Iceland is approximately 1O3.1OO square miles big. That makes it 2.5 times, the size of Denmark. Iceland has the reputation to be the most sparsely populated country of the European continent with only around 3 persons per square kilometer. The overall population of Iceland is more or less 295,OOO. Most of Iceland is vacant and more than sixty percent of total population lives in and around its capital city of Reykjavik. But this particular stat does not mean that tourism in Iceland is only limited to in and around Reykjavik. The beauty lies in every city and every place of this absolutely breathtaking country.
Iceland offers every attraction that a tourist dreams of seeing. Whether they are active volcanoes, biggest glaciers or hot springs, Iceland has everything for everyone. As told earlier, every city of Iceland deserves to be seen at least once; following are some known and unknown cities and destinations of Iceland.
Reykjavik- no doubt that Reykjavík is an important tourist destination of Iceland. Being the capital city of Iceland, this city of Reykjavík has always been a centre of attraction for tourists and it has got everything for every tourist. Reykjavik is full of surprises which start from beautiful nature, museums, and exhibitions to great viewpoints, awesome nightlife, first class restaurants and international fast food chains, shopping in shopping malls and small boutiques.
Keflavík-this city has its importance because it is called the entrance of Iceland. It is about one hour away from Reykjavik. Most visitors and tourists see it because it is the closest city to the international airport of Iceland.
The town of Hveragerdi- this town is about eight hours far from capital Reykjavik. This town has the overall population of 2100 people. It is also called the green and warm town. The specialty of this city is that the centre of the town is a geothermal area and this whole city is built around that. This is one most important tourist attraction of Hveragerdi
The village of Hnifsdalur- the main attraction of this small village situated in the valley of Skutulsfjordur is the mountain Bakkahyrna. The mountain leans over this tiny yet very beautiful place. This village is called by the name of the edge of that mountain that, if seen from the sea, has the shape as that of an edge of a knife.
Fjord patreksfjordur- these are two different names of a same place. This small city is about 6 hours drive from the capital Reykjavik. This area is Iceland’s most isolated area. But tourists can enjoy some natural beauty in the form of landscapes of fjords, islands, mountains and valleys.
Dalir area- this area is famous for a village called Budardalur. It is one the few, very exceptional villages in Iceland. It is situated along the sea coast but has no harbor. It is not a fishing village also.
The golden circle- this is the mot famous route of Iceland. The golden circle is the name given to a route taken by almost 90 percent of tourists who are on their vehicles. In very less time, travelers can feel the beauty of Thingvellir, the famous geothermal area of Iceland and superb Gullfoss waterfalls.
These were some of the famous cities and attractions of Iceland. But still Iceland has much more to offer and to be told. One important thing is that citizens of Scandinavian countries do not need a passport to enter or visit Iceland. Plus, citizens of around sixty countries do not need to have visa for at least three months of stay in Iceland. These and more similar offers are making Iceland more and more popular on world tourism map.
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
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Iceland – not just a beautiful country but a strong economy as well
The backbone of any country is its economy. And besides the geographical factors, what makes a country known to the world is its economy. The stronger the economy, the more attention you draw from the world. So let us move a step ahead and know the money matters concerning Iceland and its trade and industries better.
Iceland is known to all of us as a small and beautiful country. But though it is so, it is definitely not small in terms of its development and progress. It is indeed quite a developed country. The proof for this is its per capita GDP of $38,100. This GDP is amongst one of the highest in the world. The economy of Iceland is a mixed economy i.e. though it is chiefly capitalist, it supports the concept of a welfare state too.
The standard of living in Iceland is very high and is comparable to most of the European nations. You will generally not come across too much of unevenness in the Icelandic economy. People are generally well off and well to do and unemployment is certainly not a major concern here.
Privatization is quite rampant in Iceland, with only a few commercial banks and energy production units, still under the government control. The 3 big banks of Iceland include Glitnir, Landsbanki and Kaupþing Bank. The Icelandic stock exchange is called as Kauphöll Íslands and its currency the Icelandic Krona (ISK).
