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Here is some information that we got from the internet about Iceland. We have more in our file, though.



Climate

- Climate is mild
- Reykjavik...temperature-5C
- The annual rainfall on the south coast is about 3000 mm
- Highlands north of Vatnajökull 400 mm or less.
- Weather is changeable
- Depends mostly on tracks of atmospheric depressions crossing
the North Atlantic
- Depressions in the south causes cold and dry weather
- Depressions in the north causes mild weather(dry)
- Coastal areas are mostly windy(with gales), especially in winter, but thunderstorms are very rare
- Southern and western coasts have mild winter temperatures
because of the Gulf Stream's warm waters.
- Warmest months-July and August
- Chances of fine weather improve towards the north and east
- Interior deserts have problems like blizzards, high wind that
blow up dust and sand into swirling, gritty maelstroms
- Weather changes in Iceland changes rapidly
- In the winter you have to check the weather forecast before
travelling into the interior
- Northern Lights are seen often mostly during autumn and early winter


Midnight Sun

- During summer there is (most of the time)continuous
daylight in iceland
- During early spring and late autumn they have long periods
of twilight
- The winter darkness (three to four hours' daylight)
lasts from about mid-November until the end of January.


Time

- Uses Greenwich Mean Time(GMT) all year round
- Does not go on Daylight Saving Time(DST) Clothing
- Weather in Iceland is very capricious.
- Basic and necessary clothing items no matter what season is a
sweater, a water-and-wind resistant jacket and sturdy shoes.
- Jeans are not very practical as they tend to become
freezing cold when wet and take a long time to dry.
- Swim wear should be brought along too regardless
of the season


Land

- Island is 103,000km2 (39,756 square miles)
- Average height is 500m above sea level
- Its highest peak, Hvannadalshnúkur rises to 2,119m
above sea level
- Over 11% of the country is covered by glaciers including Vatnajökull


Geography in figures:

- Geographic size 103.0 (Thousands of square kilometres)
- There of:
Altitude 0-200 metres: 24.7
Altitude 200-400 metres: 18.4
Altitude above 400 metres: 59.9
Glaciers: 12.0
Lava fields: 11.0
Lakes: 3.0
Cultivated area: 1.1
Cultivable area: 20.0
The seabed out to 200 metre depth: 111.0
The seabed out to 400 metre depth: 183.0
The fishing zone (200 miles): 758.0
- Shortest distance to:
Greenland: 287 kilometres
Faeroe Islands: 420 kilometres
Jan Mayen: 550 kilometres
Scotland: 798 kilometres


Energy

- Iceland is situated on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, thus
being a hot spot of volcanic and geothermal activity.
- 30 post-glacial volcanoes have erupted in the
past two centuries
- Natural hot water supplies much of the population
with cheap, pollution-free heating.
- Rivers are harnessed to provide inexpensive
hydroelectric power.
- The electrical current is 220 volts, 50 Hz.
- Hydro electric power: Technically exploitable:
64,000 GWh/year
- Economically exploitable: 45,000 GWh/year


History

- 930: Icelandic settlers founded one of the
world's first republican governments
- The Old Commonwealth Age (described in the classic Icelandic
Sagas)lasted until 1262 which when Iceland lost its independence.
- In 1918 it regained its independence and in
1944 the present republic was founded.
- The country is governed by the Althing (parliament),
whose members are elected every four years.
- Four-yearly elections are also held for the presidency
- The head of state plays no part in day-to-day politics.


Economy

- heavily dependent upon fisheries(nation's major resource)
- 60% of exports are seafood products Occupational distribution (1994)
- Agriculture: 4.6%
- Fisheries and fish processing: 11.2%
- Manufacturing: 11.1%
- Construction and Energy: 9.5%
- Commerce: 14.6%
- Communications: 6.7%
- Services and other: 42.4%


People

- The population numbers to just over a quarter of a million
- Half live in the capital, Reykjavík, and its
neighbouring towns in the southwest.
- Keflavík International Airport is located about
50 km from the capital.
- The highland interior is uninhabited (and uninhabitable)
- most centres of population are situated on the coast.


Health

- Life expectancy is one af the highest in the
world(women-80.8yrs,men-76.3yrs
- A comprehensive state health-care system aims
to keep it that way.
- Iceland has a compulsory health insurance system
that finances many medical services and has aided in developing
one of the highest standards of public health in the world.
- Hospital services are provided entirely without charge,
and other medical services are offered at very low cost.
- Dental care is partially subsidized for children three
to five years of age and for the elderly.
- All contagious diseases that were major causes of
death in the 19th century have been virtually eradicated.
- Mortality due to such epidemic diseases as influenza
and measles has been minimized.
- Heart disease and cancer together account for about
one-half of all deaths.
- Welfare services include unemployment insurance,
old-age and disability pensions, family allowances, childbearing
cash grants, and sickness benefits.
- The medical and welfare systems are financed by central
and local government.


Language

- Iceland was settled by Nordic people in the 9th century
- Tradition says that the first permanent settler was
Ingólfur Arnarson, a Norwegian Viking who made his
home where Reykjavík now stands.
- The Icelanders still speak the language of the Vikings
- Modern Icelandic has undergone changes of pronunciation
and vocabulary
- Iceland is alone in upholding another Norse tradition
(eg. the custom of using patronymics rather than surnames;
an Icelander's Christian name is followed by his or her
father's name and the suffix -son or -dóttir)
- Members of a family can therefore have many
different "surnames," which sometimes causes confusion to foreigners!


Church

- 97% of the population belongs to The National Church of
Iceland(Evangelical Lutheran).
- Also to the many Lutheran churches in Reykjavík, there
is a Roman Catholic Cathedral at Landakot, with regular
Sunday Mass.


Education

- Almost all schools from the primary level
through the university are free
- Education is compulsory through age 16
- Secondary and higher education is widely available
- Students can enroll in four-year academic colleges at
the age of 15 or 16
- Graduation from one of these colleges entitles the
student to admission to the University of Iceland in Reykjavik(founded
in 1911)
- There are also a number of technical, vocational, and
specialized schools.





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