Iceland. Alexandr Lysak

			Introduction Iceland (Icelandic: Island (names of Iceland) ) is a European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.It has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km2 (39,769 sq mi).The capital and largest city is Reykjavik, with the surrounding areas in the southwestern region of the country being home to some two-thirds of the national population. Iceland is volcanically and geologically active. The interior mainly consists of a plateau characterised by sand fields, mountains and glaciers, while many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate despite a high latitude just outside the Arctic Circle. Story It's a shame most visitors don't stray far from the capital as some of the most memorable sights in Iceland are further afield. There are many excursions offered by tour companies, readily available from any of the main centres such as Reykjavik and Akureyri. They will fly you around and take you out to the glaciers and to the big volcanoes for a reasonable price. However, the cheapest option is to drive around with a rented car since none of these sites have entry fees. National Parks: Thingvellir National Park (pronounced "THING-vet-lihr") - National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage site. 30 to 50 km (20 - 30 mi) east of Reykjavik. Interesting for a number of reasons: Not only is it the original site of the longest running parliament in the world (the name literally means 'parliamentary fields'), it's also where the North-American and European continental shelf plates are being torn apart. Vatnajokull National Park (VAT-nah-yer-CUDDLE) - Iceland's newest national park was founded on June 7th, 2008 and includes the former Skaftafell and Jokulsargljufur National Parks. Vatnajokull National Park is Europe's largest national park at 12,000 km2, covering about 12 percent of the surface of Iceland. The park is home to Iceland's highest mountain, Hvannadalshnukur, largest glacier, Vatnajokull, and Europe's largest waterfall in terms of volume discharge, Dettifoss. Snyfellsjokull National Park (SNY-fetls-yer-CUDDLE) - Located on the tip of the Sn?fellsnes Peninsula in western Iceland, this park is home to the ice-covered volcanic crater that was the setting for Jules Verne's book Journey to the Center of the Earth. Other Attractions: Blue Lagoon - (Icelandic: Blaa Loni?) (BLAU-ah LONE-eeth) Famous outdoor pool and health centre. The spa is in Grindavik on the Reykjanes Peninsula, south-western Iceland. It is situated approximately 13 km (8 mi) from the Keflavik International Airport and 39 km (24 mi) from Reykjavik. This geothermal spa in the middle of a lava field with its milky blue water is quite surreal. Admission does not include towel rental, which was €4. Myvatn (MEE-fatn) - A lake region near Akureyri in the North of Iceland, Myvatn has an unearthly appearance owing to special types of volcanic craters throughout the lake. There are plenty of activities in this area: Smajfall (desert where sulphuric steam comes out of the ground) and Dimmuborgir (aka The Black City aka The Gates of Hell). Gullfoss - The Golden Falls. On the edge of the inhospitable Interior of Iceland about 60 miles east of Reykjavik, the river Hvita plunges down a double cascade to create what many people believe is the most beautiful waterfall in Iceland Geysir - Geothermal hot spot located 10km west of Gullfoss. Geysir itself (from which the English word "geyser" derives) is no longer reliably active, but fortunately Strokkur next door goes off every five to ten minutes. Jokulsarlon (The Jokulsar Lagoon) - The majestic glacial lagoon in southeast Iceland and is located near Hofn on Route 1. Brei?amerkurjokull glacier retreated very quickly from 1920 to 1965 leaving this breathtaking lagoon, which is up to 190 m deep. Ice breaks off from the glacier keeping the lagoon stocked with icebergs all year round. The James Bond film Die Another Day was filmed here in 2002. Landmannalaugar - A region of outstanding natural beauty reachable by bus (or 4x4) from Reykjavik. Situated in the Interior, it gives a taste of the uninhabited highlands at Iceland’s core. Copyrights Photo: cetrafer.livejournal.com Text: wikitravel.org/en/Iceland Comments Photo Video