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Iceland: Island
built 660 days ago
Iceland is located on a geological hot spot on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It has many active volcanoes, notably the Hekla, and around 10% of the island is glaciated. Iceland has many geysers (itself an Icelandic word) and the widespread availability of geothermal power means residents of most towns have hot water and home heat for a low price. (See ...: Volcanoes of Iceland) Electricity is generally very cheap because of the many rivers and waterfalls which are also used for the generation of electrical power.
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The animals of Iceland include the Icelandic sheep, cattle, and the sturdy Icelandic horse. Many varieties of fish live in the ocean waters surrounding Iceland, and the fishing industry is a main contributor to Iceland’s economy, accounting for more than half of its total exports. Wild mammals include the arctic fox, mink, mice, rats, rabbits and reindeer. Before and around the 1900s polar bears occasionally visited the island, traveling on icebergs from Greenland. Birds, especially sea birds, are a very important part of Iceland's animal life. Puffins, skuas, and kittiwakes nest on its sea cliffs.
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Icelandic interest in psychical research goes back many years to the founding of Salarrannsoknafelag Island, the Society for Psychical Research of Iceland in Reykjavik in 1918. The founder was Prof. Einar Hjöleifsson Kvaran (1859-1938), a well-known writer who edited Morgunn, a Spiritualist magazine. A prominent member was Prof. Harald Nielsson (d. 1928) of the University of Reykjavik, who spent five years investigating the phenomena of the medium Indridi Indridason.
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Iceland is located in the North Atlantic Ocean just south of the Arctic Circle, which passes through the small island of Grímsey off Iceland's northern coast, but not through mainland Iceland. Unlike neighbouring Greenland, Iceland is considered to be a part of Europe, not of North America, though geologically, the island belongs to both continents. Because of cultural, economic and linguistic similarities, Iceland in many contexts is ... included in Scandinavia. The closest bodies of land are Greenland (287 km) and the Faroe Islands (420 km). The closest distance to the mainland of Europe is 970 km (to Norway).
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Iceland does not sustain a great variety of indigenous plants. Grasslands and heather (see Heath) are abundant along the southern coast and provide pasturage for sheep and other livestock. Extensive forests probably existed on the island in prehistoric times, but present-day trees, such as birch and spruce, are relatively scarce. Bilberries and crowberries are the only kinds of fruit native to the island.
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Iceland is home to the largest Glacier on an Island in the North Atlantic (except Greenland) called "Vatnajokull" (lit. "Water Glacier"--Icelanders are renowned for their creative use of language) as well as many active volcanoes. In 1996, Björk's good friend Tori Amos visited iceland, and Tori was so inspired by the varied landscape of Iceland that she created an album out of the sounds of hot springs gurgling and the glaciers melting and cracking, due to global warming. It was named "Boys for Pele" -after the famous volcano goddess in Icelandic Mythology, Pele.
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