How I Spent 5 Days in Dubai and Abu Dhabi! They are smaller than most horses but are strong. Check out our country profile, full of essential information about Iceland's geography, history, government, economy, population, culture, religion and languages. However, Iceland became more isolated during World War I and suffered a significant decline in living standards. Wine & Spirits Holiday Gift Guide featuring Black-Owned Businesses! By Tim Lambert. Iceland was settled in 874 AD. 45+ Black-Owned Wineries & Businesses You Should Follow & Support. There are a however some things raise the eyebrows of tourists travelling in Iceland. German ships were all about, however, until the British blockade of Germany put a stop to that when the war began in September. The oldest stone specimens found in Iceland date back to ca. This gave rise to feuds, which provided the writers of the sagas with plenty of material. Learn some interesting information about Iceland while enjoying a range of fun facts and trivia that's perfect for kids! People from Norway, Denmark and Sweden were the first to settle in Iceland from as early as 870. [15] Dutch and French traders became more prominent in the mid-17th century.[15]. The governments of the 1990s and 2000s adhered to a staunch but domestically controversial pro-U.S. foreign policy, lending nominal support to the NATO action in the Kosovo War and signing up as a member of the Coalition of the willing during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Greenland was colonizedby pe… It does say that Iceland was fully settled within 60 years, which likely means that all arable land had been claimed by various settlers. This archaeological find may also indicate that the monks left Iceland before the Norse arrived.[11]. The water temperature averages 99-102 degrees F. You can do several types of face masks while in the Blue Lagoon, have cocktails at the walk up bars as well as booking treatments in the luxury spa. These plates spread at a rate of approximately 2.5 centimeters per year. It is also believed that the western fjords of Norway were simply overcrowded in this period. It is located on one of the main streets downtown. I did something similar with Cuba and Quebec City so be sure to check those out as well. [30], Icelandic post-World War I prosperity came to an end with the outbreak of the Great Depression, a severe worldwide economic crash. 229 Views. [15] The Icelandic trade was important to some British ports; for example, in Hull, the Icelandic trade accounted for more than ten percent of Hull's total trade. You can literally go to Iceland as a photographer and travel around the country taking pictures of the churches and surrounding landscapes. [41] Iceland became an independent republic on 17 June 1944, with Sveinn Björnsson as its first president. Hello! Iceland is the oldest democracy in the world. Its economy is one of the most productive economies in the world, per-capita, and it is annually considered to be one of greenest countries on the planet, due in large parts to its vast renewable energy resources. Iceland - Iceland - History: Iceland apparently has no prehistory. Norwegians fled from Norway to Iceland due to an unfavorable King at that time. 71. According to a 2018 study in the Scandinavian Journal of History, Iceland benefited massively from its relationship with the United States during the Cold War. The prisons have a maximum capacity of 153 inmates. The settlers of Iceland were predominantly pagans and worshiped the Norse gods, among them Odin, Thor, Freyr, and Freyja. The famous Blue Lagoon is actually man-made. This revival was spearheaded by the Fjölnismenn, a group of Danish-educated Icelandic intellectuals. This eradicated unemployment in Iceland and raised wages considerably. After the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, and pursuant to the request of NATO military authorities, the United States and Iceland agreed that the United States should again take responsibility for Iceland's defense. Despite its name, Iceland’s surface is only ten percent iceand it has surprisingly mild winters due to the warming effect of the Atlantic Gulf Stream. And if any Icelandic horses leave the island they are not allowed to return. 