Iceland

volcanoes · glaciers · Nordic · geography

Land of fire. Iceland sits on a rift between two giant tectonic plates, which gives it bubbling geysers and frequent volcanic eruptions.

Tiny capital crowd. Reykjavík is the capital, and about 35% of Iceland's roughly 395,000 people live there.

Warmed by the sea. Even though it's near the Arctic Circle, the Gulf Stream keeps Iceland's climate surprisingly mild.

Ice and lava. The interior is full of glaciers, mountains, lava fields, and glacial rivers that rush down to the sea.

Special language. The official language is Icelandic, spoken by the island's people for centuries.