Iceland where. Iceland

We organize hiking and biking tours, horse trails, rafting, archeological surveys, jeep safaris...

Fishing

You can choose lake fishing, sea fishing, rapid river fishing or ocean coast fishing.

Hunting in Iceland

We have developed several exclusive hunting tours and holiday options in northern Iceland

Greenland

Greenland is an island of high mountains, huge bluish icebergs, picturesque fjords and bare rocks.

Iceland tour operator

Many are interested in "exotic" routes - tourism has always attracted inquisitive people striving for uncharted lands - such as the island of Iceland. The dynamically developing tourism industry offers customers a lot of original options for vacations, vacations, wedding trips.

Iceland is a country of magnificent waterfalls, unusual mountains, sparkling glaciers, formidable volcanoes, hot springs, boiling geysers, a country of fabulous elves and trolls. For lovers of active hiking in most areas of the island, there are dozens of hiking, cycling, boating, kayaking, mountain, combined, individual routes. Thrill-seekers will get their adrenaline on the rapids with breakers, two-meter plums and roaring barrels. Quiet rivers and sleepy lakes with salmon and trout await fishermen. A super-jeep ride on the glaciers of Iceland will not leave anyone indifferent. Days full of happiness, enjoyment and communication with wildlife- that's what awaits you in these parts! Iceland will dream for a long time later, aching the heart with an unending desire to return here again ...

Authors: A. V. Shadsky (General information, Population, Economy), M. A. Arshinova (Nature), A. F. Limonov (Nature: geological structure and minerals), V. V. Roginsky ( Historical outline), V. V. Gorbachev (Armed Forces), V. S. Nechaev (Health), V. I. Linder (Sports), A. V. Zimmerling (Literature), N. N. Mokhov (Music), E. Y. Surits (Ballet), V. V. Minyaev (Cinema)Authors: A. V. Shadsky (General information, Population, Economy), M. A. Arshinova (Nature), A. F. Limonov (Nature: geological structure and minerals); >>

ICELAND (Ísland), Republic of Iceland (Lýð veldið Ísland).

General information

I. - a state in Europe. Located on about. Iceland, in the north. parts of the Atlantic In the north it is washed by the Greenland Sea, in the east by the Norwegian Sea, in the west by the Danish Strait. separates I. from Greenland. Pl. 103 thousand km 2. Us. 312.9 thousand people (2007). The capital is Reykjavik. The official language is Icelandic. The monetary unit is the Icelandic krone. In administrative terms, the territory of I. is divided into 23 regions (sisls), united by the Isl. statistics in 8 regions (table).

Region	Area, km 2	Population, thousand people	Administrative center
Vostochny (Eystyurland)	22,7	13,9	Egilsstadir
Westfjords (Westfjords)	9,4	7,3	Isafjordur
Western (Westurland)	9,6	15,5	Borgarnes
North-East (Nordurland Eistra)	22,0	28,8	Akureyri
Northwestern (Nordurland Vestra)	12,8	7,4	Soydaurkroukur
Capital (Hövydborgarsvaidi)	1,1	196,1	Reykjavik
Southern (Sudurland)	24,5	23,5	Selfoss
Southern Peninsula (Sydyrnes)	0,9	20,4	Keflavik

Regions of Iceland (2007)

I. - member of the UN (1946), NATO (1949), CE (1950), Sev. Council (1952), OSCE (1973), Org-tion economic. cooperation and development (1961), Europ. free trade associations (1970), IMF (1945), IBRD (1945), WTO (1995).

Political system

I. - unitary state. The constitution was adopted on 17/6/1944. The form of government is a parliamentary republic.

The head of state is the president. Legislator. power belongs to the parliament and the president, the executive. power to the president and government.

The President is elected for 4 years by direct secret ballot. A presidential candidate must be an Icelandic national, over 35 years of age, and have an impeccable reputation.

Supreme legislator. body - a unicameral parliament (althing). 63 deputies are elected for 4 years by universal equal direct secret ballot according to the system of proportional representation. Bills passed by the Althing are sent to the president for signature and, after his approval, become laws. If the president refuses to approve the bill, then it can only come into force if it is approved in a referendum.

The government - the Cabinet of Ministers - is headed by the Prime Minister, who is appointed by the President. The Cabinet is responsible to the Althingi and in the event of a vote of no confidence in it, must resign.

India has a multi-party system. Major parties: Independence Party, Social Democratic alliance, Alliance of the Greens and the Left, Progressive Party, Liberal Party.

Nature

Relief

The coastline is approx. 5000 km. In the northwest, north and east, the rocky shores are dissected by numerous. bays (Fahsafloui, Hunaflowi) and fjords (Breida fjord, Isa fjord, Eyja fjord, etc.). Southwest and south. the shores are sandy, leveled. On the Snaefellsnes Peninsula there is a beach with yellow sand, unique for India (on the other coasts, the sand is black, volcanic). Surface I. preim. sublime. B. h. Islands is a volcanic. high plateau 500–900 m with large mountain ranges, including Vatnajökull, Eraivajokull (the highest point of India is the Hvannadalshnukur volcano, 2119 m), Mirdalsjokull (1480 m), Hofsjokull (1765 m), and others. Lowlands occupy less than 10% of the territory , in the main in the west and southwest. Lava fields (area up to 570 km 2), moraine and outwash plains are widespread.

From the north to the south-west of the country, a vast zone extends, in which b. including volcanoes. Total in I. approx. 200 volcanoes, including 26 active ones. For 1100 years St. 150 volcanic eruptions. Fissure-type volcanoes (Laki, Askja, etc.) are most characteristic. The most active volcano is Hekla (1491 m, last eruption in 2000). In 1963, as a result of an underwater eruption near the southwest. coast I. arose about. Surtsey. The combination of active volcanism and modern. glaciation leads to subglacial eruptions, in which there is a rapid melting of ice and the formation of powerful mud flows.

Geological structure and minerals

I. is located on the island of volcanic. origin, which is an exit above the surface of the ocean Mid-Atlantic Ridge, along the axis of which there is a separation and neoformation of the oceanic. bark (spreading). The island arose above an ascending flow of heated mantle matter (plume). The territory is composed of arr. Neogene-Quaternary basalts (the most ancient are of middle Miocene age). In addition to basalts, there are lavas of intermediate and felsic composition (andesites, rhyolites; ca. 10%). The thickness of the earth's crust under the river is from 19 to 35 km, the boundary between the Earth's upper and lower mantle is uplifted by 20 km, and the heat flux is increased. The island has two rift valleys. Vost. The valley stretches across the entire territory of India in a meridional direction, and the western one branches off from it southwest to the center. parts of the island. Rift closure with adjacent spreading ridges in the Atlantic ca. going through transform faults, along which the island is displaced to the east relative to the ridges at a distance of approx. 100 km. The rift zones of India are tectonically, magmatically, and seismically active; within their limits, intense hydrothermal activity is manifested. Spreading rate in rifts approx. 1.5 cm/year. The stretching of the earth's crust leads to the appearance of gaping cracks longitudinal in relation to the rift valleys, which are subsequently filled with magma rising from the magma. chambers located at a depth of approx. 3 km. After each fissure eruption, a subhorizontal basalt bed and a subvertical dolerite dike form on the surface. A collection of dikes from several eruptions forms swarms of dikes. Fissure eruptions are almost annual. Wed thickness of volcanic rocks along the periphery of rift zones is up to 8 km.

Subsoil I. rich in natural builds. builds materials and raw materials for production. materials: basalts, rhyolites, pumice, volcanic. slag, sands (volcanic, carbonate), gravel, diatomite. Significant reserves of hydrogeothermal resources.

Climate

I. is characterized by subarctic. maritime climate, influenced by warm Irminger Current and cold East Greenland Current. Depending on the passage of the Atlantic. cyclone weather changes dramatically; Fog and storm winds are frequent throughout the year. Winters are mild, windy (average January temperatures in the south and southwest from 2 to -3 °C; in the interior and in the mountains from -5 to -15 °C); summers are cool and humid (avg. July temperatures 7–12 °C). Precipitation is especially abundant in the south and southwest (up to 1000 mm per year, on the slopes of mountain ranges - up to 3000 mm). In the interior, 300–500 mm of precipitation falls annually, mainly in autumn.

The height of the snow line is from 1200 m above sea level to the center. parts of I. up to 600 m in the north. Total sq. glaciers 11800 km 2 (2000), the largest sheet glacier in Europe - Vatnajökull (8538 km 2).

Inland waters

Numerous river I. in the main. short (Thyoursau - 287 km, Khvitau - 183 km), stormy and rapids. When crossing ledges of basalt plateaus, many waterfalls are formed. up to 100 m. snow and ice, floods in spring and summer. During subglacial volcanic eruptions, the flow of rivers increases sharply, and floods are not uncommon. The I. rivers are not navigable, but they have large reserves of hydropower (estimated at 80 billion kWh per year; only 6% of hydropower resources are used). Many lakes are tectonic, volcanic. and glacial origin, occupying up to 3% of the territory. The largest are Tingvadlavatn (area 82.7 km 2, depth 114 m), Tourisvatn, Myvatn. From volcanic hot springs are associated with activity (St. 1000), the most famous is the Big Geyser, called. which has become a household word for all such formations. The energy of thermal springs is widely used in public utilities and greenhouses; numerous resorts.

Annually renewable water resources are 170 km 3 . In terms of water availability (about 600 thousand m 3 of water per person per year), I. occupies a leading place in Europe. For farms. purposes, less than 0.1% of available water resources are used, of which 63% consume industrial. enterprises, 31% is spent on domestic water supply, 6% goes to the needs of agriculture.

Soils, flora and fauna

Volcanic soils are widely represented in the soil cover. On the coastal plains, under forb-cereal meadows and tundra, peaty-soddy subarctic regions are developed. soil; on the volcanic plateau - stony dry peaty mountain-tundra soils. In the south In parts of India, peat bogs and peat-bog soils are common. So. the territories are covered with stony placers with a sparse moss-lichen cover or completely devoid of growths. cover.

India's flora includes a total of 483 species of vascular plants, among which sedges and grasses are the most numerous. Grows approx. 560 species of mosses and at least 550 species of lichens. St. 50 species of higher plants are classified as rare, 31 species are protected in India. During development, as a result of deforestation and overgrazing, the area under nature. woody vegetation (birch light forests, thickets of willow, mountain ash and juniper) have sharply decreased and now amount to approx. 1% of the territory of I. Means. the area is occupied by arts. conifer plantations (12 thousand ha). Subarctic forb-cereal meadows are widely used as highly productive pastures. The plains of I. are subject to means. erosion and deflation despite the fact that measures are being taken to protect them; The Pasture Land Deflation Control Act was passed in 1895 and was one of the first environmental laws. acts in Europe.

Specific A feature of the fauna of I. is the complete absence of amphibians and reptiles. Of the 11 species of mammals, only the arctic fox is the indigenous inhabitant of India, the rest of the species, including the reindeer, were brought to the island by humans. The avifauna includes 93 species of birds, 76 of which regularly nest on the island. A large colony of waterfowl (stoner, Icelandic goldeneye, arctic diver, etc.) is known on Lake. Myvatn. There are trout in the lakes, salmon in the rivers. In the coastal waters of I. there are 2 species of seals and several. types of whales. From St. 50 species of fish of major commercial importance are cod, sea bass, haddock, halibut, and others. A serious problem for the conservation of nature. The biodiversity of I. is represented by the introduction of alien species of plants and animals.

In India, 85 protected natural areas have been created, occupying approx. 12% of the country's territory, including nat. listed Thingvellir park world heritage .

