Interesting facts about Iceland

Land Area
103,000 square kilometres (40,000 square miles), 4/5 of which is uninhabitable.

Geography & Climate
Iceland is the second largest island in Europe, located between latitude 63°24´N and 66°33´N and between longitude 13°30´W and 24°32´W, close to the Arctic Circle. Iceland is about midway between New York and Moscow.
 Read more about Iceland´s geography & climate.

Population
The Icelandic population was 307,672 in December 2006. There are around 4 times that many sheep in the country. Population density per square kilometre: 2.8. Iceland is the least populated country in Europe (seventh in the world). Most of the people are of Norwegian descent, with some having a mixture of Celtic blood from the early Irish and Scottish settlers.
 Read more about the population.

Capital
Reykjavík population: 115.420
Greater Reykjavík area population: 191.030

Religion
Evangelical Lutheran Church; state church of Iceland: 85,5%
Lutheran free churches: 4,5%
Other: 10%

Education
Mandatory from 6 to 15 years of age.
Schools for compulsory education: 192
Schools above compulsory education: 42
Universities and Colleges: 8

Language
The country's written and spoken language is Icelandic, a Nordic language very similar to that spoken by Iceland's first settlers. Icelandic is one of the oldest living languages in Europe. English and Danish are mandatory subjects in school. Literacy is 99.9%, the highest in the world.
 Read more about the Icelandic language.

History
The first people believed to have settled in Iceland were Irish monks who came in the eighth century AD. They left, however, upon the arrival of pagan Norsemen, who came in 874 to seek freedom from Norway's oppressive King Harald Fairhair. In 930 the Icelanders founded the Althing, their supreme general assembly - the oldest parliament in the world. Christianity was adopted in the year 1000. In 1262, Iceland became subject to Norwegian control and in 1380 came under Danish control, along with Norway. After the granting of a constitution (1874) and with an improving economy, Iceland, in 1918, finally became an independent sovereign state under a common king with Denmark. The Republic of Iceland was formally declared on June 17, 1944.
 Read more about the Icelandic history.

Government
Parliamentary system. The Independence Party (IP) and the Progressive Party (PP) formed a centre-right coalition in 1995. The Prime Minister is Geir H. Haarde, Chairman of the IP. In the 2003 general election, seats were won by the IP (22), PP (12), Left Alliance (20), left Greens (5) and Liberals (4). After the election in 2007 the Independence Party (IP) and the Social Democratic Party formed a coalition.

Head of State
His Excellency, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, President of Iceland, was inaugurated on the 1st of August 1996 and for the 4th time on August 1, 2008. He is a former Minister of Finance and was a professor of political science at the University of Iceland and a member of the Icelandic parliament before he was elected president.

Transport System
Air transport to and from Iceland is through four international-standard airports located in Iceland. Keflavik is the main international airport and a border point for entering Europe under the Schengen Agreement. It is in the southwest, located about 50 km west of the capital, Reykjavik. Iceland is strategically located for air communications with either side of the Atlantic. Flight times are 2-3 hours to major gateways in Europe and 5-6 hours to the east coast of North America.
 Read more about the transport system in Iceland.

Interesting facts for Iceland

• Approximately 7,250 km² of Iceland is covered with glaciers.
• Hvannadalshnjúkur is Iceland’s highest peak (2,119m).
• Öskjuvatn (near Víti) is Iceland’s deepest lake (220m).
• An average Icelandic male is 180cm tall, weights 88kg and is 33.9 years old.
• An average Icelandic female is 167cm tall, weight 73 kg and is 35.3 years old.
• For two to three months in summer there is continuous daylight in Iceland.
• The mean annual temperature for Reykjavik is 5˚C, the average temperature in January is   -0.4˚C and in July is 11.2˚C.

For further information about Iceland visit the website, www.icelandguest.com.

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