Iceland General Information

Quick Facts

Region: Arctic

Population:
306,694

Religion:

Christian, Lutheranism

Language:

Icelandic, a virtually pure derivative of Old Norse, English, Nordic languages, German also widely spoken

Area (sq. km):
103,000 square meters

Time:

GMT/UTC 0

When to Travel

Temperate. Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and south-westerly winds, which give it an average winter temperature of 31F (.5C) and a summer temperature of 52F (11C).

July and August are the driest months.

Useful Travel Facts

Airports:

Keflavik Airport, located 48kms west of Reykjavik, is Iceland’s main gateway.

Telephone:

354

Electricity:

220V 50Hz

Food:

Iceland is famous for its fresh fish, seafood and Icelandic lamb.

Transport:

Iceland has no railways and its highway system is Europe's least developed. However, Bifreiðastöd Íslands, a collective organisation of long-distance bus lines, does a tidy job of covering the country with a feasible, though inconvenient, network. There are also a number of ferry services linking the mainland with Iceland's larger islands.

Shopping:

Shopping is a national pass time. Iceland is famous for wool blankets and coats known as Lopi, jackets, hats, and hand knits. From shopping Iceland the classic gift to bring home is the Icelandic sweater; hand-knit in traditional designs, no two are alike. Lava ceramics, sheepskin rugs, and Viking-inspired jewellery are popular souvenirs

Further Reading

Lonely Planet – Scandinavian Europe
Independent People - Halldór Laxness´s – The Harvell Press, London 1999