Population

Rigid economy. The policy allowed the government to achieve an improvement in the economic situation and a reduction in inflation. After the 1987 elections, the ruling coalition was expanded to include the Social Democrats. The prime minister was PN Thorstein Paulsson. The government has focused on fighting inflation and improving the state. finance, in order to achieve the elimination of the deficit in the balance of payments and foreign trade. In 1988, a new center-left government was created with the participation of the PP, SDPI, and Nar. Union (1988–91), led by the progressive Steingrim Hermannsson. It announced its intention to raise taxes on large incomes, increase pensions, benefits and subsidies, as well as assistance to fish processing enterprises. The measures taken by the government have reduced the inflation rate from 27 to 15%.

In the 1991 elections, PN achieved success. Its leader, David Oddsson, formed a government from representatives of his party and the Social Democrats, and after the 1995 elections, from the PN and PP. It remained in power even after the elections to the Althing in 1999.

In 1994 I. entered Europe. economic space (SES). During the negotiations between the European The Free Trade Association and the EU recognized the fishing zone established by I. I. canceled duties on the import of fish products from EU countries and allowed the vessels of these countries to catch up to 3 thousand tons of fish per year in their fishing zone. At the same time, I. continued to challenge the right of the ships of Norway, Denmark and Canada to fish in the island. shelf. In order to prevent overfishing and the reduction of the country's fish resources, I. reduced its own. fishing fleet.

From the beginning 1990s India's GDP grew continuously (by an average of 4.5 percent per year). The government cut taxes, including income tax (by 4%) and corporate tax (from 24.5% to 14%). The government loosened economic regulation. activities with government funds. funds and emphasized the development of free market mechanisms. At the same time, the privatization of the state companies. In 2000, there were signs of some decline in Isl. economy: GDP growth slowed down, unemployment reached 2%, inflation - 5%. In 2003, economic the situation has stabilized, inflation has fallen to 2%. According to the results of the 2003 parliamentary elections, coalitions were created. the PN government and the Social Democratic Party. alliance (formed in 2001 as a result of the merger of SDPI, People's Union, etc.) under the hands of. Geira Haarde (PN), supported by 43 deputies (out of 63). In 2001 I. joined the Schengen agreement. On September 30, 2006, the USA and I. reached an agreement on the transfer of Amer. military base in Keflavik isl. government.

From the beginning 1990s actively developed Russian-Isl. relationship. Dec. 1994 Declaration on the foundations of relations between the two countries was signed. From Apr. 1999 bilateral political meetings are held on a regular basis. consultations through ministries of foreign cases, since 2001 there has been a mechanism for annual consultations on trade and economic. questions.

An important milestone in Russian-Isl. relations was the first ever visit of President I. Oulava Ragnar Grimsson to Russia on April 18–24, 2002. In Sept. 2002 he took part in the 2nd meeting of the Sev. research forum in Veliky Novgorod, in April. 2003 attended the celebrations dedicated to the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg, and in August of the same year he visited the Chukotka Autonomous District.

Develops Russian-Isl. cooperation at the regional level. Icelanders' attention is focused on expanding ties with the North-West of Russia, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Murmansk, Vladivostok, Kamchatka, Chukotka. Relations are maintained between the parliaments of both countries, as well as cooperation within the framework of regional organizations (Arctic Council, etc.).

In 2003, the trade turnover between Russia and India reached 89.7 million dollars. Isl. export to Russia is 13.8 million dollars, growing. export to India - 75.9 million dollars. The structure grew. exports to Iceland is predominant. raw materials: 62.3% are oil products, 27% - aluminum. Icelanders export ships and vehicles (25.1% of exports), seafood (23.3%), fabrics and clothing (14.9%), chemical products to Russia. fertilizers (10.8%), prom. equipment (9.5%).

One of the chap. directions of Russian-Isl. relations is cooperation in the field of fisheries. Signed in May 1999 Russian-Norwegian-Isl. Agreements on certain aspects of fishing have removed the problem of uncontrolled cod fishing by Icelanders in the open part of the Barents Sea. In Apr. 2000 was signed by Russian-Isl. intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of fisheries.

Cooperation between countries in the field of culture is expanding. In 1996, the first Russian-Icelandic dictionary was published, prepared by Isl. and grew up. philologists.

In the summer of 2002, I. visited the Russian Federation. military ships. In Reykjavik, a Russian-speaking community was formed, through whose efforts in 2001 the Orthodox parish of St. Nicholas.

economy

India is one of the highly developed states of the world. The volume of GDP is 11.89 billion dollars (according to purchasing power parity, 2007), per capita 39.4 thousand dollars. The human development index is 0.968 (2005; 1st place among 177 countries of the world).

International specialization of the country from the 2nd floor. 20th century define fishing and fish processing. Since the 1980s significant sectors of the economy were the electric power industry and the energy-intensive production of aluminum that grew on its basis. Since the 1990s as a result of further diversification and liberalization of the economy, the service sector has developed, mainly. foreign tourism, financial sector, developments in the field of high technologies. Foreign capital is actively involved in the construction of new heavy industry facilities, the development of communication systems, etc. (access for foreign investment in fishing and fish processing, as well as in the banking sector is prohibited by law). Since 2003, there has been an economic rise; GDP growth rates in 2004 and 2005 were among the highest in the countries of the North. Europe (respectively 7.7% and 7.5%); GDP growth in 2006 - 3.2%. In the structure of GDP, the service sector accounts for 69%, industry and construction - 24.7%; farming and fishing - 6.2% (2005).

Industry

One of the key industries is energy and heat supply (3.6% of GDP, 0.9% of employees in 2005). “The country of waterfalls and geysers”, I. means. hydro and geothermal energy resources. After the oil crisis of the 1970s state energy policy focused on the active development and use of local renewable energy sources (RES). As a result, a unique energetic system: in the structure of fuel and energy. the balance of RES accounts for approx. 72% (17% hydro, 55% geothermal, 2005), 28% of energy needs are covered by imports. India imports the necessary minimum of oil and oil products (for refueling fishing boats, automobiles, and airliners), and coal (for the needs of the cement industry).

The installed capacity of power plants is 1507 MW (2006). Electricity production 8.68 billion kWh (29.3 thousand kWh per capita; in terms of electricity consumption per capita, India ranks first in the world), including 80.8% at hydroelectric power plants , 19.1% at geothermal power plants (GeoTPP). There are 5 geothermal power plants (with an installed capacity of 210 MW; it is planned to increase it to 410 MW): Nesjavellir, Krafla, Svartsengi, Reykjanes and Hellisheið i (the last two, with a capacity of 100 MW and 90 MW, were launched in 2006). The areas of application of geothermal waters in India are more diverse than in other countries of the world. They are used in the heat supply of cities, including for space heating and heating of sidewalks (ice and snow are melted by the residual heat of heating systems), for filling swimming pools (about 130 are in operation), in greenhouses, etc.

As part of the program of large prom. construction in I. erected new energy. facilities: the country's largest HPP "Kárahnjúkar" (design capacity 690 MW; commissioned in 2008) and several. new Geothermal power plants near Reykjavik. State. the strategy of creating a "hydrogen society" provides for a complete transition of the economy to the use of renewable energy sources and the rejection of energy imports; R&D is being actively conducted on the production of hydrogen fuel by electrolysis of water (in Reykjavik in 2003–06, an experiment was conducted to install hydrogen fuel cells on city buses; the next stages are the transfer of private cars to hydrogen fuel, then fishing boats).

In the processing industry, approx. 12% of GDP (without fish processing) and 10.1% of employees are employed. The leading place belongs to the aluminum industry (the industry consumes about 51 percent of the electricity generated in India). From imported bauxites in 2006, approx. 400 thousand tons of aluminum; almost all products are exported. As part of the program of large prom. construction by 2006, the capacities of the aluminum plant in Grundartaungi were significantly expanded (from 90 to 220 thousand tons; owned by the American company Century Aluminum), in 2007 the plant was launched in Reydarfjordur in the east of the country (capacity 346 thousand tons; American company " Alcoa Inc.), by 2010 it is planned to expand the plant in Struimsvik (from 180 to 460 thousand tons; Canadian company Alcan Inc.); in the future, by 2010-15, construction of two more aluminum plants in the north and south-west of the country (with a capacity of 250 thousand tons of aluminum each). The implementation of the program will enable India to increase aluminum smelting to 1.5 million tons per year and become one of the world's largest aluminum producers and exporters. Ferrous metallurgy is represented by the production of ferrosilicon (114.8 thousand tons in 2005).

The most important sector of the economy is fishing and fish processing (4.8% of GDP is created in fishery, 2% of GDP in fish processing; respectively, 3.1% and 3% of employees are employed; 2005). India is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of fish catch and export of fish products. In 2006, 1323 thousand tons of fish and seafood were caught (including whiting 315 thousand tons, herring 291 thousand tons, cod 199 thousand tons, capelin 178 thousand tons, haddock 97 thousand tons, sea bass 83 thousand . t, ​​pollock 75 thousand tons). The fishing fleet includes 1692 vessels (2006), including 63 large ocean trawlers. fishing, 852 small-sized deck vessels (boats, etc.), which fish in territorial waters and in exceptional economical. zone I. (EEZ; 200 nautical miles); the rest are fishing boats. The growth in the number of vessels is constrained by the current system of allocation of quotas for sea production. bioresources in territorial waters and EEZ (quotas are assigned to each specific vessel; a new vessel can receive a quota and start fishing if the owner acquires and then disposes of the old one). The number of large ocean-class trawlers fishing outside the country's EEZ (Norwegian, Barents and Bering Seas, the South Atlantic, the Atlantic coast of Canada and Morocco, the Pacific coast of Chile) is increasing, advanced technologies for the extraction and deep processing of seafood are being developed and introduced. From Ser. 1980s I. came to first place in the world in terms of such indicators of the industry as the catch per employee (cf. approx. 300 tons per year; 265 tons in 2006) and the value of manufactured products per employee (374 thousand dollars). in 2006).

The largest fishing ports (catch, thousand tons, 2003): Neskuipstadur 238, Vestmannaeyjar 202, Eskifjordur 164, Grindavik 148, Seydisfjordur 140, Akranes 117, Reykjavik 104. Processing enterprises - fish processing plants, refrigerators, canneries, etc. - are located along the coast . B. h. products (frozen fish fillets, salted and dried fish, fish meal and fish oil) are exported. The arts are practiced. fish breeding, oriented in the main. for air deliveries of chilled products for the restaurant business of the countries of the South. Europe. In 2006 India exported $1.87 billion worth of seafood; main buyers - EU countries (76% of the cost).

Shipbuilders are focused on meeting the needs of fishing. and ship repair enterprises, as well as factories producing high-tech equipment for fishing (including mid-water trawls) and deep processing of seafood (Marel Ltd. company - high-precision scales operating in stormy sea conditions, lines for cutting fish and shrimp for floating fish factories and coastal enterprises). Main centers - Reykjavik, Akureyri, Isafjordur.

There are factories for the production of cement (132.5 thousand tons; Akranes) and nitrogen fertilizers (over 3 thousand tons; Gyuvynes), small enterprises of paint and varnish, textile, leather and footwear, knitwear, woodworking, and furniture industries ( mainly in the Reykjavik area). The production of honey is developing. technology, pharmaceutical drugs. Diatomite (about 20,000 tons per year), pumice, and natural materials are mined. materials (sands, basalts, rhyolites, etc.).

Agriculture

The agricultural sector produces 1.4% of GDP and employs 3.4% of workers (2005). I. provides ext. needs for meat, dairy products, eggs, in the mean. degrees in fresh vegetables; part of the production is exported to Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The missing types of food (grain, etc.) are imported.

C. x-in small-scale. Land plots are fragmented and privately owned. The state provides support to farmers (a total of over 4 thousand farms, mid-2000s), by allocating subsidies, and limits the import of agricultural products. products. The number of farms specializing in the production of greenhouse vegetables, including those using environmentally friendly technologies, is growing.

