Iceland is an island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean, not far from Greenland. The first settlers arrived in Iceland from Norway in the 9th century, establishing the world's oldest existing parliament, called the Althing, in 930. Iceland gained independence from Denmark in 1944. Reykjavik is the capital and largest city. Iceland has a population of around 318,000 and its economy relies on fishing and fish processing. The climate is temperate for its high latitude due to the Gulf Stream, with average temperatures ranging from just above freezing in winter to 10-25 degrees Celsius in summer.

1. Iceland By Juri Petruhhin

2. Location Iceland is located in the North Atlantic, not far away from Greenland.

3. Aerial view of Iceland

4. Short history The first people came to Iceland in the 9 th century from Norway.

5. Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, was founded in the year 874.

6. The local parliament, the Althing, was created in 930.

7. To win an argument in the Althing, the speaker had to get the most support from the landlords.

8. This makes Iceland one of the oldest democracies in the world.

9. Iceland became part of Norway in 1262.

10. In 1662, it became part of Denmark.

11. Short history It became independent again in 1944.

12. In 1980 Vigdís Finnbogadóttir became the president of Iceland. She was the world's first elected woman president.

13. In 2008 it was hit hard by the global financial crisis, causing the collapse of all three of the country's major commercial banks.

14. By the end of 2008, Iceland's external debt was $70 billion (compared to its GDP of a bit more than $12 billion).

15. In the 2009 the parliament approved same-sex marriages.

16. Quick facts Source of image :http://www.free-desktop-backgrounds.net/free-desktop-wallpapers-backgrounds/free-hd-desktop-wallpapers-backgrounds/779342417.jpg