13 amazing facts about Iceland that You didn't even Know About

The country of active volcanoes, hot springs and geysers — Iceland will captivate with the unique beauty of nature. This island-state is lost in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean near the Arctic Circle. It attracts tourists from all over the world with its natural attractions that you will not see anywhere else in the world.

There is practically no such thing as a surname in Iceland; mostly they are citizens of foreign origin (10% of the population). The analogues of the surname are patronym (a form derived from the father's name) or matronym (a form derived from the mother's name) with the prefix son for men and dóttir for women. For example, Bjork Gudmundsdottir (Gudmund's daughter) is a famous Icelandic singer and composer. In rare cases, there is a combination of patronym and matronym. (Ben Husmann)

Crime in Iceland is almost zero. The police here do not bother to carry weapons, and mothers leave strollers with children right on the street. Therefore, do not be surprised if you see babies sleeping in a stroller near cafes or shops. (Sveinn Joelsson)

Locals prefer to leave their babies outside so that they can sleep peacefully and breathe fresh air. (Cassiano Rabelo)

Iceland's parliament is the oldest in Europe. For the first time, the so-called Althing (from isl. "general meeting") It took place in 930 on the territory of the modern Tingvedlir National Park, which is included in the List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Meetings continued here until 1798. (Joe Michaels)

Now the building of the Althing of Iceland is located in Reykjavik. It is a unicameral parliament, which consists of 63 deputies. (Sergio Morchon)

Iceland is a country with a unique landscape. This is a volcanic plateau with peaks up to 2 km, hot springs, active volcanoes, geysers; 11.8 thousand km2 of the total area of 103 thousand km2 is covered by glaciers. (Vincent Moschetti)

Despite the photos of the mountain peaks of Iceland that you could see, there is actually not a single full-fledged mountain in the country. If you look closely at the photos, you will notice that almost all mountains and hills have a flat top, because they, like their valleys, appeared thanks to glaciers. Iceland was literally "carved out" by glaciers that formed deep valleys and high mountain ranges. The country is also home to many volcanoes, which an uninformed observer may confuse with mountains. (Trey Ratcliff)

Iceland is one of the most environmentally friendly countries in the world. It is full of volcanoes, allowing locals to use geothermal energy sources. Plus, Icelanders can also use abundant waterways as energy sources. The country practically does not burn fossil fuels. (fridgeirsson)

Iceland is one of the two places on the planet where you can observe the divergence of plates (North American and Eurasian) not only under water, but also on the surface. Every year the gap between them increases by about 2 cm. Also in the area of the northern coast of the country, divers have the opportunity to swim in the place of their fault. (Diueine Monteiro)

From 1915 to 1989, Iceland had a dry law; however, for the last 54 years, it applied only to beer. Therefore, after the ban was lifted, beer gained unprecedented popularity in the country. Beer Day is celebrated annually on March 1. As part of the celebration, Icelanders consume a huge amount of this drink. It is also worth noting that beer can be purchased only in state liquor stores. Independent sellers are prohibited from selling alcohol in the country. (Didier Baertschiger)

In addition to beer, Icelanders are not indifferent to sauces and gravies, which are added to almost all dishes. (Chris Zielecki)

No matter what the temperature is outside, Icelanders barbecue. The grill is not hidden in the closet even in winter, it is used all year round. And of course, grilled foods will be generously watered with favorite sauces or gravies. (Mike)

Nudity is not frowned upon in Iceland. The locals are absolutely not shy about exposing themselves in public. Mostly naked people can be seen at geothermal pools, which are abundant here. (Chris Connolly)

Take a break and talk out loud. You were talking on the exhale, right? Another thing that distinguishes Icelanders is that they pronounce some words and even whole phrases not on the exhale, but on the inhale. This is typical for other languages of Northern Europe. (Trey Ratcliff)

There are practically no trees in Iceland. Only a few species grow here. Many of the trees were cut down by the first settlers to build houses. (Diueine Monteiro)