 China (PRC) 379 Ex-Czechoslovakia 365 Norway 301 others 3,934 total (without Icelanders) 21,434 The original population of Iceland was of Nordic and Celtic origin. This is evident from literary evidence dating from the settlement period as well as from later scientific studies such as blood type and genetic analyses. One such genetics study has indicated that the majority of the male settlers were of Nordic origin while the majority of the women were of Celtic origin. Suburban Reykjavík. Over 60% of Icelanders live in the Reykjavík Metropolitan AreaIceland has extensive genealogical records dating back to the late 1600s and fragmentary records extending back to the Age of Settlement. The biopharmaceutical company deCODE Genetics has funded the creation of a genealogy database which attempts to cover all of Iceland's known inhabitants. It sees the database, called Íslendingabók, as a valuable tool for conducting research on genetic diseases, given the relative isolation of Iceland's population. The population of the island is believed to have varied from 40,000 to 60,000 in the period from initial settlement until the mid-19th century. During that time, cold winters, ashfall from volcanic eruptions, and bubonic plagues adversely affected the population several times. The first census was carried out in 1703 and revealed that the population was then 50,358. After the destructive volcanic eruptions of the Laki volcano during 1783–1784 the population reached a low of about 40,000. Improving living conditions have triggered a rapid increase in population since the mid-19th century - from about 60,000 in 1850 to 316,000 in 2008. In December 2007, 33,678 people (13.5% of the total population) who were living in Iceland had been born abroad, including children of Icelandic parents living abroad. 19,000 people (6% of the population) held foreign citizenship. Poles make up the far largest minority nationality (see table on the right for more details), and still form the bulk of the foreign workforce. About 9,000 Poles now live in Iceland, 1,500 of them in Reyðarfjörður where they make up 75 percent of the workforce who are building the Fjarðarál aluminium plant.. The recent surge in immigration has been credited to a labor shortage because of the booming economy while restrictions on the movement of people from the Eastern European countries that joined the EU/EEA in 2004 have been lifted. Large-scale construction projects in the east of Iceland (see Kárahnjúkar Hydropower Project) have also brought in many people whose stay is expected to be temporary. The south-west corner of Iceland is the most densely populated region. It is also the location of the capital Reykjavík, the northernmost capital in the world. The largest towns outside the greater Reykjavík area are Akureyri and Reykjanesbær, although the latter is relatively close to the capital. 10 most populous towns in Iceland List of ten most populous towns in Iceland. The population census is April 1, 2008 (estimate). Reykjavík - 118,861 Kópavogur - 30,000 Hafnarfjörður - 25,107 Akureyri - 17,304 Reykjanesbær - 13,686 Garðabær - 10.139 Mosfellsbær - 8,317 Árborg - 7,693 Akranes - 6,419 Fjarðabyggð - 5,000 Language Iceland's official written and spoken language is Icelandic, a North Germanic language descended from Old Norse. It has changed less from Old Norse than the other Nordic languages, has preserved more verb and noun inflection, and has to a considerable extent developed new vocabulary based on native roots rather than borrowings from English. It is the only living language to retain the runic letter Þ. The closest living language to Icelandic is Faroese. In education, the use of Icelandic Sign Language for Iceland's deaf community is regulated by the National Curriculum Guide. English is widely spoken as a secondary language, and many Icelanders speak it at an almost native level. Danish is also widely understood. Studying both these languages is a mandatory part of the compulsory school curriculum. Other commonly spoken languages are German, Norwegian and Swedish. Danish is mostly spoken in a way largely comprehensible to Swedes and Norwegians – it is often referred to as "Scandinavian" in Iceland. In addition to Icelandic, many immigrants speak their respective native languages. Religion Icelanders enjoy freedom of religion under the constitution, though there is no separation of church and state. The National Church of Iceland, a Lutheran body, is the state church. The national registry keeps account of the religious affiliation of every Icelandic citizen. In 2005, Icelanders divided into religious groups as follows: 82.1% members of the National Church of Iceland. 4.7% members of the Free Lutheran Churches of Reykjavík and Hafnarfjörður. 2.6% not members of any religious group. 2.4% members of the Roman Catholic Church, which has a Diocese of Reykjavík (see also Bishop of Reykjavik (Catholic)) 5.5% members of unregistered religious organisations or with no specified religious affiliation The remaining 2.7% is mostly divided between around 20–25 other Christian denominations and sects, and less than 1% are in non-Christian religious organisations. The largest non-Christian denomination is Íslenska Ásatrúarfélagið, a neopagan group. Religious attendance is relatively low, as in other Nordic countries. The above statistics represent administrative membership of religious organizations and not the actual belief demographics of the population of Iceland. Economy and infrastructure Akureyri is the largest town in Iceland outside of the greater Reykjavík area. Most rural towns are based on the fishing industry, which provides 40% of Iceland's export. The Blue Lagoon,a geothermal spa located near Reykjavík. Gay parade in