From far away it may seem that Iceland is a country full of ice and chilly weather and Eskimos live there but the fact is totally different from this misconception. The Icelanders are very contemporary and yet very conservative when it comes of following and preserving their traditions. It is said that some of their traditions are prevailing from twelfth century. If it is so, then it must be said that Icelanders have continued and kept their traditions alive in a very nice manner.
Traditions in calling and greetings: people of Iceland call each other by their first name and even in telephone and other directories people are listed by their first name and not by the surname. People of Iceland greet each other with a kiss on each other’s cheek on meetings. Only two persons i.e. the honorable president and the honorably chief bishop of Iceland are addressed formally.
Traditions while visiting somewhere: it is a very sweet tradition in Iceland that guests are accommodated in homes rather than hotels or restaurants as seen in many countries. The other tradition widely followed here is that people often remove their shoes before entering the house.
Traditions in dressing and seating: dressing is very normal and casual until it is said to dress formally. All formal parties’ ends before midnight but this time can be extended depending on the size of the occasion. At formal events seating for guests are arranged in international format. The seat of guest of honor is on the right side of the hostess if guest of honor is male and if guest of honor is female then she is seated on the right side of the host.
Traditions for gifts: a very common tradition is that to take a bouquet of flowers or gift when going to an Icelandic home for the first time. It is also seen that if someone forgets this tradition then he will send a bouquet or a small gift, the other day with a thanksgiving greeting card. It is usual to bring gifts to attend birthday parties, wedding parties, at Christmas parties. At the time of birth, gifts are given to newborn child.
Tipping: as per rule of government of Iceland, tipping is strictly prohibited in Iceland, especially to taxi drivers, in hotels and restaurants and to tour guides. But their is no restriction on offering tip to fishing guide
Traditions in dining: cooking and food of Iceland is almost alike the other bigger countries of Europe but the essence and love are totally Icelandic. Raw material used for cooking is extremely natural. Many types of freshwater fish and sea fish are used as food product. Very widely used meat are of lamb, pork, beef and poultry includes chicken, turkey, geese and some names like ptarmigan. There is no scope of growing vegetation because of extremely cool weather but still vegetables are grown their in warm houses which are warmed by the heat of geo-thermally heated water. Traditional Icelandic food includes smoked lamb, singed sheep, meat soup and some vegetarian also. Dried fish and cured shark are another two traditional foods but they are more used like appetizers. Whipped cream with blue berries is the most popular dessert of Iceland. All types of beers, hard drinks and soft drinks are made in Iceland but wine is all imported from neighboring countries.
Author Bio:
Dagur Jonsson is the editor of Iceland Guest, a website specializing in tourist information for travelers to Iceland. For more information visit www.icelandguest.com
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Health and education in Iceland
Although Iceland’s population can be counted on fingers, but when it comes to their standard of living, it is among the best in the world. Not only in overall living but they have maintained a very high priority for their education and health related issues. Let’s review the condition of education and health of Iceland and its people.
EDUCATION
Iceland has kept the level of its education very high. At present literacy there can be compared to some very developed countries of the world. It is the case of 1907, that it was made mandatory for children below 14 years of age to attend the schools. Then in 1946, this age limit was extended to 16 years. Beyond 16 years, there is a provision of high schools or specialized schools. The basic principle of Icelandic mode of providing education is that everyone should be given equal opportunities to attend schools and acquire education. Points like sexual difference, financial condition, their location, and religion, any type of physical or mental disability or cultural or social background are not considered as hindrances in somebody’s path to get an education.
The reason why Icelandic mode of education is world class because they know that to compete with the ever advancing world, they need to provide their children, a world class training and facilities. By the rule of government of Iceland, everyone comes under the law of taking free education in primary, upper-secondary and at university level. Because the policies of the government are made in such a way that it encourages the founding of any private school, that’s why many private institutions are working to build on the school system. Otherwise the education system in Iceland is traditionally an organized public sector. In 1998, a new school education policy was launched here in Iceland which aimed at providing the students of Iceland with the education which is best in the world. The reason behind launching this policy was to create a very efficient and very flexible system for school education which focuses on the needs and requirements of the modern day world.
