Here’s a few, impress your friends with your Icelandic knowledge!
- Iceland is a pioneer in geothermal utilisation, and geothermal water supplies almost 90% of all space heating in Iceland.
- As a member of the European Economic Area, Iceland shares European business legislation and is part of the inner market.
- All of Iceland’s electricity production is from renewable geothermal and hydro resources, even though over 80% of it is for energy intensive industries.
- Iceland has one of the highest incomes per capita in the world.
- Corporate income tax in Iceland is one of the lowest in OECD at only 20% (for reference, the U.S. rate is 35%).
- Erik the Red, Leif the Lucky, Björk and Bobby Fisher are all Icelandic.
- Iceland has no military. It has only a coast guard and a volunteer-run search and rescue service.
- The English words geyser, saga and berserk were originally Icelandic words.
- Iceland’s Vigdís Finnbogadóttir was the world’s first democratically elected female head of state (she was president of Iceland from 1980 – 1996).
- In the phone book, Icelanders are listed alphabetically by first name.
- Iceland’s men’s handball team won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, making Iceland the smallest country ever to win a medal in a team sport.
- Three Icelandic women have been crowned Miss World.
Did you already know some of these? Would you like to know more? Check out Iceland’s official site here, and see how they’re using Brain-Ding techniques to attract tourism and businesses.
Small countries, much like small companies, can have many curious and fascinating facts. Brands can use these to their advantage, since knowledge is the foundation of any business.
Let’s do #BRAIN-DING!