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The
country with the chilly name is rapidly becoming one of Europe's
hottest destinations. Much of Iceland's popularity is due
to its natural features, which include glaciers, hot springs,
geysers, active volcanoes, portentous peaks and vast lava
deserts. Apart from an expansive landscape, it also has a
rich history, literature and folklore tradition. However,
tempering Iceland's appeal is that its prices are the most
expensive in Europe. That doesn't mean it can't be visited
on a shoestring, but it does mean that budget travellers will
have to spend some time under canvas in order to fully appreciate
the country without needing to get on intimate terms with
their bank manager.
Full
country name: Republic of Iceland
Area: 103,000 sq km (39,768 sq mi)
Population: 279,000
Capital city: Reykjavík (pop 171,500)
People: 97% Icelanders
Language: Icelandic
Religion: 95% Evangelical Lutheran, 3% other Protestant denominations,
1% Roman Catholic, & some followers of Ásatrú,
an ancient Norse religion
Government: Constitutional republic
President: Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson
GDP:
US$6.4 billion
GDP per head: US$23,700
Annual growth: 1.7%
Inflation: 1.9%
Major industries: Fishing, aquaculture, aluminium smelting
& geothermal power
Major trading partners: EU (esp. Germany, Norway, UK, Denmark,
Sweden), USA
Member of EU: no
Iceland
Flight from UK
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