HEALTH
Just like education, health care services of Iceland are considered one of the best in the world. All citizens of Iceland have equal opportunities to have the benefit of medical services to maintain their mental and physical health. A law from government of Iceland ensures that no one should be deprived from health care services on the basis of sex, religion, beliefs, nationality, rank and color of skin or any other attributes. Major part of Icelandic health service is financed by government and this financing is made on the base of taxes or 85% and 15% is fees for the service conducted.
The country of Iceland is divided in health care regions and every region has its own health care centre. In some parts of Iceland, these health care centers run in collaboration with the local community hospital. These centers fulfill the services of treating, general care, examining, nursing and some social services like family planning, maternity services, health care for children and health care in schools. Various types of hospitals such as specialized training hospitals, general hospital and community hospitals are there in Iceland. The specialized hospitals perform serious and complicate surgeries with efficiency because the staff is very qualified and the performance is very professional. Average life of females is 83 years and it is 79 years for males and this is highest in the world. Infant mortality rate is 3 per 1000 births which is lowest in the world.
Author Bio:
Dagur Jonsson is the editor of Iceland Guest, a website specializing in tourist information for travelers to Iceland. For more information visit www.icelandguest.com
EDUCATION
Iceland has kept the level of its education very high. At present literacy there can be compared to some very developed countries of the world. It is the case of 1907, that it was made mandatory for children below 14 years of age to attend the schools. Then in 1946, this age limit was extended to 16 years. Beyond 16 years, there is a provision of high schools or specialized schools. The basic principle of Icelandic mode of providing education is that everyone should be given equal opportunities to attend schools and acquire education. Points like sexual difference, financial condition, their location, and religion, any type of physical or mental disability or cultural or social background are not considered as hindrances in somebody’s path to get an education.
The reason why Icelandic mode of education is world class because they know that to compete with the ever advancing world, they need to provide their children, a world class training and facilities. By the rule of government of Iceland, everyone comes under the law of taking free education in primary, upper-secondary and at university level. Because the policies of the government are made in such a way that it encourages the founding of any private school, that’s why many private institutions are working to build on the school system. Otherwise the education system in Iceland is traditionally an organized public sector. In 1998, a new school education policy was launched here in Iceland which aimed at providing the students of Iceland with the education which is best in the world. The reason behind launching this policy was to create a very efficient and very flexible system for school education which focuses on the needs and requirements of the modern day world.
HEALTH
Just like education, health care services of Iceland are considered one of the best in the world. All citizens of Iceland have equal opportunities to have the benefit of medical services to maintain their mental and physical health. A law from government of Iceland ensures that no one should be deprived from health care services on the basis of sex, religion, beliefs, nationality, rank and color of skin or any other attributes. Major part of Icelandic health service is financed by government and this financing is made on the base of taxes or 85% and 15% is fees for the service conducted.
The country of Iceland is divided in health care regions and every region has its own health care centre. In some parts of Iceland, these health care centers run in collaboration with the local community hospital. These centers fulfill the services of treating, general care, examining, nursing and some social services like family planning, maternity services, health care for children and health care in schools. Various types of hospitals such as specialized training hospitals, general hospital and community hospitals are there in Iceland. The specialized hospitals perform serious and complicate surgeries with efficiency because the staff is very qualified and the performance is very professional. Average life of females is 83 years and it is 79 years for males and this is highest in the world. Infant mortality rate is 3 per 1000 births which is lowest in the world.
Author Bio:
Dagur Jonsson is the editor of Iceland Guest, a website specializing in tourist information for travelers to Iceland. For more information visit www.icelandguest.com
Iceland – a country with a great cuisine
For ages, Iceland has stayed unaffected by time and because of this fact, ninety percent of food of Iceland is very closely connected with nature and its components. Now tourists coming to Iceland are more interested in Icelandic food rather than volcanoes and other wonders of the nature. The people of Iceland also leave no stone unturned just to see that no tourist or visitor leaves Iceland without tasting and appreciating the food available here.
This is probably the reason why there are number of restaurants that are determined to provide quality food to the visitors. Most of these Iceland’s restaurants are serving the specialty of Iceland i.e. fresh seafood, fresh meat food from animals that are brought up naturally. Infact, all restaurants and hotels in entire Iceland continuously offers all types of food products that are made here. They never allow quality to be an issue and other reason why the quality is superb is because the atmosphere here is very clean with no water or air pollution at all. It is said that Iceland’s lamb meat is best in the world because the sheep here are free to roam on mountains and grow up very naturally. The government of Iceland has issued strict regulation regarding all meat products and the use of hormones to enhance the quality is strictly liable to be punished.
