Is Iceland the weirdest country on the planet? This is what life in Iceland looks like

Iceland is a stunning country that's definitely worth visiting if you have the opportunity. It's a place that will leave you amazed and if you've already been, you'll likely agree. The country is known for its volcanoes, including the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull and the more recent one of Fagradalsfjall. Icelandic words can be challenging to pronounce, but in this video, we'll teach you the most common ones. Iceland is also famous for its unique geography and formations, which is why it's a popular location for Hollywood directors to film their movies. Many iconic movie scenes were shot in Iceland, such as those in Prometheus, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Game of Thrones, and Interstellar. In this video, we'll explore 100 fascinating facts about Iceland that you won't find anywhere else in the world. Before we get started, please like this video to show your support and motivation. Let's begin!

1. Iceland's location near the Arctic Circle makes it an excellent place to witness the beautiful auroras borealis, which typically appear from mid to late September.
2. During Iceland's summer, the nights are clear and bright, creating a magical and unusual atmosphere. Known as the midnight sun, it allows you to observe a visible moon at 12 at night, which feels like a fairy tale.
3. In Iceland's winter, the polar night occurs, and the sun remains hidden for 24 hours a day.
4. Icelanders celebrate Christmas on a large scale, wearing clothes with Christmas prints like reindeer or Santa Claus sweaters. It is a time of excitement and joy.
5. The picture shows Iceland in the middle of winter.
6. The Viking navigator Naddoddr, one of the first settlers of the Faroe Islands, coined the first name of Iceland, Snæland, meaning "snow land."
7. Reykjavik is the capital city of Iceland and the northernmost capital in the world.
8. Iceland is known as the land of ice and fire because 11% of its surface is covered by glaciers and 30% by lava fields.
9. Iceland is the second largest island in Europe after Great Britain.
10. The houses in the picture are traditional Icelandic houses.
11. In Iceland, parents cannot name their children as they please but must choose from an authorized list of about 2,500 names per gender.
12. Surnames in Iceland are formed by the first name of their father or mother, with the suffix "son" or "dottir" depending on the gender.
13. The Icelandic word for hello is "Halo," thank you is "tak," yes is "já," no is "nei," and goodbye is "bless."
14. The most common men's names in Iceland are Jón, Sigurdur, and Gudmundur. The most popular women's names are Gudrún, Anna, and Kristín.
15. Icelanders are among the tallest people globally, with an average height of 1.81 meters for men and 1.68 meters for women.
16. The Great Geysir in Iceland is one of the world's most impressive geysers, capable of shooting boiling water up to 80 meters high.
17. Iceland is a small country with fewer than 400,000 inhabitants, and there are more sheep than people, with 600,000 sheep.
18. The cost of living in Iceland is high, with a meal at a cheap restaurant costing around 40 dollars, a coke about 3 dollars, an imported beer more than 7 dollars, and a one-room apartment around 1600 dollars, depending on the area.
19. Elves or huldufolk, also known as "hidden people," have been part of Icelandic folklore since the Vikings first arrived on the island. While most Icelanders do not believe in elves, a significant portion of the population does not deny their existence.
20. There are four Icelandic holidays that are believed to have a special connection with elves: New Year's Eve, Thirteenth Night (January 6th), Summer Night, and Christmas Night.
21. On New Year's Eve, Icelanders light candles to guide the elves on their journey to find new homes.
22. Iceland is an excellent place to observe whales, as they can be seen around the island, and the northern fjords have a permanent population of these magnificent creatures.
23. The average monthly salary in Iceland is approximately $3600, making it one of the highest in the world.
24. One typical Icelandic dish is hákarl, which is made from fermented Greenland shark meat that is buried with stones for months and then dried. The final product has a strong smell of ammonia.
25. A century ago, Iceland banned all alcoholic beverages, but soon after, all were legalized except for beer. Beer was not legalized until March 1st, 1989. This contrast is said to be why Icelandic men and women are known to be strong drinkers.
26. The Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa located in the southwest near the airport, is the most famous thermal waters in Iceland. The waters have an average temperature between 37-39°C and are rich in silica and sulfur.
27. Puffins, colorful beaked sea birds, are native to Iceland. However, they are not just admired, but also eaten, and their fresh heart is consumed raw as part of a traditional meal.
28. The Vestman Islands archipelago is home to the world's largest colony of Atlantic puffins.
29. Iceland has its own small horse breed, the Icelandic horse.
30. Thingvellir National Park is the location of the Silfra fissure, one of two places on Earth where one can observe the boundary between two of the largest tectonic plates: the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.
31. Thingvellir National Park also holds historical significance, as it was the location where the Alþingi, or Icelandic parliament, was founded in the year 930 AD, making it one of the oldest parliaments in the world.
32. The Icelandic suffix "foss" means waterfall, and Iceland has many interesting ones, such as Hraunfossar, the lava waterfall, where the water falls directly from the interior of a solid lava field.
