Iceland What do YOU know about Iceland rleif

Iceland What do YOU know about Iceland? Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Colourful Reykjavík ICELAND EXPRESS CITY BREAK OK, you just head for the North Pole, and get out when you hear the northern penguins roar. No, seriously. No elves, no igloos, no jetis. Just nice people who know how to have fun. Welcome Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

• An island nation located in the North Atlantic Ocean (103. 000 km 2) • Europe’s second largest island, following Great Britain • Very dark during winter and very bright during summer Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Ice Fire Blue mountains Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

• Iceland first became inhabited around 874 • Icelanders are descendants of Nordic and Gaelic people • People endured very harsh living conditions • Iceland was colonized by both Norway and Denmark between the years 1262 -1944 • Iceland got independence from Denmark in 1944 • Independence Day is celebrated on June 17 th Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

We lived in covered houses in Iceland until the end of the 19 th century and even some people lived in those houses in the beginning of the 20 th century! Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland This Wikipedia Commons image is from the user Chris 73

JÖKULSÁRSLÓN, a lagoon in the south of Iceland, coming from Europe´s biggest glacier, VATNAJÖKULL Snorri Snorrason Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

A volcanic eruption in Vatnajökull glacier in 1998 Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

The center of Iceland is a mountainous highland area. People live in the coastal area around Iceland Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

You can shout as loud as you want to Guðbjörnsson Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Map of Iceland Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Because Iceland has got volcanoes it also has got a lot of: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Lava fields Earthquakes Geothermal energy Natural hot springs Powerful rivers and waterfalls Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

The Blue Lagoon, near the international airport. Iceland has taken advantage of its natural hot mineral-rich water caused by volcanic activity, using the water to heat the houses in Iceland. Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland Photo: Chris Helgren

The Blue Lagoon, it´s really blue and you can´t see your toes in the water. . Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland this Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons image is from the user Chris 73

• Language: Icelandic • Population: 320. 000 people (2008) • Capital: Reykjavík • Currency: Icelandic “króna” • Main industry: fishing and tourism Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Hallgrímskirkja, our biggest church, 74. 5 m and it took 38 years to build it Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Photo from the house of Parliament of Iceland, Alþingi, we can watch our politicians at work Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

The University of Iceland Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

The Reykjavík lake, in the center. Some winters, we can go skating there Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Pure water – and a lot of it. We use it to drink and bath and also to heat our houses and produce electricity – with a help from our many cascades. Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Hydro-electric plant – at Kárahnjúkar, in the east of Iceland, the biggest and the newest. Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

www. danielbergmann. com Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

• Iceland has many glaciers. They cover 11% of Iceland. • The biggest one is called Vatnajökull. It is the biggest glacier in Europe. Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Winter trip on a glacier – tires 44 inches high Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

The main features are ice and volcanoes. Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

JUST DRIVE IN THE SNOW Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

The northern lights Mike Richard Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Geysir – what is that ? Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

River- cruises – you will get wet Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

The new years eve – never boring in Iceland Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Purist language policy: Icelanders avoid loanwords and create new Icelandic words instead. Can you guess what any of these words mean? TÖLVA, FLATBAKA, NIÐURHALA, ÞYRLA… Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Road by the sea, rather rough Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

The old sagas • Old Icelandic stories dating from the 11 th century • They are about Nordic Vikings and kings • Written in Old Norse • Icelanders can still read them Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Old traditional Icelandic food: Þorramatur Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

The Icelandic horse Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Puffin Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Lóa The bird that brings spring Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

The Icelandic sheep Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Typical Icelanders… • …have to go outside if the sun is shining and buy an ice-cream ! • …go often to the cinema. • …drink - only during the weekends… • …give very firm handshakes. • …often wear clothes made from sheep wool. • …believe that Iceland is the best country in the world ! Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

THE ICELANDIC PRESIDENT AND THE FIRST LADY • • As in many other countries around the world, we in Iceland also have a President as our country´s representative. The last 12 years our President has been Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, his wife The first Lady of Iceland is Dorrit Moussaieff. She is from Israel. The President is choosen by public voting and the President has to be reelected every fourth year. There is how ever no limit for how long a person can be President. Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Vigdís Finnbogadóttir was the first woman worldwide to become a president in a republic country, she was elected in 1980. She was president in Iceland for 16 years which is the longest period anyone has been president in Iceland. Before, she taught French in Iceland. Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Famous Icelanders Even though we Icelanders are not many (320. 000) we do have several famous people Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland

Halldór Laxness is one of Iceland's most famous writers. He received the Nobel price of literature in 1955 and is well-known around the world. Laxness has put Iceland on the world map of writers. Þórleif Hjartardóttir University of Iceland