31 odd facts about Iceland... but how many did you know?
1: A majority of Icelanders believe in elves.
2: At about 39,000 square miles, Iceland is small - about five times the size on Wales.
3: There is a volcanic eruption every four years on average.
4: There are no forests in Iceland.
5: Beer remained illegal in Iceland until 1989.
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Hide Ad6: At 43.5 hours per week, they have the longest work week in Europe.
7: The Icelandic language remains unchanged from ancient Norse. That means 1,000-year-old texts are still easily read.
8: Babies in Iceland are routinely left outside to nap.
9: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.
10: 60 per cent of the Icelandic population lives in Reykjavík
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Hide Ad11: Iceland’s revenue from whale watching exceeds any income from whaling.
12: Usually a temperate country, not too hot or cold, the highest temperature recorded was 30.5 °C (86.9 °F) at the Eastern fjords in 1939.
13: Iceland had the first democratically elected female and openly gay Prime Ministers.
14: Consumption of Coca–Cola per capita is higher than in any other country.
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Hide Ad15: But there aren’t any McDonald’s restaurants anywhere in Iceland.
16:In 2010 Iceland banned strip clubs.
17: Roughly 85 percent of Iceland’s energy is from renewable resources, and well over half of that is geothermal alone.
18: Icelandic horses display two additional gaits as compared to all other breeds.
19: First names not previously used in Iceland must be approved by the Icelandic Naming Committee.
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Hide Ad20: Iceland was one of the last places on earth to be settled by humans.
21: Icelanders watch more movies than any other nation.
22: Iceland is home to one of the world’s oldest democracies; established in 930.
23: In Iceland owning a pet snake, lizard or turtle is against the law.
24: The country’s national sport is handball.
25: Iceland does not have an army, navy or air force.
26: Mosquitoes do not exist in Iceland.
27:The Icelandic police don’t carry guns. Crime in Iceland is very low and violent crime is practically non-existent.
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Hide Ad28: Per capita Iceland has the highest number of book and magazine publications and 10 per cent of the country’s population will publish a book in their lifetimes.
29: Icelandic telephone directories list Icelanders by first name alphabetically.
30: In 2010, 97.6 per cent of Icelandic population had Internet connection.
31: Raw puffin heart is considered a delicacy
Source: landlopers.com