Iceland-Mitchell



=Population and Health=

CBR: 12

CDR: 7

NIR: 5

IMR: 1.7

TFR: 1.8

GNI PPP/ Capita: 52, 490

Life Expectancy: 81 (Males), 84 (Females)



=Article:=

There is an increasing trend in which Icelanders are abandoning their homes in the country to move to the larger cities like Reykjavik. Icelanders who still live in rural regions tend to be much older. The largest demographic in the capital region is people ages 20-29, while in rural ares like in the Westfjords, the largest demographic is of ages 50 to 59. 12 percent of the population is from overseas.

https://grapevine.is/news/2015/10/13/new-population-data-on-iceland/

What factors in Iceland specifically could be responsible for the migration from rural to urban areas?
=**Folk Culture (Elves?):**=



Despite it being one of the most advanced nations in the world, belief in invisible elves remains common in Iceland. It seems silly to foreigners, but Iceland has a long tradition of folklore and literature concerning elves and their activities, so the belief in elves is not considered unusual. In fact, more than half the population of Iceland believes in these mystical beings, and more do not deny their existence (it is considered bad luck). These elves, or "huldufolk" as they are known, are said to dwell in lava rocks. They are benevolent creatures, but it is very bad luck to disturb an elf's home. Because of this, there have been several cases where the highway department has consulted elf experts in order to find alternate routes for construction, so as not to disturb the elves.

https://www.icelandtravel.is/about-iceland/culture/folklore/

Do we have any commonly held beliefs or superstitions in the United States that may seem strange in other countries?
=Language=

Icelandic is the official language of Iceland and has roughly 300,000 speakers. Because it has remained isolated for hundreds of years, Icelandic is the most unchanged Germanic language and has virtually no diffusion whatsoever outside of Iceland. Icelanders have been facing a large problem in recent years because most digital devices such as cellphones and computers do not include an option for Icelandic. More people in Iceland are using English out of necessity, and experts fear that the rise of technology could result in the extinction of the Icelandic language.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/04/24/digital-devices-snub-icelandic-language-which-is-a-problem-for-iceland/?utm_term=.6d4300fc5566

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvlLbX3oyAk

Do you believe it's reasonable for tech companies to accommodate languages like Icelandic that have relatively few speakers on a global scale?

=Religion=

Religion is Iceland is largely Lutheran, representing around 80 percent of the population. Other Christian denominations represent about five percent of the population. Another religion that represents around five percent of the population is ásatrú, or traditional Norse paganism. Recent surveys, however, reveal that around a quarter of the population is atheist, although they are still members of traditional Christian congregations.

After the settlement of Iceland by Scandinavians in the 9th century, the majority of people practiced the traditional Norse religion. Christian conversion began around the year 1000. When power transitioned from Catholic Danish control to Lutheran Icelandic control, civil war almost broke out. This is the closest Iceland has come to deadly religious conflict. The government of Iceland has officially adopted Lutheranism as the national religion under the church if Iceland.

http://www.iceland.is/the-big-picture/quick-facts

http://sidmennt.is/2006/08/13/the-status-of-religion-and-religious-life-in-iceland-today/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Iceland

Do you think the future of religion looks bleak for Iceland and other countries like it?