About Iceland and Iceland's History

But, there are still many unanswered questions about how Iceland became, Iceland, such as... How did Iceland become one of the most beautiful, natural, and environmentally-friendly countries? How did Iceland become the modern community it is today? How did the country's geography, climate, and position in the world affect its development? Read on to discover Iceland's history and origins. This blog will dive deep into the history of Iceland. 

EARLY HISTORY

Iceland first began to form approximately 70 million years ago. A large magma pocket (also known as the "Iceland Plume", which today, sits beneath the island. The origins of the Iceland Plume is thought to lie over 2,000 metres inside of the Earth's mantle. In the contemporary landscape, these same forces can still be seen in the event of volcanic eruptions or earthquakes (which do still happen). ​​​​​​​

The exact date that humans first reached Iceland is uncertain.

Iceland was settled in 874 AD. The first settler was Ingolfur Arnarson, who settled in Reykjavik. Many early settlers of Iceland were small lords and kinds from Norway who were fleeing the tyranny of Harald, the fair-haired who wanted to unify Norway under one king, namely, himself. 

From 874 to 930 AD, more and more people and clans were arriving in Iceland, with a demographic of Norweigian men and Irish women. By 930 AD, there were 39 clans across 13 district assemblies. 

HISTORIC FACTS ABOUT ICELAND

Here are 10 THINGS that YOU should know about Iceland and the history.

1. The British invaded Iceland during WW2.
2. Beer was banned in Iceland for most of the 20th Century.
3. An 18th-century volcanic eruption almost forced the abandonment of the country.
4. Irish monks are believed to have been the first people who voyaged to Iceland.
5. Iceland is home to the world's oldest parliament.
6. Christopher Columbus may have learned of the European discovery of America in Iceland.
7. Iceland publishes the most books per capita of any country in the world. 
8. Icelandic television was not broadcast on Thursdays until 1987.
9. Iceland's population is smaller than that of Anaheim, California.
10. Non of mainland Iceland is in the Arctic Circle.