Travel

At IcelandGuest, our goal is to help make your stay in our country as rewarding and hassle-free as possible. Here you will find answers to some of the most commonly asked questions by first-time visitors to Iceland as well as some interesting factoids about our land of fire and ice.

• Population: 325,671 (Jan 2015)
• Religion: 80% Lutheran
• Total area: 103,000 km? / 39,756 sq. mi
• Capital: Reykjavik (population 118,898)
• Form of Government: Republic since June 17, 1944 (Independent since December 1, 1918)
• Approximately 7,250 sq. km (2,799 sq. mi) of Iceland is covered by glaciers
• Hvannadalshnjukur is Iceland’s highest peak (2,110m / 6,923 ft)
• Oskjuvatn near Viti is Iceland’s deepest lake (220m / 722 ft)
• For almost three months in summer there is continuous daylight, a phenomenon known as the "midnight sun"
• The mean annual temperature for Reykjavik is 5?C, with the average in January temperature being - 0.2?C and in July 12?C

Iceland is the westernmost country in Europe, located in the North Atlantic about 800 km (497 mi) northwest of Scotland and 970 km (602 mi) west of Norway. Its closest neighbor is Greenland, which at its closest point is 286 km (180 mi) to the east. Iceland's northern coast is just below the Arctic Circle.

Iceland is strategically located for air travel from either side of the Atlantic: flight times are 2-3 hours from major gateways in Europe and 5-6 hours from the East Coast of North America. A growing number of international gateways are served from Keflavik Airport, many on a daily basis, with some up to 3-4 flights per day.

The history of Iceland in few sentences?

The first people believed to have settled in Iceland were Irish monks who came in the 8th century A.D. They left, however, upon the arrival of pagan Norsemen, who arrived around 874 A.D. to seek freedom from Norway's oppressive king Harald Fairhair.

In 930 A.D. the early Icelanders founded the Althing, their supreme general assembly--the oldest parliament in the world. The adoption of Christianity followed in the year 1000. In 1262, Iceland became subject to Norwegian control and in 1380 came under Danish control, along with Norway. After the granting of a constitution (1874) and with an improving economy, Iceland finally became a sovereign state under a common king with Denmark in 1918. The Republic of Iceland was formally declared on June 17, 1944.

How is the weather in Iceland?

Iceland is not considered a warm place by any normal standards, but thankfully the Gulf Stream does have a moderating effect on the temperatures. Average temperatures in July are about 12 degrees centigrade in Reykjavik, and usually a bit warmer in the north and east of Iceland.

And despite the icy name, it doesn't snow as much in Iceland as you may think, especially in Reykjavik where there is usually little snow to be seen, even in winter. However, there is more snow in the winter in the north and east of Iceland and the West Fjords.

The biggest factor in Icelandic weather is its unpredictability as you never know what is going to happen next, especially in remote wilderness areas like the interior highlands. A beautiful day can suddenly turn windy and rainy (or vice versa), and you might see every type of weather imaginable over a couple of days--especially in late autumn and early spring--so be prepared for anything.

For weather services in English, visit www.vedur.is/english

Average temperatures by month: