Iceland is a fascinating place with a many unusual things to see and a strange history. Here is a collection of “Fun Facts”. We hope you like them!
There are no surnames or family names in Iceland. Icelanders use the traditional Nordic naming system - a last name that is comprised from their father’s (or mother’s) first name with the addition of -dóttir or -son. Icelandic telephone directories list Icelanders by first name alphabetically.
Iceland has more than 125 volcanic mountains. There is a volcanic eruption every 4 years on average.
A majority of Icelanders believe in elves. Building projects in Iceland are sometimes altered to prevent damaging the rocks where they are believed to live.
The capital city of Iceland is Reykjavík which is the most northern capital city in the world.
Iceland has its name due to the founder of the first settlement wanted people to stay away from here because he was avoiding persecution.
A traditional sport in Iceland is Glíma, which is a type of wrestling.
Mosquitoes do not exist in Iceland
Per capita Iceland has the highest number of book and magazine publications and 10% of the country’s population will publish a book in their lifetimes.
Iceland is a geologically young landscape due to its location on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. Magma and glaciers are responsible for carving out everything in Iceland making Iceland landscape like no other.
Iceland does not have an army, navy or air force. The Icelandic police don’t carry guns. Crime in Iceland is very low and violent crime is practically nonexistent.
Around 85% of Iceland's electricity and heating comes from hydroelectric power and geothermal water.
Consumption of Coca–Cola per capita is higher than in any other country.
- But there aren’t any McDonald’s Restaurants anywhere in Iceland.
Raw puffin heart is considered a delicacy.
Some of the traditional Icelandic food is lamb, whale, puffin, dried fish, shark, sheep’s head and pickled ram’s testicles - Not to worry, there are many other choices and many great restaurants.
In Iceland owning a pet snake, lizard or turtle is against the law.
The temperature in Iceland in the winter months in milder than in NYC
The first people to live on Iceland are thought to have been Irish monks around the year AD 800. In the 9th century, Norsemen arrived in Iceland.
Iceland is about 39,000 square miles – close to the size of Ohio. Iceland's population is 320,000 people - The University of Michigan's “Big House” stadium would accommodate 30% of Iceland's residents.
The three colors of Iceland's flag represent elements that make up the island. Red represents the island's volcanic fires. White is for the snow and ice fields and blue the ocean.
Iceland is home to one of the world’s oldest democracies; established in 930. Iceland had the first democratically elected female and openly gay Prime Ministers.