S.-x. land is approx. 22% of the country's territory (2.2 million hectares) and are used in the main. under meadows and pastures. The leading industry is animal husbandry, the basis of which is meat and wool sheep breeding and dairy cattle breeding. Livestock (thousand, 2006): sheep 455.7, cattle 68.7 (including dairy 25.5), horses (Icelandic ponies) 75.6, poultry 166.2. Meat production (thousand tons, 2005): mutton 8.74, pork 5.3, beef 3.54, horse meat 0.8, poultry meat 5.77. Crop production is subordinated to the needs of animal husbandry. Forage grasses (hay is the main product of crop farms), potatoes, turnips, and barley are grown on cultivated lands. A greenhouse economy has been developed based on the use of thermal springs. Vegetables, flowers, etc. are grown in greenhouses (mainly in the south of India). Gathering (thousand tons, 2005): grain 9.73, potatoes 7.25, tomatoes 1.51, cucumbers 1.15, carrots 0, 42, cabbage 0.39.

Services sector

One of the most dynamically developing sectors is foreign tourism (mainly ecological). Tourists are attracted by unusual landscapes (solidified volcanic lava creates so-called lunar landscapes), mountains and fjords, volcanoes and geysers, waterfalls, open-air thermal pools, etc. In 2006, 422,000 people visited India. (including approx. 25% from Scandinavian countries, approx. 16% from the UK, over 13% from the USA, over 9% from Germany). R&D is being actively carried out, including in the field of energy saving, construction of GeoTPP, as well as biotechnologies (genetic medicine, genetic engineering); the production of computer programs has been established (including commissioned by Apple and Microsoft). The financial sector is developing rapidly. I. occupies a leading position in the world in the field of communication services. Along with the postal service (there are 93 branches throughout the country), there is a developed telephone network: in the beginning. In 2006, 193.9 thousand fixed telephone numbers and 304 thousand mobile numbers were registered (more than 1 mobile phone per inhabitant). 88% of us use the Internet. I. (in rural areas - 84%).

Transport

The basis of the internal The transport system of I. is automobile and aviation. transport; part of the transportation is carried out by coastal ships. External transportation of passengers is carried out in the main. air transport, cargo - sea. transport. There are no railroads. The length of paved roads is 13,038 km (2006). In coastal areas, most settlements are connected by paved roads; in the inner In the regions of India there are only dirt roads (open for travel only in the summer months). Main highway - a ring road linking the cities of Reykjavik - Borgarnes - Blöndyuous - Akureyri - Egilsstadir - Höbn - Selfoss (length approx. 1.4 thousand km). There are 197.3 thousand cars, 1.9 thousand buses, 25.5 thousand trucks, 4.2 thousand motorcycles in the country (mid-2006). Provision of the population with cars 642 per 1000 people. (2006); traffic density 15 vehicles per 1 km of road (2004). In the 1990s - early. 2000s means. part of the ships of the leading shipping companies "Eimskip" (specialized in transatlantic transportation) and "Samskip" (carried out cargo and passenger transportation to Europe) was transferred under the "flags of convenience" of other countries (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, Norway , Malta, Faroe Islands; 34 vessels in total). 48 small vessels with a total displacement of 7,767 dwt are registered under the flag of India (including 1 vessel with a displacement of 480 dwt). In 2005 Isl. ships transported 5.8 million tons of cargo. There are 11 passenger airports, 4 of them are international. Ch. "air gate" of the country - the airport. Leif Eirikson in Keflavik (52 km from Reykjavik; over 1.8 million passengers in 2005); spare international the airport is located at Egilsstadir in the east of I. Intl. flights (to Greenland and the Faroe Islands) are also operated from domestic Reykjavik and Akureyri airports. In 2005, only 2.66 million passengers were transported through the airports of India (including 0.77 thousand on domestic airlines). Leading national airlines: state "Flugleið ir Í slands" (its divisions: "Icelandair", carries out passenger transportation; "Iceland Cargo", specializes in cargo transportation; "Flugfélag slands"), private "Air Atlanta" (passenger charter and cargo transportation outside of I. ) and "Iceland Express" (charter passenger services). Int. air communication is carried out in the main. companies Flugfélag slands and Loftleið ir.

International trade

The volume of foreign trade turnover is 10.07 billion dollars (2006), including exports of 3.62 billion dollars, imports of 6.45 billion dollars. commodity export items: seafood - 51.2% of the value (including frozen fish fillet - approx. 15%, fresh fish - approx. 10%, salted and dried fish - approx. 10%, frozen fish - approx. 6 %, fishmeal - about 6%, frozen shrimp - about 4%, fish oil, etc.), prom. goods - 38.3% (mainly aluminum - approx. 19%, ferrosilicon - over 3%, etc.), ships, products from. x-va, etc. In the structure of imports, 25.1% falls on production products. destination (23.9%) and raw materials (1.2%), 23.8% - for products for industrial. construction, 22.4% - for vehicles (cars, ships), 8.4% - for fuel and other oil products. OK. 75% isl. export and approx. 65% of imports come from EU countries (2006). From dep. countries the largest trading partners of India: Germany (15.0% of exports and 12.3% of imports), the USA (10.8% and 12.9% respectively), the Netherlands (16.6% and 4.8%), Great Britain (15.6% and 5.3%), Norway (4.0% and 7.0%), Denmark (3.5% and 6.1%), Sweden (0.9% and 7.0%) , Japan (2.1% and 4.1%), Spain (6.4% and 1.3%). The Russian Federation accounts for approx. 1.9% exp. export.

Armed forces

Armed. I. forces as regular formations are absent (2006). In the interests of providing national security, a coast guard service (BOHR) was created with a staff of 130 people. It consists of 3 patrol ships, a patrol aircraft, 2 search and rescue helicopters, a sapper unit, a logistics service. security. Main the tasks of the BOHR service are: to supervise the fishing industry; conducting search and rescue operations; performance of customs functions and civil defense activities. The tasks of maintaining internal law enforcement is entrusted to the police (450 people) and the emergency rescue service (about 70 people; 2 helicopters). Military annual budget $41.5 million (2005). Mobilization resources amount to 75.6 thousand people, including those fit for military. service - 66.5 thousand people.

The country's leadership considers it appropriate to provide nat. security through close cooperation with the United States in the field of defense. In this regard, there are approx. 1.8 thousand people personnel and a squadron of base patrol aircraft of the US Navy, 1.3 thousand people. personnel and fighter squadron of the US Air Force.

healthcare

In I. per 100 thousand inhabitants. there are 362 doctors, 1363 persons cf. honey. staff, 100 dentists, 130 pharmacists, 69 midwives (2004); hospital beds - 750.8 per 10 thousand inhabitants. (2005). Total health spending is 9.9% of GDP (budget funding 83.4%, private sector 16.6%) (2004). Legal regulation of the health care system is carried out by the Constitution (1944, amendments 1999), laws: on local social services (1991), honey. patient insurance (2000), infect. diseases (1997), child protection (2002), people with disabilities (1992), tobacco control (2002), biobanks (2000), scientific. research in the health sector (1999), patient rights (1997), pharmaceuticals (1994), advertising of medical products. appointments (1995). Morbidity per 100 thousand inhabitants. is: diseases of the circulatory system - 207 cases, malignant neoplasms - 160.5, injuries and poisonings - 34.8, pulmonary tuberculosis - 3.8 cases (2005). Main causes of death in the adult population: diseases of the circulatory system (38%), ischemic. heart disease (20%), cancer (30%) (2004).

Sport

In isl. sagas 12th–13th centuries the game of chess is mentioned, and the nat is also described. glyma wrestling, the rules of which are reported in the "Jonsbuk" - a code of laws adopted in 1281 by the Althing. It resembles Greco-Roman wrestling, but the fight is not held on mats, but on a hard floor.

Physical guide. culture and sports in the country with ser. 20th century carried out by three organizations: the Department of Physical. upbringing Min-va nar. education, Isl. Sports Union (ISA), Isl. union of youth organizations. ISA unites St. 250 sports clubs representing approx. 30 sports unions. The largest clubs in the country: KR, Keflavik, Akranes, Akureyri, Volur, Fram, Vikingur, etc.

The most popular sports in the country are football, athletics, chess, handball, shooting (the oldest sports organization in India is the Reykjavik Shooting Association; founded in 1867), skiing, swimming, golf, basketball, volleyball, weight lifting, and bridge.

National The Olympic and Sports Association of I. was founded in 1921 and recognized by the IOC in 1934. Athletes of I. took part in the Olympic Games in 1908 (London) and 1912 (Stockholm), since 1936 (Berlin) - in all subsequent ones; in total (in 1936-2008) they won 4 Olympic medals: in 1956 (Melbourne), Vilhjaulm Einarsson won the silver medal in the triple jump; in 1984 (Los Angeles) Bjarni Fridriksson won a bronze medal in judo competitions; in 2000 (Sydney) the bronze medal in javelin throw was awarded to Vala Flosadottir; in 2008 (Beijing), the men's handball team of I. won silver medals.

The following contributed to the constant growth of interest in chess: the opening of chess clubs (the first in 1900); performance with tours of the world champion A. A. Alekhin (1931); sports successes of the first isl. Grandmaster Fridrik Olafsson - participant in the Candidates Tournament (1959) and the "Match of the Century" (1970) as part of the World Team, 4th FIDE President (1978–82); holding in Reykjavik (1972) a world championship match between BV Spassky and R. Fischer; holding traditions. intl. tournaments in Reykjavik (since 1960), including in 1988 - the World Cup stage; successful performances of the national team of I. at the World Chess Olympiads (the best result in 1986 is 5th place).

In March 2005, thanks to the active work of ISl. of the Chess Federation, the 11th world chess champion R. Fischer became a citizen of Iceland (died in Reykjavik on January 17, 2008).

First prof. I. football player - striker Albert Gudmundsson, played in the Glasgow Rangers, Arsenal, Milan, president of the I. Football Association (1968–73); later became a politician (in 1983-87 he served as ministers of finance and industrial development, in 1980 he ran for the presidency of the country). Dr. famous football players: forward Ausgeir Sigurvinsson, who played for Bayern (Munich, 1981–82) and Stuttgart (1982–90), in which he became the champion of Germany (1984), spent 45 matches for the I. national team, scored 5 goals ; Eid Smari Gudjounsen, who played for Chelsea London (2000–06) and has been playing for Barcelona since 2006. In the beginning. 1990s team I. won the world championship in bridge.

Education. Scientific and cultural institutions

The education system is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture. Main regulatory documents are laws: on preschool education (1994), obligatory. education (1995), complete secondary education (1996), about universities (1997). Pre-school education is paid, optional. The majority of pre-school institutions are run by municipalities. Kindergartens attended by approx. 75% of children aged 3 to 6 and approx. 15% of younger children. Education in educational institutions of all levels is free. Required education of children from 6 to 16 years old is provided by primary and incomplete secondary schools; complete secondary education - grammatical. schools, industrial-prof. schools, special prof. schools, etc. comprehensive schools. State dominated. educational institutions. In the sparsely populated areas of India, the so-called. mobile schools and boarding schools. The literacy rate of the population over the age of 15 is 99% (2005). Prof.-tech. education is carried out on the basis of a 10-year school in prof. schools (term of study from 1 to 3 years), 4-year colleges (marine, engineer-navigational, etc.), prof. schools (arts and crafts, drama, ballet). The higher education system includes state. universities: University College in Holar (1882), S.-x. university in Borgarnes (1889; university status since 2005), Isl. pedagogical university (1908; current name and status since 1997) in Reykjavik, Isl. un-t (1911) in Reykjavik - a major center of education and science, includes St. 20 research institutes, including Arni Magnusson Institute (1972; research of ancient islamic literature; it includes the Museum of Manuscripts), University in Akureyri (1987); private universities: university in Borgarnes (1918; university status since 1988, current name since 2006), university of Reykjavik (1998), Isl. Academy of Arts (1999), Akureyri School of Renewable Energy (RES; founded in 2006, opened in 2007).

