1. Population
Iceland’s entire population is approximately 340,000 people. The capital city, Reykjavik, is the largest city with 122,000 people. 80% of the country remains uninhabited. According to the Icelandic Tourist Board, a total of 2,195,271 tourists visited Iceland in 2017!!! It’s crazy, but we really didn’t notice a huge number of tourists except our first couple days in the “Golden Circle” portion of Iceland. We did see several funny camper vans on our trip.
2. Viking Ties
Iceland was settled by Vikings from Norway sometime in the 800s. This fact makes Iceland a fairly “young” country when it comes to settlement, and also contributes to its distinct cultural background.
3. Tectonic Plates
The “geographical significance” part of Þingvellir being dubbed a UNESCO site is due to the fact that this is one of only TWO places in the entire world where you can see two of the earth's tectonic plates meeting above the earth's surface (the other is in Africa). The North American and Eurasian plates jut up out of the ground here in Þingvellir, moving apart roughly 2 cm per year.
4. Volcanoes
Because it's located on the Mid-Atlantic ridge, Iceland is an incredibly active country geologically. There are more than 125 volcanic mountains in the country, a handful of which are still very active, and another handful that could easily awaken and become active as the country changes and grows.
Eyjafjallajokull Volcano Video https://youtu.be/xgmitSccvKs
Hverir Fumaroles https://youtu.be/WQmMuELIqp8
We were told that the lupine were brought in from Alaska and they seem to thrive in Iceland. Several different wildflowers seemed to grow well in the lava.
5. Glaciers
Surprisingly, another large section of Iceland is covered in glaciers. Glaciers are responsible for carving out everything in Iceland that hasn't been shaped by magma and earthquakes, making for a unique landscape.
6. No Forests
Iceland was formed by some pretty harsh phenomena: volcanoes and glaciers. Much of the country was carved out by slow-moving glaciers, chewing up the land and gouging deep valleys into it. But, contrary to popular belief, trees DO grow in Iceland. However, when the Vikings arrived, they cut down almost all the native tress in the country. Today, reforestation is being attempted, but you'll still definitely notice the lack of forests.
7. Waterfalls in Iceland
There are around 10,000 waterfalls in Iceland, and they are as varied and beautiful as there are many! Iceland’s climate and location is especially suited to waterfalls with frequent rain and snow, combined with the multitude of glaciers that melt in summer.
Gullfoss Waterfall https://youtu.be/T0o9hS7SpD4
Godafoss Waterfall https://youtu.be/N_D8Z1nCs6s
Dettifoss Waterfall https://youtu.be/NKJQ4JjJREA
Rjukandi Waterfall https://youtu.be/kHNbJpYrkvs
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall https://youtu.be/9yWgsPE5smE
Gluggafoss Waterfall https://youtu.be/4RofmbeV9Hk
8. Eco-Friendly
Iceland is an eco-friendly country. Because the whole country is essentially “alive” with volcanic activity, the nation harnesses hydro and geothermal energy to power more than 80% of the country. Very few fossil fuels are burned here and most homes are heated using geothermal water that's pumped up from beneath cities and towns.
9. Preserved Language
While very close to Danish and Norwegian, the Icelandic language remains totally unique. Words with far too many consonants abound, and syllables seem to just blur together. We sounded like total idiots trying to pronounce the names of towns, glaciers, and volcanoes!
Unlike other languages that have changed drastically over the centuries, Icelandic remains very close to its original roots. A Bible from the early 1500s (the first one printed in Icelandic, which can be found in a folk museum in Skógar) can still easily be read by Icelanders today.
Icelandic students are taught their native language, along with English and Danish. It’s estimated that at least 80% of young students can understand basic English, and some claim that as many as 98 percent of adults are fluent in multiple languages. We didn’t have any problems with finding people that spoke English in restaurants or grocery stores.
10. Elves and Trolls
The majority of present-day Icelanders (more than 50% according to things we read) believe in the existence of elves and trolls. There are many amusing stories and legends about these creatures, and Icelanders go so far as to postpone construction projects if it's believed that something is going to be built where elves currently live. Large fallen rocks in fields are said to be frozen trolls.
Though he wasn't a troll or elf, there was one informational sign about a serial killer from the 1500s we stopped to read. Yikes!
