Iceland - IJsland

Iceland[1], (Icelandic: Iceland) is a country located in the extreme northwest of Europe is.

Info

It is three times the size of the Netherlands or Belgium. It is a mountainous island between Europe and North America. Although the country is geographically located just below the Arctic Circle (except for a few small islands), Iceland is an Arctic island and is generally considered to be the Arctic counted. Most of Iceland is located in the Subarctis.

The name of the country can be misleading, only 10% of Iceland is covered by glaciers, it has a surprisingly mild climate and an infinite number of geothermal hot spots. Iceland belongs to Scandinavia, the original inhabitants are Vikings. Due to its difficult ecological environment, Iceland has a very conservative agricultural policy. A lot of food is flown in from Denmark or further afield. Iceland has traditionally been a dynamic country, but it went through a very serious economic crisis as a result of the banking crisis from 2008.

History

The presence of an island northwest of the British Isles was already known or suspected by the Greeks and Romans. The "Ultima Thule", which the Romans speak about in writing, is probably about Iceland, but there is as yet no certainty about this. Archaeological finds indicate that the Romans probably set foot ashore, but the first to stay in Iceland for a longer period of time were probably Irish monks. With the arrival of the Vikings they disappeared.

Most of the first inhabitants were of Norwegian descent. They left their homeland to escape the regime of Harald Veelhaar (or Fijnhaar). At that time it was told of an island that was not yet inhabited, and Flóki Vilgerðarson (also called Hrafna Flóki or raven-Flóki, because he had three ravens with him that helped him find the unknown island) decided his luck in that try a new country. He settled on a large bay in the west (near Flókatóftir on present-day Breiðafjörður). During the first severe winter, all his livestock starved and destitute he left again, but not before giving the country its name: Iceland. Later, through wanderings through Ireland, Scotland, the Hebrides and the Faroe Islands (where they acquired slaves in the meantime), his compatriots arrived in Iceland. The first Viking to settle permanently in Iceland was Ingólfur Arnarson. In 874 he landed on the south coast and about 877 he settled on a bay in the southwest. He called that place Reykjavik (see there). The country was completely colonized for the next 60 years.

Geology

The island is mainly made up of volcanic material and rock, because it lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the separation zone of a number of tectonic plates that slowly drift apart, allowing the underlying magma to rise to the surface and cause the resulting cracks. to fill. Part of that Mid-Atlantic Ridge runs from north to south through the center of the country, rising so high that it lifts the whole of Iceland above the sea surface, as it were. As a result of plate tectonics, some parts of Iceland are steadily drifting apart at an average rate of about 1 to 2 cm per year. Þingvellir, about 50 kilometers east of Reykjavik, is the only place in the world where you can see the separation of the American and European continental plates. An additional benefit is that Iceland is also located in a hotspot. These are places in the Earth's crust where the underlying magma can reach very close to the Earth's surface. Both phenomena ensure that Iceland can be called volcanically very active. Geologically, Iceland is very young. The oldest parts of the island are 17 to 20 million years old. This area is located in the northwest and is called the Vestfirðir (Westfjords) in Icelandic. The island is still growing due to volcanism. The youngest part is the islet of Surtsey that was formed near the Vestmannaeyjar during a volcanic eruption that started in 1963 (and ended 3.5 years later).

The country has a number of active volcanoes, including the Katla under the Mýrdalsjökull, the Laki area, the Hekla, and the new island of Surtsey. Other, or dormant volcanoes are the shield volcano Skjaldbreiður, the two Snæfell volcanoes, Kerið, Eldborg, Hverfjall, Krafla and Askja. There are also pseudo craters, especially at Mývatn and Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Other phenomena of volcanism in Iceland are subglacial lakes (eg Grímsvötn), solfatars and fumaroles, geysers, hot springs (the spring at Deildartunguhver supplies 180 liters of boiling water per second, making it the largest hot spring in Europe) and geothermal power plants. Also, all rocks in Iceland, such as basalt and basaltic lava, tephra and tuff, volcanic glass, palagonite and rhyolite, are of volcanic origin.

Geography

Iceland consists for the most part of low and medium mountains, whether or not covered with glaciers, from which many rivers flow to the sea. Some of them carry very large amounts of water, but they are usually unnavigable for ships.

The highest mountain is Hvannadalshnukur. With its 2110 meters height, it is largely hidden under the Öræfajökull.