Iceland is the proud manufacturer of a big range of cheese and other milk products and the reason behind this is the abundant supply of milk. As per records, more than eighty types of cheese are made here and some of them are famous worldwide. Infact, some of these renowned cheeses have won international awards. Names of some famous cheese are:
» Skyr [it is something which is not totally yoghurt and not totally German quark]
» Mysa
Fishes caught by Icelandic fisherman from untouched water of North Atlantic have proved to the world that no fish from elsewhere in the world is tastier than them. For thousands of years, fish has been the main itinerary of Icelandic feast and because of its non-stop supply; one can enjoy the taste of fresh caught fish any time of the year. Haddock cod, plaice, halibut, herring and shrimps makes the course of Icelandic dine complete. Poultry is also the main part of Icelandic food and the poultry business is also flourishing here. Birds that are tamed and used as food, out of which the most are chicken, duck and turkey. A very special type of geese is also tamed and used extensively as a food product. Because of the fact that Iceland is situated in extreme north of European continent and also due to its cool weathers it’s very hard to grow vegetables but still many green vegetables and fruits can be seen here in Iceland’s food menu. The different thing is that all these vegetation is done under the geo-thermally heated arenas.
Traditional food of Iceland called thorramature is also very popular but the point is that its availability is restricted from January to March. It is basically a range of preserved foods which includes smoked and salted lamb, seared sheep heads, dried fish, smoked salmon, cured shark and many other objects. Bread includes deep fried paper like bread and rye pancakes.
Author Bio:
Dagur Jonsson is the editor of Iceland Guest, a website specializing in tourist information for travelers to Iceland. For more information visit www.icelandguest.com
This is probably the reason why there are number of restaurants that are determined to provide quality food to the visitors. Most of these Iceland’s restaurants are serving the specialty of Iceland i.e. fresh seafood, fresh meat food from animals that are brought up naturally. Infact, all restaurants and hotels in entire Iceland continuously offers all types of food products that are made here. They never allow quality to be an issue and other reason why the quality is superb is because the atmosphere here is very clean with no water or air pollution at all. It is said that Iceland’s lamb meat is best in the world because the sheep here are free to roam on mountains and grow up very naturally. The government of Iceland has issued strict regulation regarding all meat products and the use of hormones to enhance the quality is strictly liable to be punished.
Iceland is the proud manufacturer of a big range of cheese and other milk products and the reason behind this is the abundant supply of milk. As per records, more than eighty types of cheese are made here and some of them are famous worldwide. Infact, some of these renowned cheeses have won international awards. Names of some famous cheese are:
» Skyr [it is something which is not totally yoghurt and not totally German quark]
» Mysa
Fishes caught by Icelandic fisherman from untouched water of North Atlantic have proved to the world that no fish from elsewhere in the world is tastier than them. For thousands of years, fish has been the main itinerary of Icelandic feast and because of its non-stop supply; one can enjoy the taste of fresh caught fish any time of the year. Haddock cod, plaice, halibut, herring and shrimps makes the course of Icelandic dine complete. Poultry is also the main part of Icelandic food and the poultry business is also flourishing here. Birds that are tamed and used as food, out of which the most are chicken, duck and turkey. A very special type of geese is also tamed and used extensively as a food product. Because of the fact that Iceland is situated in extreme north of European continent and also due to its cool weathers it’s very hard to grow vegetables but still many green vegetables and fruits can be seen here in Iceland’s food menu. The different thing is that all these vegetation is done under the geo-thermally heated arenas.
Traditional food of Iceland called thorramature is also very popular but the point is that its availability is restricted from January to March. It is basically a range of preserved foods which includes smoked and salted lamb, seared sheep heads, dried fish, smoked salmon, cured shark and many other objects. Bread includes deep fried paper like bread and rye pancakes.
Author Bio:
Dagur Jonsson is the editor of Iceland Guest, a website specializing in tourist information for travelers to Iceland. For more information visit www.icelandguest.com
Friday, August 31, 2007
Iceland – unique island with a great vision
Iceland is an island just about the size of Kentucky State. This small sized island lies in the northern direction in the Atlantic Ocean just east to Greenland and it also touches the Arctic Circle. The land of Iceland is also famous as it is one of the most aggressive volcanic regions of the world. More than thirteen percent of Iceland’s total land is covered by glaciers or are snowfields. Major part of Iceland’s total population inhibits only in the seven percent part of the island because that seven percent land is considered a very fertile coastland. The gulf stream of Atlantic Ocean keeps the climate of the Iceland milder and temperature very moderate than what is expected in an island around Arctic Circle.
