It’s complicated, we all know. Iceland is the one with greenery (although principally moss and shrubs over a brutal, stunning tundra panorama); Greenland is the one with ice. Iceland is an impartial, sovereign nation, whereas Greenland is a constituent nation of Denmark.
Allow us to demystify the misty isle of Iceland for you, and, within the course of, present you why it ought to be your subsequent European vacation spot.
Iceland is among the Least Densely Populated International locations within the World
Iceland has a complete landmass of 102,775 sqm, however solely a inhabitants of simply 357,040. To place it in another way, should you have been to divide the island equally amongst all of the folks, every particular person can be entitled to three.5 km2, or about 655 soccer fields, to themselves!
Whereas some folks would possibly discover such a small inhabitants claustrophobic, we expect in any other case. It makes us really feel extra like we’re visiting the residents of Serangoon and Hougang (which add as much as about 360,000 folks), which permits us to attach on a deeper and extra intimate degree with the residents of Iceland. Certain, you possibly can lose your self within the crowd of Instances Sq., however in Iceland, you’re extra prone to lose your self within the heat of a home-cooked dinner, ready by an Icelander.
Iceland is Not as Chilly as You Suppose
Although Iceland lies extremely close to the Arctic Circle and Reykjavik, its capital metropolis, has a latitude that is among the highest amongst all cities, it’s—opposite to standard perception (attributable to, we don’t know, perhaps its identify?)—Iceland isn’t encased in ice completely, neither is it as chilly as many European and American cities.
It’s because Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream, a heat ocean present that brings to Iceland crisp summers and cosy winters, giving it a temperate, not arctic, local weather. The temperature in Iceland averages about 3 levels Celsius in winter and 12 levels Celsius in summer season, making it far more comfy than someplace like New York, the place it will probably drop to destructive 3 levels Celsius in winter.
Iceland Runs Nearly Completely on Inexperienced Vitality
The approaching ecological collapse worrying you? Huge carbon footprints generated by flying placing you off abroad journey? Effectively, visiting Iceland is one approach to have your cake and eat it.
Nearly all of Iceland’s vitality wants are derived from lean, renewable sources. The geothermal geysers that Iceland is legendary for should not solely a vacationer attraction, however a supply of energy for Iceland’s residents; the remaining vitality wants are made up by hydropower crops.
In reality, Iceland (once more, not Greenland) is the world’s greenest island and nation, by way of carbon emissions. So you possibly can cost your telephones and laptops and GoPros with out guilt, letting you take pleasure in your travelling with out feeling such as you’re inadvertently killing that cute Arctic fox you simply noticed.
Iceland Has 24 hours of Daylight
Due to its excessive altitude, the hours of daylight that Iceland receives all year long fluctuate an ideal deal. And we do imply A Nice Deal. In summer season, from round Might to July, Iceland can have a full day of daylight – that’s proper, a complete 24 hours of daylight.
This brings about what is named the “midnight solar” phenomenon, wherein the solar is seen even at midnight. At the moment, the solar casts an ethereal, phantasmagorical glow that brushes the sky rose and orange, dips down into the ocean for the merest second and rises once more, “as if it had been all the way down to drink,” as Knut Hamsuns, a author, places it.
Such an expertise of daylight – coupled with the fantastically alien panorama of Iceland – is otherworldly and unimaginable, and makes us really feel like we’re on a faraway planet watching the solar with new eyes.
However we hear a pleasant Icelander – who has additionally been admiring the midnight solar – communicate, inviting us for a drink, and we bear in mind we’re in Iceland, this most mysterious and astounding of islands.
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The article was first printed on 21 March 2019. Final up to date by Discoverist Staff as of 26 April 2023.