Trees in Iceland mainly occur in dwarf and shrub form, for example in the nature reserve Þórsmörk. Only in the east of the country is an area that can be called 'forest', the 2000 hectare Hallormstaðaskógur. Most of the trees are planted there. Large logs that you sometimes find along the coast are driftwood that has come from far.

Although the country is famous for its geysers, the real Geysir has become a lot less active after an earthquake; however, the nearby Strokkur spouts its water fountain every 5-8 minutes. Other working geysers are much less spectacular to see or have been capped for the hot water supply. The interior is virtually uninhabited; the most populous area is on the southwest coast around Reykjavik.

Along the north of the island flows the cold East Greenland Current, along the south the warm Gulf Stream. Coupled with the winds that often blow across the island from south to north, the climate in Reykjavik (southwest) is colder than in Europe, but still temperate. In the northern Akureyri, on the other hand, the temperature fluctuations are greater because of the often offshore wind.

From the Vestfirðir in the northwest through the north to the east of the country, the coastline is characterized by larger and smaller fjords and bays. A number of fjords can only be reached by water in the winter months and even in summer they are only accessible with a 4WD car. This is partly the cause of the depopulation that has been going on in this part of the country since the Second World War.

In the south, the coastline is characterized by an almost complete absence of natural coves and extensive wash-sand plains, a result of the flooding of the region by the meltwater of the Vatnajökull.

The west coast is again characterized by wide fjords and bays, such as the Faxaflói (Faxa Bay) and the Breiðafjörður.

The lighthouse at Bjargtangar near the bird cliffs of Látrabjarg is the westernmost point of Europe.

Large parts of the interior are only accessible to all-terrain vehicles during the summer months. In winter, however, almost all roads there are impassable even for the most powerful vehicles and therefore closed to all traffic.

The landscape is mountainous, table mountains alternate with active and dormant volcanoes and calderas, between which (meandering) rivers cut their way. Because Iceland is still very young geologically and the rivers have yet to wear their way through the hard basalt, there are many waterfalls, some of which are spectacular. The Dettifoss is the largest waterfall in Europe in terms of water volume. In the past, valleys were filled by lava from large volcanic eruptions, sometimes creating entire lava plains. A third of all lava emitted worldwide in the last 500 years has been emitted in Iceland.

Iceland has four national parks: Jökulsárgljúfur National Park, Skaftafell National Park, Snæfellsnes National Park and Þingvellir.

Fauna and Flora

An important feature of Iceland is the absence of trees. During colonization, the land would have been vegetated, but it is questionable whether real trees existed at that time. Several sagas describe journeys to Norway which, in addition to the intention to trade, were largely undertaken to extract timber. However, mention is made of gathering wood to make fire and charcoal. On the other hand, however, names like Skógarströnd (forest coast) and Skógarnes (forest cape) refer to the presence of forests (skógur means forest). Also, in the first chapter of the Landnámabók (Book of Land Names), it is written that the land between mountains and the coast was covered with forest. The current trees are limited to dwarf birches, dwarf willows and undergrowth. It is claimed that the islet of Árnes in the Þjórsá River would give a reasonable idea of ​​what the island looked like some 2000 years ago. Although most of the country consists of rocks, boulders and arctic desert landscapes, mosses, lichens and grasses are common. In (mainly) the south, the lowlands are cultivated. Due to the high geographical location of Iceland, the tree line is already 200-300 meters above sea level. About 450 higher plants occur naturally.

The Arctic fox is the only original mammal. The immigrants brought sheep, cows, pigs, horses and poultry. Mice, rats, mink and rabbits have generally been introduced accidentally. Reindeer were introduced in the 18th century and some are feral and live in the eastern highlands. The polar bear is not present, but a stuffed specimen can be found in Húsavík, among others. This came powered on an ice floe off Greenland in 1969. Also in June 2007 and June 2008 a polar bear made landfall. However, these animals were killed to protect the inhabitants.

Reptiles, amphibians and poisonous animals such as scorpions are not found in Iceland. Mosquitoes do, especially where vegetation near swamps and lakes occurs. Mývatn (literally mosquito lake) is known for the many mosquitoes that float like clouds over the lake when there is no wind. In the clean and clear waters on and around Iceland there is a lot of fish, such as salmon, trout, flatfish and cod.