33. Dettifoss is a 45-meter high and 100-meter wide waterfall with a flow rate of 400 cubic meters per second, making it the waterfall with the highest flow in Europe, considering Iceland is geographically considered as a part of Europe.
34. Reynisfjara, known as the black beach of the trolls, has large basaltic formations. According to tradition, the three large stone outcroppings emerging from the sea are petrified trolls caught by the light of the sun.
35. Among the most followed YouTubers in Iceland are Kaleo, the Icelandic blues rock band, and self-portrait photographer Sorelle Amore.
36. Hafthor Julios Bjornsson, who is over two meters tall, is Icelandic and one of the strongest men in the world. He is also known for his role as The Mountain in Game of Thrones.
37. Anita Briem, Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir, and Hera Hilmar are famous Icelandic actresses.
38. Iceland is the first country in the world to have made it illegal to pay men more than women.
39. Hitchhiking is common among travelers in Iceland, and Icelanders are used to picking them up. However, in remote locations, one may have to wait for hours without finding a car to pick
40. Icelanders are known for being extremely hardworking, with Iceland having the highest average number of working hours in Europe at 43.5 hours per week.
41. Icelandic women have a history of success in beauty pageants, having won the Miss World competition three times, making them a country with the highest number of beauty queens per capita.
42. Iceland has a diverse range of winds that are so significant that they have over 100 words in their language to describe them.
43. According to Icelandic mythology, Grýla, a giant, is believed to come down from the mountains during Christmas to find and eat naughty children.
44. Icelandic tradition holds that it is better to receive new clothing before Christmas Eve, or else the Yule Cat, a fierce feline, will come and devour you while roaming the snowy fields.
45. Iceland is one of the countries with the highest life expectancy globally, with an average of 83 years for women and 80 years for men.
46. The population of Iceland is split nearly equally between men and women, with an average age of 38.4 years.
47. Iceland has some of the purest water in the world, which requires no treatment.
48. In Iceland, people speak English in addition to Icelandic and learn Danish, although they may not speak the latter language fluently.
49. A genetic study of the Icelandic population revealed that the majority of male settlers came from Nordic origins, while most women came from Ireland.
50. Iceland's icy terrain is not conducive to the survival of ants, making it the only country on Earth without this insect.
51. Iceland is an island located on the mid-Atlantic Ridge, resulting in high volcanic activity with around 130 volcanoes, of which 30 are active.
52. From a geological perspective, Iceland is divided equally between North America and Europe.
53. Despite having only 120 professional football players, Iceland famously eliminated England in the Euro 2016 tournament.
54. Iceland is the only country in NATO without an army.
55. The word "duvet" originates from the Icelandic word "eider," a type of duck whose feathers were used to fill duvets.
56. Iceland's roads are distinctive, with only Ring Road 1 being in optimal condition, and the condition worsens with increasing road numbers.
57. Diamond Beach, located near the Jökulsárlón glacial lake, is a unique spectacle with ice floes floating in the river and sea, and chunks of ice resembling diamonds on the shore.
58. Iceland is one of the world's most literate countries, with a high number of books read per person, and nearly all its inhabitants play a musical instrument.
59. The Hallgrímskirkja, a Lutheran church in Reykjavik, Iceland's capital, is inspired by the country's lava flows and has a distinctive facade.
60. Only 23% of Iceland's land is covered with vegetation, while 14% is occupied by ice.
61. Some rivers in Iceland flow unaffected by the cold because their waters can reach 50 degrees Celsius.
62. If you visit Iceland, make sure to go hiking at Sólheimajökull, a glacier located in southern Iceland, between the volcanoes Katla and Eyjafjallajökull. You will walk on solidified lava while surrounded by intense white ice.
63. A popular tourist attraction in Iceland is visiting ice caves located within glaciers and admiring the variation of light and colors within the ice, ranging from white to turquoise blue.
64. With numerous thermal upwellings, it is logical that Iceland has geothermal power plants that utilize steam from the earth's interior to generate electricity.
65. Iceland is one of the most internet-connected countries, with wifi signals accessible throughout the island.
66. Jules Verne was inspired by the Icelandic volcano Snæfellsjökull, located on the Snaefellsnes peninsula, for his novel "Journey to the Center of the Earth."
67. In Iceland, they practice the Nordic nap for babies, where they are left in their strollers parked at the doors of shops, cafes, or restaurants while their parents shop or have lunch.
68. The national flower of Iceland is the eight-petaled Dryad or Holtasoley, which is a shrub with eight white petals and numerous yellow stamens.
69. The national animal of Iceland is the Gyrfalcon.
70. Svig is a traditional Icelandic dish consisting of a sheep's head cut in half, with the hair and brains removed, and boiled. Sometimes it is cured in lactic acid.
71. Iceland's favorite dessert is ice cream, particularly Bragðarefur, a mix of ice cream and candy with options to choose from, such as crushed candy, cookies, licorice, and fruits.
