How Iceland Changed the World: The Big History of a Small Island

Iceland is an interesting place. It is located "in the middle of nowhere", part way between Europe and America. It is really far north and has extreme differences in winter and summer light. It has only been inhabited for a millenia. The descendents of the original inhabitants still remain there. While there has always been interaction with other people, it has not been frequent or deep, thus leading to a fairly homogeneous population. The weather is generally cool. It does not get as cold as inland arctic locations, and rarely gets hot. 

With this situation, Iceland has had an interesting history. The Icelandic sagas are an important source of historical information. (Though there is plenty of "story" in them.) Iceland has been "ruled" by various Scandinavian entities, but always remained somewhat independent. Iceland was the launching point for voyages to Greenland and North America. In more modern times, the location has made it a key point in global wars. It has managed to befriend both Germans and Americans in world wars. The population remains small and can be easily overwhelmed by large external populations. The small economy often requires many imports. Fishing is one of the main exportable natural resources. However, there are talks of exporting electricity. (Iceland has great untapped capacity of geothermal and hydro power.)

This book is a rather tongue-in-cheek look at all the important ways in which Iceland has been an influence in world affairs. Iceland served as a training ground for the moon landing due to its "moon-like" landscape. It was the first country to directly elect a female president. The volcanoes in the country have had significant weather impacts and altered the course of history. This little island has had an outsized role in history.