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Countries

Iceland

Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world’s oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althingi, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the island’s population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Denmark granted limited home rule in 1874 and complete independence in 1944. The second half of the 20th century saw substantial economic growth driven primarily by the fishing industry. The economy diversified greatly after the country joined the European Economic Area in 1994, but Iceland was especially hard hit by the global financial crisis in the years following 2008. Literacy, longevity, and social cohesion are first rate by world standards.

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Iceland Tourism Information…

Title
Visit Iceland
Title
Iceland Naturally
Inspired by Iceland

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Iceland Tourism Information…

Here is a list of some of the most interesting and visited places. Cities or areas listed will always have more than just one thing see and do. With the popular cities or areas we list some of the best known, which should go on everyone’s, must see list when they visit.  
Aurora Borealis
The Great Geysir Strokkur
Godafoss
Blue Lagoon-Grindavík
Gullfoss-Blaskogabyggd
Harpa
Jökulsárlón
Landmannalaugar National Park
Lake Mývatn Geothermal Area and Reserve
Reykjavik Hallgrímskirkja Church
Skógafoss -Skógar
Þingvellir 
Vaynajökull National Park Skaftafell Ice Cave
Dettifoss Waterfall
Askja Caldera
Vik

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Iceland Country Information…

Capital:

Ryekjavik

Largest City:

Ryekjavik

Government:

Republic

Currency:

Icelandic króna (ISK)

Area:

103,001 km2  (39,682 sq. mi. ) ranked 108th

Climate:

Temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers

Population:

335,878 (July 2016 est.) ranked 179th

Language:

Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken

Ethnic Groups:

Homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6%

Religion:

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland (official) 73.8%, Roman Catholic 3.6%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.9%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 2%, The Independent Congregation 1%, other religions 3.9% (includes Pentecostal and Asatru Association), none 5.6%, other or unspecified 7.2% (2015 est.)

Electricity:

230V, 50Hz (European plug C, F )

Telephone Code:

+354

Local Emergency Phone Number:

112

Internet TLD:

.is

Time Zone:

GMT/WET (UTC +0)

Road Driving Side:

Right

Anthem:

Lofsöngur

Monarch:

Guðni Thoriacius Jóhannesson

Prime Minister:

Katrin Jakobsdottir

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Holidays and Observances in Iceland in 2020

Date NameType
Jan 1WednesdayNew Year’s DayNational holiday
Jan 6MondayTwelfth NightObservance
Feb 14FridayValentine’s DayObservance
Feb 26WednesdayAsh WednesdayObservance
Mar 20FridayMarch EquinoxSeason
Apr 9ThursdayMaundy ThursdayNational holiday
Apr 10FridayGood FridayNational holiday
Apr 11SaturdayHoly SaturdayObservance
Apr 12SundayEaster SundayNational holiday
Apr 13MondayEaster MondayNational holiday
Apr 23ThursdayFirst Day of SummerNational holiday
May 1FridayLabour DayNational holiday
May 10SundayMothers’ DayObservance
May 21ThursdayAscension DayNational holiday
May 31SundayWhit SundayNational holiday
Jun 1MondayWhit MondayNational holiday
Jun 17WednesdayIcelandic Republic DayNational holiday
Jun 20SaturdayJune SolsticeSeason
Aug 3MondayCommerce DayNational holiday
Sep 22TuesdaySeptember EquinoxSeason
Oct 31SaturdayHalloweenObservance
Nov 8SundayFathers’ DayObservance
Dec 1TuesdayIndependence DayObservance
Dec 21MondayDecember SolsticeSeason
Dec 24ThursdayChristmas Eve (from noon)National holiday
Dec 25FridayChristmas DayNational holiday
Dec 26SaturdaySecond Day of ChristmasNational holiday
Dec 31ThursdayNew Year’s Eve (from noon)National holiday