Among the scientific institutions: Institute of Natural Sciences. history (1889; current status since 1947), Isl. Academy of Sciences and Literature (1918), Isl. research council (1994; unites n.i. institutes - maritime, technological, agricultural, fishing, construction) - all in Reykjavik.

Libraries: National and University (1994), city (1923), Nat. archive (1882) - all in Reykjavik. National museum (1863), Nat. gallery (1884), Aurbair open-air museum, museum of the sculptor Ausmund Sveinsson, artist. gallery of sculptor Einar Jonsson - all in Reykjavik; Natural Museum. history (1889) in Vestmannaeyjar; folklore museums - in Borgarnes, Reikir, Glembaer and other cities; Whale Museum in Husavik and others.

Mass media

In 1773 the first isl. periodic publication - monthly "Islandske Maaneds-Tidender" on date. lang. In 1848 a weekly newspaper began to be published. "Thjoolfur". The oldest of the currently emerging is gas. "Ví sir" (since 1910). In 2007, 5 daily newspapers related to dec. were published in I. political parties, and 5 weekly. The largest newspapers: "Morgunblaéié" (since 1913; circulation 50-55 thousand copies), "Frettablað ið, The Reykjavik Grapevine" (since 2003, approx. 30 thousand copies) and "DV" ("Dagblað ið Ví sir "; St. 38 thousand copies). Broadcasting since 1930, conducted by the state. radio company "Rí kisútvarpið" (RÚ V) through two radio stations - "Rás1" and "Rás 2". National television since 1966 (before that, television was broadcast by an American television station in Keflavik). For a long time, the only TV channel in India was Sjónvarpið. In 1986, the private TV channel Stöð 2 was created. The media use foreign information. agencies, ch. arr. Norv. Telegraph Bureau, Reuters and Associated Press.

Literature

Lit-ra I. develops on the island. lang., which has a continuous lit. a tradition dating back to the early Middle Ages. Particularly significant in terms of the variety of genres and the number of outstanding works of literature of other-Isl. period (9th-14th centuries), the events of which are described in the "Book of the Settlement of the Country" (13th century), as well as in Isl. sagah - prosaic. stories about the past. Masterpieces of other-isl. literature are "Egil's Saga", "Nyala's Saga", "Saga of the Salmon Valley People", "Gisli's Saga", "Saga of the Sandy Shore People"; among the most significant are also the "Saga of the Named Brothers", "The Saga of Grettir", "The Saga of Gunnlaug Snake Tongue". Traditions dr.-germ. epic cultures were preserved in heroic. and mythological. songs (most of them were included in "Elder Edda" written in the 13th century).

In the Middle Ages. period also existed skaldic poetry, which was the author's, was reproduced non-variably and differed in a complicated form: an abundance of poetic. figures (kennings and haties), strict rules of alliteration and internal. rhymes, violation of the general language order of words made it difficult for unprepared listeners to perceive the text and at the same time prevented its distortion. Two basic skaldic genre. poetry - a song of praise and a hanging in case. In contrast to the Eddic songs dedicated to the distant past, Skaldic. poems captured the events of our time. The largest skalds are Egil Skallagrimsson (10th century), Kormak Egmundarson (middle 10th century), Hallfred the Hard Skald (late 10th - early 11th centuries), Sighvat Thordarson (1st half of the 11th century), Tormod Black-browed skald (1st half of the 11th century). In the 9th-12th centuries. sagas, epic and skaldic. poetry was passed down orally.

Isl. the church struggled with pagan worship, but not with Lit. traditions dating back to paganism: in the 11th-13th centuries. historical and the legendary past became the subject of study by educated Icelanders who reconstructed the interior. chronology and synchronized the events of the pan-European and isl. history. By 1200, lat. alphabet. Major writers of the 13th century - Snorri Sturluson, amounting to "Junior Edda", "Circle of the Earth" (a cycle of sagas about the history of Norway) and "The Saga of Olaf the Saint", and his nephew Sturla Thordarson, author of the Saga of Hakon the Old, the Saga of Magnus the Law-Renderer, the Saga of the Icelanders, as well as one of the editions of the Book of Settling the Country. 14th–15th centuries - the time of mass recording and rewriting of sagas. OK. 1300 was recorded an extensive compilation of sagas about the history of India - "The Sturlunga Saga" (its probable author is Tord Narvason, a student of Sturla Thordarson). Of the new genres that became widespread in the 14th-17th centuries, it should be noted rhymes - the original form of lit. ballads, often representing a retelling of the heroic. songs and sagas. It is believed that the verse of Rome, like some skaldic. dimensions, reflects the influence of lat. versification, but direct borrowing is unlikely. The most important poet of the 17th century who continued the tradition of Rome was Halgrim Pietursson, the author of psalms popular in India. In the 18th century isl. literature experienced means. European influence. literature.

Beginning 19th century - the period of linguistic revival and romanticism in Isl. lit-re; the most prominent poets are Jounas Halgrimsson and Bjarne Thorarensen. Purist program formulated dat. linguist R. K. Rusk and suggesting the orientation of the isl. lit-ry on own. traditions and opposition to external influences, in the 2nd half. 19 - beg. 20th century reflected in the work of the poets Matthias Johumsson and Einar Benedichtsson, who are considered to be late romantics. Ser. 19th century - the time of mastering the novel and drama: the first isl. novel - "Young Man and Girl" by Jón Thorodsen (1850), the first isl. the play is Skuga Sveidn by Mattias Johumsson (1864). However, the synthesis of European genres. literature and centuries-old traditions of the Islamic. epic prose was fully realized only in the 20th century. in the work of prose writers Haldor Kiljan Laxness (Nobel Prize, 1955) and Gunnar Gunnarson. All R. 20th century a controversy broke out between traditionalist poets (Johannes ur Kötlum, Johan Hjalmarsson) and modernists who called themselves "atomic skalds". The writer, poet and essayist Sigurd A. Magnusson stands apart, some of whose works are written in English. lang. Among the authors of the new wave, the modernist Thor Vilhjaulmsson (the novel Flaming Moss, 1986), Einar Kaurason (the novels The Devil's Island, 1983, and The Golden Island, 1985), the poet and prose writer Einar Maur Gvydmundsson (the novel The Angels of the Universe) stand out , 1993).

Architecture and fine arts

In India, from the first centuries of settlement, long houses were built from blocks of peat and sod. From the 11th–12th centuries In I., decorations in scand. are known. animal style, wood carving with features of Romanesque art (reliefs with wicker ornaments, figures of people and animals, Crucifixes; a fragment of a church door from Valtjoufsstadur depicting a knight, a lion and dragons, c. 1200, National Museum in Reykjavik has been preserved). Traditional woven pattern decorated with metal. buckles and other details of clothing, church utensils (silver bowls of the 12th–13th centuries, Victoria and Albert Museum, London), embroidered altar covers. Illuminating manuscripts in Romanesque and Gothic reached high skill. styles (since the 15th century, manuscripts were exported, mainly to Norway). In the 17th century within the framework of church art, pictorial portraits began to appear, filled with naive expressiveness (in the compositions of altar images, etc.). From Ser. 18th century century, ch. arr. according to project dates. architects, stone buildings were built in simple utilitarian forms; to con. 19th century a type of isl has developed. houses made of imported wood, tuff, basalt, often with corrugated iron sheathing, painted in bright colors.

symbolism and artists close to him. currents (sculpture by Einar Jonsson, art by Kjarval). From the 2nd floor. 20th century isl. art is increasingly involved in the world of art. process: in 1957–64 a Swiss worked in Reykjavik. artist D. Roth, member of the fluxus movement, around which a group of representatives formed concept art; since 1958 in Paris he created his works of sl. master Erro (Gudmund Gudmundsson), one of the luminaries of pop art and postmodernism. hobby abstract art peaked in the 1950s and 60s: compositions in the spirit of expressionistic. abstractions by Fin Jónsson (having studied in Germany, he maintained relations with the Sturm group, V. V. Kandinsky and others), abstract improvisations on landscape themes by Nina Triggvadottir; the master of monumental sculpture, Ausmund Sveinsson, switched to non-objective forms (the classic basis of his early mountain monuments is combined with an interpretation of the form in the spirit of cubism). Isl. figurative painting developed within the framework of the post-cubist trend and scand. expressionism(Gunnløig Schkeving, Sigurd Arinbjarnar, Thorvald Skulason portrayed the harsh life of fishermen and farmers), and since the 1980s. - in the style of transavant-garde and neo-expressionism. The architecture used modern. planning and landscaping methods (new buildings in Reykjavik and Akureyri), 4-5-storey houses and industrial buildings were built. structures (architects Sigurd Gudmundsson, Sigvaldi Thordarson and others). large companies. buildings were built according to the designs of architects Gudjoun Samuelsson, Ingimund Sveinsson, A. Aalto.

Music

Information about the early forms of music-making, genres of musical and poetic. creativity are contained in the monuments of other-isl. liters. The Icelanders retain elements of the all-Scandinavian musical and poetic. heritage, including a number of genres. With the adoption of Christianity, Gregorian chant spread, from the 2nd floor. 16th century - Music of the Protestant Church. National music school I. - the youngest of the Scandinavian, began to take shape in the middle. 19th century influenced by Danish. The first prof. musicians I. - organists Pietur Gudjounsen and Jounas Helgason. The first collections of chorales were published in 1861 and 1874, the first secular melody in Isl. author (Jounas Helgason) published in 1873. Among the musicians of the con. 19 - beg. 20th century - the first means. isl. composer Sveinbjorn Sveinbjornsson (author of the national anthem I., 1874); conductor and self-taught composer, founder of the first symphony. Orchestra I. and songwriter Helgi Helgason; versatile musician, politician and businessman, creator of the first textbook of elementary music theory in Icelandic. lang. Bjorn Kristjaunsson. Of great importance for the development of music. Culture I. had the activity of pastor Bjarni Thorsteinsson, who in 1909 published a collection of articles. "Icelandic National Music" (contains samples of musical and poetic folklore and ancient sacred music). Musical representative. romanticism in I. - a student of M. Reger Pal Isoulfsson ("Festival Cantata", 1930; he was also a famous organist). Among other composers of the 20th century. – Jón Leifs, Jón Nordahl (actively used 20th century compositional techniques, including applying them to the Islamic musical folklore, for example in the orchestral composition “Choralis”, 1982). Jón Ausgeirsson created the first isl. opera The Maid of Trim (1974, Reykjavik).

In Reykjavik, the National theater and national symphonic Orchestra (both 1950), Icelandic Opera (1982), Conservatory (1930), hosted by the Intern. festival of arts (since 1970, since 2004 annually). Among the choirs, the most famous men's choirs are Foustbridur (1911) and Reykjavikur (1926). Popular singer Björk (Björk Gudmundsdottir) won world recognition.