2. Just like the U.S. and many parts of Europe, Iceland went through a … One period in Icelandic history, as Gunnar Karlsson describes, can be considered the period from 930 CE to 1262–1264, when there was no central government or leader, political power being characterised by chieftains ("goðar"). Opposition to the reformation ended in 1550 when Jón Arason was captured after being defeated in the Battle of Sauðafell by loyalist forces under the leadership of Daði Guðmundsson. [31] Government interference in the economy increased: "Imports were regulated, trade with foreign currency was monopolized by state-owned banks, and loan capital was largely distributed by state-regulated funds". Norway (and thus Iceland) then became part of the Kalmar Union, along with Sweden and Denmark, with Denmark as the dominant power. He then returned east to Norway with resources and knowledge. Her domestic and international travel guides gets people to the destinations of their dreams. "University of Michigan Law School Faculty & Staff", Bloodtaking and Peacemaking: Feud, Law, and Society in Saga Iceland, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_of_Iceland&oldid=994656638, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2009, Articles needing additional references from July 2014, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Íslenska kirkjan í elstu tíð (The early Icelandic church) 1030–1152, Ísland undir stjórn Noregskonunga og uppgangur kennimanna (Norwegian royal rule and the rise of the clergy) 1262–1400, Kirkjuvald (Ecclesiastical power) 1400–1550, Einveldi og einokun (Absolutism and monopoly trading) 1683–1800, Viðreisnarbarátta (Campaign for restoration [of past glories]) 1801–1874, Colonisation and Commonwealth c. 870–1262, A primitive society builds a state 1809–1918. 2. On 31 December 1943, the Act of Union agreement expired after 25 years. However, the Irish and Scottish also settled in Iceland. But the Blue Mountains are known for ski slopes and resorts. This period is referred to therefore as the þjóðveldisöld or goðaveldisöld (National or Chieftain State) period by Icelandic authors, and the Old Commonwealth or Freestate by English ones. The tower of light that shines into the sky symbolizes peace, love, wisdom and joy. While it is a very popular tourist destination, the expansive country has approximately 350,000 permanent … Iceland also boasts one of the highest fertility rates in Europe, ensuring the country a steady population growth through the years. Therefore, I am excited to share these 30 interesting & fun facts about Iceland with you. [28][29] It has been argued that the thirst for news of the war helped Morgunblaðið to gain a dominant position among Icelandic newspapers. You may recall the eruption of a volcano in Iceland in 2010. I was told it has a similar taste to Vodka. Iceland had no military or naval forces, and Denmark was to give notice to other countries that it was permanently neutral. Jón J. Aðils' 1915 text, Íslandssaga (A History of Iceland) uses ten periods: In another of Gunnar's books, Iceland's 1100 Years (2000), Icelandic history is divided into four periods: These are based mainly on forms of government, except for the last which reflects mechanisation of the fishing industry. It led to major government interference in the marketplace that lasted until the post-World War II period. The financial crisis gave rise to the Icesave dispute, where Iceland on the one hand and the United Kingdom and Netherlands on the other disputed whether Iceland was obligated to repay British and Dutch depositors who lost their savings when Icesave collapsed.[56]. [1] Due to the island's strategic position in the North Atlantic, the Allies occupied the island until the end of the war, with the United States taking over occupation duties from the British in 1941. They rarely have diseases. Ögmundur was deported by Danish officials in 1541, but Jón Arason put up a fight. Greenland, Iceland's own proud colony, suffers an even worse fate. There is a strong belief in and attempt at rehabilitation. Some settlers coming from the British Isles were "Hiberno-Norse," with cultural and family connections both to the coastal and island areas of Ireland and/or Scotland and to Norway. There are no homeless people in Iceland. According to this account, the previous inhabitants, a few Irish monks known as the Papar, left the island since they did not want to live with pagan Norsemen. As a consequence, Norway, Denmark, Germany, and other European nations have increased their defense and rescue cooperation with Iceland since the withdrawal of U.S. forces. He then sailed along the coast until the pillars were found in the southwestern peninsula, now known as Reykjanesskagi. According to stories written down some 250 years after the event, the country was discovered and settled by Norse people in the Viking Age. Iceland Facts for Kids. If that's not enough, click over to our collection of world maps and flags. Iceland has a lot of churches. The land was settled quickly, mainly by Norwegians who may have been fleeing conflict or seeking new land to farm. :-)), Here are a few more interesting facts about Iceland…. The term “Viking” applies only to Scandinavian raiders, not to Scandinavians generally. 