Twenty -six hundred miles from New York, eleven hundred miles from Oslo, Norway, and just south of the Arctic Circle, there is a land of spectacular beauty and intriguing contrasts.
Iceland's location indicates frigid weather, but the average January temperature is 30 degrees above zero because of southwesterly winds blowing over the warm Gulf Stream.
Although the country is small, it has much to interest visitors.
Iceland's history began in the early eight when pagan Norsemen arrived and drove out the Irish monks who had preceded them.
One of these visitors saw ice floes in a northern fjord and named the country Iceland.
The Vikings brought with them sturdy horses with small muscular bodies.
No others have been imported, so the bread stock is a pleasure to ride and race today.
Settlers also brought long fleeced sheep.
Descendants of that hardy breed now provide an abundant supply of meat and wool.
The first permanent Icelandic settler was a Norwegian chieftain, Ingelfjord Arneson.
Chiefs of the prepared a code of law in 930 AD.
The elected law speaker recited these laws from Lodvurg to the annual meeting of the all thing.
The world's oldest legislature still allows the people to elect their leaders.
At their assembly in the year 1000, the nobleman agreed to throw their pagan idols into Godafoss and proclaimed Christianity the official religion for the country.
In 1117, the age of writing began.
During the next two centuries, 40 sagas relating the history of early settlers were recorded in Old Norse on parchment.
One of these tells the story of Leif Erikson, a native Icelander who discovered the North American mainland and named it Vinland.
From the 14th to the 19th centuries, Iceland suffered from volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, famine, and foreign misrule.
Then on June 17, 1944, independence was declared from Denmark and the Icelandic Republic was established.
Geologically, the country is one of the youngest land masses on the globe.
Volcanic eruptions often change the terrain or make new land masses as Certse did recently off the South Coast.
Ten percent of the island is covered with lava flows.
These hexagonal columns are characteristic of basaltic formations.
Eventually, lichens cover the barren lava and the process of making soil begins.
Mosses then obtain a foothold and in time are replaced by advanced vegetation.
Birch forests were common when the colonists came, but they used the trees for building and fuel.
Now, a reforestation program makes it possible for everyone to enjoy the woodlands and wildflowers.
Many thermal areas, some with geysers, are found throughout the country.
The Icelandic word geyser has been given to similar eruptions all over the world.
Bubbling mud pools in sulfurous areas indicate young volcanic activity.
Only 11 percent of the country is covered by glaciers.
Vatnajökull is the largest glacier in Europe.
Grey rivers caused by melting ice of the glaciers gush from beneath their tongues.
These rivers may create spectacular waterfalls like Detafoss, the country's largest.
Foss means waterfall in Icelandic.
Thirteen percent of the people make their living from agriculture, but only one percent of the land is cultivated.
Generally, the winters are mild, but frost does occur, which heaves saturated ground into tussocks.
Trenches are dug to drain this land, which permits harvesting of the grass.
Recently, drying machines have been imported and prove helpful in saving more of the valuable grass crop upon which the agricultural prosperity depends.
Ninety -five percent of Iceland's exports are fish and fish products, and one -fifth of the population is employed by the fishing industry.
Icelandic herring is known as the finest and most nutritious in the world.
Only the best quality is salted and packed, and the remainder is made into fish meal and oil.
Cleaned cod called stockfish are dried during the summer for export.
At this time, too, the whale, the world's largest mammal, is hunted.
Millions of years ago, they roamed the earth on four legs, but when they took to the sea, their bodies became streamlined.
This warm blooded mammal has lungs and breathes as man, and can hear keenly for about a mile.
The finback is the most common species in these waters.
They are brought to a coastal station for processing.
Choice steaks are used for table meat.
Oil is exported to other countries of Europe and used in margarine.
The remainder is made into cattle food and fertilizer.
An average size whale is worth about $3 ,000.
Many workers are employed in other industries.
Some make candy, gum, and cookies to satisfy their sweet tooth.
