• 1. Keiko the killer whale, star of Free Willy, was from Iceland.

  • 2. Beer was banned until 1989.

    In 1989 a narrow majority of Parliament voted to end a 73-year ban on beer.

  • 3. There are no strip clubs in Iceland.

    Iceland banned all strip clubs in March of 2010.

  • 4. Iceland lists its residents’ phone numbers by their first name.

  • 5. Many Icelanders believe in elves and trolls as well as other mystical creatures.

    About 10 percent of Icelanders believe in supernatural beings and another 10 percent deny them. The remaining 80 percent have no opinion or refuse to rule out their existence.

  • 6. There are no McDonalds in Iceland.

    Iceland’s three McDonald’s restaurants - all in the capital Reykjavik - all closed in 2009.

  • 7. The highest population of Icelandic people in the United States live in Utah and are Mormon.

    When overpopulation, famine and disease struck Iceland in the late 19th century, it prompted a mass exodus. Many Icelanders moved to Utah and converted to Mormonism.

  • 8. Icelanders have 13 Santa Clauses.

    In Iceland Santa Claus has thirteen brothers. The last thirteen nights before Christmas, they deliver small gifts to the children of Iceland.

  • 9. The national article of clothing is the lopapeysa.

    A lopapeysa is an Icelandic style of sweater originating around or before the middle of the 20th century. The lopapeysa is a favorite amongst Icelandic hipsters.

  • 10. They eat sheep heads.

    And puffin.