3. 14. You can go snorkeling in this area. While touring the country for 5 days, I spent a lot of time speaking with locals. During the 11th and 12th centuries, the centralization of power had worn down the institutions of the commonwealth, as the former, notable independence of local farmers and chieftains gave way to the growing power of a handful of families and their leaders. The island country of Iceland is one of the stepping-stones of land between the North American and European continents. However, a new national consciousness was revived in Iceland, inspired by romantic nationalist ideas from continental Europe. 18. Jóhannesson became the new president of Iceland. Despite some … They drift there on icebergs from Greenland and the Arctic Circle. Church fast days increased demand for dried codfish, which was easily caught and prepared for export, and the cod trade became an important part of the economy.[14]. Iceland has very small trees and sparse forests. Britain and the U.S. opened direct diplomatic relations, as did Sweden and Norway. Iceland Fun Facts, History and Trivia. It was considered essential to keep unemployment down and to protect the export fishing industry through currency manipulation and other means. Realizing that this place was in fact habitable, despite the horribly cold winter, and full of useful resources, Flóki restocked his boat. [24], 1,245 Icelanders, Icelandic Americans, and Icelandic Canadians were registered as soldiers during World War I. The first Icelandic bishop, Ísleifur Gissurarson, was consecrated by bishop Adalbert of Hamburg in 1056. During this time, Iceland remained independent, a period known as the Old Commonwealth, and Icelandic historians began to document the nation's history in books referred to as sagas of Icelanders. [19], In the quarter of a century preceding the war, Iceland had prospered. In 1220, Snorri Sturluson became a vassal of Haakon IV of Norway; his nephew Sturla Sighvatsson also became a vassal in 1235. [28] Iceland's competent governance of internal affairs and relations with other states—while relations with Denmark were interrupted during the war—showed that Iceland was capable of acquiring further powers, which resulted in Denmark recognizing Iceland as a fully sovereign state in 1918. In no particular order, here are 30 interesting & fun facts about Iceland. Iceland remained part of Denmark, but in keeping with the rise of nationalism around Europe in the nineteenth century, an independence movement emerged. Iceland became de facto fully sovereign with these actions. Carbon dating reveals that the cabin was abandoned somewhere between 770 and 880, suggesting that Iceland was populated well before 874. Identification. The Althing, which had been suspended in 1799, was restored in 1844, and Iceland gained sovereignty after World War I, becoming the Kingdom of Iceland on 1 December 1918. 4 Epic U.S. National Parks To Visit This Summer! Before you leave, check out this blog post on the Do’s and Don’ts of Iceland. [60], occurrences and people in Iceland throughout history, Civil war and the end of the commonwealth, Iceland under Norwegian and Danish kings (1262–1944), NATO membership, US defense agreement, and the Cold War, "Iceland was therefore peacefully occupied by Britain on 10 May 1940," says, CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (, The 9th-century Irish monk and geographer, Solrun B. Jensdottir Hardarson, "The 'Republic of Iceland' 1940–44: Anglo-American Attitudes and Influences,", United Kingdom invaded and peacefully occupied it, Denmark was overrun by the German Wehrmacht, Iceland severed its remaining ties with Denmark, Iceland's strategic importance during the Cold War, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Jürgen Schieber, University of Indiana. Flóki settled for one winter at Barðaströnd. The United States provided extensive economic patronage, advocated on Iceland's behalf in international organizations, allowed Iceland to violate the rules of international organizations, and helped Iceland to victory in the Cod Wars. However, there is a push to try and capture and return the polar bears vs killing them. About 364,000 people live in Iceland with over 200,000 people living in the capital and greater Reykjavik area. [5] The younger rock strata in the southwest of Iceland and the central highlands are only about 700,000 years old. The Best Myrtle Beach Restaurants: A Guide for Foodies! Here are a few other fun facts about Iceland.. 