The most significant industry in Iceland is that of fishing. A major part of the Icelandic income is generated from the fishing industry and the export of fish products. As a result, Iceland is greatly affected by any kind of fluctuations in the fish markets all over the world. A decline in the number of fishes in the Atlantic does affect it to a large extent. But Iceland has learnt to survive well. Fishing is also the industry, which engages the highest manpower in Iceland, thus making it very critical to its economy and to the general well being of the Icelanders.
The other industries that affect the economy here are the manufacturing and service sectors. But the manufacturing sector too concentrates heavily on the equipment needed for the fishing industry and its products. The other sector includes the agricultural sector, especially vegetables. Grazing lands, aluminum smelting and ferrisilicon production are also some of the other notable areas. Even biotechnology has fast started gaining ground here.
The Icelanders benefit largely from and have learnt to use cleverly, their natural resources to the hilt. Especially the fish and energy production has made them pretty self-sufficient in these respective areas and has been a driving force for the economy. Energy production includes hydroelectricity and geothermal energy, thanks to the abundance of geysers in this region.
And Iceland being so blessed naturally, how can we forget the impact of tourism on its economy? Tourism off late has been growing rapidly and contributing a lot to the Icelandic economy.
Iceland exports medical products other than the expected fish and fish products. Otherwise, Iceland depends on imports for the other goods. Trade with the European nations, Scandinavian nations, Germany and the US is common.
Iceland is thus not only physically inviting but also boasts of a formidable economy. All these factors surely make it a place worth visiting!
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 is known to all of us as a small and beautiful country. But though it is so, it is definitely not small in terms of its development and progress. It is indeed quite a developed country. The proof for this is its per capita GDP of $38,100. This GDP is amongst one of the highest in the world. The economy of Iceland is a mixed economy i.e. though it is chiefly capitalist, it supports the concept of a welfare state too.
The standard of living in Iceland is very high and is comparable to most of the European nations. You will generally not come across too much of unevenness in the Icelandic economy. People are generally well off and well to do and unemployment is certainly not a major concern here.
Privatization is quite rampant in Iceland, with only a few commercial banks and energy production units, still under the government control. The 3 big banks of Iceland include Glitnir, Landsbanki and Kaupþing Bank. The Icelandic stock exchange is called as Kauphöll Íslands and its currency the Icelandic Krona (ISK).
The most significant industry in Iceland is that of fishing. A major part of the Icelandic income is generated from the fishing industry and the export of fish products. As a result, Iceland is greatly affected by any kind of fluctuations in the fish markets all over the world. A decline in the number of fishes in the Atlantic does affect it to a large extent. But Iceland has learnt to survive well. Fishing is also the industry, which engages the highest manpower in Iceland, thus making it very critical to its economy and to the general well being of the Icelanders.
The other industries that affect the economy here are the manufacturing and service sectors. But the manufacturing sector too concentrates heavily on the equipment needed for the fishing industry and its products. The other sector includes the agricultural sector, especially vegetables. Grazing lands, aluminum smelting and ferrisilicon production are also some of the other notable areas. Even biotechnology has fast started gaining ground here.
The Icelanders benefit largely from and have learnt to use cleverly, their natural resources to the hilt. Especially the fish and energy production has made them pretty self-sufficient in these respective areas and has been a driving force for the economy. Energy production includes hydroelectricity and geothermal energy, thanks to the abundance of geysers in this region.
And Iceland being so blessed naturally, how can we forget the impact of tourism on its economy? Tourism off late has been growing rapidly and contributing a lot to the Icelandic economy.
Iceland exports medical products other than the expected fish and fish products. Otherwise, Iceland depends on imports for the other goods. Trade with the European nations, Scandinavian nations, Germany and the US is common.
Iceland is thus not only physically inviting but also boasts of a formidable economy. All these factors surely make it a place worth visiting!
