What is unusual about the Icelandic horse?

It has an extra gait called the tölt

Most Icelanders use surnames based on what?

Their father's or mother's first name

Iceland Quiz: Fire, Ice and the Land of the Northern Lights

This Iceland quiz explores the island of fire and ice, from Reykjavík and the ancient Althing at Thingvellir to the Blue Lagoon, the Vatnajökull glacier, the Strokkur geyser, Atlantic puffins, the Icelandic horse and the volcanoes of the Reykjanes Peninsula. Ten questions.

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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 90 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 90s

Capital
What is the capital of Iceland?
History
Iceland's parliament, the Althing, was founded in AD 930 at which site?
Geology
Iceland sits on which geological feature, making it volcanically active?
Glaciers
Vatnajökull, Iceland's largest glacier, is one of the largest ice caps in which continent?
Geysers
Which Icelandic geyser erupts every few minutes, shooting water up to about 20 meters?
Spa
The Blue Lagoon, a famous geothermal spa, gets its milky blue color from what?
Birds
Which colorful seabird with a striped beak nests on Iceland's cliffs in summer?
Horses
What is unusual about the Icelandic horse?
Names
Most Icelanders use surnames based on what?
Volcanoes
Since 2021, a series of eruptions has occurred on which peninsula near Reykjavík?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: What is the capital of Iceland?
Answer: Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. About two-thirds of Icelanders live in the capital area.
Q2: Iceland's parliament, the Althing, was founded in AD 930 at which site?
Answer: Thingvellir
Thingvellir is a UNESCO site where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates pull apart, creating a dramatic rift valley.
Q3: Iceland sits on which geological feature, making it volcanically active?
Answer: The Mid-Atlantic Ridge
The island grows a few centimeters wider each year as the North American and Eurasian plates slowly move apart.
Q4: Vatnajökull, Iceland's largest glacier, is one of the largest ice caps in which continent?
Answer: Europe
Vatnajökull covers about 8 percent of Iceland. Several active volcanoes lie hidden beneath its thick ice.
Q5: Which Icelandic geyser erupts every few minutes, shooting water up to about 20 meters?
Answer: Strokkur
The English word geyser comes from Geysir, a famous Icelandic hot spring next to Strokkur.
Q6: The Blue Lagoon, a famous geothermal spa, gets its milky blue color from what?
Answer: Silica and algae
The warm water comes from a nearby geothermal power plant and is rich in minerals.
Q7: Which colorful seabird with a striped beak nests on Iceland's cliffs in summer?
Answer: The Atlantic puffin
Iceland is home to the world's largest colony of Atlantic puffins, which spend the winter at sea.
Q8: What is unusual about the Icelandic horse?
Answer: It has an extra gait called the tölt
The tölt is a smooth, fast four-beat gait. To protect the breed, horses that leave Iceland may never return.
Q9: Most Icelanders use surnames based on what?
Answer: Their father's or mother's first name
A son of Jón might be called Jónsson and a daughter Jónsdóttir. People are listed by first name in the phone book.
Q10: Since 2021, a series of eruptions has occurred on which peninsula near Reykjavík?
Answer: Reykjanes
Lava flows threatened the town of Grindavík, which was evacuated in 2023. Barriers were built to protect homes and power plants.

Iceland Quiz – The Land of Fire and Ice

Iceland is a Nordic island nation in the North Atlantic, just south of the Arctic Circle. Despite its name, it has a relatively mild climate thanks to the Gulf Stream. Its dramatic landscapes of glaciers, volcanoes, waterfalls, black sand beaches and geysers make it one of the most photographed countries in the world, and a favorite subject of Bing homepage images.

The island sits on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the North American and Eurasian plates pull apart. That makes it one of the most volcanically active places on Earth. Volcanoes such as Eyjafjallajökull have disrupted air travel, and since 2021 eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula have created new lava fields. Geothermal energy heats most homes and powers spas such as the Blue Lagoon.

Iceland was settled by Norse Vikings in the 9th century. In 930 they founded the Althing at Thingvellir, one of the oldest parliaments in the world. Icelandic sagas, written in the Middle Ages, are among Europe's great literary treasures, and the modern Icelandic language remains close to Old Norse. Many Icelanders still use names based on a parent's first name.

Today, Iceland has a population of under 400,000, most of them living in and around Reykjavík. Visitors come to see the northern lights in winter, the midnight sun in summer, puffins on sea cliffs, glaciers such as Vatnajökull and waterfalls like Gullfoss and Skógafoss. Icelandic horses, small but strong, are a symbol of the country.

This quiz covers the geography, history and culture of Iceland.

What This Quiz Teaches

This quiz is perfect for travelers, nature fans and anyone dreaming of the northern lights.

Why Iceland has so many volcanoes and geysers
How the Althing became one of the oldest parliaments
Where Iceland's glaciers and hot springs are
What makes Icelandic horses unique
How Icelandic names work
Recent volcanic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula

Quick Facts About Iceland

Iceland has no standing army.
There are no native reptiles or amphibians in Iceland.
Around 85 percent of the country's energy comes from renewable sources.
Black sand beaches such as Reynisfjara are made from volcanic rock.
In midsummer, the sun barely sets in Reykjavík.
Gullfoss, the Golden Falls, is one of Iceland's most visited waterfalls.