PH OTO E S SAY
VICTOR MONTOL
I
celand is a country built on two main tenets: survival and
prosperity. It was settled first by Celtic monks in the seventh
and eighth centuries, and later in the eighth century by Norse
settlers. Unlike many others, the country can trace its history
back to the exact date and even name of its first settler, Ingólfur
Arnarson in the early 870s. These early settlers made their villages
with stone and earthen roofs and relied on fishing and raising livestock. The turbulent coastlines surrounding Iceland created rich
fishing grounds that helped the country prosper.
For most of its history the country was controlled by or in
union with the Norwegian or Danish monarchy. It wasn’t until
1944 that it became an independent republic. Today it remains a
small country of only 320,000 inhabitants and while almost two
thirds live in the capital region, the country is still very much
dominated by small town community feeling.
Human history aside, the landscape of Iceland is simply
breathtaking. From the high snow-covered volcanic peaks to the
deep river gorges, it is a country shaped by titanic forces and it is
because of these forces that it has thrived.
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