ICELAND Overview

Official Name: Iceland

Flag: Blue with a red cross outlined in white. The colors are symbolic for Iceland: red is for the volcanic fires, white recalls the snow and glaciers, and blue is for the skies above.

Size: 40,000 sq. miles (103,000 sq. km) slightly bigger than Hungary and Portugal, and slightly smaller than Cuba

Population: 325,000

Capital City: Reykjavik

Government: Parliamentary constitutional republic.

Language: Icelandic. English is widely spoken and understood.
Religion: Predominantly Christian.

Currency: The Icelandic krona

Time: Iceland is on Greenwich Mean Time

Glaciers: Glaciers cover 11,922 sq. km (4,600 sq. miles) of islands surface. 



Highest Point: Hvannadalshnjukur peak, 2110 m

Natural Resources: Fish, Hydropower, Geothermal Energy

Natural Hazards: Volcanic activity, Earthquakes, Avalanches, Glacial Outburst Floods.

    Start you Iceland Adventure Today!
Picture
The Blue Lagoon

Where the Unexpected Happens Everyday

A country of sharp contrasts, Iceland is not easily defined. 
Home to the largest glacier in Europe as well as some of the world’s most active volcanoes, it is widely known as 
“The Land of Fire and Ice.” 
But Iceland is also the land of darkness and light its location just below the Arctic circle makes for long summer days with near 24-hours of sunlight, offset by short winter days with little sunlight at all. Fortunately while winters are dark, they are relatively mild and play host to one of natures most spectacular exhibitions of beauty: The Aurora Borealis. On a dark and clear night, the northern lights can often be seen dancing across the sky overhead in all their green glory. You should move fast to catch them though, as they often disappear just as quickly as they appear, behaving much like Iceland's weather which shifts in mysterious ways.

8 Incredible Experiences

ICELANDIC SPECIALITIES TO TRY

ICELAND ON THE SILVER SCREEN

Iceland has been
featured frequently in the popular HBO series Game
of Thrones. Scenes taking place North of the Wall are
commonly shot in Iceland, but Icelandic nature can also
be seen in other parts of Westeros.
The Mighty Thor (2013’s Thor: The Dark World) have also been filmed in Iceland, the otherworldly scenery has been used creatively in the sci-fi genre to stand in for both foreign planets, and post-apocalyptic earth. Prometheus (2013), Ridley Scott’s prequel to the Alien franchise, was largely shot in Iceland, with the particularly riveting opening scene shot by the waterfall Dettifoss. In Oblivion, Tom Cruise was also seen racing along the black sands of the Icelandic interior, which
served as a version of a New England, following a nuclear war. Scenes from Interstellar (2014) and Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013) were also shot in Iceland.

Speaking of otherworldly locations, Iceland has been featured frequently in the popular HBO series Game of Thrones. Scenes taking place North of the Wall are commonly shot in Iceland, but Icelandic nature can also be seen in other parts of Westeros. And, it’s not only Icelandic nature that has been present on the show. Both Icelandic band Sigur Ros, and World Strongest Man competitor Hafthór Júlíus Björnsson have been featured as well.