Republic Day in Iceland This Week

Citizens of ICELAND will celebrate their longstanding nation's history and the annual Republic Day on Wednesday, June 17th. Happy early Republic Day to everyone in Iceland!

Iceland Exports

The following items are major exports of ICELAND: aluminum, animal products (especially meat), dairy products, diatomite, ferrosilicon, green vegetables, potatoes, seafood, and seafood products. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include the Netherlands (top importer), Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Denmark, Belgium, Norway, Faroe Islands Portugal, Canada, Japan, Hungary, Poland, Italy, Sweden, Turkey, Switzerland, and Nigeria.

Flag of Hafnarfjordur, Iceland

Situated in southwestern ICELAND and south of Reykjavík (Iceland's capital), Hafnarfjordur (Hafnarfjörður) is a coastal city with approximately 28,000 residents and is Iceland's third most-populated city. Humorously, the city's name is currently translated as "boots" in Google Translate; it's true that some locals would wear boots in the wintertime! Hafnarfjordur and surrounding areas feature two major golf courses (Hvaleyrarvöllur and Setbergsvöllur), several museums, a sculpture center, a Viking Festival, Íshestar Riding Centre for horseback riding, geothermal pools, terrain for mountain climbing, and lava rock formations. Hafnarfjordur's website includes the community's nickname: the Town in the Lava. Featuring a navy blue lighthouse above stylistic waves, Hafnarfjordur's flag obviously signifies the city's seafaring heritage. This lighthouse design does not resemble a local lighthouse, although other Icelandic lighthouses look similar.

Iceland Extinct and Endangered Species

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ for ICELAND in northwestern Europe lists one extinct species (Great Auk bird) since the beginning of IUCN recordkeeping, two critically endangered species, and eight endangered species. Critically endangered species are the Common Skate and European Eel. Endangered species include the Atlantic Halibut, Blue Whale, Common Guitarfish, Fin Whale, Redfish, Sandy Skate, and Sei Whale.

Photo of the Day: Cold Rush

The National Geographic Photo of the Day for October 12th, titled Cold Rush, features a magnanimous misty beauty known as the Golden Falls (Gullfoss). This system of waterfalls is found along the Ölfusá river in southwestern ICELAND.

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"Land" Countries

Several countries in Asia, Europe, and Oceania have the word land in their names. I nickname them the "Land Countries," which are listed right here: FINLAND, ICELAND, IRELAND, MARSHALL ISLANDS, The NETHERLANDS, NEW ZEALAND, POLAND, SOLOMON ISLANDS, SWAZILAND, SWITZERLAND, and THAILAND. Somaliland in northeast Africa is another entity with land in its name. However, it is an autonomous region in SOMALIA fighting for its independence, not a recognized country currently.

Areas of Scandinavian Countries

The Scandinavian Countries usually consist of DENMARK, NORWAY, and SWEDEN, but can sometimes include FINLAND and ICELAND as well. Below, I have included all countries' areas. From the list below, you can tell that Sweden is the largest country in the grouping while Denmark is the smallest.

Denmark: 16, 629 sq. miles / 43,069 sq. kilometers (5th largest)
Iceland: 39,768 sq. miles / 103,000 sq. kilometers (4th largest)
Finland: 130,128 sq. miles /337,032 sq. kilometers (2nd largest)
Norway: 125,181 sq. miles / 324,220 sq. kilometers (3rd largest)
Sweden: 173,731 sq. miles / 449,964 sq. kilometers (largest)
The total area of Europe is 4,057,000 sq. miles (10,507,630 sq. kilometers).

Iceland

Officially known as the Republic of Iceland, ICELAND (Ísland) is located in Northern Europe, in the North Atlantic Ocean and just below the Arctic Circle. Iceland contains many glaciers, and they cover 11% of Iceland's surface! The three largest glaciers are called Vatnajökull, Langjökull, and Hofsjökull. The capital of Iceland is Reykjavík. Iceland's currency is the Icelandic Króna, and its ISO 4217 currency code is ISK. Many people in Iceland support the switch to the Euro, especially after the national economic crisis that happened in 2008-2011.