Islande

Interesting Facts About Islande

• Iceland's population is believed to have remained between 40,000 and 60,000 from initial settlement until the mid-19th century, with devastating periods including 37 years of famine between 1500 and 1804.
• The majority of male settlers were of Nordic origin, while the majority of women were of Gaelic origin, as revealed by genetic studies.
• Iceland has extensive genealogical records dating back to the late 17th century, with the biopharmaceutical company deCODE genetics funding the creation of Íslendingabók, a genealogy database covering all known inhabitants of Iceland.
• More than 70 percent of Iceland's population lives in the southwest corner of the country, which covers less than two percent of Iceland's land area.
• Polish people make up the largest minority group in Iceland, with about 8,000 Poles living in the country, including 1,500 in Fjarðabyggð where they comprise 75% of the workforce.
• The destructive volcanic eruptions of Laki volcano during 1783–1784 caused the population to reach a low of about 40,000.
• Iceland has a relatively young population for a developed country, with one out of five people being 14 years old or younger, and a fertility rate of 2.1.

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Reykjavik

Capitale de Islande