Velkomin! Welcome to the “Land of Fire and Ice”—Iceland, a Nordic island nation in the North Atlantic defined by its dramatic landscapes of volcanoes, geysers, hot springs, and lava fields. There are around 400,000 people living here, and the capital is Reykjavík, a vibrant city powered almost entirely by geothermal energy. The official language is Icelandic, which has changed so little since the 9th century that modern Icelanders can still read ancient Viking sagas.

Iceland covers about 103,000 square kilometers (39,768 square miles). The country is roughly the same size as the state of Kentucky in the U.S., or about the same size as South Korea. or as Hungary. Despite its name, only about 10% of the island is covered by glaciers.

The most popular sports are Football (the national team made history as the smallest nation to qualify for the World Cup) and Handball. Their national animal is the Gyrfalcon, the largest of all falcon species, though the Icelandic Horse is the most famous animal on the island for its unique “tölt” gait.

The flag features a red cross with a white border on a blue field, where the blue represents the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean, the white stands for the ice and snow, and the red symbolizes the volcanic fires that created the island.

The food is a testament to survival and the sea. You must try Plokkfiskur, a creamy fish stew made with cod or haddock and potatoes. For the adventurous, there is Hákarl (fermented shark), but most prefer fresh Icelandic Lamb or the local yogurt-like dairy product called Skyr. Thanks to geothermal greenhouses, Iceland even grows its own tomatoes and cucumbers all year round!

Iceland is home to the Althing, the oldest surviving parliament in the world, founded in the year 930. The country sits directly on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are pulling apart; you can actually walk between the two continents at Thingvellir National Park. It is one of the best places on Earth to see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) in the winter. Iceland is also famous for its Blue Lagoon, a milky-blue geothermal spa where the water stays at a perfect 38°C (100°F) even in the middle of a blizzard. Interestingly, Iceland has no mosquitoes, no McDonald’s, and a higher number of books written and read per capita than anywhere else in the world.

From the thunderous Skógafoss waterfall to the black sand beaches of Reynisfjara, Iceland is a land of raw power and ethereal beauty. Takk! That means “Thank you!”