Iceland
![Norsemen landing in Iceland – a 19th-century depiction by [[Oscar Wergeland](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Norsemen_Landing_in_Iceland.jpg)
Located on a rift between tectonic plates, Iceland's geologic activity includes geysers and frequent volcanic eruptions. The interior consists of a volcanic plateau characterised by sand and lava fields, mountains, and glaciers, and many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate, despite a latitude just south of the Arctic Circle. Its high latitude and marine influence keep summers chilly, and most of its islands have a polar climate.
According to the ancient manuscript , the settlement of Iceland began in 874 AD when the Norwegian chieftain Ingólfr Arnarson became the first permanent settler on the island. In the following centuries, Norwegians, and to a lesser extent other Scandinavians, immigrated to Iceland, bringing with them thralls (i.e., slaves or serfs) of Gaelic origin.
The island was governed as an independent commonwealth under the native parliament, the Althing, one of the world's oldest functioning legislative assemblies. Following a period of civil strife, Iceland acceded to Norwegian rule in the 13th century. In 1397, Iceland followed Norway's integration into the Kalmar Union along with the kingdoms of Denmark and Sweden, coming under ''de facto'' Danish rule following its dissolution in 1523. The Danish kingdom introduced Lutheranism by force in 1550, and Iceland was formally ceded to Denmark in 1814 by the Treaty of Kiel.
Influenced by ideals of nationalism after the French Revolution, Iceland's struggle for independence took form and culminated in the Danish–Icelandic Act of Union in 1918, with the establishment of the Kingdom of Iceland, sharing through a personal union the incumbent monarch of Denmark. During the occupation of Denmark in World War II, Iceland voted overwhelmingly to become a republic in 1944, thus ending the remaining formal ties with Denmark. Although the Althing was suspended from 1799 to 1845, the island republic nevertheless holds a claim to sustaining one of the longest-running parliaments in the world.
Until the 20th century, Iceland relied largely on subsistence fishing and agriculture. Industrialization of the fisheries and Marshall Plan aid following World War II brought prosperity, and Iceland became one of the wealthiest and most developed nations in the world. It became a part of the European Economic Area in 1994; this further diversified the economy into sectors such as finance, biotechnology, and manufacturing.
Iceland has a market economy with relatively low taxes, compared to other OECD countries, as well as the highest trade union membership in the world. It maintains a Nordic social welfare system that provides universal health care and tertiary education for its citizens. Iceland ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as quality of life, education, protection of civil liberties, government transparency, and economic freedom. Iceland has the smallest population of any NATO member and is the only one with no standing army, possessing only a lightly armed coast guard. Provided by Wikipedia
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1261by Sveinbjornsdottir, S, Hicks, A A, Jonsson, T, Petursson, H, Gudmundsson, G, Frigge, M L, Kong, A, Gulcher, J R, Stefansson, KContributors: “...National University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland...”
Published in New England Journal of Medicine (2008)
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1262by Sigfusson, Nikulas, Sigurdsson, Gunnar, Agnarsson, Uggi, Gudmundsdottir, Inga Ingibjorg, Stefansdottir, Ingibjorg, Sigvaldason, Helgi, Gudnason, VilmundurContributors: “...Icelandic Heart Association, Reykjavik, Iceland....”
Published in Scandinavian Cardiovascular Journal (2010)
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1263by Grant, S F, Thorleifsson, G, Frigge, ML, Thorsteinsson, J, Gunnlaugsdottir, B, Geirsson, AJ, Gudmundsson, M, Vikingsson, A, Erlendsson, K, Valsson, J, Jonsson, H, Gudbjartsson, DF, Stefansson, K, Gulcher, JR, Steinsson, KContributors: “...National University Hospital of Iceland, Reykjavik....”
Published 2008
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1264by Olafsdottir, Linda Bjork, Gudjonsson, Hallgrimur, Jonsdottir, Heidur Hrund, Bjornsson, Einar, Thjodleifsson, BjarniContributors: “...Department of Gastroenterology, Landspitali, Reykjavik, Iceland....”
Published in Digestive and Liver Disease (2012)
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1265Contributors: “...Department of Nursing, University of Iceland, Reykjavík....”
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1266Contributors: “...Landspítalinn University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland....”
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1267by Helgason, T, Bjornsson, J K, Zoëga, T, Thorsteinsson, H S, Tomasson, HContributors: “...Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, Iceland....”
Published in European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience (2010)
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1268by Thors, H, Sigurdsson, H, Oddsson, E, Thjodleifsson, BContributors: “...Dept. of Medicine, Landspítalinn, Reykjavik, Iceland....”
Published in Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology (2011)
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1269by Einarsson, S, Sigurdsson, H K, Magnusdottir, S D, Erlendsdottir, H, Briem, H, Gudmundsson, SContributors: “...University of Iceland Medical School, Reykjavik....”
Published in Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases (2011)
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1270by Sveinbjarnardottir, Eydis K, Svavarsdottir, Erla Kolbrun, Hrafnkelsson, BirgirContributors: “...Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland....”
Published in Journal of Family Nursing (2013)
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1271by Finnbogadottir, A F, Petersen, H, Laxdal, T, Gudbrandsson, F, Gudnason, T, Haraldsson, AContributors: “...From the Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland....”
Published in Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases (2000)
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1272Contributors: “...Department of Pathology, University of Iceland, Reykjavík....”
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1273Contributors: “...Department of Psychiatry, Borgarspítalinn, Reykjavík, Iceland....”
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1274Contributors: “...Department of Medicine, Reykjavik Hospital, Iceland....”
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1275by Knútsdóttir, S, Thórisdóttir, H, Sigvaldason, K, Jónsson, H, Björnsson, A, Ingvarsson, PContributors: “...Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavík, Iceland...”
Published in Spinal Cord (2012)
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1276Contributors: “...The Institute of Social Research at the University of Iceland...”
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1277Contributors: “...The Institute of Social Research at the University of Iceland...”
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1278by Styrkarsdottir, Unnur, Halldorsson, Bjarni V, Gretarsdottir, Solveig, Gudbjartsson, Daniel F, Walters, G Bragi, Ingvarsson, Thorvaldur, Jonsdottir, Thorbjorg, Saemundsdottir, Jona, Center, Jacqueline R, Nguyen, Tuan V, Bagger, Yu, Gulcher, Jeffrey R, Eisman, John A, Christiansen, Claus, Sigurdsson, Gunnar, Kong, Augustine, Thorsteinsdottir, Unnur, Stefansson, KariContributors: “...deCODE Genetics, Reykjavik, Iceland....”
Published in New England Journal of Medicine (2009)
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1279by Sigurdsson, E, Sigfusson, N, Agnarsson, U, Sigvaldason, H, Thorgeirsson, GContributors: “...Heart Preventive Clinic, Reykjavik, Iceland....”
Published in International Journal of Epidemiology (2010)
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1280Contributors: “...Heart Preventive Clinic, Reykjavik, Iceland....”
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