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Iceland / Ísland one of 3 places that i want to visit in the future

History

The first people believed to have visited Iceland were members of a Hiberno-Scottish mission or hermits, also known as Papar, who came in the 8th century. No archaeological discoveries support this theory; the monks are supposed to have left with the arrival of Norsemen, who systematically settled in the period circa AD 870–930. The results of recent carbon dating work, published in the journal Skírnir, suggests that the country may have been settled as early as the second half of the 7th century.

 

The first known permanent Norse settler was Ingólfur Arnarson, who built his homestead in Reykjavík in the year 874. Ingólfur was followed by many other emigrant settlers, largely Norsemen and their Irish slaves. By 930, most arable land had been claimed and the Althing, a legislative and judiciary parliament, was founded as the political hub of the Icelandic Commonwealth. Christianity was adopted circa 999–1000. The Commonwealth lasted until 1262 when the political system devised by the original settlers proved unable to cope with the increasing power of Icelandic chieftains.

 

Geography

Iceland is located in the North Atlantic Ocean just south of the Arctic Circle, which passes through the small island of Grímsey off Iceland's northern coast, but not through mainland Iceland. Unlike neighbouring Greenland, Iceland is a part of Europe, not of North America, though geologically the island is part of both continental plates. Because of cultural, economic and linguistic similarities, Iceland is one of the Nordic countries and participates in Nordic cooperation. The closest bodies of land are Greenland (287 km (178 mi)) and the Faroe Islands (420 km (261 mi)). The closest distance to the mainland of Europe is 970 km (603 mi) (to Norway).

Iceland is the world's 18th largest island, and Europe's second largest island following Great Britain. The main island is 101,826 km2 (39,315 sq mi) but the entire country is 103,000 km2 (39,768.5 sq mi) in size, of which 62.7% is tundra. Lakes and glaciers cover 14.3%; only 23% is vegetated.[22] The largest lakes are Þórisvatn (Reservoir): 83–88 km2 (32.0–34.0 sq mi) and Þingvallavatn: 82 km2 (31.7 sq mi); other important lakes include Lögurinn and Mývatn. Öskjuvatn is the deepest lake at 220 m (722 ft).[citation needed]

 

Geologically, Iceland is a subaerial part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the ridge along which the oceanic crust spreads and forms new oceanic crust. In addition to this, this part of the mid-ocean ridge is located atop a mantle plume causing Iceland to be subaerial. Iceland marks the boundary between both the Eurasian Plate and the North American Plate since it has been created by rifting, and accretion through volcanism, along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge—where the two plates meet.

 

Many fjords punctuate its 4,970 km-long coastline, which is also where most settlements are situated. The island's interior, the Highlands of Iceland, are a cold and uninhabitable combination of sand and mountains. The major towns are the capital of Reykjavík, along with its outlying towns of Kópavogur, Hafnarfjörður and Garðabær, Reykjanesbær, where the international airport is located, and Akureyri, in northern Iceland. The island of Grímsey just south of the Arctic Circle contains the northernmost habitation of Iceland. Iceland has three national parks: Vatnajökull National Park, Snæfellsjökull National Park, and Þingvellir National Park.

 

Oficial Name:

Lýðveldið Ísland

 

Independence:

Home rule 1 February 1904

- Sovereignty 1 December 1918

- Republic 17 June 1944

 

Area:

102.819 km2

 

Inhabitants:

305.000

 

Languages:

Icelandic [isl] 230,000 in Iceland (1980 WA). Population total all countries: 239,768. Also spoken in Canada, USA. Alternate names: Íslenska. Dialects: No appreciable dialect differences (Nida 1972). Not inherently intelligible with Faroese. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, North, West Scandinavian

 

Danish [dan] 2,250 (2001). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, North, East Scandinavian, Danish-Swedish, Danish-Riksmal, Danish

 

Capital city:

Reykjavik

 

Meaning country name:

"Land of ice" (Ísland in Icelandic). Popularly (but falsely) attributed to an attempt to dissuade outsiders from attempting to settle on the land. In fact the early settler/explorer Flóki Vilgerðarson coined the name after he spotted "a firth full of drift ice" to the north. This occurred during spring after an especially harsh winter during which all his livestock had died and he had started debating whether to leave.

 

Description Flag:

The flag of Iceland was officially described in Law No. 34, set out on June 17, 1944, the day Iceland became a republic. The law is entitled "The Law of the National Flag of Icelanders and the State Arms" and describes the Icelandic flag as follows:

The civil national flag of Icelanders is blue as the sky with a snow-white cross, and a fiery-red cross inside the white cross. The arms of the cross extend to the edge of the flag, and their combined width is 2/9, but the red cross 1/9 of the combined width of the flag. The blue areas are right angled squares, the rectilinear surfaces are parallel and the outer rectilinear surfaces as wide as them, but twice the length. The dimensions between the width and length are 18:25.

