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Icelanders love to read…and write! The
country has more books read and more books published,
per head, than anywhere else in the world. And 10% of
the country's population will publish a book in their lifetime.
The colours of its flag represent its extraordinary
geography. White = ice, blue = ocean and red = volcanic fire.
Many of its population
believe in elves and trolls.
Did you know? Its capital, Reykjavik, is the
northernmost capital city in the world. The city
was founded by a Norse chieftain, Ingólfur
Arnarson in AD874.
Four things you'll NOT find in Iceland - military, trains,
a word for "please" and McDonalds.
It's hot! Around 87% of the country's heat
and hot water is supplied by geothermal
energy and 25% of its electricity is
generated by geothermal power.
FUN FACT
Iceland used to be part of
Norway and Denmark, before
becoming independent in 1944.
Geography reigns!
Around 12% of Iceland is covered
by glaciers and about 11% by
lava fields. Only a quarter of the
country is vegetated. With around
30 volcanic systems, over the past
500 years, Iceland's volcanoes
have produced a third of the
total lava output globally.
#ExtraordinaryIceland
Iceland had the first democratically
elected female president. In 1980,
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir took this
position which she held until 1996.
fact
Jökulsárlón © Shutterstock
© RTH Sigurdsson
© RTH Sigurdsson