Your Travel Buddy: February 2019

If you’re looking for cool facts about Iceland, you won’t believe some of this stuff! Did you know Icelanders leave their babies outside, they like to eat rotten sharks, and there’s an app to prevent dating your cousin?

Tourism has exploded recently, and the Nordic island country of Iceland now entertains more than 2 million visitors annually.

This is no surprise considering that Iceland’s diverse topography enables people to visit beaches, glaciers and waterfalls, along with going whale watching and a rare opportunity to see the mysterious Northern Lights.

But there are many other fascinating facts about Iceland to discover too. Here are 25 interesting things about the Land of Fire and Ice that you may not have known before! Plus some general information that can be useful for planning a trip.

Feel free to share these facts at your next cocktail party, to make you look smart.

Intriguing Facts About Iceland

1. There Aren’t Many People

If you’re like me, you love traveling to places that aren’t overly crowded. Iceland is definitely good for this, as long as you steer clear of the Reykjavik area. The population of Iceland is only 339,462, with more than a third of those people living in the capital city. Iceland is almost the size of Kentucky, which has 4.4 million residents.
(Source: WorldOMeters)

2. Iceland Is An Eco-Friendly Country

I was very impressed to learn that the vast majority of Iceland’s power supply comes from geothermal and hydro energy. In other words, this is a country that has clean power and a small carbon footprint. Iceland’s scientists are currently working on a way to harness more geothermal energy as part of a plan that could change the entire world.
(Source: Time Magazine)

3. They Believe In Elves & Trolls

Surveys indicate that 54.4 percent of the nation believes in the existence of invisible elves & trolls, with many others being at least open to the possibility. I didn’t see any evidence of these creatures during my trip to Iceland, but you never know what you might find.
(Source: The Atlantic)

4. McDonald’s Doesn’t Exist In Iceland

Once upon a time, you could dine at one of Iceland’s few McDonald’s restaurants. This changed in 2009, and the Golden Arches don’t appear set to make a return at any point in the near future. I was pleased by this fact, but don’t worry; there are several other fast food chains in Iceland.
(Source: The Reykjavik Grapevine)

5. Iceland Is One Of The Safest Countries

Coming from the U.S., I was pleasantly surprised by how rare violent crimes are in Iceland. How rare, you ask? The country was completed rocked by an unprecedented number of murders in 2017: four. In a typical year, there’s an average of 1.6 murders and a very low instance of other violent or drug-related crimes.
(Source: The Guardian)

6. Only 2 Percent of the Country is Forestland

This interesting fact is also one of the few things about Iceland that’s not idyllic. Before the Vikings plundered Iceland, 40 percent of the nation was covered in trees. Now, that number is only 2 percent, although reforestation efforts are underway.
(Source: Treehugger)

7. There Are 30 Active Volcanoes

I’m fascinated by volcanoes and was excited to see some of them during my trip to Iceland. There are approximately 130 total volcanoes, and 30 of them are active. Scientists have gotten so good at predicting volcanic eruptions that the risk to residents and tourists is minimal.
(Source: Guide to Iceland)

8. Iceland Is Mosquito-Free!

Mosquitoes can make life miserable at times in the U.S., so I was thrilled to find out that Iceland is one of the world’s few mosquito-free environments. No matter what time of year you visit, you won’t have to worry about these pests. It’s surprising that the population of Iceland isn’t higher for this one reason alone.
(Source: The New York Times)

9. Icelanders Love Books

I’m a big reader and felt very welcome in Iceland as a result. The country loves books so much that they celebrate every December with the Christmas Book Flood. It’s traditional for families to exchange books and spend most of Christmas reading them.
(Source: NPR)

10. There Are No Traditional Last Names

When a child is born in Iceland, they don’t get the same last name as either of their parents. Instead, their last name is derived from their father or mother’s first name. Musician Björk provides us with a good example. Her father’s first name is Guðmundur. Björk’s full name is Björk Guðmundsdottir, which means daughter of Guðmundur.
(Source: Culture Trip)

11. Hollywood Movies Are Very Popular

When I wanted a taste of American life, I simply had to go to the movies. Icelanders love Hollywood films, which makes it easy to find several popular movies at every theater.
(Source: Iceland Magazine)

12. Iceland Is An Egalitarian Society

Iceland takes the idea of equality very seriously. It’s considered to be the most feminist country in the world and also has a long history of being very accepting of the LGBTQ community. Additionally, only 3 percent of the country falls outside the middle class.
(Source: The Guardian)

