Why are there no dogs in Iceland?

In 1924, Reykjavik banned locals from having dogs as pets in an attempt to control the spread of a disease. The ban was enforced to minimise the risk of locals being affected by the outbreak of echinococcosis, a type of tapeworm spreading on the island.
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Why are dogs forbidden in Iceland?

In 1924, the city of Reykjavik banned keeping dogs as pets. The city's residents aren't all cat people—rather, the measure was meant to prevent echinococcosis, a type of tapeworm that can be passed from dogs to humans.
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When were dogs allowed in Iceland?

On April 3 1984 man's best friend was allowed back into the city as a 60 year old ban on dogs was lifted. This meant Reykjavík residents could finally keep dogs as pets. The Reykjavík dog ban certainly ranks among the strangest Icelandic rules which were in effect in the 20th century.
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What dog breeds are illegal in Iceland?

According to Article 14 in Regulation no. 200/2020, the breeds of “Pit Bull Terrier”, “Staffordshire Bull Terrier”, “American Staffordshire Terrier” and “American Bulldog” may not be imported to Iceland.
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Are dogs forbidden in Iceland?

Strictly speaking, it is forbidden to own dogs in Iceland. In 1971, a complete ban on dogs was enforced in Reykjavík, but 13 years later the rules were changed, and people could own dogs if both owner and dog met a few conditions.
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Why are dogs not allowed in Iceland?



Does Iceland smell like a fart?

Everything smells like farts

But it's undeniable that when you run a tap in Iceland, out flows a stench like rotting eggs mixed with hangover farts.
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Why did Iceland Ban McDonald's?

Iceland was home to 3 or 4 (sources differ) McDonald's restaurants until the country's financial crisis in 2009. With the collapse of the country's currency, the cost of importing the restaurants' required food products reportedly doubled, forcing all locations to shut down.
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Why is beer illegal in Iceland?

The somewhat shaky logic behind the beer ban was that access to beer would tempt young people and workers into heavy drinking. The ban's opponents argued that only allowing people hard liquor instead would do just that.
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Why are there no homeless people in Iceland?

With too many expensive houses and too few affordable living options, many Icelanders became unable to support themselves or their families and had to move out of their homes and into shelters. Several other factors also figure into homelessness in Iceland.
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Does Iceland have homeless?

Despite having one of the world's most generous welfare systems, Iceland is reportedly struggling with a growing homelessness problem. According to one study, the number of homeless people living in Reykjavik—Iceland's capital—nearly doubled between 2012 and 2017 from 179 to 349, or about three out of every thousand.
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Why are there no trees in Iceland?

The country lost most of its trees more than a thousand years ago, when Viking settlers took their axes to the forests that covered one-quarter of the countryside. Now Icelanders would like to get some of those forests back, to improve and stabilize the country's harsh soils, help agriculture and fight climate change.
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Are pitbulls illegal in Iceland?

Banned Breeds

Some dangerous dog breeds and their crosses are prohibited from entering Iceland. They include: American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, TosaInu, Dogo Argentino (Argentine Mastiff) and Fila Brasileiro (Brazillian Mastiff). Wolf mixes are not permitted.
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Why are turtles illegal in Iceland?

Snakes, lizards and turtles are illegal to own as pets in Iceland, although there have been a few cases in which they were smuggled through customs. A case of a smuggled turtle in the 1990s is the reason behind the ban as the owner contracted salmonella.
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Are there prisons in Iceland?

Aside from Fangelsið Akureyri, which is in the northern city of Akureyri, prisons in Iceland are all located in the southwest end of the country. This includes the oldest prison, Hegningarhúsið, which is located in downtown Reykjavík. This roughly corresponds with the country's population centres.
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Are there cats in Iceland?

There are all sorts of different breeds of cats in Iceland, including Norwegian Forest cats, Bengal cats, British short hair, Siamese, Ragdoll, Himalayan or Siberian cats to name just a few.
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What should you not wear in Iceland?

What Not to Wear in Iceland
  • Light layers. Iceland's climate is milder than you'd expect, considering its location in the Arctic circle. ...
  • Non–waterproof coats and jackets. Do not wear jackets and coats that will not protect you from the rain. ...
  • Thin socks. ...
  • Slippery shoes. ...
  • Fancy clothing. ...
  • Jeans.
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What religion is practiced in Iceland?

Religion: Most Icelanders (80%) are members of the Lutheran State Church. Another 5% are registered in other Christian denominations, including the Free Church of Iceland and the Roman Catholic Church. Almost 5% of people practice ásatrú, the traditional Norse religion. Economy: GDP = $34,91 billion (2017).
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What is Iceland's quality of life?

Iceland has ranked third in a new quality of life index for expats run by Blacktower Financial Group. The index was calculated using six key metrics: world happiness ranking, average monthly salary, cost of living, property price to income ratio, quality of healthcare, and global peace level.
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How do people in Iceland heat their house?

Geothermal water is used to heat around 90% of Iceland's homes, and keeps pavements and car parks snow-free in the winter. Hot water from the springs is cooled and pumped from boreholes that vary between 200 and 2,000m straight into the taps of nearby homes, negating the need for hot water heating.
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What's the drinking age in Iceland?

The legal drinking age in Iceland is 20. Grocery stores only have low-alcohol beer; all other alcohol is sold in state-controlled stores called Vínbúð, with limited opening hours. If you're arriving by plane and want to have some stronger alcohol on you, we advise to get some at the airport.
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Is smoking legal in Iceland?

Smoking cigarettes is legal in Iceland. However, there are several laws concerning where people can smoke cigarettes which came into effect in June of 2007. Like many countries, in Iceland it is no longer legal to smoke inside any public buildings.
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Can you drink at 18 in Iceland?

Alcohol Age Restrictions In Iceland

The legal drinking age in Iceland is 20. This is significantly higher than most European countries, and it's to do with the historical voting age. The Icelandic voting age has come down to 18 now, but the drinking age stayed at 20.
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What is Black Death in Iceland?

Brennivin, better known as “Black Death”, is the Icelandic's distinctive spirit. It was created from the “aquavits” introduced by Danish merchants in Iceland in the 17th Century. The exact translation for Brennivin is “Burnt Wine”. This refers to how the “aquavit” is produced: distilled over an opened flame.
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Why does Iceland have no army?

Iceland has no standing army. The most obvious reason is that the population of Iceland is too small to have a capable military, plus it is much too expensive. The Icelandic Coast Guard maintains defences for Iceland and is armed with small arms, naval artillery and air defence radar stations.
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Why is there no Starbucks in Iceland?

There's no Starbucks in Iceland

It's a side effect of being a small country, we don't want other bigger countries to take over. So we tend to prefer Icelandic shops, and we already have two pretty big café chains, Kaffitár and Te og Kaffi, plus a lot of local or smaller cafés.
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