Want to learn 10 weird things about Icelanders and Iceland? Of course you do…….
Whether or not you come with us on a unique road trip to Iceland (it’s a democracy, but come on, just make up your mind already), you’ll go crazy when you read some of the weirdest things about the land of ice and fire — and about the Icelandic people themselves, the fierce-looking Vikings with the warm hearts and peculiar humour. Read on for the “fun facts” we’ve gathered for you.
Fun fact 1
It’s literally the land of Ice and Fire
It could be just another marketing product, since the Game of Thrones producers shot some scenes there, but no.
The truth lies in the numbers. Glaciers cover more than 10% of Iceland’s surface, and in fact the largest, Vatnajökull, happens to be the largest glacier in Europe. As for fire, there are more than 30 active volcanoes scattered across Iceland’s territory. A unique combination.
Fun fact 2
Discovered last, but founded a Parliament first
Although its discovery around 870 AD makes it the youngest inhabitable country in the world, Iceland — with the founding of its Parliament way back in 930 AD — claims the top spot with one of the oldest Parliaments in the world.
Fun fact 3
It’s first in firsts
Speaking of being first, Iceland holds many good positions (in the top 4) on many lists — the kind where Greece sees the top from the bottom. For example, it always stays in the top spots for safety, standard of living, economic freedom, government efficiency and other such nice things.
Fun fact 4
It’s army-free
If you exclude the 200 people they’ve hired to play cops and robbers so they can justify their salaries, otherwise you won’t find an army, a navy or an air force.
Fun fact 5
Babies outside, parents inside
A by-product of the above safety and low crime is the habit of leaving children to sleep, mainly in summer, outside in the yard, on their own. The feeling of fear is something distant, something the Icelanders have taken care of. Bravo!
Fun fact 6
However hard you look, you won’t find a McDonald’s
If anything has impressed us in Iceland, it’s the absence of big multinationals. Not that they didn’t try. They came, they saw, they left. In 2008, with the collapse of their banking system, most of them left — and among them McDonald’s, whose last burger sold in 2009 is on display in their National Museum.
Fun fact 7
Some links are missing from their animal chain
And what do I mean? There are no snakes, no mosquitoes, no bears, no venomous insects. In short, there’s no dangerous animal on or under Iceland’s soil (makes sense — how would it survive?). However, if it’s any comfort and excitement, you can very easily spot an Arctic fox.
Fun fact 8
They’re very intellectual types
Case in point: 1 in 10 has published at least one book. In short, when they’re not knitting jumpers in some brewery, you’ll find them writing a book. Just like that…
Fun fact 9
First names only
If you see Björk in an alley in Reykjavik, don’t you dare call her ‘Mrs Björk’ — you’re done for. Want to know why? Because Icelanders are so easy-going that they address one another, even the country’s President, by their first name. This isn’t random, since they essentially don’t have surnames. Their surnames come from their father’s name, and the ending differs between men and women. So a brother and sister will never have the same surname.
Fun fact 10
Greece – Iceland: 1–0
The only thing where we maybe beat Iceland in weird stuff is the longest word ever recorded.
The longest Icelandic word is ‘vaðlaheiðarvegavinnuverkfærageymsluskúraútidyralyklakippuhringur’ with ‘just’ 64 letters, without us knowing what it means, while the longest in the world is Greek, from Aristophanes’ play ‘Assemblywomen’, made up of 172 letters, 27 components and 78 syllables!
Σου μιλώ για την “Λοπαδοτεμαχοσελαχογαλεοκρανιολειψανοδρι-μυποτριμματοσιλφιολιπαρομελιτοκατα-κεχυμενοκιχλεπικοσσυφοφαττοπεριστεραλε-κτρυονοπτοπιφαλλιδοκιγκλοπελειολαγῳοσι-ραιοβαφητραγανοπτερυγών”
Beat that Icelanders…..