13. Temperatures Are Usually Mild

I don’t like spending a lot of time in the heat. Iceland was a perfect choice for summertime travel as the average high temperature is only 57 degrees Fahrenheit. The overnight average summer low is 44 degrees, so it never gets too cold, either.
(Source: Weather Spark)

14. Babies Nap Outside Alone

You probably won’t have to worry about listening to a baby cry inside any restaurants in Iceland. It shocked me at first, but it’s a common practice to leave babies outside in their strollers. You’ll see this all over the country, including after the temperature drops below freezing.
(Source: The Reykjavik Grapevine)

15. People Swim Outside In The Winter

One thing that’s really useful about having geothermal water is that you can go swimming no matter how cold it is outside. There are also outside hot tubs that maintain a temperature of at least 86 degrees Fahrenheit at all times.
(Source: Culture Trip)

16. You Can Visit A Very Odd Museum

Before I went to Iceland, I’d never imagined that there would be an entire museum dedicated to penises. Even odder, the collection of 200 penises on display at the Phallological Museum supposedly includes specimens from mythological creatures such as trolls.
(Source: Slate)

17. There Are No Trains In Iceland

Travelers are often used to riding the rails, but that’s not going to happen in Iceland. Because the country doesn’t have a public railway, I had to rely on taxis, planes and buses. Be sure to book taxis in advance whenever possible.
(Source: Lonely Planet)

18. Homemade Ice Cream Is Everywhere

Iceland’s unofficial national sweet treat is definitely ice cream. People wait in long lines for it daily, regardless of weather conditions. After trying some of their homemade ice cream, I can see why; it’s delicious!
(Source: Nordic Visitor)

19. Iceland Once Hunted Male Witches

Iceland may seem idyllic in many ways, but the country does have a dark history. Just like the U.S. and many parts of Europe, Iceland went through a period of witch hunts from 1654 to 1690. Only one woman was prosecuted as a witch during this time because men were the primary targets.
(Source: What’s On)

20. Iceland Elected The First Female President

As previously mentioned, Iceland leads the world in feminism. Unsurprisingly, the country was also the first to elect a female president. Icelanders also elected an openly gay woman as their prime minister in 2009.
(Source: The Guardian)

21. Iceland Is A Youngster

In terms of landform, Iceland is the world’s youngest country. Going along with this fact, Iceland was also the last European nation to be settled. However, don’t be fooled by Iceland’s youthfulness as it’s still approximately 25 million years old.
(Source: Go Icelandic)

22. Most Of The Country Is Uninhabited

Due to Iceland’s unique topography, only 20 percent of it is actually inhabited. Many of the uninhabited areas can be visited, but I highly recommend registering your plans with ICE-SAR first. This is the best way to get help if something goes wrong.
(Source: Island.is)

23. Iceland Has No Military

Iceland doesn’t have a military and has only fought in one conflict. The Cod Wars were a power struggle with Great Britain for exclusive fishing rights to the water within 200 miles of Iceland’s shoreline. Iceland won after attacking their enemy’s fishing nets with scissors.
(Source: Atlas Obscura)

24. Icelandic Students Learn Three Languages

Icelandic students are taught their native language, along with English and Dutch. It’s estimated that at least 80 percent of young students can understand basic English, and some people claim that as many as 98 percent of adults are fluent in multiple languages. I had no problems communicating with everyone I encountered in Iceland.
(Source: Statistics Ireland)

25. There’s An App To Prevent Dating Your Cousin

Because Iceland’s population is so small, there’s a slight issue with everyone being related. This can be a problem in the local dating scene. So there’s a smartphone app called Íslendinga-App that lets Icelanders check if they are related or not. The company’s slogan is “Bump the app before you bump in bed.” I thought this was pretty funny!
(Source: MentalFloss)

No matter what you’re interested in, you’re likely to find it in Iceland. The stargazing is breathtaking, the local cuisine is unusual and locals are often happy to share one of the area’s entertaining legends and myths.

TRAVEL PLANNING INFORMATION FOR ICELAND

Book A Flight: Learn how I find the cheapest airline flights
Rent A Car: RentalCars.com is a great site for comparing car prices
Find A Hotel: My tips for booking affordable accommodation
Protect Your Stuff: WorldNomads.com can insure your trip & gear
Iceland Travel Guide: Lonely Planet Iceland
Suggested Reading: The Little Book Of Hidden People

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