Land area: 38,707 sq mi (100,251 sq km); total area: 39,769 sq mi (103,000 sq km)1

Population (2006): 299,388 (growth rate: 0.9%); birth rate: 13.6/1000; infant mortality rate: 3.3/1000; life expectancy: 80.3; density per sq mi: 8

Capital City: Reykjavik

Monetary unit: Icelandic króna

Languages: Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken

Ethnicity/race: homogeneous mixture of Norse/Celtic descendants 94%, population of foreign origin 6%

Religions: Church of Iceland (Evangelical Lutheran) 87.1%, other Protestant 4.1%, Roman Catholic 1.7%, other 7.1% (2002)

Iceland is located in the North Atlantic Ocean just south of the Arctic Circle, which passes through the small island of Grimsey off Iceland's northern coast, but not through mainland Iceland. Unlike neighbouring Greenland, Iceland is considered to be a part of Europe, not a part of North America.

Iceland has a great variety of stunning scenery and unspoilt wilderness that include rust-red craters, cobalt-blue lakes and luminous green moss that punctuate a sea of black sand.

There are coastlines of sandy beaches, rugged cliffs and tranquil fjords throngs with birds, while off shore six species of whale and dolphin regularly captivate visitors on whale watching trips. Iceland is nature in the raw.

Iceland's literacy rate is among the highest in the world, and a love of literature, art, chess, and other intellectual pursuits is widespread.

An important key to understanding Icelanders and their culture (and which differentiates them from many contemporary Nordic peoples) is the high importance they place on the traits of independence and self-reliance. Icelanders are proud of their Viking heritage and Icelandic language. Modern Icelandic remains close to the Old Norse spoken in the Viking Age.

Icelandic society and culture is very "woman friendly," with many women in leadership positions in government and business. Women retain their names after marriage, since Icelanders generally do not use surnames but patronyms or matronyms.

One of the most popular activities in Iceland is visiting the geothermal spas and pools that can be found all around the country. They are popular with tourists as well.

Iceland has four national parks: Jökulsárgljúfur National Park, Skaftafell National Park, Snćfellsnes National Park, and Ţingvellir.

One park in particular, the Skaftafell National Park is dominated by Vatnajokull, a massive icecap. Many walks, climbs and hikes are possible in the area. The glacier is 3,000 ft/900 m thick in places, but it has tongues that have lodged in lower areas, allowing easy access for visitors.