It is believed that the first inhabitants of Iceland were the hermits from Ireland. These hermits vacated this island when pagan Norse people arrived here in ninth century. A constitution was formed in 930 A.D and a democracy and a parliament was formed which is also known as Althing. Now Althing has the honor to be the world’s oldest still running legislative assembly. The history of Iceland is very well preserved in the Icelandic sagas written during 13th century.
In the year 1262, Iceland was occupied by Norwegian rule and was further given to the ultimate control of Denmark through the very famous ‘the kalmar union’ in which kingdoms of Norway, Sweden and Denmark united in 1397. In the year, 1874, Iceland gained their own constitution and then in 1918, Denmark recognized Iceland as a separate country and unlimited sovereignty through the act of union. By this time also, Iceland was partially under the rule of Danish monarchy. During the Second World War when Germany attacked on Denmark first the British troops and then the American troops landed in Iceland and used it as the strategic air base. According to historians, neutral Iceland supported its allies through out the war. On June 17th, 1944, after the official referendum Iceland was declared independent republic and the Althing also proclaimed it as an independent republic.
Iceland joined NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization] in 1949 and its maiden American air force base in 1951. In 1971 it was recognized by EFTA [European Free Trade Association]. In the year 1972, Iceland extended its fishing coastline to 200 nautical miles from 3 nautical miles. This was done without the consent of England. For this reason both Iceland and England were trapped in the dispute known as the cold wars. This dispute ended in 1976 with England agreeing to the new fishing borders of Iceland. In the year 1980, Iceland made yet another history, when it became the first country in the world to have a woman president in the office of the presidency. It was the case of the year 1990, when after the recession the economy and the financial condition of Iceland stabilized.
Iceland refused to sign the agreement which stated that moratorium of commercial whaling will continue as it was since 1986. This incident took place in the meeting of the International Whaling Commission in 2001. Finally in 2003, Iceland agreed on the initialization of hunting of whales for researches and experiments.
Author Bio:
Dagur Jonsson is the editor of Iceland Guest, a website specializing in tourist information for travelers to Iceland. For more information visit www.icelandguest.com
It is believed that the first inhabitants of Iceland were the hermits from Ireland. These hermits vacated this island when pagan Norse people arrived here in ninth century. A constitution was formed in 930 A.D and a democracy and a parliament was formed which is also known as Althing. Now Althing has the honor to be the world’s oldest still running legislative assembly. The history of Iceland is very well preserved in the Icelandic sagas written during 13th century.
In the year 1262, Iceland was occupied by Norwegian rule and was further given to the ultimate control of Denmark through the very famous ‘the kalmar union’ in which kingdoms of Norway, Sweden and Denmark united in 1397. In the year, 1874, Iceland gained their own constitution and then in 1918, Denmark recognized Iceland as a separate country and unlimited sovereignty through the act of union. By this time also, Iceland was partially under the rule of Danish monarchy. During the Second World War when Germany attacked on Denmark first the British troops and then the American troops landed in Iceland and used it as the strategic air base. According to historians, neutral Iceland supported its allies through out the war. On June 17th, 1944, after the official referendum Iceland was declared independent republic and the Althing also proclaimed it as an independent republic.
Iceland joined NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization] in 1949 and its maiden American air force base in 1951. In 1971 it was recognized by EFTA [European Free Trade Association]. In the year 1972, Iceland extended its fishing coastline to 200 nautical miles from 3 nautical miles. This was done without the consent of England. For this reason both Iceland and England were trapped in the dispute known as the cold wars. This dispute ended in 1976 with England agreeing to the new fishing borders of Iceland. In the year 1980, Iceland made yet another history, when it became the first country in the world to have a woman president in the office of the presidency. It was the case of the year 1990, when after the recession the economy and the financial condition of Iceland stabilized.
Iceland refused to sign the agreement which stated that moratorium of commercial whaling will continue as it was since 1986. This incident took place in the meeting of the International Whaling Commission in 2001. Finally in 2003, Iceland agreed on the initialization of hunting of whales for researches and experiments.
