歐洲:
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 |
| 冰島 Iceland 首都:雷剋雅未剋 國家代碼: is |
 冰岛它位於歐洲的西北部，面積10.3萬平方公裏，人口27.6萬（2002年，全部是斯堪的納維亞人。新教福音信義會是冰島的國教會，教徒占全國人口的97%。官方語言為冰島語。外貿函電及商務洽談可用英語。首都雷剋雅未剋。冰島有“火山島”、“霧島”、“冰封的土地”、“冰與火之島”之稱。 1918年12月1日獨立，但實際上仍臣屬於丹麥。1944年6月成立共和國。1971年12月8日與我國建交。 冰島人均近三萬美元，屬中等發達國傢。水産資源豐富，漁産品出口額占冰島總出口額的80%左右， 全國13.5%的人口依靠捕魚和漁加工業為生。漁業是冰島國民經濟的重要支柱。冰島的漁類主要有鱈魚，青魚，沙丁魚，比目魚等， 其中以鱈魚最多，肉味可口，經濟價值很高是一種高級食品，甚受歐洲市場歡迎。年捕魚量1979年創164.9萬噸的歷史最高記錄，人均7.27噸，居世界首位。 白隼是冰島的國鳥。這是一種北極鳥，體形大，飛得快、善於攻擊其他鳥類。白隼有三種色型,真正白色的極少,異常珍貴。 冰島貨幣為冰島剋朗。 當地商店的營業時間，正常工作時間，從上午9時至中午12時，下午1時至5時。某些商店星期六營業半天，但夏季除外。 冰島多山，在勞格湖風景區一帶，是一片小平原，西側有一塊巨大的石壁，長7公裏，高30米，象一堵屏風，具有良好的擴音效果，使坐在各個角落的會議參加者都能聽到大會的發言。這樣的露天會場，真是別具情趣。 雷剋雅未剋是冰島第一大港，全國政治、經濟、文化中心。有魚類加工、化工、水泥等工業。雷剋雅未剋數百年間，它一直是一座莊園。17世紀初成為國王的皇傢莊園。1944年成為首都，也是外國人到冰島旅遊的起點。雷剋雅未剋和歐洲所有的首都不同，並非到處都有高樓大廈。市內交通四通八達，乘客上車自動將錢投入錢箱，不設售票員。這個城市的暖氣設備和熱水供應稱世界第一。環境優美、空氣清新，是一座世界上少有的無煙城市。 冰島人受夠了連綿寒鼕，對陽光無限熱愛。每年6、7月份，午夜常有太陽照耀，如同白晝，甚至可以看書寫信。到了鼕天，則剛好相反，有時整天不見太陽，而月亮當頭。自古以來，冰島人就有讀書習慣，每到鼕天，長夜漫漫，人們就在屋子裏讀書學習，冰島是文化水平較高的國傢。 中國可派船的基本港是斯特勒因斯維剋港，該島為冰島船廠的專用港口，這是出口成交方面。在進口成交方面，中國方面可派船接貨的轉船或轉船港口是阿庫雷裏、鬍薩維剋和雷剋雅未剋。我國發冰島的航空和水陸路郵件均由北京散寄丹麥轉。電報、電話均由北京經倫敦轉。 對冰島人來說，給小費是一種侮辱。用姓稱呼冰島人是不禮貌的，應該叫他們的名字。約會不一定非準時不可。談工作一般不需要事先約會，“順便進來坐坐”是冰島的傳統。如應邀到主人傢去吃飯，一般情況下給男主人或女主人帶件小禮品就可以了。 國傢地理 自然地理：面積為１０．３萬平方公裏。是歐洲最西部的國傢，位於北大西洋中部，靠近北極圈，冰川面積占８０００平方公裏，為歐洲第二大島。海岸綫長約４９７０公裏。全境３／４是海拔４００－８００米的高原，其中１／８被冰川覆蓋。有１００多座火山，其中活火山２０多座。華納達爾斯赫努剋火山為全國最高峰，海拔２１１９米。冰島幾乎整個國傢都建立在火山岩石上，大部分土地不能開墾，是世界溫泉最多的國傢，所以被稱為冰火之國。多噴泉、瀑布、湖泊和湍急河流，最大河流錫尤爾騷河長２２７公裏。冰島屬寒溫帶海洋性氣候，變化無常。因受墨西哥灣暖流影響，較同緯度的其他地方溫和。夏季日照長，鼕季日照極短。秋季和鼕初可見極光。 同北京時差比格林尼治時間晚1小時；比北京時間晚9小時 國際電話碼 354 人口：２７．６萬人（２００２年）。絶大多數為冰島人，屬日耳曼族。官方語言為冰島語，英語為通用語言。近９０％的人信奉基督教路德教派。 首都：雷剋雅未剋（Reykjavik），人口１１２２６８人（２００１年１２月），年平均氣溫４.