ICELAND
Keith Murray
INTRODUCTION
• Introduction:
• Iceland is a scenic land of volcanoes and
glaciers. It lies in the North Atlantic Ocean
between Europe and North America. Iceland’s
nearest neighbor is Scotland but it’s miles
away. Iceland is known as the world’s
peaceful country and it has no army.
• Fact file:
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Capital: Reykjavik
Population: 320,000 people (estimated in 2012)
President of Iceland: Olafur Ragnar Grimsson
Prime Minister: Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson
Official language: Icelandic
Official religion: Evangelical Lutheran
Currency: Krona (ISK)
Total area (in sq mtrs): 39,777
Total area (in km): 103,022
ICELANDIC LANGUAGE
• This is how to say, ‘Hello. My name is Keith.’, in Icelandic.
• Hallo. Eg heiti Keith.
• Erik the Red was a Viking explorer. He
founded the first European settlement in
Greenland.
ICELANDIC HISTORY
Iceland was one of the world’s first
independent, democratic republics.
The earliest permanent settlers came to
Iceland from Norway in 874 AD. The
Althing, a representative form of
government, was established in 930 AD.
During this time missionairies from
Norway brought Christianity to Iceland.
In about 1000 AD, Christianity was
made the state religion of Iceland.
• Erik the Red lived during the 900’s. He moved
from Norway to Iceland with his dad,
Thorvald when he was still a child. They had
to leave Norway because Thorvald had
killed someone in Norway. After Thorvald
died, Erik got married and settled at a place
called Erikstad. However, he had to leave
Erikstad after he murdered someone. In 982,
Erik and his family left Iceland and went
westwards. They found Greenland in the
summer and settled there.
• Erik returned to Iceland in 986, but he soon
went back to Greenland
GEYSERS
• A geyser is a natural pool of hot
water that sends up steam and hot
water up into the air. The pool of
hot water is known as a hot spring.
The word geyser comes from the
Icelandic term, geysir which means
to ‘gush’. Fumaroles are similar
features, but they only let out gases
and steam.
• Hot springs are usually found near
volcanoes. The hot magma
underground heats up nearby
groundwater. The water then tends to
rise towards the surface, where it forms
a hot spring. The water is then
channeled through a fault or some
other fracture. When the water deep
down reaches a temperature above
the natural boiling point, it becomes so
hot that it turns into steam.
ICELANDIC FOOTBALL TEAM
This is the Icelandic football team. Aron Gunnarsson is the captain. Iceland
made the European play-offs of the World Cup qualifications but they lost 2-0
to Croatia.
This is Iceland’s Euro 2016 qualifying group:
Group A:
Holland
Kazakhstan
Iceland
Latvia
Turkey
Czech Republic
GYLFI SIDGURSSON
Gylfi Sidgursson is an Icelandic footballer who plays in midfield for
Tottenham. He has great long-range shooting ability. He was voted
Player of the Season twice for Reading in 2009-10 and Hoffenheim
in 2010-11.
He started his career at FH. After one year, he moved to Breidablik.
Then, for 3 years, he played for Reading.
He started his senior career at Reading. He was loaned at
Shrewsbury Town and Crewe Alexandra. He went on to move to
bigger teams in 2010 when he moved to Hoffenheim. He was then
loaned to Swansea in 2012. Finally, he made his switch to
Tottenham in the summer of 2012, where he still plays.