28. The British invaded Iceland during World War II.. After Germany invaded Denmark in 1940, the Allies feared the Nazis... 2. Therefore, the cost of electricity is cheap compared to other countries. Little changed in the decades following the treaty. Iceland enjoyed a mostly uninterrupted period of growth in its commonwealth years. Iceland literally feels like a breath of fresh (albeit cold) air. Iceland is a country of many wonders. Her full name is Emma Johndottir. There is also a traditional Norse religion called “Asatru”. Sure, if you mention Björk they’ve definitely heard of her. Her father’s name is John so her last name will be Johndottir. In geological terms, Iceland is a young island. 23. 74. Beginning on 20 May 1944, Icelanders voted in a four-day plebiscite on whether to terminate the personal union with the King of Denmark and establish a republic. On top of this, Laki erupted in 1783, spitting out 12.5 cubic kilometres (3.0 cu mi) of lava. 22. [15], An illicit trade continued with foreigners after the Danes implemented a trade monopoly. The settlement of Iceland began in the year 874 AD when a Viking chieftain from Norway, Ingólfr Arnarson, became the island’s first permanent settler.More Norwegians some Scandinavians as well followed through the centuries. The Third Cod War (1975–1976) was fought over Iceland's extension of its fishery limits to 200 miles (370 km). The membership came amid an anti-NATO riot in Iceland. [31] The outbreak of the Spanish Civil War cut Iceland's exports of saltfish by half, and the depression lasted in Iceland until the outbreak of World War II, when prices for fish exports soared. Get also the best fun facts about our island. It remains the most sparsely … Forests covered about 25-40% of Iceland at the time of settlement 1150 years ago. Sturla used the power and influence of the Sturlungar family clan to wage war against the other clans in Iceland. Althing (national parliament of Iceland) is the oldest legislature in the world still existing. 24. As the end of the first millennium grew near, many prominent Icelanders had accepted the new faith. 12. It is a geothermal spa located within a lava field. The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, is the oldest extant parliamentary institution in the world. In 874 Viking explorers from Norway & the British Isles settled on the island. The Act of Union, a December 1, 1918, agreement with Denmark, recognized Iceland as a fully sovereign state—the Kingdom of Iceland—joined with Denmark in a personal union with the Danish king. Milestones in Icelandic History Discovery and Settlement. The crisis resulted in the greatest migration from Iceland since 1887, with a net exodus of 5,000 people in 2009. Dating all the way back to the year 930, the first national parliament was founded in Thingvellir, which is now a national park . 10 Things You Should Know About Iceland. 2016 Iceland launches the latest phase of its ‘Power of Frozen’ TV advertising, capturing the reactions of real families to surprise deliveries of Iceland food, and begins a new partnership with the vlogging network Channel Mum. Iceland remained under Norwegian kingship until 1380, when the death of Olaf II of Denmark extinguished the Norwegian male royal line. The government's fiscal policy was strictly Keynesian, and their aim was to create the necessary industrial infrastructure for a prosperous developed country. It was conceived by Yoko Ono in honor of John Lennon. Although Iceland was neutral in the Second World War, the United Kingdom invaded and peacefully occupied it in 1940 to forestall a Nazi occupation, after Denmark was overrun by the German Wehrmacht. However, in modern times, some people are choosing to use their mother’s first name as their last name. [34] Parliament also elected a provisional governor, Sveinn Björnsson, who later became the Republic's first president. Recent archaeological excavations have revealed the ruins of a cabin in Hafnir on the Reykjanes peninsula (close to Keflavík International Airport). The occupation of Iceland lasted throughout the war. Iceland was first inhabited in the late 9th and 10th centuries. 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