Information about Iceland

Iceland is an island located in the North Atlantic Ocean, halfway between Greenland and Norway.  Iceland is in geological terms one of the youngest landmass on earth and is quite active with volcanos and earthquakes.  The island is about 103.000 sq/km in size and is Europe's westernmost country.  About 11% of Iceland is covered with glaciers.  The biggest one, Vatnajokull on the south-eastern part of the island, covers about 8.400 sq/km and is up to 1km thick.  

Iceland is populated by the descendants of the Vikings.  The Vikings settled Iceland in the year 874 A.D.  In 930 A.D. they founded the worlds oldest legislative assembly Althingi.  Today, Iceland is populated by about 293.000 inhabitants.  Due to it's isolation in the North Atlantic, the population has remained very homogeneous and still speaks to old Viking language close to the original.  According to Statistics Iceland, there were 56 individuals living in Iceland in 1999 from Oceanic countries.  This would indicate a very small number of Australians living in Iceland.

For detailed statistical information on Iceland, go to Statistics Iceland web site.

For more information on Iceland and it's population, go to the Icelandic Foreign Service website.  They have information and links to other sites.