FACTS
Location: Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
Area (only Total) total: 103,000 sq km
Climate: temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
Terrain: mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords
Population: 304,367 (July 2008 est.)
Main Language (only first): Icelandic
Government type: constitutional republic
Capital (Name): Reykjavik
Capital (Time Difference): UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Independence: 1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
National holiday: Independence Day, 17 June (1944)
HOLIDAYS
January 1 New Year's Day
March 21 Good Friday
March 24 Easter Monday
April 25 Children's Day
May 1 Labour Day (not banks)
May 1 Ascension
May 11 Pentecost
May 12 Pentecost Monday
June 17 National Day (Proclamation of the Republic)
November 1 All Saint's Day
December 24 Christmas Eve (not banks)
December 25 Christmas Day
December 26 Boxing Day (not banks)
December 31 New Year's Eve (1/2 day from noon, not banks)
Holidays falling on a weekend are not moved
Weekend - Saturday, Sunday