Ballet

Prof. ballet began to develop in India in the 1930s, when A. Nordman opened a ballroom and ballet dance school in Reykjavik. In the National theater ballets were staged. composers (“From the Album of Jonas Halgrimson” by Pal Isoulfsson, ballet dancer Ingibjorg Bjornsdottir, 1971, etc.). Among the students who acted under the Nat. theater ballet school - Helgi Tomasson, who later became world famous as a soloist decomp. US troupes. In 1973, under the National theater created Isl. dance company, which at different times was headed by A. Carter, K. Bennett, Y. Chetal, K. Morell, Nanna Olafsdottir. Since 1975, she has staged performances here. choreographer N. G. Konyus (Much Ado About Nothing by T. N. Khrennikova, 1977, etc.). Since 1996, the troupe has focused entirely on searches in the area of ​​modern. dance. The repertoire includes performances both by Icelandic (Ingibjorg Bjornsdottir, Olaf Ingolfsdottir, Lara Stefansdottir, Johann Freyr Bjorgvinsson and others), and foreign (J. Ulrich, I. Kilian, R. Orta, I. Galili, J. Stromgren, J. Uotinen and others) choreographers. Among the leading soloists of the troupe: Catherine Agusta Jonsson, Gudmund Elias Knudsen, Catherine Ingvadottir, Peter Andersson, Steve Lorenz, Cameron Corbett.

Theater

The first theatrical productions (from 1720) were carried out in lat. school in Skaulholt. Moving in 1799 to Reykjavik, this school until the 2nd floor. 19th century remained the only center of theatrical life of I. Students staged comedies of the first isl. playwright Sigurd Pietursson ("Narfi" and others). Since the 1860s in the capital, amateur circles became widespread, the most notable among which was the troupe of Sigurd Gudmundsson, the director of “living pictures” depicting events from ancient Iceland. sagas and preserved in the repertoire of the isl. theaters up to the beginning. 21st century Under the influence of Gudmundsson, the first original Isl. the plays were written by Mattias Johumsson (Les Misérables) and Indridi Einarsson (New Year's Eve). The first prof. The Reykjavik Theater Society (RTO), which was formed in 1897, became the theater of I. The troupe included director and playwright Einar Kvaran, leading actress Stefania Gudmundsdottir, and others. So. contribution to the development of acting was made by Oorsteinn Stephensen. Since 1989, the RTO has been located in the Gor. theater in Reykjavik.

In 1950, in Reykjavik, on the basis of the RTO, the National theater where modern and classic. plays of sl. and foreign authors. In 1952, theater and ballet schools were opened at the theater. Since the 1960s In India, alternative theatrical trends also developed. Avant-garde dramaturgy formed the basis of the repertoire of the "Grima" theater (Reykjavik), the troupe "Theater Workshop" (Reykjavik) turned to folklore motifs. In Akureyri, the Theater Company was established in 1973, and Nar in 1975. a theater that combines Italian techniques in its productions. commedia dell'arte with modern choreography and music. Theaters also exist in the cities of Eskifjordur and Siglufjordur. Isl was founded in 1975 in Reykjavik. theater school. The first children's theater in India is Moguleikhusid (1990, Reykjavik). One of the largest theater groups of the turn of the 20th–21st centuries. - theater in Hafnarfjordur (1995), the basis of its repertoire is the new isl. drama.

Movie

In 1919, the first full-length feature film in Iran was shot by dat. dir. Gunnar Sommerfelt based on the novel The Story of the Borg Family by Gunnar Gunnarsson. collaboration isl. filmmakers with colleagues from other countries (Denmark, Sweden, Germany) continued until the 1930s, when the country launched the production of newsreel-documentary and promotional short films. First isl. game f. The Adventures of Joon and Gwendur was filmed by Loft Gudmundsson in 1923, until the 1940s. remained the only major director in India. Household comedies and melodramas were staged by Oscar Gislasson. In 1948 Loft Gudmundsson staged the first ice. colored f. "Between Mountain and Beach" Swede. dir. Arne Matsson in 1954 created (together with his colleagues) f. "Salka Valka" based on the novel by Haldor Kilyan Laxness. Received wide recognition. "Sertsay" by Oswald Knudsen (1965) about the birth of a new island in 1963 as a result of an underwater volcanic eruption; among the films released jointly. from scand. studios, Gabriel Axel's The Red Robe (1967) stands out. So. ascent to Iceland cinematography took place in the 1970s, when the state began to provide assistance in the development of the national. cinema. In 1974 was prepared, and in 1979 came into force the Law on the creation of special. film fund to subsidize the isl. film producers and filmmakers (1-2 films a year used financial support from the state). At the turn of the 1980–90s. I. cinema was recognized as one of the most original phenomena in world cinema. In the 1980s there was a group of directors who received cinematic. education abroad (Germany, France, etc.). Most of their works remained unknown outside I., but otd. works received international resonance through participation in film festivals. For example, f. "Nuclear Station" Thorstein Jonsson (1983) was the first research. film shown at the International Cannes Film Festival. August Gudmundsson's films The Earth and Her Sons, The Saga of Gisli (both 1980) and At the Top (1982) also received recognition. One of the largest isl. directors con. 20 - early. 21st century Friedrik Thor Fridriksson set a row means. documentary films ("The Blacksmith", 1981; "Rock in Reykjavik", 1982; "Cowboys from the North", 1984), subsequently successfully worked in feature films ("White Whales", 1987, pr. MKF in Locarno; "Falcons", 2002; "Niceland", 2004, etc.). Among other directors: Baltasar Kormakur (101 Reykjavik, 2000, Mkf Ave. in Locarno; The Sea, 2002, Mkf Ave. in San Sebastian; A Little Journey to Heaven, 2005), Dagur Kuri (Noah , white crow", 2002, pr. MKF in Berlin; "Dark Horse", 2005). In 1978, the Film Fund and the Film Archive were founded in Reykjavik. Since 1978 Reykjavik has hosted the International film festival.

Iceland is called the "ice country" or "land of ice". It is located in the northern part Atlantic Ocean on the island of Iceland and a group of small islands.

Iceland consists of 8 regions: Hyuvudborgarsvaidid, Vesturland, Sudurnes, Vestfirdir, Nordurland-Eistra, Nordurland-Vastra, Sydurland, Eysturland.

Reykjavik - the capital of the country with a population of 180 thousand people - is a cultural, business and financial center countries. It is also the seat of government and parliament. In addition to Reykjavik, major cities are Hafnarfjordur (19 thousand people), Kopavogur (21 thousand people), Akureyri (17 thousand people), Seydisfjordur, Husavik, Akranes.

At the head of the country is the president, who is elected for 4 years by direct general elections. The Icelandic government consists of the prime minister and ministers who are members of the Progressive Party and the Independence Party.

The legislative body - Parliament (Althing) - consists of one chamber and has existed since 930. The Icelandic constitution was adopted in 1920.

Until recently, fishing and fish processing were the main sources of income for Iceland. In 2001, they accounted for 32% of the industry. But in the last decade, there has been an active diversification of industrial production, which became possible thanks to the use of renewable cheap energy.

Aluminum smelters are currently being actively built. Other promising industries for Iceland include banking, tourism, biotechnology, information Technology. Iceland belongs to the industrialized countries.

In 2007, Iceland was recognized by the UN as the best country to live in the world.

	Reykjavik
Population	317,630 people
Population density
	Icelandic
Religion	Lutheranism
Form of government	parliamentary republic
	Icelandic krone
Timezone
International dialing code
Internet domain zone
Electricity

Climate and weather

On the southwestern coast, where Reykjavik is located, the average temperature in winter is -1 ºС, in summer - +11 ºС. The waters surrounding the island of Iceland never freeze.

Thanks to the warm current of the Gulf Stream, the climate of the western and southern coasts of Iceland is quite mild in winter. At the same time, a large amount of precipitation falls in the form of rain. On average, Reykjavik has only 3 sunny days in January, and even less than 1 in July. The warmest period of the year is from July to August. The east and north of Iceland are usually sunnier and warmer. Most of the sun in the central part of the north of the island - in the area Akureiri and lakes miwati. It is warmest, as a rule, in the eastern part, in the area Egilsstdoir. But even in these relatively favorable areas, unpleasant cold winds blow. On the coasts of the island, the weather is often worse than in the central parts. But on the inner part of the island, powerful winds and storms can interfere with rest. They lift large masses of sand into the air and create the so-called "sulu".

Nature

The geological age of Iceland is small: the island was formed about 60 million years ago as a result of volcanic eruptions. The most ancient areas are in the north, west and east.

To the west, in the region Snaefellsnes, there are many volcanoes, 20 of which were active when Iceland was already inhabited. In 1783, the Laki volcano, located southwest of Vatnajökull, erupted. The lava that flowed out as a result of the eruption covered an area of ​​570 square meters. km. Hekla volcano erupted in 1947 and 1970. In 1963, the island of Surtsey was formed as a result of an underwater eruption.

There are many hot springs throughout the island. There are about 250 of them in total. The most famous gushing spring is the Big Geyser. 85% of houses in Iceland are heated with energy generated by hot springs. Also, their warm water is used in swimming pools and greenhouses.

The northern, eastern and northwestern coastline is indented by many fjords and bays.

Glaciers and ice caps cover an area of ​​11,900 km2. The largest ice cap Vatnajökull- located in the southeast of the country and covers 8,300 sq. km.. In the same area is the highest point of Iceland - Hvannadalshnukur, reaching a height of 2,119 meters.

There are many fairly large rivers in the country, but they are all non-navigable. Rivers often fork and change direction, and this hinders the movement of traffic. The largest Icelandic islands are Touriswati And Tingvadlavati.

Iceland is home to over 80 species of birds. Some species of whales and two species of seals are found in coastal waters. Great importance for Iceland they have such fish species as sea bass, halibut, cod, haddock.

Attractions

In 2000, Reykjavik (translated as "Smoky Bay") was declared the cultural capital of the world. The central part of the city - Old Reykjavik - is a huge space with a lot of lakes and lawns, which are replaced by old traditional buildings. In this place, and today there are stables and sheepfolds. Of course, they no longer contain livestock. Most of them have turned into cafes and shops. Reykjavik's most notable old buildings are the 18th century government building and the Parliament House built in 1881. Of the museums in Reykjavik, it is worth visiting the National Museum, the National Gallery of Iceland and the Reykjavik City Art Museum. In Reykjavik, a luxurious botanical garden is open to visitors.

Iceland has a large number of waterfalls. The most famous of them are Gullfoss, or Golden Falls, Goudafoss, or Waterfall of the Gods, Scogarfoss And Dechtifoss, or Falling waterfall.

The northern capital of Iceland is the city Akureyri which is on the coast eia fjord. Nearby is a lake miwati, or Komarino Lake, which never freezes.

Iceland is one of the centers of extreme tourism and sport fishing. Here you can go rock climbing or go hiking. A popular pastime here is a safari. You can go on a horseback trip, fish for salmon and trout in streams and lakes. Diving enthusiasts can dive into the depths of mineral waters.

Nutrition

Icelandic cuisine cannot be called varied and rich. The reason for this is the monotonous flora and fauna and the harsh climate. National Spanish dishes are always extremely simple, but very tasty. The most popular dishes in Iceland are roast lamb and Icelandic chowder.

The original national Icelandic dishes are hrutspungur, hakarl and svid. Hrutspungur is pickled lamb testicles, which are pressed into cookies. Hakarl- this is rotten shark meat, placed in the ground for half a year to bring it to the necessary stage of decomposition. Svid- a whole sheep's head, which is cut into two halves, brought to a boil and consumed almost raw.

Less exotic dishes blakya(charred meat) luindi And hardfiskur(haddock). You can also be served fur seal meat, whale steak and whale meat. A traditional dairy product in Iceland is skyr- prepared from bacterial cultures and milk cream.

If meat dishes in Iceland are not distinguished by sophistication, then fish dishes here are surprisingly diverse. The most famous local dishes are made from halibut, salmon, cod, scallops, shrimp and shark.

Of the drinks, coffee is very popular. Wine, beer and other spirits are very expensive here. Classic drink in Iceland brennyvin- made from potatoes and flavored with cumin.

Iceland has a very high level of restaurant culture: across the country there are a huge number of restaurants that compete with each other and provide excellent service to visitors.

