Iceland is a country whose name has most recently been associated with the global financial crisis.
This island of 350,000 became the first national victim of the crisis when it declared bankruptcy earlier this month. Although this may lead one to believe that this isn't a desirable location to visit on the world map, Iceland remains unique place with its landscape and history.
Despite including five enormous icebergs as part of its topography, Iceland is actually a nation of volcanoes, with 15 volcanoes active even now. In fact, its Hekla volcano is one of the world's most active. Earthquakes are common occurrences in Iceland. In fact, there is so much tectonic movement that little islands form off of Iceland in the middle of the ocean from time to time. One such island is named Surtsey -- it came about as a result of lava spewing into the ocean from a volcano in 1963.
Iceland, which had previously been tied to Denmark, acquired full independence in 1944. Though not a very rich nation in terms of natural resources, Iceland's annual per capita income is around $36,000. The minimum wage here is 1,200 euros per month. In short, the level of prosperity is quite high here. Interestingly, Iceland has one of the lowest national populations in the world. The literacy level here is 100 percent. In 2007, Iceland was chosen by the United Nations as the best country in the world to live in from the perspective of education, income level and life expectancy rates. In fact, the people of Iceland have some of the longest life expectancies in the world. While men live an average of 80 years here, women live an average of 83.
At the same time, Iceland is an expensive country. Meals at Icelandic restaurants are two to three times as expensive as similar meals in European restaurants. In terms of foreign residents in Iceland, most are from Poland. There are around 10,000 Poles who live here. Following them are Danes and Germans.
As for its economy, Iceland is very dependent on fishing. There are 1.5 million tons of fish caught in Iceland annually. A full 6 percent of the residents of Iceland work in this sector.
Of the total population of 300,000, 190,000 live in the capital. Reykjavik holds the title of being the world's closest national capital to one of the poles. In other words, it is the world's northernmost capital city. With the national population being as low as it is, you won't see so many people wandering around the streets and boulevards of this nation. In fact, there is one square kilometer here for every three people. Reykjavik is a small and serene capital city.
In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic. This is actually Europe's oldest living language. But don't worry about communicating once you get to Iceland; if you speak English, you shouldn't have any problems.
There are more than 10,000 waterfalls throughout Iceland. The most famous of these is Gulfoz, which is about 140 kilometers from the capital. Its waters cascade a distance of 70 meters from the top.
During the month of February in Iceland, the sun doesn't come up until around 9 a.m. The snow falls constantly, which is why you might notice that road traffic signs display not only the outside temperature, but the temperature of the roads themselves. Thus, drivers can be forewarned of the temperature the road they are driving on and proceed with more or less caution.
Iceland is famous not only for its natural beauty but also for the Icelandic horses the Vikings themselves brought to these lands in the ninth century. In fact, since then, this type of horse has been preserved on the island without change. This is why today it is strictly forbidden to take them of the island, and likewise, it is also forbidden to bring back any Icelandic horses that have been transported off the island. If you visit a farm where these horses live, the first thing you may notice will be how still these horses stand. With their long hair, they are able to withstand extremely cold temperatures during the winter, as low as -15 degrees Celsius. And, despite how small they appear, they are also quite strong and muscular. Icelandic horses are famous for being able to run in five different styles. Most other kinds of horses can only run in four different styles.
They say that fire dances with ice in Iceland. While the top of this nation's soil may be covered completely in snow and ice, boiling waters burst forth from underground in various places. There are more than 800 natural sources of hot water in Iceland. Despite wintry temperatures, you can find water as hot as 100 degrees bubbling up from the ground.
The most famous of the natural hot water sources in Iceland is a geyser named Strokkur. The hot water that intermittently bursts out of Strokkur shoots a full 30 meters into the air. Those who come to see it will be dumbfounded by the display, which occurs every five or 10 minutes.
This is definitely a favorite tourist attraction in Iceland. You can see people standing with their cameras and video recorders, waiting to document the water that shoots up into the air. You can tell when the water is about to rush out of the ground when you see a sort of depression forming in the ground around the place where the water emerges. Interestingly, this spot is also one where people come to make wishes. It is such a sight that this place manages to attract around 500,000 visitors a year, winter and summer, even though there are only around 2,500 Icelanders who live nearby.
The months of April and October are great months in Iceland for whale-watching tours. In fact, a chance to see these enormous creatures in their natural environment is in itself a reason that people come to visit Iceland. Not only whales but puffins as well are also a reason that people travel to Iceland. These birds can dive to depths of 50 meters in the ocean and can fly at speeds of 80 kilometers an hour. There are more than 10 million puffins in Iceland.
With its volcanoes, bursting geysers, spectacular horses, millions of puffins, whale-watching opportunities, clear waters and so much more, Iceland is really a unique country. For those who are curious about the dance between ice and fire, this is the place to visit, no doubt about it.
[TRAVEL TIPS]
Visa: Turkish citizens are required to have a visa to visit Iceland. But if you have a Schengen visa, you can enter with no problem. You can obtain your Schengen visa for Iceland from the Danish Embassy in Ankara, or the Danish Consulate in İstanbul. The price for this visa is YTL 110.
Citizens of the US, England, Canada and New Zealand can enter Iceland for three months without a visa.
How to get there: You can reach Iceland by connecting through Europe. One of the preferred ways is flying through Denmark. We advise you to fly with Turkish Airlines to Denmark, and then from Denmark to Iceland on Icelandair.
Turkish Airlines: 178 euros plus tax
İstanbul departure: 10:15 a.m.
Copenhagen arrival: 12:30 p.m.
Icelandair: 282 euros plus tax
Copenhagen departure: 2 p.m.
Reykjavik arrival: 3:10 p.m.
Cuisine: Eat lots of fish while you are here. The soups here might seem a little salty, though, so be forewarned. The prices are quite high in comparison to eating out in Europe and, interestingly, restaurants seem to have their tables really squeezed together.
Where to stay: There are lots of clean and wonderful hotels here. But again, the hotels are quite expensive in comparison to European hotels.
Best time to go: It is definitely best to visit Iceland between the months of February and March if you want to see the snow and ice, as well as the hot water bursting forth from the ground. If you go earlier than these months, the days will be much shorter. And if you want to see a greener Iceland, you might try the summer months.
[QUICK FACTS]
Capital: Reykjavik
Language(s) spoken: Icelandic
Government: constitutional republic
President: Olafur Ragnar Grimsson
Prime Minister: Geir Haarde
Area: 103,000 square kilometers
Population: 304,367
Main religions: Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland (82.1 percent), Roman Catholic Church (2.4 percent)
