Why Greenland is icy and Iceland is Green?

 Green Icy & Icy Green

If you’ve ever checked out a globe, you'll have noticed one thing odd--Greenland is roofed in ice, and Iceland is inexperienced.

The peculiarity behind the names of Iceland and Greenland has been noticed and questioned by several. So, what’s the deal?

As is that the case with the naming behind most countries (cue Christmas Island)

it’s sophisticated. it's tough to tell exactly what happened as a result of the settlements of every country were thus early in history, 

however, we have a tendency to do have an inspiration.

The Land of Ice and fire

The country we all know as Iceland is actually a volcanic island mature from the ocean bottom (and it still has active volcanoes). Throughout history, various settlers got wind of the island and adjusted its name before moving on to a different land.

One Norwegian Northman named Floki traveled to the island with family and placental mammals and settled within the western part of the country. However, his settlement tries unsuccessfully once he failed to harvest any fodder for his animals. The story goes that once his loss, he climbed a mountain within the spring to examine the weather wherever he saw ice get into the water and, hence, modified the island’s name to Iceland.

Today, Iceland’s population sits at 320,000 people—approximately two-and-a-half times smaller than Charlotte. Iceland is roughly the dimensions of KY and is one of every of the smallest amount inhabited countries within the world. Despite its name, solely eleven p.c of the land is roofed in ice caps and it sits simply south of the polar circle.

Icy Escapades on island

Now let’s travel 752 miles southeast of Iceland to the coast of the island, named by Scandinavian settlers.

Erik the Red (who was antecedently exiled from Iceland) named the land in hopes of attracting additional individuals and building a community.

Contrary to the nation’s name, 80 % of the island is roofed in ice with solely the southern portion being inexperienced.

Did you recognize Eismitte, the island is that the second coldest place on earth? With –85 degrees as their lowest recorded temperature, it's within the class of the coldest places at the side of geographical region and continent.

Despite the improbably cold atmosphere, close to 56,673 individuals reside there. it's additionally home to a number of the foremost lovely species on the earth as well as musk oxen, walruses, humpback whales, and additional.