72. At Skógafoss, a waterfall located on the Skógá river, there is a legend that the first Viking colonizer in the area buried treasure in a cave behind the waterfall. If you happen to see it and try to take the handle of the chest, it disappears.
73. On the beaches of Ytri Tunga in the south of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and Hvitanes in the West Fjords, you can observe seals.
74. Near Tálknafjördur in the West Fjords, you can find the natural hot springs of Pollurinn, which you can enjoy for free as they are maintained by the town's residents without asking for anything in return.
75. On the shores of Skutulsfjörður fjord in the city of Isafjordur, you will find the Heritage Museum of the West Fjords, located in one of the city's oldest houses and hosting a permanent exhibition.
76. Reykjavik's most famous sculpture is the Sun Voyager, designed by Jón Gunnar Árnason to commemorate the city's bicentennial. It is a steel sculpture that resembles a Viking ship.
77. Laugavegur, located in the center of Reykjavik, is Iceland's longest and one of its oldest streets, measuring 2 km. Its name means "water street" as it used to be the path to the hot springs where people would wash clothes.
78. In Iceland, new waterfalls appear periodically due to the melting of glaciers. Until 2007, the Glymur waterfall with a height of 197 meters was the country's tallest, but in that year, another waterfall, Morsárfoss, appeared with a height of 228 meters
79. The Perlan Natural History Museum in Reykjavik boasts an impressive glass dome and even features a recreated glacier cave inside, complete with ice, sounds, and temperatures as low as 15 degrees below zero.
80. Icelanders are fond of participating in sports such as football, basketball, volleyball, and horseback riding, but the national sport of Iceland is actually handball.
81. In Iceland, only seven species of terrestrial mammals exist in the wild: the arctic fox, reindeer, mink, field mouse, house mouse, brown rat, and black rat.
82. Unlike other countries, Iceland has no trains or subway systems. Instead, people travel by car, bus, or on foot, especially within the capital city.
83. One of Iceland's typical dishes is Kútmagar, a type of pudding made from cod stomach stuffed with its liver, which may sound strange but is considered a delicacy by some.
84. The signature liquor of Iceland is Brennivín, also known as Svarti daudi, meaning "black death." Made from fermented potato mash and flavored with caraway seeds, it is a must-try for anyone looking to experience Icelandic culture.
85. Iceland has strict laws on pet ownership, and only dogs can be kept with a special permit. It is illegal to have snakes, lizards, and turtles as pets, while cats pose no problem.
86. Boxing was once banned in Iceland until 2002, as it was believed to promote violence.
87. Iceland's highest peak is Hvannadalshnjúkur, which stands at 2109 meters and is located in the northeast of the Öræfajökull volcano. However, the real challenge is learning how to pronounce its name!
88. Iceland is one of the few places on earth with no mosquitoes, and the only preserved specimen is held at the Icelandic Institute of Natural History, having been caught by Gisli Mar Gialson in the 1980s within an airplane cabin.
89. Icelanders have the highest per capita number of Nobel Prizes in the world, with only one Nobel laureate, Halldór Kiljan Laxness, who won the 1955 Nobel Prize in Literature. This is largely due to the country's small population.
90. The Látrabjarg Cape cliff is home to millions of seabirds and is the largest bird cliff in Europe.
91. Despite its cold climate, the University of Agriculture in Iceland maintains a small banana plantation that produces bananas every 18 months, thanks to the unique light cycle.
92. Vatnajökull is the largest glacier in Europe by volume and second-largest in terms of area, covering 8% of Iceland's landmass.
93. Icelandic children place their shoes in their bedroom window for 13 days before Christmas, as they await the arrival of the 13 Yule Lads, who leave small gifts for them.
94. Iceland boasts a genetic information bank containing the genetic data of all its inhabitants, as well as an extensive genealogical database.
95. The Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik is a conference and concert venue with a facade made of glass pieces of varying sizes and shapes that reflect the sky and sea.
96. Iceland has three national parks, including the largest in Europe, Vatnajökull National Park, as well as Snæfellsjökull National Park and Thingvellir National Park.
97. Iceland has a high number of vehicles per capita, with 1.5 vehicles per person.
98. In Iceland, it is not uncommon to reroute roads or alter construction projects to avoid interfering with rocky areas where elves are believed to reside, whether in houses or churches.
99. The oldest building in Iceland is located in Ísafjördur and serves as a local museum. Its construction dates back to 1734. In Iceland, it's common for old buildings to display the year they were built on their facades.
100. Icelandic hot dogs, also known as Pilsur, are beloved by Icelanders. In Reykjavik, there is a renowned street vendor that gained fame after former US President Bill Clinton praised their hot dogs as the best in the world. And with that, we've covered some fascinating facts about Iceland.

Iceland certainly has some unique characteristics that make it stand out. Its isolation, harsh weather, and small population have led to a distinctive culture, landscape, and way of life that may seem unusual or even strange to outsiders. However, these qualities also contribute to Iceland's charm and allure as a travel destination, and the country has much to offer in terms of natural beauty, adventure, and cultural experiences.