Iceland. Iceland has high economic liberties as well as civil liberties. Iceland is described as creative class hotspot by Richard Florida.Iceland is the fourth most productive country in the world by nominal gross domestic product per capita (54,858 USD), and the fifth most productive by GDP at purchasing power parity (40,112 USD). Except for its abundant hydro-electric and geothermal power, Iceland lacks natural resources; historically its economy depended heavily on the fishing industry, which still provides almost 40% of export earnings and employs 8% of the work force. The economy is vulnerable to declining fish stocks and drops in world prices for its main material exports: fish and fish products, aluminium, and ferrosilicon. Although the Icelandic economy still relies heavily on fishing, its importance is diminishing as the travel industry and other service, technology and various other industries grow. Economic growth slowed from 2000 to 2002, but the economy expanded by 4.3% in 2003 and 6.2% in 2004. The unemployment rate of ~1.0% (2007 est.) is among the lowest in the European Economic Area. Although Iceland is a very developed country, it is still one of the most newly-industrialized ones in Europe. Until the 20th century, it was probably the poorest country in Western Europe. The fast economic growth that it has experienced in the last decades is only recently allowing for upgrading of infrastructure such as transportation. The government coalition plans to continue its generally neo-liberal policies of reducing the budget and current account deficits, limiting foreign borrowing, containing inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, diversifying the economy, and privatising state-owned industries. The government remains opposed to EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders' concern about losing control over their fishing resources. Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, including software production, biotechnology, and financial services. The tourism sector is expanding, with the recent trends in ecotourism and whale-watching. Iceland's agriculture industry consists mainly of potatoes, turnips, green vegetables (in greenhouses), mutton and dairy products. The financial center is Borgartún in Reykjavik, hosting a large number of companies and three investment banks. Iceland's stock market, the Iceland Stock Exchange (ISE), was established in 1985. The primary currency of Iceland is the Icelandic Króna (ISK). Iceland's then foreign minister Valgerður Sverrisdóttir said in an interview on 15 January 2007 that she seriously wished to look into whether Iceland can join the Euro without being a member of the EU. She believes it is difficult to maintain an independent currency in a small economy on the open European market. An extensive poll, released on 11 September 2007, by Capacent Gallup showed that 53% of respondents were in favour of adopting the euro, 37% opposed and 10% undecided. Iceland ranked 5th in the Index of Economic Freedom 2006 and 14th in 2008. Iceland has a flat tax system. The main personal income tax rate is a flat 22.75 percent and combined with municipal taxes the total tax rate is not more than 35.72%, and there are many deductions. The corporate tax rate is a flat 18 percent, one of the lowest in the world. Other taxes include a value-added tax and a net wealth tax. Employment regulations are relatively flexible. Property rights are strong and Iceland is one of the few countries where they are applied to fishery management. Taxpayers pay various subsidies to each other, similar to European countries with welfare state, but the spending is less than in most European countries. Despite low tax rates, overall taxation and consumption is still much higher than countries such as Ireland. According to OECD, agricultural support is the highest among OECD countries and an impediment to structural change. Also, health care and education spending have relatively poor return by OECD measures. OECD Economic survey of Iceland 2008 highlights Iceland's challenges in currency and macroeconomic policy. Iceland is the most developed society in the world, ranked first on the United Nations’ Human Development Index. Icelanders are the second longest-living nation with a life expectancy at birth of 81.8 years. Iceland is one of the most egalitarian countries in the world, according to the calculation provided by the Gini coefficient. Transportation The social structure of Iceland is very dependent upon the personal automobile. Icelanders have one of the highest levels of cars per capita: on average one car per inhabitant older than 17 years,. Most Icelanders travel by car to work, school or other activities. The main mode of transport in Iceland is road. Iceland has 13,034 km of administered roads, of which 4,617 km are paved and 8,338 km are not. Until the second half of the 20th century, Iceland could only afford to pave roads near the biggest towns. Today, roads are being improved throughout the country and freeways are being built in and around Reykjavík. Iceland currently has no railways. Route 1 or the Ring Road (Icelandic: Þjóðvegur 1 or Hringvegur) is a main road in Iceland that runs around the island and connects all inhabited parts (the interior of the island is uninhabited). The road is 1339 km long (840 miles). It has one lane in each direction, except near larger towns and cities and in the Hvalfjörður Tunnel where it has more lanes. Most smaller bridges on it are single lane and made of wood and/or steel. Most of the road's length is paved with asphalt, but some stretches in the east still have a gravel surface. The main hub for international transportation is Keflavík International Airport, which serves Reykjavík