 

Coat of arms:

The Coat of arms of Iceland or Skjaldarmerki Íslands is a cross of silver on a sky-blue shield, with a fire-red cross inside the silver cross. The shieldbearers are the four protectors of Iceland (landvættir) standing on a pahoehoe lava block. The bull (Griðungur) is the protector of the southwestern Iceland, the eagle or griffin (Gammur) protects northwestern Iceland, the dragon (Dreki) the northeastern part and the Rock-giant (Bergrisi) is the protector of southeastern Iceland. Great respect was given to these creatures of Iceland, so much that there was a law in the days of the Vikings that no ship should bear grimacing symbols (most often dragonheads on the bow of the ship) when approaching Iceland. This was so the protectors would not be spooked unnecessarily.

The landvættir also decorate the obverse (front) of the Icelandic króna coins but animals of the ocean (fish, crabs and dolphins) appear on the reverse (back). The Icelandic presidency uses a swallowtailed Icelandic flag with the Coat of arms. The National Commissioner of Icelandic Police uses a white flag with the Coat of arms, when the use of the State flag is not warranted, and so may some other state services do as well.

The shield may be blazoned, Azure, on a cross argent a cross gules.

 

National Anthem: "Lofsöngur"

 

Icelandic lyrics

Ó, guð vors lands! Ó, lands vors guð!

Vér lofum þitt heilaga, heilaga nafn!

Úr sólkerfum himnanna hnýta þér krans

þínir herskarar, tímanna safn.

Fyrir þér er einn dagur sem þúsund ár,

og þúsund ár dagur, ei meir;

eitt eilífðar smáblóm með titrandi tár,

sem tilbiður guð sinn og deyr.

Íslands þúsund ár,

Íslands þúsund ár!

eitt eilífðar smáblóm með titrandi tár,

sem tilbiður guð sinn og deyr.

 

Ó guð, ó guð! Vér föllum fram

og fórnum þér brennandi, brennandi sál,

guð faðir, vor drottinn frá kyni til kyns,

og vér kvökum vort helgasta mál.

Vér kvökum og þökkum í þúsund ár,

því þú ert vort einasta skjól.

Vér kvökum og þökkum með titrandi tár,

því þú tilbjóst vort forlagahjól.

Íslands þúsund ár,

Íslands þúsund ár!

Voru morgunsins húmköldu, hrynjandi tár,

sem hitna við skínandi sól.

 

Ó, guð vors lands! Ó, lands vors guð!

Vér lifum sem blaktandi, blaktandi strá.

Vér deyjum, ef þú ert ei ljós það og líf,

sem að lyftir oss duftinu frá.

Ó, vert þú hvern morgun vort ljúfasta líf,

vor leiðtogi í daganna þraut

og á kvöldin vor himneska hvíld og vor hlíf

og vor hertogi á þjóðlífsins braut.

Íslands þúsund ár,

Íslands þúsund ár!

verði gróandi þjóðlíf með þverrandi tár,

sem þroskast á guðsríkis braut.

 

English

 

We worship Thy name in its wonder sublime.

The suns of the heavens are set in Thy crown

By Thy legions, the ages of time!

With Thee is each day as a thousand years,

Each thousand of years, but a day,

Eternity's flow'r, with its homage of tears,

That reverently passes away.

Iceland's thousand years,

Iceland's thousand years!

Eternity's flow'r, with its homage of tears,

That reverently passes away.

 

Our God, our God, we bow to Thee,

Our spirits most fervent we place in Thy care.

Lord, God of our fathers from age unto age,

We are breathing our holiest prayer.

We pray and we thank Thee a thousand years,

For safely protected we stand;

We pray and we bring Thee our homage of tears,

Our destiny rest in Thy hand.

Iceland's thousand years,

Iceland's thousand years!

The hoarfrost of morning which tounted those years,

Thy sun rising high, shall command!

 

Our country's God, our country's God!

Our life is a feeble and quivering reed;

We perish, deprived of Thy spirit and light

To redeem and uphold in our need.

Inspire us at morn with Thy courage and love,

And lead through the days of our strife!

At evening send peace from Thy heaven above,

And safeguard our nation through life.

Iceland's thousand years,

Iceland's thousand years!

O, prosper our people, diminish our tears

And guide, in Thy wisdom, through life!

