Sammi Richter

Iceland’s only native mammal is the Arctic Fox. thought to have crossed over from mainland Europe during a former ice age. Throughout this period, it is thought there were sufficient ice floats between the continent and Iceland so as to make migration population. Similar events sometimes occur with Polar Bears from neighboring Greenland, though Arctic Foxes have long been able to sustain themselves on the island’s rich bird population.

Most local people can trace their lineage back to the Viking Age thanks to the Íslendingabók, the Book of Icelanders, a meticulous online record of each generation. Thanks to a nationwide collection of surveys, obituaries, church records, court documents and old manuscripts, Icelanders can now trace their family back hundreds of years with a quick check of the internet.

Iceland is a Volcanic Island with over 130 active volcanoes. The largest is Bárðarbunga, which can be found in South Iceland’s Vatnajökull National Park.

Any Icelandic Horse that leaves the country is forever forbidden to return, such are the strict protocols that regulate breeding in Iceland. The Icelandic horse is among the world’s purest bred breeds, having been isolated for over 1000 years. Icelandic horses are small and muscular in stature and are capable of performing five unique gaits.

Iceland, like many countries, went through a period of prohibition. In 1915 a total ban on wine, beer and spirits was voted by a majority of 60%. Seven years later the ban on wine was lifted and in 1935 the ban on spirits was lifted. But, for some reason, beer was banned until 1989. The logic behind the beer ban was that access to beer would tempt young people and workers into heavy drinking. In 1988, Iceland’s parliament, finally voted to legalise beer, after debates that were televised live and attracted huge audiences. On 1. March 1989 Icelanders were at last allowed to buy beer in Iceland.

Iceland is said to have the world’s oldest parliamentary documentary, Alþingi, which formed amid the lava rocks and exposed tectonic plates of Þingvellir in 930 AD.

Visitors can find Europe’s Largest Glacier in Iceland. Known as Vatnajökull (“Water Glacier”), this enormous force of nature covers approximately 8% of the country’s total landmass, swallowing valleys, mountains and volcanoes beneath its dense layer of ice.

Iceland does not possess an Army, Air Force or Navy, instead relying on the defense capabilities of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation). It does, however, have a coast guard which has previously seen action in a series of conflicts with the United Kingdom known as "The Cod War". Iceland emerged as the victor of this dispute over fishing rights, and no one has dared challenge this fearsome Viking nation since.

The Icelandic Language is relatively unchanged from Old Norse, which has been spoken on this island for over a thousand years. Icelanders will often merge terms to describe new words, creating portmanteaus that are as striking as they are creative. For instance, the word for ‘Computer’, which is Tölva, can be translated to ‘Numbers Witch.’

There are only two places on earth that do not have Mosquitoes, Antarctica and Iceland. There are also no snakes, scorpions or poisonous spiders, which can be some relief when weighing up where in the world to visit next.

Iceland is a popular shooting location for Hollywood Productions. Ridley Scott used the waterfall Dettifoss in his Alien prequel, Prometheus, while the black sand beaches of the south provided an interstellar backdrop for Star Wars: Rogue One. Game of Thrones also used several locations in Iceland, many of which can be found nearby South Iceland’s Golden Circle sightseeing route.

There is not a single McDonald’s restaurant to be found in Iceland. The most popular fast food here is Domino’s pizza, swiftly followed by KFC, though Subway operates more stores than any other franchise. For those who can’t imagine staying somewhere where beef patties aren’t readily available, Icelandic fast-food chains, including Aktu Taktu and Tommi’s Burger, can all help temper that craving.

According to the latest surveys, only 31% of Icelanders now believe in Elves, or Huldufólk (“Hidden Folk”). With that said, the number of those who would not willingly speak out against Iceland’s elves is far more extensive. To this day, certain areas are still considered linked to the elves, so they must be avoided when laying roads and infrastructure.

Iceland had the First elected Female Head-of-state, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, who held office as President between 1980 to 1996. Iceland was also where the first elected openly-gay prime minister, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, attempted to repair the fallout of the financial collapse that occurred one year before her taking the role.

Iceland is among the few places on the planet where one can witness the Northern Lights in action. According to local folklore, if two lovers conceived a baby beneath the auroras, then it would likely be born cross-eyed. (Just a word of warning for visiting couples looking to get close beneath this cosmic light show).

Most native Icelanders do not have Surnames but instead have patronymic and matronymic last names. If you were to look up an Icelandic person in the local telephone registry, you would have to rifle through the first and middle names to locate them. Parents can only choose their child’s name from a list compiled by the Icelandic naming committee, an issue that has caused some division in local politics in the past.

The towering rock faces of Látrabjarg, located in the remote and ancient Westfjords region, marks Europe’s Tallest Bird Cliffs, as well as its westernmost point. Visitors can spot many species here including the Arctic Skua, guillemots and Atlantic Puffins.

Icelanders have a long history of bathing in Geothermal Baths, and to this day, consider a visit to the swimming pool and saunas top among social activities. This is no joke, changing room guards regularly watch out for anyone trying to skip out on hygiene. Iceland’s oldest outdoor swimming pool, The Secret Lagoon, can be found as part of the Golden Circle sightseeing route.

Iceland is considered at the forefront of sustainable Energy, with most homes and buildings being heated through geothermal or hydro-electrical means.

According to local Christmas traditions, there are 13 Santa Clauses called the Yules Lads, who bear somewhat unappealing names like “Sausage Snatcher” and “Window Peeper”. To make the holidays more uncomfortable, a giant Yule Cat stalks the countryside, ever on the hunt for children who have not been gifted clothes for Christmas.

Icelanders have a reputation for being beautiful specimens. The Miss World competition has seen four Icelandic champions in the run, Hólmfríður Karlsdóttir, Linda Pétursdóttir and Unnur Birna Vilhjálmsdóttir. Guðrún Bjarnadóttir, paved the way for those who would come after, having won Miss International in 1963.

Icelanders are also known for their strength. The World’s Strongest Man’s Hall of Fame has only six members as of 2020, with two of them from Iceland, Magnús Ver Magnússon and Jón Páll Sigmarsson. Another strong man of note is Hafþór Július Björnsson, who, aside from having won the World’s Strongest Man, famously played The Mountain in Game of Thrones.

When counting only those of sovereign states, Reykjavík is the planet’s Northernmost Capital. The city is relatively temperate throughout much of the year, though the winter is often a different story altogether.

The Westman Islands, south of the Icelandic mainland, guests can observe the world’s largest puffin colony. These tiny tuxedoed birds arrive en masse during the summer, leaving behind their solitary lives on the waves. There are an estimated 8 – 10 million puffins in Iceland throughout this period, which accounts for roughly 60% of the earth’s population.

During the summer, Iceland experiences up to 24 Hours of Daylight, courtesy of the Midnight Sun. Such a wealth of sunlight allows for guests to spend much longer on the road, as well as enjoy natural sites and attractions well into the night.