Author Bio:
Dagur Jonsson is the editor of Iceland Guest, a website specializing in tourist information for travelers to Iceland. For more information visit www.icelandguest.com
The strong culture and heritage of Iceland
Iceland is a country located in the north of Europe. The surprising thing about Iceland is that although entire Europe is connected with a very good network of railways, this is a country which can be accessed only by air transport or sea transport. The culture of this country is full of amazing colors. Infact it was because of the culture and somewhere the expectation of freedom and adventure that motivated early Vikings to settle here way back in ninth century.
Basically, it is believed that Icelanders are of Scandinavian origin with a small mixture of Celtic blood. Even now also, for every individual in Iceland, their freedom and self-respect is the thing the matters the most. The political stability is displayed in the world’s oldest parliamentary democracy. Tourists going to Iceland will notice a fact that most of Icelanders are of a classless society and that they still have a very strong literary tradition. Interest for cultural heritage of Iceland is inbuilt in every child that takes birth there and probably, this is the reason why the cultures and traditions of Iceland look very fresh. People of Iceland consider cultures and traditions as the identity of their older generations and a treasure for the generations to come. This statement is very strongly supported by the writings in Icelandic sagas and literary writing works of medieval period. Remember that these works are regarded as the classics of the world literature. Creative arts and performing arts are thriving very successfully in Iceland and it’s very heartening and motivating to see this in a land which has total population of just around three hundred thousand.
It is believed there, that the culture of Iceland is as broad as its landscape. Let me tell you that Iceland has much more than raw and unspoiled nature. Icelandic Writers, composers, actors, artists and musicians, all are very famous in the world. Some of these famous names are the names of Halldor Laxness, Jon Leifs, Kristjan Johansson, Sigur Ros and Bjork. The first class attractions of Iceland include the very famous Reykjavik art festival, the museums and the restaurants made in ancient arts. In addition to these, there are various art galleries and museums in and around Reykjavik area. The good thing about Iceland is that every region there have its own museum [urban and rural] to display the local history and facts about the atmosphere of that region. No doubt, museum of every region is worth a visit which can give you a closer view of Icelandic life and culture of both past age and present age. There are more than 15 public and private libraries in the capital area of Reykjavik. The most famous are the National and University Library of Iceland and Headquarters of Municipal Library. Every book and document related to Iceland’s past, present and future are available here.
In the past few years, music of Iceland has broken its shackles and spread all around the world and this is all because of huge success and fame gained throughout the world by some superstar musicians of Iceland like Sigur Ros, Mum, Mugison, Bjorg and The Sugar cubes. However, Iceland is not short of artists of classical, jazz, folk, experimental, dance, pop and rock music. There are many music stores in the shopping malls in Reykjavik which can provide you the huge variety of Icelandic music right from sixties to present date.
Although Iceland is considered a much unknown country to the world but the culture and the art is not unknown, Infact it is creating waves and the world of arts and cultures.
Author Bio:
Dagur Jonsson is the editor of Iceland Guest, a website specializing in tourist information for travelers to Iceland. For more information visit www.icelandguest.com
Basically, it is believed that Icelanders are of Scandinavian origin with a small mixture of Celtic blood. Even now also, for every individual in Iceland, their freedom and self-respect is the thing the matters the most. The political stability is displayed in the world’s oldest parliamentary democracy. Tourists going to Iceland will notice a fact that most of Icelanders are of a classless society and that they still have a very strong literary tradition. Interest for cultural heritage of Iceland is inbuilt in every child that takes birth there and probably, this is the reason why the cultures and traditions of Iceland look very fresh. People of Iceland consider cultures and traditions as the identity of their older generations and a treasure for the generations to come. This statement is very strongly supported by the writings in Icelandic sagas and literary writing works of medieval period. Remember that these works are regarded as the classics of the world literature. Creative arts and performing arts are thriving very successfully in Iceland and it’s very heartening and motivating to see this in a land which has total population of just around three hundred thousand.
