Landscape Culture and Territorial Development: The Case of Iceland

• Main Authors: ZARRILLI, LUCA, E. FINOCCHIETTI
• Other Authors: Zarrilli, Luca, E., Finocchietti
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2006
• Subjects: Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11564/132942

The stereotype of Iceland is one of a land of ice and fire, constantly subject to the devastating power of nature, an image evoking the idea of a radically inhospitable environment, where surviving is almost impossible. Nevertheless since its independence, Iceland developed so quickly that it ranks nowadays in the first positions in the world in terms of GDP pro-capita and HDI. Underlying this development there is a peculiar relation between man and nature, that has been influencing the settlement and the economy so far, and that is so deeply rooted in the history of this territory to become a cultural and identity feature. The aim of this paper is to analyse the relation between environment and development in Iceland and the role of natural landscape in the cultural sphere and in the development policies of this country.