Passport/Visa Requirements: Passport only required of Australian, Canadian, U.K. and U.S. citizens for a stay of up to 90 days. Reconfirm travel document requirements with carrier before departure.
Population: 301,931.
Languages: Icelandic. English widely spoken.
Predominant Religions: Predominantly Christian.
Time Zone: Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Daylight Saving Time is not observed.
Voltage Requirements: 220 volts.
Telephone Codes: 354, country code;
For More Information
U.S.: Iceland Tourist Board, 655 Third Ave., New York, NY 10017. Phone 212-885-9700. Fax 212-885-9710. http://www.icelandtouristboard.com.
Iceland does not have tourist offices in Australia, Canada or the U.K.
Iceland Embassies
Canada: Embassy of Iceland, Constitution Square, 360 Albert St., Suite 710, Ottawa, Ontario, K1R 7X7. Phone 613-482-1944. Fax 613-482-1945.
U.K.: Embassy of Iceland, 2A Hans St., London SW1X 0JE. Phone 44-20-7259-3999.
U.S.: Embassy of Iceland, 1156 15th St. N.W., Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20005-1704. Phone 202-265-6653. There are consulates in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Anchorage, Atlanta and Seattle, as well as honorary consulates in many other cities.
Iceland has a consulate in Australia but not an embassy.
Foreign Embassies in Iceland
Canadian Embassy, Tungata 14, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland. Phone 575-6500. Fax 575-6501.
British Embassy, P.O. Box 460, Laufasvegur 31, 101 Reykjavik. Phone 550-5100. Fax 550-5105.
U.S. Embassy, P.O. Box 40, Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland. Phone 562-9100. Fax 562-9110.
Australia does not have diplomatic representation in Iceland, but the Embassy in Denmark is accredited for Iceland.
Additional Reading
We recommend reading at least one early Icelandic saga—these works are colorful, violent and entertaining. The national classic is
Heimskringla by Snorri Sturluson (Dover). Two other famous sagas are
Laxdaela Saga (Penguin), the story of a northwestern family, and
Egil's Saga (Charles Tuttle), the biography of an ancient court poet. We also recommend reading at least one selection by Iceland's Nobel Prize-winning novelist, Halldor Laxness. His most famous work is
World Light, a trilogy dealing with the role of the poet (or
skald, in Icelandic). We particularly enjoyed
Independent People.
To get a taste of Icelandic culture, you might read one of the popular mysteries by award-winning author Arnaldur Indridason. Titles include Jar City, Voices and Silence of the Grave.
