Iceland
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Location:
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Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea
and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
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Background:
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Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish)
immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries
A.D., Iceland boasts the world's oldest functioning
legislative assembly, the Althing, established in
930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was
subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout
from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the
Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over
the next quarter century, 20% of the island's
population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US.
Limited home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874
and complete independence attained in 1944.
Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion are
first-rate by world standards. |
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Natural hazards:
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earthquakes and volcanic activity |
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Languages:
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Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely
spoken |
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English
Italiano 
Deutsch
Español
Français 