“Iceland's
uniqueness is its main characteristic - there is no
country in the world like Iceland,” said Einar Gustavsson,
director of the Icelandic Tourist Board in New York, who
is also chairman of the European Travel Commission in the
USA. He previously worked for Icelandair, and has spent
his entire working career in the States. “Europe is
naturally very diverse,” he continued. “Not
only is it diverse geographically, but also culturally.
In the same country there may be more than one common language,
so customs, traditions and tongues create a varied mosaic.
European culture and history, therefore, is both old and
highly developed. Iceland's position in this mix is rather
unique. Located halfway between Europe and North America,
Iceland is the youngest country in Europe, both geologically
and as a nation. The Icelandic nation is only about 1000
years old, and geologically it is still being formed: natural
forces are continually at work. In addition, with only about
285,000 inhabitants, Iceland is one of the smallest nations
in the world.”
Iceland's
uniqueness
“Iceland's uniqueness as a travel destination is its
nature and people. Icelandic nature is a never-ending interplay
of ice and fire, water and land. It is pristine, virtually
untouched, with air that is fresh and water crystal clean.
And we Icelanders are fortunately free of most pollution,”
said Gustavsson. “The country’s
main economic sectors are the fisheries, services, power-intensive
industry, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and high-tech industries
that are becoming evermore important to the economy.
“Icelanders have their own language, which is one
of the oldest living tongues in the world. Icelandic literature,
both old and contemporary, is particularly interesting,
and many writers have received well-deserved international
acclaim. The best known is Nobel laureate Halldór
Laxness. The Icelandic film industry has been experiencing
considerable growth in recent years, and films from Iceland
have drawn the attention of foreign-film fans throughout
the world.”
Healthy people in a beautiful land
Interest
among international scientists and doctors has grown in
connection with the general health of Icelanders. “One
of the main reasons why Icelanders enjoy good health is
their high level of education,” commented Surgeon
General Sigurður Guðmundsson. “Infant mortality
is among the lowest in the world, and the same may be said
of deaths caused by liver diseases such as cirrhosis. The
country’s low pollution levels result in a better
state of general health, as does the well organized health-care
system. In addition, Icelanders have little to fear from
nature: there are no dangerous insects and food is free
of livestock diseases and hazardous chemicals in the environment.
Icelanders also consume large amounts of fish, which is
particularly healthy as it contains Omega 3 fatty acid,
shown to reduce the risk of heart and artery diseases. And
as there is little pollution in Iceland, along with homes
and buildings that are generally heated with clean, thermal
water and high fish consumption, the frequency of asthma
and allergy is lower in Iceland than in most other countries,”
said the surgeon general.
Enjoying a safe city
“It should also be pointed out,” said Einar
Gustavsson, “that the crime rate in Iceland is very
low. The capital doesn’t experience many of the problems
of major cities, making Reykjavík an easy place to
relax in and simply enjoy life. The city is small by US
standards, but can offer most that is available in cities
many times its size. Reykjavík has many excellent
restaurants, an exciting cultural life and a colorful nightlife.
It’s easy to navigate in the city, and most all destinations
can be easily reached on foot. Most everyone speaks English
and the people are friendly,” said Gustavsson. He
went on to say that Iceland is not nearly as far away as
many think. “The flight to Iceland from cities on
the eastern seaboard takes only about four hours. And it’s
not at all very cold there; the average temperature in December
and January is about 31.6°F.”