Beer was forbidden to be produced and drunk in Iceland for 75 years, and now, in 1989, the ban was lifted. A large glass of beer will cost you $8, a small one $4.70. In coffee shops you need to pay only for one cup of coffee, all the rest will be brought to you for free.

Accommodation

It is safest to book your accommodation before you arrive in Iceland, but if this is not an option, then you will have to act on the spot. For the first few days, you can always find a hostel, tourist base or hotel. Most affordable prices- at the Salvation Army House in Reykjavik and at the Tourist Base, which is also located in the capital. The minimum price for a room for one night is 33 €.

Since the real estate market in Iceland is vast and the purchase of apartments and houses makes up 75-85% of the housing stock, the rental property market is quite narrow. In Reykjavik, renting an apartment will cost you the most.

When renting a home, a monthly fee and a security deposit are paid. It is better to ask the landlord to provide you with a written rental agreement.

Every person over the age of 18 who rents housing under a contract for more than six months can receive monetary compensation. You can write such a statement to the social service bureau.

The average price for a room with kitchen and bathroom per month is ISK 40,000 per month. For a modest apartment, you will have to pay 70,000-80,000 kroons per month. In suburban areas, the average cost of one square meter is 1200 kroons, in the capital - 1500.

Entertainment and recreation

The most important holiday for Icelanders is Independence Day. This holiday takes place on June 17th. At this time, bright open-air theater performances and costumed parades are organized throughout the country.

In the first week of June you can get to the holiday Ciomannadagurini dedicated to sailors. On this day, tug-of-war, water rescue and swimming tournaments are held. June 24 is the Midsummer Midsummer Day. On the third Thursday of April, Sumardagurini Fursti takes place - a carnival holiday that is dedicated to the first day of summer. In August, you can get to another local holiday called Pyodhatio Westmannaeyar. On this day, Icelanders sing songs, make large fires, hold folk festivals and dances. There is a holiday in some areas of Iceland Verslunarmannahelgi. It is held in August. On this day, it is customary to go hiking with an overnight stay with the family, to barbecue.

There are a lot of excursions in Iceland. The most entertaining of them take place in the following places:

• East Iceland
• Eastern fjords
• Westman Islands
• Valley of Geysers
• Thingvellir National Park
• Kaldidalur
• Glaciers
• snifetle
• Lake Muwati
• North Iceland
• Fjords of West Iceland
• Central Iceland.

Iceland is a great place to organize hiking, often extreme, trips. The most noteworthy places for hiking trails are in Latrabjarg, Landmanialaugar and Horistrandir. Well-equipped ski bases are located in Akureiri, Reykjavik, Hitarfjall and Blafjoll. On Mount Langjokull you can ride a sled, in the caves of Hallmundarchraun you can try your hand at sports caving, plunge into geothermal springs and ride horses. Iceland also hosts the Arctic Open golf tournament (in Akureiri). The competition takes place on one of the nights of the polar summer, which is why it is called the “Midnight Sun Tournament”.

Purchases

The standard opening hours of Icelandic shops are from 10:00 to 18:00 on weekdays and from 10:00 to 14:00 (less often until 16:00) on sabbath days. Sometimes big shopping centers work on Friday until 22:00. During the summer, all shops are closed on weekends.

Most of the goods in Iceland are imported, so the prices for food, real estate and transport services are very high. Iceland is second only to Japan in terms of cost of living. If you want to indulge yourself in anything, you will have to spend at least $ 500 per day.

Transport

Iceland's largest airline, Air Island, is the only air carrier that operates safe domestic passenger transport during the winter. Icelandic network highways is one of the most underdeveloped in the European region, railway tracks not at all.

At the same time, the bus company Bifritastood Islands does an excellent job of transporting passengers in very harsh conditions. The largest Icelandic ports are connected by ferries.

In Iceland, there are several state-owned companies that provide taxi services 24 hours a day. For 1 kilometer, a fee of approximately 100 kroons is charged, on holidays and at night the price rises by 10-15%. Taxis can be found at special parking lots, stopped on the street or called for free by phone.

Connection

There are still few places where you can find Wi-fi in Iceland. But everywhere you can use the services of Internet cafes.

Cellular communication standards in Iceland are GSM 900/1800.

Telephone communication is very well developed in Iceland. Telephone boxes are located on every corner. You can call them using coins of 10, 50 and 100 kroons or use a phone card worth 500 kroons. Phone cards can be bought at the telephone exchange or at the post office. The cost of a call, both local and international, depends on the day of the week and time of day. You will pay the regular price on weekdays from 8:00 to 19:00. On weekends and weekdays from 19:00 to 08:00 you will be given a 25% discount.

Safety

If you are walking in mountainous areas, be very careful and attentive, as volcanic activity is possible in these areas. You run the risk of falling into a mud pit or “running into” a geyser eruption. When walking, it is better not to deviate from the tourist path.

In terms of crime rates, Iceland is one of the safest countries in the world in this sense. Reykjavik has recently become an exception: cases of petty theft have become more frequent here, and information about more serious offenses now and then appears in the news. Going to a nightclub, be prepared to witness a fight. Don't interfere - just call the police.

Business climate

If you come to Iceland temporarily or permanently to work, you need to register with the National Registry. You will be assigned an identification number and the State Department of Revenue will give you a tax card. You also need to have a work permit. You can consult the Employment Committee or the Immigration Office for its provision.

In Iceland, you can open a company of any form of ownership. If you are a self-employed entrepreneur in Iceland, you will need to pay 38.58% of your profits to the treasury every month. The partnership is taxed at 26% of profits. Companies and their affiliates pay 18% of their profits to the Icelandic treasury. The most common choice when opening firms is the form of a closed limited liability company. This is due to the low tax rate and the ease of maintaining the company. The tax rate for such firms is 5%.

Real estate

The real estate market in Iceland is very wide. You can buy apartments in Iceland only if you have a residence permit. If you want to buy an apartment, you need to consult the State Financial Housing Fund or a local bank.

Reykjavik is one of the five most expensive real estate cities in the world. In the last decade, house prices in Iceland have been on the rise.

Iceland has enough real estate to sell and buy. Every year the country is visited by a huge number of tourists, which stimulates the expansion of the real estate market. It is important that the influx of tourists to Iceland occurs throughout the year, which is also a prerequisite for the development of the housing market.

Iceland drives on the right. In winter, car traffic is hampered by snow drifts on the roads and strong winds. Drunk driving and other traffic fines traffic very high. But you will never have problems with parking in Reykjavik: several multi-storey car parks have been built here and a large number of surface ones. Parking is charged on an hourly basis. In a regular parking lot you will pay 80-150 kroons, in a parking lot - 50-100. You need to pay for parking at the machines at the entrance to the parking lot or at the parking lot employee.

It is allowed to import no more than three kilograms of food into Iceland. At the same time, it is forbidden to carry meat, dairy products, raw eggs. If you are over 20 years old, you can take with you up to 1 liter of spirits, 6 liters of beer and 1 liter of wine. Upon reaching the age of 18, passengers can also take up to 200 cigarettes and 250 grams of tobacco with them.

Icelanders don't have surnames. Residents of Iceland have only a first and middle name. The endings of patronymics "-son" are worn by men, "-dottir" - by women. You can often meet people with the same last names. Icelanders address each other only by name.

Alcohol can be bought only in state special shops. Alcohol here is 5-7 times more expensive than in duty free at airports.

Near the most popular natural monuments there are areas for setting up tents. For an overnight stay in such an area, you will have to pay 2-3 dollars. In other places, pitching a tent is allowed only with the permission of local authorities.

Tipping in Iceland is only left to doormen in hotels and restaurants. In other situations, the tip is already included in the bill.

Visa information

Getting a visa to Iceland is not as difficult as it might seem. To do this, you will need to collect a standard package of documents, including: a valid passport, tickets to and from the country, copies of the required pages of the passport, confirmation of hotel room reservation.

The visa is granted within 8 working days. The consular fee is about 35 €.

The Embassy of Iceland is located at 121069, Moscow, Khlebny pereulok, 28.
You can get detailed advice by calling the appropriate phone number (+7 495) 956-7604. The Embassy is open throughout the working week from 09:00 to 17:00.

How did Iceland become the modern republic it is today? How does the country's geography, climate, and position in the world influence its development, and what were some of the most positive and negative chapters in Iceland's heyday? After reading this article, you will discover many oddities in the history of Iceland.

Today Icelanders face a new and exciting chapter in the history of their young country. With millions of visitors each year discovering Iceland, a constant stream of immigration and urban development, the Iceland of yesteryear is approaching...

Already, the city of Reykjavik has received a new face. What once looked like an overgrown Scandinavian village has given way to the construction of luxury hotels, visitor centers and tourist spots. Just a few decades earlier, Reykjavik had become the focus of modernism that followed World War II - theatres, restaurants, museums and bars. Such transformations occurred only in the capital several times.

The quintessential Icelandic streets of Lækjargata and Laugavegur are nothing like what they once were with glass hotel fronts and bustling souvenir shops. This is not bad, but serves as a clear reminder that the future is very close. It seems that every day, this city, this country, this population, is progressing...

This development would seem to imply that this once isolated North Atlantic island is now prominent among international travellers. Vacationers, business people, artists, musicians, students looking for work - in recent decades, all types have found Iceland to be a country of opportunity.

Tourism has been the lifeline of the Icelandic economy, an economy that was in free fall during the 2008-2011 banking crisis. Now, not only financially rebounding but outstripping the GDP of yesteryear, Iceland's future has never looked brighter, never more open to investment, interest and international cooperation.

But how did Icelanders reach this unique moment in their history? To understand this, it is worth plunging into the fascinating history of this northern island.

Formation of Iceland

Iceland first began to form about 70 million years ago. It is believed that a large magma pocket, which is located under the island today, was the catalyst that started this process.

This magma pocket is known as the "Icelandic Plume" and is believed to have its origins over 2,000 meters deep inside the Earth's mantle. Long before the dawn of humanity, this plume triggered a series of underwater eruptions that quickly began to create the island we know today.

In the modern landscape, these same forces can still be seen in the event of volcanic eruptions or earthquakes. To illustrate this point, Sursi Island, in the Vestmannayar archipelago, was created from 1963 to 1967 due to such underwater volcanic eruptions. Today, Surtsey is classified as a protected nature reserve and only scientists who study it are allowed to set foot on the island.

Iceland's position in the middle of the Mid-Atlantic Rift makes it a hotbed of geothermal activity and is still the main reason why Iceland has over 200 different volcanoes, geysers and volcanic fissures.

Visitors here not only have many opportunities to visit volcanoes, but also have the opportunity to look at the exposed North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, constantly moving slightly apart (1 millimeter per year) in national park Thingvellir Þingvellir, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

And although you can consider many historical events that shaped the face of Iceland, but such events are happening now. Consider the glacial volcano, Eyyafyadlokull, which began erupting after 200 years of silence in 2010.

After centuries of internal pressure, Eyjafjadlokudl's eruption has continued to shape the future face of Iceland, causing a huge ash cloud to halt air traffic across mainland Europe while boosting the country's tourism industry. This in itself is an odd dichotomy, given that the eruption also resulted in 107,000 flight cancellations.

Despite less involvement, there have been many other eruptions and earthquakes over the years. Take the Holuhrun lava field, for example, where eruptions occurring at the Bárðbbunga stratovolcano occurred in 2014-2015. Another eruption occurred at the Grímsvotn volcano in 2011, and even in the last year of 2017, the Icelandic population watched closely as the land below Hekla began to show signs of an upcoming eruption.