It is believed there, that the culture of Iceland is as broad as its landscape. Let me tell you that Iceland has much more than raw and unspoiled nature. Icelandic Writers, composers, actors, artists and musicians, all are very famous in the world. Some of these famous names are the names of Halldor Laxness, Jon Leifs, Kristjan Johansson, Sigur Ros and Bjork. The first class attractions of Iceland include the very famous Reykjavik art festival, the museums and the restaurants made in ancient arts. In addition to these, there are various art galleries and museums in and around Reykjavik area. The good thing about Iceland is that every region there have its own museum [urban and rural] to display the local history and facts about the atmosphere of that region. No doubt, museum of every region is worth a visit which can give you a closer view of Icelandic life and culture of both past age and present age. There are more than 15 public and private libraries in the capital area of Reykjavik. The most famous are the National and University Library of Iceland and Headquarters of Municipal Library. Every book and document related to Iceland’s past, present and future are available here.
In the past few years, music of Iceland has broken its shackles and spread all around the world and this is all because of huge success and fame gained throughout the world by some superstar musicians of Iceland like Sigur Ros, Mum, Mugison, Bjorg and The Sugar cubes. However, Iceland is not short of artists of classical, jazz, folk, experimental, dance, pop and rock music. There are many music stores in the shopping malls in Reykjavik which can provide you the huge variety of Icelandic music right from sixties to present date.
Although Iceland is considered a much unknown country to the world but the culture and the art is not unknown, Infact it is creating waves and the world of arts and cultures.
Author Bio:
Dagur Jonsson is the editor of Iceland Guest, a website specializing in tourist information for travelers to Iceland. For more information visit www.icelandguest.com
Iceland, the most unique of all Nordic countries
The country of Iceland is very different from other countries in its region which is popularly known as “Nordic region” or “Nordic countries”. The reason is Iceland’s entire landscape which is covered by plateaus, volcanoes, geysers and glaciers and most importantly very big uninhabited and unpopulated areas. Iceland has got the world’s biggest count of natural hot geysers and hot springs.
This relatively cooler country of Iceland lies on the extreme North West border of Europe [more towards north and less towards west] between the tundra zone with moorlands without trees and huge pine forest zones. The ancient remains of birch forest are still visible at many places. Bogs and marshes are found in plenty. As little as only 25 percent of total land is covered by green vegetation and out of this only one percent is covered by trees. Only one percent of Iceland contains arable lands and market gardens. The season for cultivation is very small in Iceland. Hence, all agricultural products are more concentrated towards animal farming. The maximum part of arable land is utilized for the cultivation of hay and other foodstuffs.
Not only in Iceland but in whole Nordic region, climate is controlled by two important factors.
-their position in that particular area, and
-their proximity to the Atlantic ocean with the gulf stream
The more northern position means that the average temperature will remain very low i.e. around or below zero during the coolest months of winter. It has been recorded in books that Iceland has never recorded the average temperature of more than 19 degrees from 1961 till 1990. In other Nordic countries like Norway and Sweden, there is a bigger difference between the temperature in winters of northern region and southern region as the land stretches from far south to far north.
And because the location if Iceland lies in extreme north, it is far more cool than one can expect, in winters especially. The mean temperature of capital city Reykjavik is five degrees and the temperatures in January and July are -0.4 degrees and 11 degrees respectively. The southern part and south coast of Iceland receives an annual rainfall of 3000 MM and this quantity decreases to around 400 MM in highlands and in north of Vatnajokull.
In whole it can be said that the weather of Iceland is not reliable as it depends mostly on the atmospheric pressure going trans-Atlantic. The passage of this depression from southern Iceland makes weather more dry and cold there. The passage of this depression from north east Iceland and Greenland makes weather mild and dry in that area. The coastal areas of Iceland are windy and gales are very common here in winter season and thunderstorms are not that common.
The southern and western coasts and parts of Iceland are relatively hotter in winter and this is all due to warm waters flowing in gulf streams. July and august are the warmest months of this region and the quality of weather improves as one moves towards north and east. These directions have more chances of clear weather but in interior deserts can show you blizzards and strong winds flowing along with dust and sand. In Iceland there is continuous day for two or three months i.e. early spring and late autumn. During summers the sun never sets especially in June. Tours are organized to the island of grimsey where one can view the most spectacular scene of his life “the midnight sun”. It is always advised to go through weather forecasts before you check in to Iceland because there is no guarantee of it.
