This is an eye-opening story about Iceland. I always thought they were an independent nation. That is not true.
Seventy million years ago, a magma pocket formed the Iceland island. Although its location puts it in the range of a harsh environment, it is tempered by the Gulf Stream. Nevertheless, I was surprised that only 20-25% of Iceland is habitable. Those areas are the south and east of the island.
The Vikings may not have been the first to find Iceland; it is thought that the Greeks saw it first but did not settle any people there. Instead, the Scandinavians primarily influenced Iceland.
The Icelandic language most closely sounds like Old Norse. Because they were isolated, their language wasn't influenced by others.
The land was empty when the first settlers arrived, and life was hard. It took a long time before any government was formed. The small number of people who live in Iceland have been buffeted by difficult times, including losing 1/4 of their population to smallpox. This country has had a varied and complex history. This book does a great job of explaining how and why things occurred over the generations. The chapters take turns discussing every aspect of Icelandic life and history. Interesting reading.
Seventy million years ago, a magma pocket formed the Iceland island. Although its location puts it in the range of a harsh environment, it is tempered by the Gulf Stream. Nevertheless, I was surprised that only 20-25% of Iceland is habitable. Those areas are the south and east of the island.
The Vikings may not have been the first to find Iceland; it is thought that the Greeks saw it first but did not settle any people there. Instead, the Scandinavians primarily influenced Iceland.
The Icelandic language most closely sounds like Old Norse. Because they were isolated, their language wasn't influenced by others.
The land was empty when the first settlers arrived, and life was hard. It took a long time before any government was formed. The small number of people who live in Iceland have been buffeted by difficult times, including losing 1/4 of their population to smallpox. This country has had a varied and complex history. This book does a great job of explaining how and why things occurred over the generations. The chapters take turns discussing every aspect of Icelandic life and history. Interesting reading.