Iceland is an important habitat for countless birds and bird species. Many species of ducks and geese can be found here, in addition to seabirds, wading birds and rare birds of prey such as the snowy owl. In Iceland there are both hibernators and birds that use it as a resting place, breeding ground or foraging place. For example, the puffin occurs in large numbers (60% of the world population).

Plants, flowers, vegetables (including tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers) and fruit (including grapes and oranges) are grown in greenhouses heated by hot springs. The main regions of greenhouse cultivation are in South Iceland near Hveragerði and the geothermal areas around Reykholt (Borgarfjörður) in the west and Flúðir in the southwest.

Religion

In Iceland there is freedom of religion. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland is the state church. The national register always keeps track of one's religious beliefs. In 2004 this gave the following picture:

• Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland: 85% of the population
• Free Lutheran Church of Reykjavik and Hafnarfjörður: 3.6% of the population
• not affiliated with any religious group: 2.4% of the population
• Roman Catholic Church: 2.0% of the population
• other Christian: 6.5% of the population
• other (including followers of the Ásatrú religion): 1% of the population

Although the majority of the population is Christian, most Icelanders do not attend church regularly. Most have liberal Christian views.

Population

The Icelanders are descendants of the Vikings, mixed with Scottish and Irish immigrants. Most foreigners are Danes. More than half of the population lives in Reykjavík and the surrounding area.

Family names are hardly used in Iceland: the Icelanders use patronymics, such as 'Karlsdóttir' ('daughter of Karl') or 'Grímsson' ('son of Grímur') (see also: Icelandic names). The first name is still more important than the patronymic: in telephone directories and other alphabetical personal lists people are ranked by their first name.

Culture

climate

Holidays

Regions

Towns

• Reykjavik, the northernmost capital in the world
• Akureyric, the second largest city in the country.
• Egilsstadir
• safjörður
• Keflavik
• Sauðárkrokur
• Selfoss

Other destinations

Arrive

Passport and visa

Iceland belongs to the Schengen zone.

There are no border controls between countries that have signed and implemented the Schengen Agreements. These are the member states of the European Union (except Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the United Kingdom), Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. In addition, a visa issued for a member state of the Schengen zone is valid for all member states that have signed the treaties and have implemented. But beware: not all EU Member States have signed the Schengen Agreements, and there are also Member States of the Schengen Area that are not members of the European Union. This means that there may be customs checks but no immigration checks (if you are traveling within Schengen but from/to a non-EU country) or there may be immigration checks but no customs checks (if you are traveling within the EU but from/to a non-EU country). -Schengen country).

Airports in Europe are divided between "Schengen" and "no Schengen" sections, which correspond to the "domestic" and "foreign" sections in other countries. If you fly from outside Europe to a Schengen country and then travel on to another Schengen country, you can complete the customs and immigration checks in the first country and then proceed directly to the second country without any further checks. Traveling between a Schengen country and a non-Schengen country will result in the usual border controls. Please note that whether or not you travel within the Schengen zone, many airlines require you to always present a passport or identity card. Nationals of Member States of the European Union or of the EFTA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) only need to carry a valid passport or identity card to enter the Schengen zone — they never need a visa, no matter how long the visit takes. Nationals of other countries must carry a valid passport and, depending on nationality, need a visa.

Only nationals of the following non-EU/EFTA countries have no Visa required to enter the Schengen zone: Albania*, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina*, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chili, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Croatia, North Macedonia*, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro*, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, Serbia*/**, Seychelles, Singapore, Taiwan*** (Republic of China), United States, Uruguay, Vatican CITY, Venezuela, South Korea, as well as persons with a British National (Overseas) passport, a Hong-Kong-SAR passport or a Macau-SAR passport.

Visitors to these visa-free countries are not allowed to stay longer than 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen zone as a whole, and in principle are not allowed to work during the stay (although there are some Schengen countries that allow nationals of certain nationalities to work — see below). The counter starts when you enter a member state of the Schengen zone and does not expire when you leave a certain Schengen country for another Schengen country or vice-versa. However, New Zealand nationals may stay longer than 90 days if they are only visiting certain Schengen countries - see [2] for an explanation from the New Zealand Government (in English).

