by Mingming Shi
1. Who was the first female mayor of Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland?
a) Auður Auðuns
b) Mingming Shi
c) Ingibjörg H. Bjarnason
d) Bríet Bjarnhéðinsdóttir
The answer is a) Auður Auðuns. She served as the first female mayor of the capital of Iceland, along with Geir Hallgrímsson, between 19 November 1959 and 6 October 1960. Ingibjörg H. Bjarnason was also an Icelandic politician and a member of the country’s Parliament (Alþingi). Bríet Bjarnhéðinsdóttir was a famed advocate for women’s political rights.
Thank you for your support for Mingming though. 🙂
2. What does the name of one of the country’s landmark buildings, Perlan, mean in English?
a) ‘The Sky’
b) ‘The Glacier’
c) ‘The Forest’
d) ‘The Pearl’
The hint that the answer is d) is the shape of the building! The name translates to ‘The Pearl’.
3. Please identify the iconic Iceland cat in the picture below.
a) Rósalind
b) Púki
c) Diegó
d) Móri
It’s a) Rósalind. Before she passed in 2022, her common nickname was ‘Rector Rósalind’, as she was frequently spotted on the campus on the University of Iceland in Reykjavík, and especially near the main canteen! Diegó and Púki are amongst the famous cats found in downtown Reykjavík, and Móri was the unofficial Feline Affairs editor here at OtC.
4. Which one of the following is a national political party in Iceland?
a) Framsóknarflokkurinn (Progressive Party)
b) Miðflokkurinn (The Centre Party)
c) Viðreisn (Liberal Reform Party)
d) Píratar (Pirate Party)
Actually, the answer here is all of the above. These are all political parties which can run for seats in the Icelandic Parliament. So please give yourself a point for whichever choice you made!
5. Which of the following science fiction movies was not filmed in Iceland?
a) Star Trek Into Darkness
b) Prometheus
c) Predator: Badlands
d) Star Wars: Rogue One
Iceland is becoming famous as a filming location for science fiction films, given its exotic (and sometimes otherworldly) landscapes. Each of these movies had scenes shot in Iceland except for the recent Predator: Badlands, c), which was filmed in New Zealand.
6. Which of the following statements about the foreign policy and diplomatic relations of Iceland is incorrect?
a) Iceland has supported Ukraine after that country was invaded by Russia.
b) Iceland does not have an Embassy in South Korea.
c) Iceland is not a member of NATO.
d) Iceland joined the United Nations in 1946.
The answer is c), since even though Iceland does not have a standing military, it was a founding member of NATO in 1949.
7. Which of the following events did not take place after Iceland’s 2008 banking crisis?
a) Iceland secured a loan from the International Monetary Fund.
b) Iceland’s currency, the króna (pictured above), was temporarily suspended in favour of the euro for about two years.
c) All three major commercial banks in the country collapsed.
d) The UK government used anti-terrorism legislation to freeze the British accounts of one Icelandic bank.
The answer here is b), since although there was some discussion during the height of the crisis about abandoning the Icelandic króna for the euro, this did not ultimately take place.
However, the Icelandic government has called a referendum on 29 August (2026) on the question of membership in the European Union.
8. Which of these statements about the current President of Iceland, Halla Tómstdóttir, is incorrect?
a) She is the third female president of Iceland.
b) She has a background in business.
c) She was elected in 2024, following an unsuccessful run for office in 2016.
d) She has published a book entitled Hugrekki til að Hafa Áhrif (The Courage to Make a Difference)
The answer is a). There have been two female president of Iceland since the country’s founding in 1944, with the first being Vigdís Finnbogadóttir from 1980-96, who was the first woman to be the democratically elected president of a country
9. Which of the following behaviour is allowed in a public swimming complex in Iceland?
a) Using a device to film without requesting permission from staff.
b) Guests of different genders using the same sauna room.
c) Entering a pool without taking a shower.
d) Bringing a pet.
The answer is b), as saunas are unisex. Bringing phones and pets into the pool area is not allowed, and regulations are very strict about showing before entering the pools.
10. What is Iceland’s national animal?
a) Sheep
b) Gyrfalcon
c) Puffin
d) Icelandic horse
Although both puffins and Icelandic horses are popular animals in Iceland, and sheep are also easy to find (as are cats!), the answer is actually b).
11. Which of the following movies is from Iceland?
a) Amma Hófi
b) Snerting
c) Nýtt Lýf
d) Sætur
Another trick question, as it’s all of the above!
12. Which of the following statements about the Icelandic fishing industry is incorrect?
a) As an export, seafood is one of the largest sources of income for the country.
b) Thirty percent of Iceland’s population is employed in the fishing industry.
c) Iceland does not import fish from other countries.
d) Besides exporting fish, Iceland has also developed other usages of fish, such as for medical purposes.
Although fishing and seafood is one of the largest sectors in the country, it employs less than ten percent of the Icelandic workforce, so the answer is b).
13. Which shopping mall is the largest in the country?
a) Kringlan
b) Smáralind
c) Glerártorg
d) Glæsibær
Smáralind, b), just outside of Reykjavík, is the largest shopping centre in Iceland.
14. What phrase is not an appropriate way to express gratitude in Icelandic?
a) ‘Takk fyrir’
b) ‘Þakka þér’
c) ‘Þetta reddast’
d) ‘Takk’
‘Þetta reddast‘ loosely translates as ‘something which will eventually work out all right’. This phrase is not usually used as meaning ‘thanks’, unlike the other three, so the answer is c).
15. Which of the following supermarkets is not an Icelandic brand?
a) Bónus
b) Rema 1000
c) Hagkaup
d) Krónan
All of these brands are Icelandic except for b) Rema 1000, which is a Norwegian chain of grocery stores.
16. What material is the ‘Sólfar: The Sun Voyager’ sculpture in Reykjavík (pictured) made from?
a) Cast iron
b) Stainless steel
c) Copper-plated steel
d) Platinum combined with steel
The answer here is b). Iron alone would be difficult to maintain, given Iceland’s winter weather!
17. Which of the following airlines does not operate flights into Iceland to date?
a) Air Greenland
b) Finnair
c) Japan Airlines
d) Easyjet
It’s c), as Japan Airlines does not fly direct to Iceland.
18. Which of the following statements about the famous site of Jökulsárlón (pictured) is incorrect?
a) Its scenery is a result of climate change and the melting of glaciers.
b) Its ice forms in summer and disappears in winter.
c) It is dangerous to swim or bathe in its waters.
d) It is a habitat for marine animals such as seals.
Definitely b), as the ice at the site forms all year-round.
19. Which of the following statements about geothermal energy in Iceland is incorrect?
a) This energy has been used to grow local vegetables and fruits, including cucumbers, tomatoes and bananas.
b) Most households in the country are heated by geothermal energy.
c) It is a clean (and carbon neutral) resource.
d) Sales of this resource abroad contribute heavily to the annual GDP of Iceland.
Iceland’s thermal energy has many uses, including assisting in the growing of local produce, but it is not exported, (the answer is d) ).
20. In which town can this famous statue be found?
a) Akureyri
b) Stöðvarfjörður
c) Stykisshómur
d) Seyðisfjöður
This one is challenging! This statue, of famed stone collector Ljósbjörg Petra María Sveinsdóttir, can be found in b) Stöðvarfjörður, which is a very small town (about 200 persons), in the eastern part of Iceland.
Thank you for participating, and more quizzes to follow in the near future!
Over the Circle 