Settlement of Iceland

What we know about the earliest settlers of Iceland can be largely traced back to the Landnamabuk or Book of Settlements, a five-part medieval manuscript that tells how the Normans discovered and settled the country in the ninth and tenth centuries. Given the staggering age of the manuscript, Landnámabók provides incredible details about this period, naming over 1,400 settlements and 3,000 people, tales, genealogies, and tales of the Scandinavian pantheon.

The saga academy Sigurður Nordal (September 14, 1886 – September 21, 1974) described this medieval manuscript as follows: "No Germanic people, in fact, no nation in Northern Europe, has a medieval literature that can be compared with originality and the brilliance of Icelandic literature from the first five centuries after the settlement period. The sagas were filled with ancient tales of warriors, slaves, farms and gods.

Luckily, Icelandic is largely unchanged from Old Norse, meaning they are just as accessible to native speakers today as they were nearly 1,000 years ago. Again, modern Icelandic names are the same as those of the earliest settlers, providing a true link between generations. Modern Icelanders know the sagas and their colorful characters that they were taught throughout their childhood, both at home and at school.

Who was the first settler?

Landnámabók refer to Irish monks known as "Papars" as the first inhabitants of the island who left books, crosses and bells for the Norwegians who later discovered them. This is just one example of the detail found in these medieval manuscripts. They are also mentioned in Ari Thorgilson's Book of Icelanders as "wandering Christians" who left the island because of their dislike for the "northern pagans". Both examples seem to imply that the Paparas created and abandoned settlement sites prior to the official period of Icelandic settlement.

Iceland takes its name from Scandinavian sailor Floki Vilgerarson after he spotted some kind of drifting ice in the fjords during a particularly brutal winter. Hrafna-Flóki (Flóki of the Ravens), as he is called, was the first Norman to deliberately go to Iceland. His story is also told in the ancient Landnamabuk.

Ingolfur Arnarsson is considered Iceland's first permanent migrant, although he also arrived on the island with his brother-in-law Hjörleifr Hróðmarsson, later killed by his slaves after settling on Mount Hjörleifshöfði, east of present-day Vik. According to legend, Ingolfur threw two carved poles overboard and promised to settle where he nailed them. At one time, the pillars were found in the current Reykjavik, where he settled with his family in 874.

Over the next few decades, Norwegian chieftains followed Ingolfur to avoid the rule of King Harald of Norway, and about 60 years later Iceland was fully settled. By 930 AD it is believed that all arable land in the country was settled.

Due to the large population growth in Iceland, a new legislature was created; ruling people created the Althingi, which is considered by many to be the oldest national parliament in the world.

Life in early Iceland and the adoption of Christianity

It is estimated that approximately 40% of Iceland was covered by natural birch forests around the time of the first settlers. This percentage was quickly depleted by the new arrivals, who used the wood to build ships, houses, and farms.

Trees that were not used for construction were burned for fuel. For a little over a century, Iceland was completely deforested. This had repercussions on soil fertilization that continue to this day.

Until the 14th century, traditional Viking longhouses were built by early settlers. Subsequently, due to the lack of wood, the Icelanders followed the tradition of building Sod houses, otherwise known as Icelandic turf houses, a type of dwelling built by cutting two rectangles of sod patches and then folding them into the interior walls of the house.

This left plenty of room for windows and doors, but these houses were rarely warm and required large hearths in the center of the room, often causing breathing problems, the roof was often made of turf. Since the house was built into the slopes, the sod roof often had to be repaired due to destruction by the rains.

To sustain life in Iceland, it was necessary for the early settlers to trade with the outside world. While certain aspects of life were abundant in Iceland, such as poultry, cattle, sheep, horses, pigs, and of course, fish, people still lacked many other essentials and luxuries.

Typically, trade took place on short routes to neighboring Scandinavia and Europe, as Iceland's traders were mostly farmers and thus could not afford to spend too much time away from their main source of income, the farm.

From Greenland, Icelanders imported walrus tusks, furs and skins, and from Byzantium they acquired such beautiful things as gems, silver, jewelry and wine. England provided the early Icelanders with wheat, tin, honey and barley, while Russia and the East Baltic region provided amber and slaves.

For some time the Icelanders stuck to their belief in Norse mythology, following a tradition of retelling of myths and tales that dates back to the days of their ancestors in Scandinavia. However, when Olaf Tryggvason ascended to the Norwegian throne in AD 995, he decided to focus his efforts on converting the Icelanders to his faith.

The missionaries sent by Olaf were only partially successful. In 999 AD, after another unsuccessful attempt to convert Icelanders to Christianity, Olaf closed all trade routes to Iceland, refusing to allow Icelandic merchant ships to enter Norwegian ports. To avoid civil war, the pagan legislator Thorgeir Thorkelson Þorgeir Þorkelsson was elected by the people to decide whether Iceland should or should not become a Christian country. Thorgeir was chosen for his reputation as a reasonable man who could act as a peaceful mediator between both sides of the debate.

After a discussion that lasted one day and one night, Thorgeir finally came to the conclusion that Iceland should accept the new faith. To mark the occasion, he brought his pagan idols to the waterfall and threw them down in renunciation of the faith. This waterfall, Goðafoss ("Waterfall of the Gods"), is today a popular visitor attraction in Iceland.

Thorgeir provided that pagan worship would continue to be allowed in private, as would "revealing surplus children" (Icelander infanticides believed the island could only support a certain number of people) and eating horse meat. This went against the teachings of the church, but was an ingrained cultural practice among the Icelandic population. After the church gained complete control in Iceland, all these retreats were quickly banned.

Age of the Sturlungs, Sturlungs

In the 13th century Civil War, known as the Age of the Sturlungs, took over Iceland. Beginning in 1220, this struggle saw strong Icelandic chieftains (Godard) fighting over whether Iceland should become the dominion of Hakon the Old, King of Norway. This period of conflict is named after the Sturlungs, a powerful family in Iceland at the time.

Snorri Sturluson was the chief of the Sturlung clan and a vassal of the Norwegian king, and the nephew of Snorri Sturla Sigvatsson. Although his uncle is better known as a writer of sagas, Sturla made a name for himself by fighting aggressively against rival clans who refused to acknowledge their subservience to the Norwegian monarch. This led to the Battle of Örlygsstaðir, the largest known battle in Icelandic history, where Sturla was defeated.

However, in subsequent years, outbreaks of aggression continued to occur. Gissur Jorvaldsson, a leader and one of Sturla's former adversaries, was made Jarl King of Norway. Gissour did much to push the king's efforts, and finally, in 1262, the Gamli sáttmáli ("Old Treaty") was signed.

This agreement ended with the Icelandic Commonwealth and the island became a vassal of the Kingdom of Norway. A century later, Iceland received the Danish language. The Danish king Christian III challenged the open religious practice of the Icelanders and introduced Lutheranism, and to this day most religious Icelanders remain Lutherans.

Lucky eruption

Disaster struck Iceland with the violent eruption of the Laki volcano in the 18th century, which began in June 1783 and ended in February 1784, killing 9,000 Icelandic citizens. This eruption was known as Skaftáreldar ("Skaftá fire"). To make matters worse, the lava wiped out nearly all livestock, estimated at around 80%, leading to a famine that killed up to a quarter of Iceland's population.

This period of famine, one of the worst that the civilized world has ever experienced, is known as the "Misty Hardships" on English language, Móðuharðindin in Icelandic. When the famine came, the social order in Iceland was broken and looting became common.

In addition to the prevailing hunger, many died either from the intense heat or from the noxious gases that filled the air. The eruption had wide-ranging repercussions outside of Iceland, reaching as far afield as North America, North Africa and Europe. Destroying the monsoon cycles of Africa and India, the eruption caused widespread famine in Egypt (leading to the loss of ⅙ of the population), and subsequent poverty and food shortages in France were a contributing factor to the French Revolution.

Iceland in World War II

Iceland finally became a republic on June 17, 1944, when 97% of Icelandic voters chose independence from Denmark. This vote came only four years after Denmark succumbed to the invading German army, which had left Iceland, a neutral country, in a rather precarious position in the years leading up to its own illegal occupation.

First of all, it should be understood that Iceland's position on the globe is one of the huge strategic goals for any country participating in an international war. First, Iceland is located directly between continental Europe, its east, and North America, to the west, and is located in the North Atlantic Ocean.

This is a very advantageous place for tacticians who understand that, in fact, whoever runs the military bases in Iceland, whether ports or airfields, has dominance over sea and air traffic in this wide and vulnerable stretch of ocean, as well as easy access to both continents.

However, in the early 1930s, the Third Reich showed little interest in Iceland, although the Allied forces found that this position changed rapidly after the onset of the war, especially after Operation Veserbyb, the Nazi invasion of Norway and Denmark.

Britain, in particular, believed that this threatened their control of the North Atlantic and quickly telegraphed the Icelandic capital asking for their support as a "belligerent and ally". Britain wanted to build its own bases in Iceland as a means of strengthening its Northern Patrol. Reykjavik responded by confirming their neutrality.

The next day, April 10, the Althing declared that Denmark was unable to fulfill its obligations in supporting Iceland, and thus transferred all powers to the national government. Two days later, as part of Operation Valentine, the British invaded the neighboring Faroe Islands. It was a sure sign of things to come...

On May 6, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill filed a case with the War Cabinet that the construction of military bases in Iceland was an important step in the country's preemptive abandonment of Nazi forces. He argued that further diplomatic efforts with the Icelandic government would likely open the British to the British's invasion plans, hence it was a more strategic move to invade without prior warning.

Almost no one feared that this operation might fail. After all, the Icelanders had no standing army, and there would probably only be a handful of German resistance. On May 3, British Deputy Foreign Secretary Alexander Cadogan wrote in his diary “House 8. Dined and worked. Planned to conquer Iceland next week. Probably too late! I saw several broods of ducklings.

The Icelanders discovered the British reconnaissance aircraft as it surveyed Reykjavik, giving them advance notice that the British would soon be in Iceland. When the army finally arrived, the British were surprised to find that the Icelanders were quite accommodating, and even helped the soldiers unload supplies from their ship.

Upon arrival at the German consulate, the British troops calmed down, finding no sign of resistance. However, they found resistance from the other side, Consul Gerlach strongly objected to the fact that Iceland was a neutral country. After being reminded that Denmark was also a neutral country, the Consul was arrested. 62 unarmed German sailors were also arrested after they were rescued from the German freighter Bahia Blanca, which recently collided with an iceberg in the Denmark Strait.

During the war years, British and Canadian forces in Iceland eventually merged with US forces. The British urged the then-neutral US to take control of Iceland, as their troops were badly needed on other fronts.

During this period, Iceland received the most development, namely Keflavik International Airport, Reykjavik Domestic Airport, harbours, hospitals and road networks. Despite the incredibly beneficial economic impact, this action proved highly controversial for much of the Icelandic population, who continued to protest their neutrality, all the while cooperating with the allied forces.

Equally controversial was the influence of foreign troops on Icelandic society. During the escalation of the war in Iceland, foreign troops made up 50% of the native male population, and local men quickly noticed how many Icelandic women showed their attitude towards these new arrivals. This event became known as Ástandið, "The Situation" in which women found to be involved in sexual activity with foreign troops were accused of prostitution and treacherous activities.

In 1941, it is believed that the Icelandic police forces tracked down over 500 women, many of whom were sent to "institutions" such as Kleppjarnsreikir, West Iceland, where they faced inhumane conditions and solitary confinement. Children born to foreign military personnel were known as "situation children".

Icelandic independence

The Icelandic constitutional referendum was held in 1944 as the final chapters of the war began. Given the fact that Denmark was still occupied Nazi Germany in 1944, many Danes considered this an inappropriate time to hold such an election, although King Christian X of Denmark congratulated Iceland after the Icelandic population voted 98% in favor of independence.

