49 GOOD TO KNOW Ingjaldsholskirkja, Snaefellsnes peninsula Iceland LAND AND ITS PEOPLE Iceland fascinates with diversity. There aren’t many places on Earth where you can nd black-sand beaches, erupting volcanoes, lumbering glaciers and thunderous waterfalls on the same day as swimming in hot springs, betting on when geysers will erupt, and hiking across barren rocky deserts or regions with an incrediblediversity of moss, lichen and shrubs. The inhabited coastal regions form the smallest part of the island. Meanwhile, 11% of Iceland’s surface is covered by glaciers while 60% of the whole country is dominated by uninhabited highlands or deserts. These desolate regions can only be traversed by four-wheel-drive vehicles during the summer. The volcanic island truly o ers lots of space for its inhabitants and visitors. Around 390,000 people live on the island’s 103,000 km² (64,001 miles²) but two thirds of them reside in the Reykjavik area, located in the southwest. The Reykjanes Peninsula is home to Ke avik International Airport, about 45 km (28 miles) from the capital. Iceland is also famous for its hospitality, which visitors can experience throughout the country. CLIMATE Although the warm Gulf Stream has a positive e ect on the climate, visitor must be ready for all kinds of weather. In summer temperatures vary around 12°- 15° C / 53-59° F, although they may rise to 20°C / 68° F. Rain showers are always possible, even if they don’t last long. Temperatures in winter hover around +/- 5°C / 23-41° F; even though it can be very windy, it’s not as cold as generally assumed. CURRENCY The local currency is the Icelandic Krone (“krona” or ISK). The homepage of the Icelandic National Bank (www.cb.is) posts information about current exchange rates. All major credit cards – like Master Card, Visa, JCB, Diners and American Express – are widely accepted. Important: Most shops, restaurants and especially gas stations also request the PIN number of the credit card, to complete the payment. ATMs for cash withdrawals are available in larger towns and airports. LANGUAGE The o cial language is Icelandic. The roots of this old language go back to the era of Norwegian Vikings. English and Danish are nowadays very common as well. TIME DIFFERENCE Icelandic clocks are set to GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). Greenland LAND AND ITS PEOPLE Greenland, an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, is home to around 56,000 people and has an impressive surface area of 2,166,086 km² (1,345,943 miles²). While the northern corner of the island is located only 730 km (453 miles) south of the North Pole, the south of Greenland lies on the same latitude as Oslo. With several climate zones Greenland o ers both a diversity of scenery and a variety of wildlife. Majestic whales, musk oxen and sea eagles are some animal species which inhabit the huge island. During the summer, visitors encounter blankets of wild owers which form a vibrant contrast to the icebergs oating in nearby ords and the massive inland ice cap. Over 1,000 years ago, Erik the Red decided to settle here and gave the unknown country its name. Today, many ruins recall the history of those early Norse settlers. Disko Bay on the west coast is dominated by impressive icebergs in various shapes, sizes and colors. This ever-changing display is a result of large pieces of ice “calving” (breaking o ) from the outer edge of Sermeq Kualleq Glacier and oating through the Ilulissat Ice Fjord into the bay. The rich waters of Disko Bay also attract an array of whales, seabirds and other wildlife. Nuuk with 17,600 inhabitants is the biggest city in Greenland. CLIMATE Greenland has an Arctic climate, which means you should be prepared for sunny days, but also for cold, fresh mornings and evenings. The average temperature reaches a maximum of +10°C / 50° F during the summer months. Nevertheless, you might experience days with temperatures of + 15-20°C / 59-68° F. Therefore, it’s important to bring warm as well as light clothes so you can layer. CURRENCY As an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland uses the Danish Kroner (DKK) as its currency. We strongly advise that you exchange money before arriving in Greenland or bring cash in USD and EUR. Most hotels and many shops accept all major credit cards. But in several places, cash will be more useful as ATMs are only available in larger towns. LANGUAGE Kalaallisut (West Greenlandic) is the sole o cial language. Danish is still widely used in administration and higher education, as well as remaining the rst or only language for some people in Nuuk and larger towns. The majority of Greenlanders speak both Kalaallisut and Danish. Although schools in larger communities generally teach English, inhabitants of small communities usually don’t speak English. TIME DIFFERENCE In summer, southwest Greenland is two hours behind GMT (Greenwich Mean Time).
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