３℃。全國近三分之一的人生活在雷剋雅未剋。 行政區劃：全國分為２３個省、２１個自治市和２０３個教區。 簡史：８世紀末，愛爾蘭修道士首先移居冰島。９世紀後半葉，挪威開始嚮冰島移民。公元９３０年建立議會和冰島聯邦。１２６２年，冰島和挪威簽定協議，冰島臣屬於挪威。１３８０年冰、挪同歸丹麥統治。１９０４年獲內部自治。１９１８年，冰丹簽訂聯邦法，規定冰為主權國傢，但外交事務仍由丹麥控製。１９４０年丹麥被德國占領，冰丹關係中斷。同年英軍進駐，次年美軍取代英軍駐冰。１９４４年６月１６日冰議會正式宣佈解散冰丹聯盟，１７日成立冰島共和國。１９４６年加入聯合國，１９４９年成為北約成員國。 國傢歷史 移民時期和古代冰島共和國，公元860年挪威人的船衹遇難漂流至冰島。 874年被挪威國王驅逐的部落首領英格爾夫.阿耳納遜軍領傢族和奴隸來冰島定居,他們將一處有自噴溫泉的地方命名為雷剋雅未剋(冒煙的峽灣)。此後來自挪威,間或亦有來自愛爾蘭的移 民不斷增加。10世紀前期,冰島歷史上的移民時期結束。 930年在雷剋雅未剋首次召開了名為阿耳庭的全體居民大會。阿耳庭既是立法會議,也是仲裁糾紛的法庭。 965年阿耳庭將全島劃分成4個行政區,各設一個由3名族長共同掌管的法庭,形成了古代的冰島共和國。此期經濟有較大發展。基督教傳入,並於公元1000年成為國教。由於封建貴族紛紛投靠挪威,1262年冰島成為挪威 的附屬國,由挪威國王指派總督管治,從而結束了存在 300年之久的古代共和局面。 1202年以後的冰島 冰島臣服於挪威後,阿耳庭喪失立法權,衹起司法機關的作用。挪威總督把挪威的法律推行到冰島,對冰島事務有决定權。1380年丹麥國王兼任挪威國王,冰島亦成為丹麥的附庸國,引起冰島人民的反對。1534年挪威被丹麥兼併,冰島亦成為丹麥屬地。 16世紀 30年代後期,科拉教區大主教J.阿拉鬆(1484一 1550)發動冰島人民反對丹麥的統治,後被鎮壓。1602年 丹麥國王剋裏斯蒂安四世在冰島推行貿易壟斷制度,規定哥本哈根等三地的丹麥商人擁有在冰島從事貿易的特權。貿易壟斷長期束縛着冰島經濟發展,直到1854年丹 麥纔被迫取消這種制度。 從19世紀中葉起,冰島民族主義運動在J .西古爾茨鬆(1811一1879)領導下逐漸高漲起來。在冰島人民要求自治與獨立的壓力之下,丹麥不得不在1843年同意冰島重建阿耳庭,但又規定阿耳庭衹是咨詢機構而不是權力機構。1849年冰島要求對內自治權,並且在1851年召開 全國會議正式提出實行自治的主張。經過談判,冰島在1874年贏得對內實行自治的權力,阿耳庭成為立法機構並製訂自己的憲法,但一切重大問題仍需報請丹麥政府批準。1903年冰島纔單獨設立政府來處理國內事務。19世紀末冰島獨立黨建立。1916年社會民主黨和進步黨也相繼成立。這些政黨在爭取獨立的鬥爭中發揮了作用。1918年11月30日丹麥、冰島簽訂聯盟條約,規定冰島為主權國傢,但外交事務由丹麥控製。丹麥國王仍為冰島的國傢元首。1940年4月丹麥被法西斯德國占領後,冰島同丹麥的聯繫被切斷。冰島阿耳庭宣佈行使外交權和軍事防禦權。5月,英國出兵占領了冰島。1941年7月8日,冰島與美國簽訂《戰時防務條約》,美軍代替英軍進駐冰島。 冰島共和國時期 第二次世界大戰結束前,冰島於1944年2月25日宣佈冰丹聯盟條約過期。3月8日,冰島阿耳庭通過一部新憲法,决定成立共和國。6月16日正式宣佈冰島脫離丹冰聯盟。6月17日,冰島共和國宣佈成立,S.比耶鬆任第一屆總統。美國駐冰島軍隊於1945年撤回, 僅保留了凱夫拉維剋空軍基地。1949年冰島加入了北大西洋公約組織,1951年同美國締結條約,以美承擔冰島防禦責任為條件允許美國在冰島駐軍。1956年以前,冰島政府大多由農民進步黨和獨立黨聯合組閣。1959年後大多由社會民主黨和獨立黨聯合組閣。美國軍事基地問題長期成為冰島人民所關切的政治問題,1971年由人民聯盟和左派自由聯盟等政黨聯合組閣的冰島政府要求美國撤回駐軍。