Author Bio:
Dagur Jonsson is the editor of Iceland Guest, a website specializing in tourist information for travelers to Iceland. For more information visit www.icelandguest.com
This relatively cooler country of Iceland lies on the extreme North West border of Europe [more towards north and less towards west] between the tundra zone with moorlands without trees and huge pine forest zones. The ancient remains of birch forest are still visible at many places. Bogs and marshes are found in plenty. As little as only 25 percent of total land is covered by green vegetation and out of this only one percent is covered by trees. Only one percent of Iceland contains arable lands and market gardens. The season for cultivation is very small in Iceland. Hence, all agricultural products are more concentrated towards animal farming. The maximum part of arable land is utilized for the cultivation of hay and other foodstuffs.
Not only in Iceland but in whole Nordic region, climate is controlled by two important factors.
-their position in that particular area, and
-their proximity to the Atlantic ocean with the gulf stream
The more northern position means that the average temperature will remain very low i.e. around or below zero during the coolest months of winter. It has been recorded in books that Iceland has never recorded the average temperature of more than 19 degrees from 1961 till 1990. In other Nordic countries like Norway and Sweden, there is a bigger difference between the temperature in winters of northern region and southern region as the land stretches from far south to far north.
And because the location if Iceland lies in extreme north, it is far more cool than one can expect, in winters especially. The mean temperature of capital city Reykjavik is five degrees and the temperatures in January and July are -0.4 degrees and 11 degrees respectively. The southern part and south coast of Iceland receives an annual rainfall of 3000 MM and this quantity decreases to around 400 MM in highlands and in north of Vatnajokull.
In whole it can be said that the weather of Iceland is not reliable as it depends mostly on the atmospheric pressure going trans-Atlantic. The passage of this depression from southern Iceland makes weather more dry and cold there. The passage of this depression from north east Iceland and Greenland makes weather mild and dry in that area. The coastal areas of Iceland are windy and gales are very common here in winter season and thunderstorms are not that common.
The southern and western coasts and parts of Iceland are relatively hotter in winter and this is all due to warm waters flowing in gulf streams. July and august are the warmest months of this region and the quality of weather improves as one moves towards north and east. These directions have more chances of clear weather but in interior deserts can show you blizzards and strong winds flowing along with dust and sand. In Iceland there is continuous day for two or three months i.e. early spring and late autumn. During summers the sun never sets especially in June. Tours are organized to the island of grimsey where one can view the most spectacular scene of his life “the midnight sun”. It is always advised to go through weather forecasts before you check in to Iceland because there is no guarantee of it.
Author Bio:
Dagur Jonsson is the editor of Iceland Guest, a website specializing in tourist information for travelers to Iceland. For more information visit www.icelandguest.com
Monday, July 30, 2007
Southern Iceland, shaped by forces of nature
Iceland, in current scenario, is more connected to fun and adventure rather than dark and chilly days and nothing to do. It is a far better place for tourists now than it was two decades back. This mid-Atlantic European island is the closest neighbor to North America with flight duration of only four and a half hours. One thing can be said for sure. There are more than expected adventures and activities waiting for everyone. The most electrifying thing about Iceland is the weather. In January the temperature will very easily go below 0 degrees but still the Icelander’s welcome for every visitor is very warm in every season.
Rugged and raw lava fields which are just few centuries old, gives a very warm welcome for visitors who arrive at Keflavík airport which is located in southern part of Iceland. These lava fields spread till the southwestern Reykjanes peninsula area. All in all it can be said that right from getting out of the airport, spectacular and amazing sights can be seen. Southern Iceland is full of surprises and new revelations on every step. Let us reveal some of those surprises.
Geothermal activities are very frequently visible in south Iceland in hot springs and especially the blue lagoons. Blue lagoon is probably the most illustrious bathing spot situated in the lava field. It is said that its water is full of minerals and that water is famous for health related qualities. South Iceland is the perfect destination for a day tour from Reykjavik and for those tourists who are short of time to explore the country in depth as it provides all opportunities for birdlife watching and whale watching along with some very well known sea shores.