and the country in general. It is 48km (30mi) to the west of Reykjavík. Domestic and regional flights to Greenland and the Faroe Islands operate out of Reykjavík Airport, which lies in the city centre. There are 86 airport runways in Iceland; most of them are unpaved and located in rural areas. The Nesjavellir Geothermal Power Plant services the Greater Reykjavík Area's hot water needs. Energy Renewable energy provides over 70% of the nation's primary energy. Over 99% of the country's electricity is produced from hydropower and geothermal energy, and the country expects to be energy-independent by 2050. Iceland's largest geothermal power plant is located in Nesjavellir, while the Kárahnjúkar dam will be the country's largest hydroelectric power plant. Yet, Icelanders still emit 10.0 tonnes of CO2 equivalent of greenhouse gasses per capita, higher than France or Spain. This is due to the wide use of personal transport. Iceland is the only country that has filling stations dispensing hydrogen fuel for cars powered by fuel cells. It is also one of only a few countries currently capable of producing hydrogen in adequate quantities at reasonable cost, because of Iceland's plentiful geothermal energy. A classroom in an Icelandic gymnasium. Education, science, and technology The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture is responsible for the policies and methods that schools must use, and they issue the National Curriculum Guidelines. However, the playschools and the primary and lower secondary schools are funded and administered by the municipalities. Nursery school or leikskóli, is non-compulsory education for children younger than six years, and is the first step in the education system. The current legislation concerning playschools was passed in 1994. They are also responsible for ensuring that the curriculum is suitable so as to make the transition into compulsory education as easy as possible. Compulsory education, or grunnskóli, comprises primary and lower secondary education, which often is conducted at the same institution. Education is mandatory by law for children aged from 6 to 16 years. The school year lasts nine months, and begins between 21 August and 1 September, ending between 31 May and 10 June. The minimum number of school days is 170, but after a new teachers’ wage contract, this will increase to 180. Lessons take place five days a week. The Programme for International Student Assessment, coordinated by the OECD, currently ranks the Icelandic secondary education as the 27th in the world, significantly below the OECD average. Upper secondary education or framhaldsskóli follows lower secondary education. These schools are also known as gymnasia in English. It is not compulsory, but everyone who has had a compulsory education has the right to upper secondary education. This stage of education is governed by the Upper Secondary School Act of 1996. All schools in Iceland are mixed sex schools. Iceland is a very technologically advanced society. By 1999, 82.3% of Icelanders had access to a computer. Iceland also had 1,007 mobile phone subscriptions per 1,000 people in 2006, the 16th highest in the world. Iceland is home to European Mars Analog Research Station. Culture Icelandic culture has its roots in Norse traditions. Icelandic literature is popular, in particular the sagas and eddas which were written around the time of the island’s settlement. Icelanders place relatively great importance on independence and self-sufficiency; in a European Commission public opinion analysis over 85% of Icelanders found independence to be "very important" contrasted with the EU25 average of 53%, and 47% for the Norwegians, and 49% for the Danes. Some traditional beliefs remain today; for example, some Icelanders either believe in elves or are unwilling to rule out their existence. Iceland ranks first on the Human Development Index, and was recently ranked the fourth happiest country in the world. An example from Brennu-Njáls saga. The sagas are a significant part of the Icelandic heritage.Iceland is liberal in terms of lesbian, gay bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) matters. In 1996, Parliament passed legislation to create registered partnerships for same-sex couples, covering nearly all the rights and benefits of marriage. In 2006, by unanimous vote of Parliament, further legislation was passed, granting same-sex couples the same rights as different-sex couples in adoption, parenting and assisted insemination treatment. Literature and the arts The poet Steinn Steinarr. by Einar Hákonarson.Iceland's best-known classical works of literature are the Icelanders' sagas, prose epics set in Iceland's age of settlement. The most famous of these include Njáls saga, about an epic blood feud, and Grœnlendinga saga and Eiríks saga, describing the discovery and settlement of Greenland and Vinland (modern Newfoundland). Egils saga, Laxdæla saga, Grettis saga, Gísla saga and Gunnlaugs saga ormstungu are also notable and popular Icelanders' sagas. A great translation of the Bible was published in the 16th century. Important compositions since the 15th to the 19th century include sacred verse, most famously the Passíusálmar of Hallgrímur Pétursson, and rímur, rhymed epic poems with alliterative verse that consist in two to four verses per stanza, popular until the end of the 19th century. In recent times, Iceland has produced many great writers, the best-known of which is arguably Halldór Laxness who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1955. Steinn Steinarr was an influential modernist poet. The distinctive rendition of the Icelandic landscape by its painters can be linked to nationalism and the movement to home rule and independence, which