11. No McDonalds
As astonishing as it sounds, Iceland does not have any McDonalds. After the financial crash of 2008, the one McDonalds Restaurant in Reykjavik closed. Not only is there no McDonalds, there is also no Starbucks! You can, however, find KFC and Taco Bell in Reykjavik.
12. Weird Foods
Iceland makes up for its lack of fast food with its bevy of downright weird traditional foods. Along with things like whale, puffin, and dried fish, visitors can also try fermented shark, sheep's head, and even pickled ram's testicles. The even weirder part is that some of these dishes can be found in just about ANY kind of restaurant in Iceland. Oh, and the most popular food in Iceland? Hot dogs. We didn’t try any of the weird foods, but Wendy did have a hot dog!
13. Commercial Whaling
Fishing is Iceland's main industry, and the nation remains one of just a few in the world that still allows commercial whaling. This, of course, is quite controversial, and has caused tension between the peaceful country and other nations. HOWEVER, Iceland’s revenue from whale watching exceeds any income from whaling!
There is little crime in Iceland, and virtually no violent crime. The country does not have a standing army, navy or air force, and its police officers do not carry guns. While we were driving around the island, we only saw FOUR police cars. On our last night in Reykjavik we saw 10 at the restaurant where we had dinner!
15. Northern Lights and Midnight Sun
Being located very close to the Arctic Circle, Iceland experiences long winter nights and long summer days, with almost 24 hours of darkness/twilight in December and nearly 24 hours of daylight in June. Because of this, Iceland is a great place to see both the Northern Lights and experience the Midnight Sun. Because of Iceland’s ever-changing weather, these maybe made difficult to see. It was a little difficult going to sleep at night when it was still as bright as the middle of the day! I made a sleep mask and used that, while Tobey and Wendy didn’t need one.
16. Names
There are no surnames or family names in Iceland – Icelanders use the traditional Nordic naming system, which includes a last name that is comprised from their father’s (or mother’s) first name with the addition of -dóttir (-daughter) or -son. Even the phone book lists subscribers by their first name.
There are strict laws on what names are allowed in Iceland, the point is to preserve Icelandic language. All names not previously used in Iceland must go before the Icelandic Naming Committee, which either allows them if they abide to the laws on Icelandic names, or rejects them, forcing parents to find another name for their child.
17. Roads in Iceland
A large portion of Iceland’s road system is made up of gravel roads, including some of the main highways, especially the further away from Reykjavik and larger towns you get. The main highway around Iceland is Route 1, or the Ring Road. It circumnavigates Iceland in 1,332 kilometers (822 miles). We drove part of our trip on Route 1, other times we were on primary and secondary routes. Many of the roads turn to gravel or dirt with no warning. Almost all of the bridges are one lane all over the country and almost all of the roads are only one lane each direction
19. Puffins and other birds
The Westman Islands, or Vestmannaeyjar, off the South Coast of Iceland, have the largest Atlantic Puffin colony in the world. There are thirty different bird species which nest over the archipelago, but puffins are by far the most numerous. We were lucky to spot them since they nest in burrows on hills. They look crazy when they fly.
An Eider Duck walking on the beach. 
The Common Eider holds a unique position among Icelanic birds. Because it is considered an asset due to the collection of its down, it is totally protected from hunting by law. The first regulations date to the end of the 18th century when hunting of eders was forbidden in Iceland.
Approximately 3,000 kg of Icelandic eiderdown is produced every year. The supply is dependent on weather conditions. It takes 60-80 nests to produce one kilogram of down. (2.2 pounds) Before the economic crash in 2008, one kilogram of the luxury down, thought to be the best natural insulator available, sold for over 100,000 ISK ($800USD)! Last year, one kilogram sold for approximately 50,000 ISK ($400USD). A single eiderdown duvet sells for up to 600,000 ISK ($4,800 USD), so it is important for the buyer to make sure he is purchasing the real thing!
Nesting colony for gulls
Puffins floating in the water Video https://youtu.be/SjePvecPYjo
As you can see, we had a great time. If you are thinking of a trip to Iceland, plan ahead. We booked all of our accommodations a year in advance and still had problems finding places to stay in some areas. Go with a sense of adventure and be prepared for the high cost of food. We took a small cooler along and bought groceries for breakfasts and had sandwiches for either lunch or dinner. Be prepared for cool (or cold) wet weather, but enjoy! The people are friendly and the scenery was amazing.