South Iceland has variety of day tours to offer and that too from the capital Reykjavik. The tourist destination called “golden circle” is a must visit place for all the tourists coming to this part of Iceland. The main attraction is Thingvellir where it is believed that the earliest arrivers set an assembly way back in 930 A.D. this assembly is now called the oldest parliament of the world. This city of Thingvellir is also very famous for its natural beauty with a lake and numerous rifts that shows the signs of continental plates of America and Eurasia. Golden circle’s other two main attractions are the Gullfoss, “the golden falls” and the geothermal fields of Geysir. This is a two tier waterfall in the gulch of the river Hvita and the hot springs are famous as it vomits boiling water and steam after every five minutes. Another geyser called “the old faithful” has started erupting again after sleeping for many years. Landmannalaugar is also very famous tourist destination as it is a hotbed of geothermal activities. It is also very famous for its springs and for colors of its landscapes and mountains. Situated in interiors in south Iceland is the Lakagigar crater series inland form kirkjubaejerklauster. It is famous as it produced the biggest lava flow in the historical times anywhere around the world. This event happened during the Skaftar eruptions in 1783.
All these forces of nature are responsible not only for shaping southern Iceland but also the life of the people living here. In earlier times, people here believed that the peak part of mount Hekla is the gate of hell. In the southern most part, a west Mann Island is the home for continuous earthquakes. The history of southern Iceland is very rich and it is seen everywhere. Starting from range of Sage period farm houses at Stong it goes to the old bishop seat of Skalholt and also to the very popular regional museum at Skogar. All these are considered very unique in their respective fields.
Iceland is the perfect place for relieving yourself and taking a step on the European settlement and that too with a very electrifying, vigorous and a very ancient but a very personal living culture. You will feel as if you are in your home or your city as you are free to walk around, go shopping and exploring for new things.
Author Bio:
Dagur Jonsson is the editor of Iceland Guest, a website specializing in tourist information for travelers to Iceland. For more information visit www.icelandguest.com
Rugged and raw lava fields which are just few centuries old, gives a very warm welcome for visitors who arrive at Keflavík airport which is located in southern part of Iceland. These lava fields spread till the southwestern Reykjanes peninsula area. All in all it can be said that right from getting out of the airport, spectacular and amazing sights can be seen. Southern Iceland is full of surprises and new revelations on every step. Let us reveal some of those surprises.
Geothermal activities are very frequently visible in south Iceland in hot springs and especially the blue lagoons. Blue lagoon is probably the most illustrious bathing spot situated in the lava field. It is said that its water is full of minerals and that water is famous for health related qualities. South Iceland is the perfect destination for a day tour from Reykjavik and for those tourists who are short of time to explore the country in depth as it provides all opportunities for birdlife watching and whale watching along with some very well known sea shores.
South Iceland has variety of day tours to offer and that too from the capital Reykjavik. The tourist destination called “golden circle” is a must visit place for all the tourists coming to this part of Iceland. The main attraction is Thingvellir where it is believed that the earliest arrivers set an assembly way back in 930 A.D. this assembly is now called the oldest parliament of the world. This city of Thingvellir is also very famous for its natural beauty with a lake and numerous rifts that shows the signs of continental plates of America and Eurasia. Golden circle’s other two main attractions are the Gullfoss, “the golden falls” and the geothermal fields of Geysir. This is a two tier waterfall in the gulch of the river Hvita and the hot springs are famous as it vomits boiling water and steam after every five minutes. Another geyser called “the old faithful” has started erupting again after sleeping for many years. Landmannalaugar is also very famous tourist destination as it is a hotbed of geothermal activities. It is also very famous for its springs and for colors of its landscapes and mountains. Situated in interiors in south Iceland is the Lakagigar crater series inland form kirkjubaejerklauster. It is famous as it produced the biggest lava flow in the historical times anywhere around the world. This event happened during the Skaftar eruptions in 1783.
All these forces of nature are responsible not only for shaping southern Iceland but also the life of the people living here. In earlier times, people here believed that the peak part of mount Hekla is the gate of hell. In the southern most part, a west Mann Island is the home for continuous earthquakes. The history of southern Iceland is very rich and it is seen everywhere. Starting from range of Sage period farm houses at Stong it goes to the old bishop seat of Skalholt and also to the very popular regional museum at Skogar. All these are considered very unique in their respective fields.
Iceland is the perfect place for relieving yourself and taking a step on the European settlement and that too with a very electrifying, vigorous and a very ancient but a very personal living culture. You will feel as if you are in your home or your city as you are free to walk around, go shopping and exploring for new things.
Author Bio:
Dagur Jonsson is the editor of Iceland Guest, a website specializing in tourist information for travelers to Iceland. For more information visit www.icelandguest.com
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