was very active in this period. Contemporary Icelandic painting is typically traced to the work of Þórarinn Þorláksson, who, following formal training in art in the 1890s in Copenhagen, returned to Iceland to paint and exhibit works from 1900 to his death in 1924, almost exclusively portraying the Icelandic landscape. Several other Icelandic men and women artists learned in Denmark Academy at that time, including Ásgrímur Jónsson, who together with Þórarinn created a distinctive portrayal of Iceland's landscape in a romantic naturalistic style. Other landscape artists quickly followed in the footsteps of Þórarinn and Ásgrímur. These included Jóhannes Kjarval and Júlíana Sveinsdóttir. Kjarval in particular is noted for the distinct techniques in the application of paint that he developed in a concerted effort to render the characteristic volcanic rock that dominates the Icelandic environment. Einar Hákonarson is an expressionistic and figurative painter who brought the figure back into Icelandic painting. Icelandic architecture draws from Scandinavian influences. The scarcity of native trees resulted in traditional houses being covered by grass and turf. Music Icelandic music is related to Nordic music, and includes vibrant folk and pop traditions, including medieval music group Voces Thules, alternative rock band The Sugarcubes, singers Björk and Emiliana Torrini; and Sigur Rós. The national anthem of Iceland is "Lofsöngur", written by Matthías Jochumsson, with music by Sveinbjörn Sveinbjörnsson . Björk is one of the most famous people from Iceland.Traditional Icelandic music is strongly religious. Hallgrímur Pétursson wrote many Protestant hymns in the 17th century. Icelandic music was modernized in the 19th century, when Magnús Stephensen brought pipe organs, which were followed by harmoniums. Other vital traditions of Icelandic music are epic alliterative and rhyming ballads called rímur. Rímur are epic tales, usually a cappella, which can be traced back to skaldic poetry, using complex metaphors and elaborate rhyme schemes. The best known rímur poet of the 19th century was Sigurður Breiðfjörð (1798-1846). A modern revitalization of the tradition began in 1929 with the formation of the organization Iðunn . Icelandic contemporary music consists of a big group of bands, ranging from pop-rock groups such as Bang Gang, Quarashi and Amiina to solo ballad singers like Bubbi Morthens, Megas and Björgvin Halldórsson. The indie-scene is also very strong in Iceland, bands such as Múm, Sigur Rós and the solo artist Mugison are fairly well-known outside Iceland. Many Icelandic artists and bands have had great success internationally, most notably Björk and Sigur Rós but also Quarashi, Ampop, Mínus and múm. The main music festival is arguably Iceland Airwaves, a yearly event on the Icelandic music scene, where Icelandic bands along with foreign ones occupy the clubs of Reykjavík for a week. "Icelandic rímur" A sample from a rímur cycle performed by Sigurd Bardarson on April 29, 1940 in Carmel, California' Problems playing the files? See media help. Media Iceland’s largest television stations are the state-run Sjónvarpið and the privately owned Stöð 2 and Skjár einn. Smaller stations exist, many of them local. Radio is broadcast throughout the country, including some parts of the interior. The main radio stations are Rás 1, Rás 2 and Bylgjan. The daily newspapers are Morgunblaðið, Fréttablaðið and 24 stundir. Icelanders are a very technologically advanced nation and a large proportion of them keep a blog. The most popular websites are the news sites Vísir and Mbl.is. Iceland is home to the television station Nick Jr.'s animated program LazyTown (Icelandic: Latibær), a children's television program created by Magnús Scheving. It has become a very popular program for children and adults, and is shown in over 98 countries, including the UK, Canada, Sweden, the US and Latin America. The LazyTown Studios are located in Garðabær. The puffin is common, especially in the southern part of Iceland, and is a part of Iceland's traditional cuisine. Cuisine Most national Icelandic foods are based around fish, lamb and dairy products. Þorramatur is a national food consisting of many dishes and is usually consumed around the month of Þorri. Traditional dishes include skyr, cured ram scrota, cured shark, singed sheep heads and black pudding. The modern Icelandic diet is very diverse, and includes cuisines from all over the world. Like in other Western societies, fast food restaurants are widespread. Sports Sport is an important part of the Icelandic culture. The main traditional sport in Iceland is Glíma, a form of wrestling, thought to have originated in medieval times. Children and teenagers participate in various leisure activities. Popular sports are football, track and field, handball and basketball. Others are golf, tennis, swimming, chess and horseback riding on Icelandic horses. Team handball is often referred to as a national sport, Iceland's team is one of the top-ranked teams in the world, and Icelandic women are surprisingly good at football compared to the size of the country, the national team ranked the 18th best by FIFA. Iceland has excellent conditions for ice and rock climbing, although mountain climbing and hiking is preferred by the general public. Iceland also has the most Strongman competition wins. The oldest sport association in Iceland is the Reykjavik Shooting Association, founded 1867. Rifle shooting became very popular in the 19th century and was heavily encouraged by politicians and others pushing for Icelandic independence. Shooting remains popular and all types of shooting with small arms is practised in the country. |
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