Carpet manufacturers use domestic wool to make high quality carpeting.
Furniture factories produce a Scandinavian style of furniture.
Ceramic artists sometimes use a mixture of native clays and volcanic ash to create unusual objects.
Much of the machinery, raw materials, food, and other essentials are imported by the 4 ,000 ships visiting the ports each year.
The majority of men work in transportation, commerce, and construction.
About half of the population of 200 ,000 live in the capital Reykjavik.
Reykjavik means smoky bay.
The smoke, actually steam, comes from hot springs.
Most of the buildings are heated by this natural hot water pumped through insulated pipes to these storage tanks.
The modern hotels, apartments, and homes are built of reinforced concrete to prevent damage from occasional slight earthquakes.
Since there are no railroads, inter -island travel is usually by plane.
Built on several levels along a deep fjord, Akareri is the second largest city with a population around 10 ,000 and the business and shipping center of the north.
This is also an excellent ski area, having the best snow cover from March through May.
Summer skiing is possible on permanent snowfields in the interior.
Iceland has no army.
Only firemen and policemen wear uniforms.
Crime is rare, so policemen mainly direct traffic.
Early in their life, children are given responsibilities.
They are taught to enjoy work and be proud of their accomplishments.
Here it is a disgrace not to work.
There is no unemployment, poverty, or social distinction because the Icelanders value the individual as a person.
After basic compulsory education, young men interested in sea may attend the Marine Navigational School.
Two and three -year courses teach all phases of equipment, maintenance, and navigation.
Agricultural students experiment with fruits and vegetables in glass houses heated by hot springs so more fresh produce will be available.
At the University of Iceland, six courses are offered tuition -free to qualified students.
Girls can enroll in one of the many homemaking schools where everything from biochemistry to purchasing is studied.
They take in doing handiwork for their future home and family.
The women seldom have domestic help, so every housewife must know how to cook and care for her home.
When available, whale steaks are inexpensive.
The taste is difficult to describe because it does not resemble fish or meat.
Skir is a national dish made of cow's milk, is very high in protein, and is eaten as a main course for dessert.
The average family has three children.
The mother is rarely employed away from the home as her family is her main responsibility.
The father makes all the major decisions and pays all the expenses.
Although they love their families and home, the men seldom show their emotions.
Because wages are low and the cost of living is high, the government assists in several ways.
Working mothers may leave their children in day nurseries for about five dollars a week.
Small government grants are made to parents for each child under 16.
Towns offer garden plots with supervision to children who agree to work in them at least hours each day.
Children are required by law to learn to swim.
The pools utilize natural hot water, so it is a pleasure to swim any time of the year.
Children are exposed to cultural activities at an early age.
They visit the studio of Asbandeer Svensson, who uses various materials in his sculptures.
Watch craftsmen make filigree jewelry from gold and silver.
Or they can observe the ancient form of wrestling, gleema, in which contestants toss each other by lifting and twisting.
A popular camping trip is to Mevatn, which means Lake of the Midgees.
Here, tiny insects hang like a cloud on warm, still days.
Some 230 species of birds have been observed here and are protected by law.
Barrel's golden -eye duck is found nowhere else in Europe.
The kiddiwake, a seabird, nests on ledges of remote cliffs.
The European oyster catcher is very colorful, but her chick is unnoticed among the rocks.
The eider colonies are also protected by law, so the ducks are quite tame.
The males watch over the drab hen while she plucks the down from her breast to line the nest.
After the chicks leave the nest, the down is gathered by the farmers and made into warm comforters.
The utopia for fishermen are the many lakes and rivers that provide excellent sport fishing.
The salmon season opens about June 10th, and enthusiasm reaches its peak when these beauties are pulled from the icy waters.
Whatever your natural interests may be, Iceland can fulfill them.
Those who share an appreciation of natural beauty are always welcome to enjoy Iceland's spectacular and moving manifestations and discover for themselves that this is truly a nice land and not an ice land.