 

Internet Page: www.visiticeland.com

www.iceland.org

www.icelandreview.com

www.iceland.is

www.government.is

 

Iceland in diferent languages

 

eng | hau: Iceland

bre | ces | cor | dan | est | hat | hrv | nor | slk | swe | vor: Island

cos | ina | ita | lld | roh | ron | rup | sqi | srd: Islanda

arg | ast | eus | glg | jav | pol | scn | spa: Islandia

fra | frp | fur | jnf | kin | run: Islande

crh | gag | kaa: İslandiya / Исландия

fao | isl | non: Ísland

bam | lug: Isilandi

cat | oci: Islàndia

deu | ltz: Island / Island

dsb | hsb: Islandska

lit | slv: Islandija

afr: Ysland

aze: İslandiya / Исландија

bos: Island / Исланд

csb: Islandzkô; Islandëjô

cym: Gwlad yr Iâ

epo: Islando

fin: Islanti

fry: Yslân

gla: Innis Tìle

gle: An Íoslainn / An Íoslainn

glv: Yn Eeslynn

hun: Izland

ibo: Aisland

ind: Islandia / ايسلنديا

kal: Islandimuit Nunaat; Islandi

kmr: Îslandî / Исланди / ئیسلاندی

kur: Island / ئسلاند; Îsland / ئیسلاند

lat: Islandia; Glacialia

lav: Īslande

lim: Iesland

lin: Islandi

liv: Īsland

mlg: Islandy

mlt: Iżlanda

mol: Islanda / Исланда

mri: Tiorangi

msa: Iceland / ايسلند

nds: Iesland / Iesland

nld: IJsland

nrm: Islaunde

por: Islândia

que: Islandya

rmy: Island / इस्लान्द

sag: Ïsländ

slo: Islandia / Исландиа

sme: Islánda

smg: Ėslandėjė

smo: Aiselani

som: Iislaand

swa: Barafu

szl: Islandja

tet: Izlándia

tgl: Lupangyelo; Aisland; Islandya

ton: ʻAisilani

tpi: Aislan

tuk: Islandiýa / Исландия

tur: İslanda; İzlanda

uzb: Islandiya / Исландия

vie: Ai-xơ-len; Băng Đảo

vol: Lisladeän

wln: Izlande

wol: Islaand

zza: İslanda

alt | bul | kir | kjh | kom | krc | kum | rus | tyv | udm: Исландия (Islandija)

che | chv | oss: Исланди (Islandi)

mkd | mon | xal: Исланд (Island)

abq: Исландия (Isłandija)

bak: Исландия / İslandiya

bel: Ісландыя / Isłandyja; Ісьляндыя / Iślandyja

chm: Исландий (Islandij)

kaz: Исландия / Ïslandïya / يسلانديا

kbd: Исландие (Islandie)

srp: Исланд / Island

tat: Исландия / İslandiä

tgk: Исландия / ایسلندیه / Islandija

ukr: Ісландія (Islandija)

ara: آيسلندا (Āyslandā); إيسلندا (Īslandā); إسلندا (Islandā)

ckb: ئیسلەندا / Îslenda

fas: ایسلند / Island; آیسلند / Âysland

prs: ایسلند (Aisland); آیسلند (Āysland)

pus: ايسلنډ (Ayslənḋ); آيسلېنډ (Āyslenḋ); آيسلېند (Āyslend)

uig: ئىسلاندىيە / Islandiye / Исландия

urd: آئسلینڈ / آئسلینڈ (Āʾislænḋ); آئیسلینڈ (Āʾīslænḋ)

div: އައިސްލޭންޑް (A'islēnḋ)

heb: איסלנד (Îsland); איסלאנד (Îslând)

lad: איסלאנדיה / Islandia

yid: איסלאַנד (Island)

amh: አይስላንድ (Ăysland)

ell-dhi: Ισλανδία (Islandía)

ell-kat: Ἰσλανδία (Islandía)

hye: Իսլանդիա (Islandia)

kat: ისლანდია (Islandia)

hin: आइसलैंड (Āislæṁḍ)

nep: आइसल्याण्ड (Āislæṇḍ)

ben: আইসল্যাণ্ড (Āislæṇḍ); আইসল্যান্ড (Āislænḍ)

guj: આઇસલૅન્ડ (Āislĕnḍ)

pan: ਅਈਸਲੈਂਡ (Aīslæ̃ḍ)

kan: ಐಸ್ಲೆಂಡ್ (Aisleṁḍ)

mal: ഐസ്ലാന്ഡ് (Aislānḍ)

tam: ஐஸ்லாந்து (Aislāntu)

tel: ఐస్లాండ్ (Aislāṁḍ)

zho: 冰島/冰岛 (Bīngdǎo)

yue: 冰島/冰岛 (Bìngdóu)

jpn: アイスランド (Aisurando)

kor: 아이슬란드 (Aiseullandeu)

bod: འཁྱགས་རུམ་གླིང་ཕྲན་ ('Kʰygas.rum.gliṅ.pʰran.)

dzo: ཨའིསི་ལེནཌ་ (A'isi.lenḍ.)

mya: အုိက္စလန္ (Aiʿsálã)

tha: ไอซ์แลนด์ (Ai[s]lǣn[d])

lao: ອິດສະລັງ (Itsalâṅ)

khm: អ៊ីស្លង់ (Īslăṅ); អាយឡែន (Āyḷæn)

 

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Uploaded on March 5, 2010