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, June 22, 2007
Icelanders, the pulse of Iceland
The key to knowing any new place or a country is to get to know its people better. The people are the pulse of the country and a slight interaction with them will tell you how exactly your exploration ground is going to be. Meeting the right people gives that initial incentive to know more about a place and sets the mood for a great and enriching experience. But meeting the wrong ones can be a little upsetting at times. But when you come to Iceland, you do not need to be worried about the latter, because people in Iceland are extremely warm and hospitable. And knowing and talking to them will only make your voyage a sweeter and memorable one to cherish.
So let us set out to know a little more about the Icelanders, their history, their traditions and customs.
Icelanders are known to be very sharp people and are all well educated. They are highly patriotic people and very proud of what their country has achieved inspite of the climatic odds. Also they are law-abiding citizens and do not tolerate any compromise on this account by anyone and abhor illegal activities. This just goes to show how disciplined and socially responsible citizens they are.
Most of Iceland is sparsely populated and people are concentrated in specific areas such as those around valleys and coastal belts. There may be some differences observed when you see the city and the village crowd. The city ones being a little more reserved and the village ones being a little more outgoing. Though initially some people may appear to be a little reserved, but once they know you and the reason for your visit, they highly appreciate it and are at the same time very excited. Icelanders generally greet each other with a kiss on the cheek and refer to each other by their first names only. They are indeed very cultured and cordial and generously entertain guests at their own houses instead of hotels or restaurants. This speaks volumes about their hospitality.
Icelanders are people who like to enjoy, look good and dress well. They are all well groomed especially during the weekends, when they don their favorite outfits and party hard. They are also exceptionally good looking people-tall and blonde. Many Icelandic men are fond of Southeast Asian brides, especially those from Thailand and that makes Asian faces quite a familiar sight here.
People in Iceland like to gift each other often. So it is generally the trend to give gifts if invited for a dinner or a party. In general, people prefer casual clothing but do dress formally when the occasion demands and stick to all the formalities that need to be followed for the same. One of the customs in Iceland is to leave your shoes outside if you are entering someone’s house.
The language spoken by the people here is Icelandic that is in reality a derivative of the old English and hence is a little difficult to speak and understand. But there is no need to be worried, as Icelanders are very good English speakers.
And finally, Iceland surely gives you that peace and warmth that you might have set out to find. Surely you won’t be disappointed!
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
So let us set out to know a little more about the Icelanders, their history, their traditions and customs.
Icelanders are known to be very sharp people and are all well educated. They are highly patriotic people and very proud of what their country has achieved inspite of the climatic odds. Also they are law-abiding citizens and do not tolerate any compromise on this account by anyone and abhor illegal activities. This just goes to show how disciplined and socially responsible citizens they are.
Most of Iceland is sparsely populated and people are concentrated in specific areas such as those around valleys and coastal belts. There may be some differences observed when you see the city and the village crowd. The city ones being a little more reserved and the village ones being a little more outgoing. Though initially some people may appear to be a little reserved, but once they know you and the reason for your visit, they highly appreciate it and are at the same time very excited. Icelanders generally greet each other with a kiss on the cheek and refer to each other by their first names only. They are indeed very cultured and cordial and generously entertain guests at their own houses instead of hotels or restaurants. This speaks volumes about their hospitality.
Icelanders are people who like to enjoy, look good and dress well. They are all well groomed especially during the weekends, when they don their favorite outfits and party hard. They are also exceptionally good looking people-tall and blonde. Many Icelandic men are fond of Southeast Asian brides, especially those from Thailand and that makes Asian faces quite a familiar sight here.
People in Iceland like to gift each other often. So it is generally the trend to give gifts if invited for a dinner or a party. In general, people prefer casual clothing but do dress formally when the occasion demands and stick to all the formalities that need to be followed for the same. One of the customs in Iceland is to leave your shoes outside if you are entering someone’s house.
The language spoken by the people here is Icelandic that is in reality a derivative of the old English and hence is a little difficult to speak and understand. But there is no need to be worried, as Icelanders are very good English speakers.
And finally, Iceland surely gives you that peace and warmth that you might have set out to find. Surely you won’t be disappointed!
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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