Under the provisions of the Danish-Icelandic Union Act of 1918, the two countries would maintain strong ties, with Iceland still falling under the territorial control of the Danish monarchy. This subordination to the monarchy was abolished the same year and full autonomy was granted, with Sveinn Bjornsson serving as the first President of the Republic of Iceland.

Gaining independence meant that Iceland had to rethink its position on the world stage as culturally separate from the Danes, as well as their relationship with the rest of mainland Europe.

For example, the Icelandic flag was ratified by law in 1944 and the inherent meanings of Icelandic national psychology, religion, language - were collectively agreed upon as fundamental principles of Iceland as an independent nation.

In the years leading up to and immediately after independence, a wave of Icelandic nationalism began to find its basis in Icelandic psychology and culture based heavily on the Sagas.

This was for a number of reasons, least of which was that the Sagas are unique in the pantheon of world medieval literature. They are neither myth nor epic, nor novels nor fairy tales, but stories of vengeance, wealth, power and love.

Jón Sigurðsson ("Jón forseti") boldly led a group of Icelandic intellectuals into the independence movement by creating an autonomous Icelandic government. He is listed as the founder of modern Iceland and is often referred to as President Jon of Iceland, although he was never officially President of Iceland.

Modern Iceland

Despite their national independence, the Americans maintained their presence in Iceland long before the promised departure date stipulated in the Keflavik Agreement. Under this contract, the Americans left Iceland after the end of the war, handing over control of Keflavik Airport in the process. And only in 1951 the airport was returned to the Icelandic Defense Forces, although until 2006 Navy The United States supported the Keflavik naval airfield. As of 2017, the US military is once again committed to building a state-of-the-art airbase on the Reykjanes peninsula. Under the 1951 NATO Defense Treaty, the United States is responsible for the defense of Iceland for an indefinite period.

It may come as a surprise, but after all, Icelandic society moves at a fast pace, yet the country's strategic positioning over the Atlantic is as important today as ever. So is the American influence that still lingers in Iceland - even now, it's clear that this is a country of hot dog lovers, film festivals, rock 'n' roll musicians and revolutionaries.

In the second half of the twentieth century, unemployment was low, industry flourished, and life in Iceland was, for the most part, good, apart from years when the harvest was poor. In 1949, Iceland joined as one of the founding members of NATO, and just a year ago the country began receiving Marshall aid from the United States.

The next decade of significant interest in Iceland is the eighties. In 1986, Iceland hosted a meeting in Reykjavik, a meeting between US President Ronald Reagan and Secretary General Communist Party Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev on nuclear disarmament. This ultimately unsuccessful meeting of minds - the problems will thankfully be resolved next year - took place at the Höfði House, marking a new era. In 1989, Vigdi Finnbogadottir becomes President of Iceland and the world's first democratically elected female head of state.

In the 1990s, the Independence Party embarked on a radical reform of the Icelandic economy. As with the most significant changes, it took some time to acclimate, but the economy rapidly began to grow rapidly. Growing at an average of 4% a year, the Icelandic economy has diversified its industries so as not to overly rely on fishing. Iceland joined the European Economic Area in 1994, thereby strengthening its position in the international financial arena.

For a short time, Icelanders believed that banking was their new modus operandi, although this turned out to be a short-lived, foolhardy dream in the wake of the 2008-2011 credit crunch. They will have to look elsewhere if they are ever going to win back the losses accumulated during the years of financial collapse.

How fortunate that the eyes of the whole world were already turned towards Iceland, because of the ash cloud. It was then that various agencies in Iceland, including the government and the tourism board, rallied around the concept of revitalizing the country as a "Must-See" destination. Iceland has quickly become one of the must-see travel destinations around the world.

Iceland also uses its resources to produce green energy and has built numerous geothermal power plants and hydroelectric dams. This was both incredibly beneficial and detrimental to the Icelandic community, sparking a heated debate about conservation and energy use.

So what have we learned? It's good that Iceland's history is rich in legend and lore, from the first settlement that was established here over a thousand years ago by the Vikings to the prosperous, liberal and modern Scandinavian nation that it is today. With a healthy economy and the island's natural resources, Icelanders are looking forward to a vibrant and beautiful 21st century.

The subject of our review today will be Iceland. Description of the country, interesting facts, sights - all this is in the material presented below.

general information

Iceland is an island and a state. is 103 thousand square meters. km, where about 322 thousand people live. The capital is the city of Reykjavik, where one third of the total population of the country is concentrated, and with the suburbs - more than half. The official language is Icelandic, and the currency is the Icelandic krone, which in 2016 was 122 kroons per 1 USD. Iceland is a parliamentary republic headed by a president elected for 4 years. To enter the country, Russian citizens need a passport and a Schengen visa.

Location

Iceland - the country of ice - is located at the northern end of the Atlantic Ocean, up to North Pole there are no more large areas of land. Its northern part is located near the Arctic Circle.

The island is remote from the rest of Europe: from the nearest Faroe Islands at 420 km, from the island of Great Britain at 860 km, and from the nearest point on the continental coast of Norway at 970 km. An interesting fact is that, despite this, Iceland belongs to European countries, although it is much closer to the North American island of Greenland - 287 km.

Iceland: interesting facts about the country

The discovery of Iceland dates back to the end of the 8th century by Irish monks, and after them the Normans Nadod and Floki got here. Following these events, at the end of the 9th century, the active settlement of the island by the Vikings began - immigrants from Norway, who for half a century managed to master almost all the lands suitable for habitation and economic development.

In 1264, Iceland was annexed to Norway, and in 1381, it became part of Denmark. The country gained its independence only in 1944.

The inhabitants of the island are a courageous and proud people, respecting their historical past and cultural traditions. In particular, to the old Icelandic legends - sagas, telling about tribal strife, exciting events, about elves, gnomes and other mysterious characters, in whose existence some residents still believe.

Iceland is that there is practically no crime here - there is only one prison, and no more than a dozen people are kept in it. The police here go without weapons, but there is no army at all.

The basis of the modern economy is made up of only two industries - aluminum processing and fishing. By the way, it will be said that the islanders are second only to Norway in the annual volume of catch from European countries.

Iceland is one of the wealthiest countries. Thus, the average per capita annual income here is $39,000 (according to our ruble standards, every resident here, including a baby, is a millionaire).

Nature

The country of Iceland, for all its modest size, is the world's largest island of volcanic origin. The relief of the island is predominantly mountainous, the peaks are the vents of extinct and active volcanoes. The highest of them is the Hvannadalshnukur peak (2110 m), located on the southwestern coast. The lowest point is not far away - this is the glacial lake lagoon (0 meters above sea level).

Many of the active volcanoes from time to time declare themselves with powerful eruptions. The largest volcano of the island is considered to be the famous Hekla (1488 meters), located not far from the “Great Reykjavik” and frightened the locals with its eruption in 2000.

The longest river of the island is the Tjoursau (237 km). Of other water bodies, glaciers and glacial lakes abound, occurring everywhere and in innumerable numbers.

Iceland is unique in its diversity of natural landscapes. In addition to glaciers, the surface of the country in many places is covered with lava fields. Geysers and hot springs are often found in these areas. Rocky placers covered with dense mosses and lichens, islands of birch forests and meadows of grassy herbs are widespread throughout the island. The special picturesqueness of the area in various parts islands attached to waterfalls. On the west coast, numerous fjords amaze with their beauty. National parks have been created to protect the stunning nature in the country.

Climate and typical weather

Iceland is a northern country that doesn't quite live up to its icy name. Washing it, especially from the south, the Gulf Stream, do not allow it to become a cold, harsh desert.

Winters here are relatively warm, with an average monthly temperature of -1 °C, which can be the envy of many more southerly located territories of Russia. However, during some periods of this season, cold winds are frequent, which, together with clusters of drifting arctic ice, especially in the southeast, cause sharp drops in temperature to -30 °C. Daylight hours are no more than five hours.

Summer is not hot here. Average temperatures in July are only +12 °C. It is warmest on the south coast - up to +20 °C, with highs up to + 30 °C. In summer, the entire island is illuminated by the sun around the clock, and there are white nights characteristic of the polar latitudes.

Precipitation is unevenly distributed across the island. For example, on the west coast their number ranges from 1300 to 2000 mm per year, on the northeast their norm is up to 750 mm, and in the mountainous part southern regions can have values ​​up to 4000 mm.

The weather here is very changeable, and without exaggeration we can say that it can change in just a few minutes. It had just been warm and sunny, when suddenly the sky was overcast, and a cold, dank wind blew. Residents of the country jokingly tell their visiting guests and tourists: “If suddenly you didn’t like something in the weather, then don’t despair, wait half an hour and it will change.”

Attractions Reykjavik

Reykjavik is the capital city of Iceland. What country can not boast of a huge number of attractions? So Iceland has something to show tourists. In particular, its main city houses historical and architectural monuments, museums and modern institutions. Among them, the attention of tourists is attracted by:

• Temple of Hallgrimskirkja is a cult Lutheran building of the mid-20th century, in the form of a volcanic eruption. Inside is a large organ. In front of the church is a statue of the Happy.
• Cathedral, which is the main temple built in late XVIII century.
• The building of the Althingi (Parliament) in the style of classicism, erected in the 19th century.
• Perlan, or pearl, looks like a camomile with a blue dome. It is located on a high hill and has a rotating platform for viewing the panorama of the city. Inside the building are the Saga Museum, a winter garden, an artificial geyser, shopping pavilions and restaurants.
• Kaffi Reykjavik - this bar is unusual in that it consists of solid blocks of ice, and drinks are always served in ice glasses.
• Concert Hall "Kharpa" Its façades are made up of multicolored glass cells, which, with the help of built-in LEDs, impress visitors with a play of colors.

Blue Lagoon

The lagoon is a geothermal spring and resort with all the proper infrastructure. This is perhaps the most famous and visited place for hundreds of thousands of tourists. A lagoon is an artificially created body of water with a constant temperature of 40 °C. This is the only place of its kind on the planet that is filled with visitors. all year round. It has been found that bathing in the mineral-rich waters of the lake helps to heal skin diseases.

Valley of Geysers

It arose in the XIII century after a strong earthquake. The main source, called the Great Geysir, throws out a jet of water very high temperature to a height of up to 70 meters from a depth of more than two thousand meters. The contemplation of this majestic spectacle leaves a strong impression. There are also places for bathing in less hot springs. Residents use the natural heat of geysers to heat their homes.

Seljalandsfoss waterfall

The waterfall is located in the south of the island and is very popular with tourists. Water falls from a height of 60 meters. It flows down from the rocks that used to be the coastline, but now a picturesque valley has formed on this place. The beauty of the waterfall (combined with the surrounding landscape) has no equal. That is why his photographs are placed on calendars and postcards.

colored mountains

In the warm season of the year, in the Landmannalaugar National Park, you can see an amazing sight - multi-colored mountains. The slopes of the mountains shine with unusual stripes - brown, yellow, pink, blue, purple, green, white and black. The reason for this phenomenon is associated with the volcanic origin of rocks. The location of the park near the Hekla volcano makes it one of the most popular tourist centers in the country.

Vatnajökull National Park

What else can you tell about Iceland? Facts about the country, all its sights simply cannot be listed in one article. But still I would like to mention this park. It was created in 2008. It covers almost 12% of Iceland and is the largest in Europe. The main highlight of the park is the eponymous glacier with an area of ​​​​up to 8100 square meters. km and ice thickness up to 500 meters. Under its shell, there are beautiful ice caves, as well as seven active volcanoes.

As an entertainment, Vatnajökull tourists can take walks in beautiful places, engage in winter sports, but bathing in hot springs located inside ice caves is in particular demand.

Undoubtedly, this is only a small part of the natural attractions of the country of Iceland; many more interesting and mysterious things await tourists in its open spaces.