同年12月8日,冰島與中國建立外交關係。 冰島經常遇到的另一重大問題是捕魚區劃界問題。 1958年冰島决定將捕魚區擴大到12海裏,英國再三反對, 兩年後纔予承認。60年代國際漁業不景氣,冰島為保護民族利益,1972年將捕魚區擴大到50海裏。英國、聯邦德國對此提出強硬抗議,英國還出動軍艦為英國漁船護航,並與冰島的巡邏艇發生多次糾紛,形成了曠日持久的冰英捕魚戰。海牙國際法庭於1974年判决拒絶認可冰島宣佈的50海裏捕魚區。冰島於1974年又宣佈將捕魚區擴大至200海裏。冰、英兩國於1976年斷絶外交關係,經3個月談判英國承認了冰島200海裏捕魚區,並與冰島復交。1980年8月1日,V.芬博阿多蒂爾成為世界上第一位民選女總統,1984年8月1日連任。 國傢政治 政治：實行共和製，議會和總統共同執掌立法權，法院執掌司法權，總統和政府共同擁有行政權。總統為國傢元首，通過直接選舉産生，對政府的行為享有否决權，任期四年，可連選連任。議會原分上下兩院，１９９１年１０月合併為一院，共有議員６３名，任期四年。冰島不建立軍隊。 國傢經濟 經濟：漁業是經濟支柱，工業以漁産品加工和煉鋁等高能耗工業為主。外貿依存度大。漁業、水利和地熱資源豐富，其他自然資源匱乏，石油等産品需要進口。可開發的年水力發電量為６４０億度，地熱能年發電量可達７２億度。工業基礎薄弱，除漁産品加工和針織等輕工業外，工業以煉鋁等高能耗工業為主。漁業是冰島國民經濟的支柱産業，主要魚種有毛鱗魚、鱈魚和青魚，絶大部分漁産品出口，漁産品出口占商品出口總額的近７０％。冰島的漁船隊裝備精良，魚類加工技術在世界上占領先地位。所處緯度高, 日照量少，僅南部幾個農場年産４００～５００噸農作物。可耕地面積１０００平方公裏，占全國總面積的１％。畜牧業占較主要地位，大部分農業用地被用做飼料草場。相應的毛紡業和製革業比較發達。肉、奶、蛋自給有餘，糧食、蔬菜、水果基本依靠進口。溫室培育西紅柿、黃瓜産量可滿足國內７０％的消費。服務業在國民經濟中占重要地位，包括商業、銀行、保險和公共服務等，其産值約占國內生産總值的一半，從業人數占總勞力的三分之二強。１９８０年起大力發展旅遊事業。主要旅遊點有大冰川、火山地貌、地熱噴泉和瀑布等。冰島的人均國內生産總值近３萬美元，名列世界前茅。那裏的空氣與水源的清新純淨在世界上堪稱第一。人的平均壽命達到女８２．２歲，男７８．１歲。全民文化程度較高，早在１００多年前冰島就消滅了文盲。１９９９年冰島已成為世界上移動電話普及率最高的國傢。 國傢軍事 軍事：根據憲法，冰島不設立軍隊。１９４９年加入北大西洋公約組織，１９５１年同美國簽訂防務協定，由美國負責其防務。美在冰設有空軍基地和駐軍，並配有戰鬥機、獵潛飛機和雷達站等軍事裝備和設施。冰島有一支海洋巡邏隊，備有巡邏艇和一些小型飛機，負責漁區保護和海上救護工作。 對外關係 與中國關係：１９７１年１２月８日，冰島與中國建立大使級外交關係。１９９６年，兩國政府簽署了中冰避免雙重徵稅協定，這是冰島與歐洲及北美以外的第一個國傢簽署避免雙重徵稅協定。２００２年６月，國傢主席江澤民對冰島進行國事訪問。２００５年５月，冰島總統格裏姆鬆對中國進行國事訪問。 觀光旅遊 冰島對大多數探險愛好者來說是一個理想之地，現在來自美國的探險者數量是１０年前的兩倍，２００３年，總數達到了３０萬人——是這個國傢人口總數的兩倍還多。最具說服力的是冰島當地的弗迦拉巴剋探險裝備旅遊公司，每年都以驚人的速度找到新的探險路綫。比如一些緑色沼澤和奧拉菲沙漠中的苔原地帶，春季炎熱的阿拉斯加火山口和大量知善鳥的聚集地韋斯特曼納群島。在冰島居民大量集中的南部海岸附近，８０％的火山島與冰河、湖泊、山洞熔岩混在一起，加上雜草叢生，似乎永遠沒有走出去的可能。 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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