Iceland is a Nordic island country between the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean. It was the last country to be settled in Europe, when emigrants from Scandinavia and the British Isles first came to live on the island in the 9th & 10th century. It remains the most sparsely populated country of the continent with less than three inhabitants per square kilometer (it has a population of 325 000 and an area of 103 000 km²).

The country is known for its extreme contrasts: widely known as “The Land of Fire and Ice” Iceland is home to some of the largest glaciers in Europe, and some of the world’s most active volcanoes. Iceland is also the land of light and darkness.
Long summer days with near 24-hours of sunshine are offset by short winter days with only few hours of daylight.

Important parts of Icelandic cuisine are lamb, dairy, and fish, due to Iceland’s proximity to the ocean. Popular foods in Iceland include skyr, a cultured dairy product similar to strained yogurt and hangikjöt (smoked lamb).