If you are a non-EU/EFTA national (even from a visa-free country, with the exception of Andorra, Monaco or San Marino), make sure that your passport is stamped when entering and leaving the Schengen zone. Without a stamp upon entry, you can be treated as having exceeded the length of stay on departure; without a stamp on departure, you can be denied entry to the Schengen zone the next time because of exceeding the length of stay in a previous trip. If you can't get a stamp, keep documents such as boarding passes, transport tickets and receipts from ATMs, as they can help convince border police that you have stayed legally in the Schengen zone.

Be aware that:

(*) Nationals of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia require a biometric passport to benefit from visa-free travel;

(**) nationals of Serbia with passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate (residents of Kosovo with Serbian passports) must apply for a visa;

(***) Taiwanese nationals must have their ID number registered in their passport in order to enjoy visa-free travel.

By plane

Keflavík International Airport (Icelandic: Keflavíkurflugvöllur) is the largest and most important airport in Iceland. It is located near the town of Keflavik, about 50 kilometers from the capital Reykjavik.

The main airline based there is Icelandair. This airline flies to several important European cities, but also to the United States and Canada from Iceland.

The following airlines fly to Keflavik (some flights are seasonal)

• Air Iceland (Akureyri, Nuuk)
• Austrian Airlines (Vienna)
• Edelweiss Air (Zurich)
• Germanwings (Cologne/Bonn)
• Iceland Express (Alicante, Barcelona, ​​Berlin, Billund, Copenhagen, Eindhoven, Frankfurt, Gothenburg, London, Oslo, Paris, Stockholm, Warsaw)
• Icelandair (Amsterdam, Barcelona, ​​Bergen, Berlin, Boston, Billund, Copenhagen, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Glasgow, Gothenburg, Halifax, Helsinki, London, Liège, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York, Orlando, Oslo , Rome, Paris, Stockholm, Toronto, Tenerife)
• JetX Airlines (Montreal)
• Lufthansa (Dusseldorf, Hamburg)
• SAS (Oslo, Stockholm)

By car

You can take your car on a ferry that departs from Denmark. The ferry takes three days to reach Iceland. (see Smyril Line)

By bus

See above!

By boat

The Smyril Line [3] sails from Scotland (Scrabster), Denmark (Hanstholm) and Norway (Bergen) via the Faroe Islands to Seydisfjordur. The crossing takes approximately three days. From the Benelux, the journey comes to one of the departure ports. A big advantage is that you can bring your own car on the ferry, a rental car is expensive in Iceland.

Travel around

Iceland has a lot of natural beauty to offer. The national road that circles the island is a must. Iceland has no rail network. Public transport is affordable. When planning trips, keep the changeable weather in mind. The best time to travel is from June to September (in June there is practically 24 hours of sunlight).

By bus

BSI Travel [4] has regular bus services to most destinations in the country, mainly around the Ring Road (Route 1). Special offers include 1 to 4 weeks of unlimited bus trips around the Ring Road (optional with bus trip to the West Fjoren) or one-time unlimited trip around the Ring Road in both directions. The BSI inland tours, in dedicated 4x4 buses, are a much cheaper and relaxing alternative to driving themselves and serve most major destinations. (eg Landmannalaugar, Thorsmork, Aksha etc). Inland tours are only scheduled during the summer months, usually June to September.

By plane

Iceland doesn't look like an overly large country on the map. Nevertheless, especially since Iceland does not have a rail network, it can be a good idea to take a plane to get to a certain place. The flights are operated by Air Iceland and Eagle Air and mainly depart from Reykjavík's national airport (not Keflavík International Airport). For more information about the domestic flights in Iceland, see the website of Isavia.

Language

Icelandic people speak Icelandic, a Northern European language. Unlike the linguistic association between Swedish, Norwegian and Danish, Icelandic is much less like these languages. Icelandic has retained the old Scandinavian cases and has letters such as de (edh) and þ (th). Loan words from other languages ​​are also rarely used. Icelanders generally speak good English and reasonable German.

To look at

A tour of the island on road number 1 is about 1400 km. It would be a shame to visit Iceland and not take in some of these beautiful natural parks. There are many excursions offered by travel agencies. These usually depart from Reykjavik or Akureyri. You can visit the glaciers and the great volcanoes for a reasonable price. The cheapest solution is to drive yourself with a rented car.

