Iceland

Iceland (Icelandic: Island), nation located on second-largest island of Europe, situated in the North Atlantic Ocean just south of the Arctic Circle, 200 mi (320 km) southeast of Greenland, 650 mi (1,050 km) west of Norway, and 500 mi (800 km) northwest of Scotland.

Land and climate

Iceland has more than 100 volcanic peaks with varying degrees of activity. Enormous ice explosions sometimes take place due to eruptions of volcanoes beneath ice fields, flooding large areas. Iceland's numerous hot springs and geysers are also of volcanic origin. Water from the springs is widely used for heating purposes. Lava fields account for more than a tenth of Iceland's surface. There are also enormous glaciers. The coastline is highly irregular, indented with numerous fjords and navigable bays, including the large Faxa Bay on the southwest coast, where Reykjavík, the nation's capital, stands. A plateau at an altitude of 2,000 ft (610 m) covers a large portion of the interior of the country. There are numerous rivers, but none is navigable. There are also many lakes. Iceland's marine climate is modified by the warm North Atlantic Drift. The average winter temperature in Reykjavík, in the south, is 30°F (−1°C) and the average summer temperature is 52°F (11°C), but the north is much colder. Only about a quarter of Iceland's surface bears natural vegetation, often a thick moss carpet found in areas not covered with snow. Only in areas protected by a winter snow cover is vegetation more dense. The lowlands have large areas of grass and, in sheltered regions, even some trees, the most common being dwarf willows, birches, and mountain ash. Native animals include the Arctic fox and various birds, of which the eider duck is valued for its down. The reindeer and mink were imported to the island.

People

Except for some blending of Irish blood, most of the people of Iceland are directly descended from the Vikings or other Scandinavians. In the second half of the 19th century, due to the country's poor economic situation, about 25,000 emigrated, mainly to Canada. Three-quarters of the population is centered in urban areas along the coast, over one-third of the population living in Reykjavík, the cultural center, with its own university (founded 1911). The Icelandic language is of the Scandinavian group. It has undergone very few changes since the 12th and 13th centuries, an era in which the famous Icelandic sagas and prose narratives were written, so that this literature is still understandable to modern readers. Iceland was almost entirely free of illiteracy by the beginning of the 19th century. Education is compulsory and free from ages 7 to 15. The university of Reykjavik is one of the institutions for higher education. Christianity was established in Iceland about a thousand years ago. By far the most prominent church today is the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Economy

Fishing (especially cod, haddock, and herring) and fish-processing are the mainstay industries and provide two-thirds of Iceland's exports. A long dispute with Great Britain over fishing rights in the waters off Iceland led to a series of “cod wars.” In 1975 Iceland extended its “economic” sea limits to 200 mi (322 km) and the next year broke diplomatic relations with Britain for 4 months. There is some small-scale agriculture and manufacturing. Iceland's vast resources of natural energy in its rivers, hot streams, and geysers, as well as its important volcanic mineral potential, are only beginning to be exploited for industrial and commercial purposes.

History

Discovered by the Norse c.A.D. 870, Iceland was under Norwegian rule from 1262 and then under the Danes from 1380. The tradition of democratic government dates from A.D. 930, when the Althing, the world's oldest parliament, was established. Iceland has been entirely self-governing since 1918, and it became a fully independent republic on June 17, 1944. In 1970 Iceland joined the European Free Trade Association.