National parks

Thingvellir National Park (pronounced "THING-vet-lihr") - National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site. 30 to 50 km east of Reykjavik. Interesting for several reasons: Not only is it the site of the longest-standing parliament in the world (the name literally means parliament fields), it is also where the North American plate and the European plate meet.

Vatnajokull National Park - Iceland's newest national park was established on June 7, 2008 and includes the former Skaftafell and Jokulsargljufur National Parks. Vatnajökull National Park is Europe's largest national park with 12,000 km². It covers about 12% of the area of ​​Iceland. This park contains Iceland's highest mountains (Hvannadalshnúkur), the largest glacier (Vatnajökull) and Europe's most powerful waterfall (Dettifoss).

Snaefellsjokull National Park - Located on the tip of the Snæfellsnes peninsula in South Iceland, this park contains the ice-covered volcanic crater that was the setting for Jules Verne's book Journey to the Center of the Earth.

Other Attractions

Blue Lagoon - (Blaa Lónic) Well-known outdoor swimming pool and health center. This spa town is located in Grindavík on the Reykjanes Peninsula, in southwestern Iceland. It is approximately 15 km from Keflavík International Airport and 40 km from Reykjavik. This geothermal spa in the middle of the lava, with its milky blue waters seems surreal. The entrance fee does not include the rental of a towel, €4.00.

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  Thingvellir National Park

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  Iceberg Lake Jökulsárlón

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  Geysir

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  Skogafoss

To do

To buy

Iceland is an expensive country, but has become slightly less expensive due to the decline in purchasing power. But Iceland is certainly not cheap!

Cost

Food

Going out

Against all odds, Iceland is notorious for its nightlife. Famous movie stars come here to go out. This in the capital. There are several bars. However, going out in Iceland is not cheap, a pint of beer can quickly cost 6 to 8 euros.

stay overnight

To learn

To work

Unemployment in Iceland is rising and wages are falling. Currently, Iceland is not the best place to look for work. Work permits are necessary for residents of most countries. The exceptions are residents of Scandinavian countries (Greenland, Faroe Islands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Åland Islands and Finland) and EU countries.

Work permits can be very difficult to obtain if you are not from one of the countries listed because Iceland has a relatively strict immigration policy.

Be careful with undeclared work in Iceland. Your pay will be lower and you will not have the same rights. Iceland is a country with a strong union with over 90% of the working population being members.

A good source is the Directorate of Labor website

Safety

Iceland is a very safe country. The situation on the road is also very safe on the main ring road, this is mainly because in some regions you will not encounter a car more than once an hour. Inland the roads are unpaved (gravel) and often hilly, care must be taken for any oncoming traffic on the hilly terrain. An off-road vehicle is recommended.

Nature reigns supreme in Iceland, watch out when you walk over lava and on the beach, the sea is stronger than you think.

Health

The medical facilities in Iceland are good and available free of charge to residents of the European Union with a valid E-111 form or a replacement identity card. Scandinavian residents must present a valid passport and medical insurance to receive treatment.

Infectious diseases are not a problem in Iceland. Vaccinations are not required unless you come from a country that suffers from infectious diseases such as cholera.

The biggest threat to your health is probably an unfortunate injury or bad weather. Make sure you are always warm enough and that you have waterproof clothing. Choosing the right clothing is especially important in Iceland and can be a matter of life or death. Be extra careful in geothermal areas.

respect

• Some Icelanders believe in the hidden people – called huldufólk – and some claim to have seen them. They are analogous to elves, but are often considered different. There is a museum in Reykjavík dedicated to the hidden people. It is an old Icelandic belief and most Icelanders respect the tradition. Skepsis can therefore come across as unfriendly.
• Many tourists, including many Europeans, see Icelanders as rude and unreachable. This is general but a first impression, most people are friendly and helpful.
• Tipping is not expected in Iceland, but appreciated. Only tip for exceptional service.
• Punctuality is not as important in Iceland as elsewhere and many people will show up 15 minutes later than the agreed time, and show up an hour late at parties or other social activities.
• When they speak English, Icelanders use the word fuck more than you are used to from other English speakers. Rough opinions are regularly expressed and should not be misconstrued.
• The global economic crisis is a touchy subject - remember that the average Icelander has not enjoyed their country's investment abroad. Rather, they have suffered a significant loss in purchasing power.

Contact

This article is still completely under construction . It contains a template, but not yet enough information to be useful to a traveler. Dive in and expand it!

Countries in Europe

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